A message from Ian Cheetham, Director of Human Resources:
Back in July, I gave an update on the ongoing pay negotiations for 2009-10 between the University & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), representing 153 higher education employers, and the five unions representing staff in the HE sector (Unison, Unite, UCU, EIS and GMB).
The UCEA had put forward its final pay offer of 0.5% for the year 1 August 2009 to 31 July 2010 calling it considered, realistic and responsible under the current economic circumstances, and set against stringent limits of affordability in the sector as well as the context of the pay increases received last year.
The UCEA highlighted current financial pressures faced by the sector including the cost of the present three-year pay deal which has provided increases of a minimum of 15.9% and increases in the employers’ pension contributions (for example, a 2% increase in costs from next month for those employers in the USS scheme).
With RPI inflation running at minus 1.3%, and expected by the Treasury to fall further, the UCEA believes the offer represents a real terms increase of around 2% at current levels and ensures the value of the recent substantial increases in pay.
The five trade unions involved are currently consulting with their members over the next steps to take. These consultations are ongoing and it is likely to be mid-October before the collective union position is known.
The UCEA will then meet to consider the outcomes of these consultations before making any further announcement.
The University of Bath, like all higher education institutions, is awaiting the outcome of these consultations and not implementing the 0.5% offer at this stage. Once agreed, any pay increase will be backdated to 1 August 2009.