Negotiations for the 1 August 2022 national pay award began in March this year between the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), on behalf of the employers and the five recognised Trade Unions. None of the Trade Unions have accepted the final offer and UCEA have informed us that the dispute resolution talks have ended. Whilst the employers remain committed to collective pay negotiation, UCEA do not believe that staff should have to wait for this uplift and have advised that it should now be implemented.
The national pay negotiations have been particularly challenging this year. We have seen inflation measures rising steeply during the negotiation process, and we don’t know how long these pressures on household finances will continue. At the same time, the maximum fees Universities can charge UK students have been frozen again until 2024/25, so income in the sector will remain severely constrained. Balancing these and other issues, UCEA believe that this is a fair and reasonable offer in the current financial climate.
The offer to be implemented comprises a 3.0% uplift to all spine points on the pay scale for grades 2-9, with higher percentages up to spine point 19. For eligible staff this is in addition to the around 3% pay increase for those staff entitled to pay progression in April, and the local one-off payments recently announced. The spine points on the new Professorial and senior staff pay scale will also receive the 3% pay increase. The relevant University webpages are being updated and we expect to implement with August pay.