WHAT IS THE DISPUTE ABOUT?
What the Association of University Teachers (AUT) says:“An extra £3.4bn is coming into higher education due to the introduction of top-up fees and other extra money being made available to the sector.
We want the employers to honour the commitment given to government by vice-chancellors that they would boost salaries using the sector's new income. The AUT and NATFHE therefore put in a pay claim in October 2005 which called for a third of the extra money to be put into staff pay. When, five months later, the employers had failed to make any offer in response to the claim, our members voted to take industrial action.”
For more information go to www.aut.org.uk
What the university and colleges employment association (UCEA) says:
“Higher education employers were left dismayed today as the academic unions plunged students' futures into further uncertainty by refusing to even consider the improved and final 12.6% three year pay increase on offer.
Jocelyn Prudence, Chief Executive of UCEA, said:
”The AUT's and NATFHE's irresponsible decision to condemn students to further disruption and uncertainty is reckless. The improved offer we made today represents a major increase in pay for staff in our universities and colleges of higher education. It comes on top of average 3% - 5% increases due under the current Framework Agreement on pay modernisation, as well as large increases in employers' pension contributions. It greatly exceeds the academic unions' original demand for one-third of additional income from top-up fees. Their refusal to even put the offer to their members is inexplicable and shows a serious disregard for students.”
For more information go to www.ucea.ac.uk
