The first higher education pay meeting with the national employers’ organisation UCEA was held on 22 March 2016, at the unions presented the joint trade union claim, which was for a significant pay rise and an uplift for the lowest paid based on the Foundation Living Wage rates.

The employers offered a miserly 1%, which was rejected.

The next meeting is scheduled for 28th April, at which the employers are meant to present their final offer.

However, UCU have already begun the process of balloting their members for industrial action – their ballot will take place from 14 April to 4 May (https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/8151/HE-pay-update).

The other unions are waiting for the final offer before they ballot.

As you know, the IWGB’s position was to call for a 5% pay rise, and we have in addition been working with other local unions to put pressure on our employers directly while negotiations are ongoing.

In order to get a proper pay rise, we will need to be prepared to take industrial action (even the threat of such action can often be very effective) – and we would obviously want to coordinate any strike action with national action taken by other unions at universities across the country.

In order to be in a position to do this, we would need to hold a formal ballot of all members. We’ll be in touch soon about this, but in the meantime let us know what you think about pay, about possible action – all questions or suggestions welcome!