Kent UCU Members are asked to vote in the consultation on pay. Members are asked to reject the employers pay offer of 2% and sanction industrial action.
Mark
Full text form UCU HQ below:
Dear colleague
I am writing to ask you to vote in this consultation on the pay offer of 2% from the higher education (HE) employers.
UCU recommends that you vote to reject the offer for the following reasons:
• 2% is well below the current rate of inflation which, as measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI), is currently 3.4%
• 2% does nothing to restore ground lost against inflation since 2010 which UCU estimates to be 21% when pay settlements are cumulatively compared to rises in RPI
• 2% reflects a continuing de-prioritisation of staff pay; while the proportion of university expenditure spent on staff has fallen to just 54.7%, reserves held by institutions have increased by 259% and capital expenditure by 34.9%.
In addition to their below inflation pay offer the employers have also made no meaningful proposals to address either the continuing casualisation of the HE workforce or gender pay inequality.
You can read the union’s full claim here and the employers’ latest response here.
UCU’s position is that for too long HE has based its success on an exploitative employment model which embeds inequality, insecurity and seeks to prioritise buildings over people.
In the ballot you will be asked two questions. The first is whether you wish to accept or reject the offer. UCU recommends that you vote to reject.
You will also be asked whether if the offer is rejected you will be prepared to take sustained industrial action.
Since the passing of the 2016 Trade Union Act, UCU has to achieve a turnout of at least 50% in a statutory ballot before members are allowed to take lawful industrial action.
That means it is more vital than ever that we know your views.
Please help UCU by participating in this consultation.
Click here to vote Members receive a unique link
This is your unique link. Please do not share or forward this link.
The ballot closes at 12 noon on 27 June 2018.
Paul Bridge
UCU head of higher education