- Conference
- 2022 Virtual Higher Education Conference
- Date
- 13 October 2021
- Decision
- Carried
The work done by members in the last 18 months has been simply phenomenal; or if you prefer, “unprecedented”. Members at all grades have gone that extra mile to essentially keep the Higher Education (HE) sector alive: whether that be staff in security, residential services, cleaning, estates who have stayed on campus, meaning that they have effectively been working on the front line; or the administrative and support staff who have borne the massive burden of moving just about everything a university does and putting it on-line – this involved huge effort, imagination, skill and sometimes endurance.
We did all of this for a zero percent pay rise. Following 12 years of below inflation pay settlements.
Next year’s miserly ‘offer’ has already been swallowed up by the National Insurance increase – which in effect is making workers pay for their own efforts to keep the economy running – before we get started on the cost of living increases, the terrifying fuel bill increases and the cut to Universal Credit which is nothing less than spiteful.
The workers of this sector need, they deserve, a full accounting of all that has been given in their service to HEIs (Higher Education Institutes) over the last 18 months. This must include a looking at the toll on the physical and mental health. Therefore, we call upon conference to require the Service Group Executive (SGE) to use all means at their disposal to investigate:
1)The real, and increasing, costs to staff of working from home – heating, lighting, network upgrades, equipment etc.
2)The amount of overtime worked, including, if possible, the hidden hours done by staff not taking lunch breaks, continuing to answer emails into the evening, or on days off.
3)Issues around caring responsibilities / home schooling / flexible working.
4)Sickness absence rates – any increases in sickness absence, especially Mental Health, anxiety and stress.
5)Increased instances of grievances, for reasons such as bullying.
6)Health and Safety reports / concerns relating to Covid safety; concerns relating to returning to / re-opening of campuses.
And then, armed with this information, to energetically and in a joined-up manner, lobby the sector employers for fair reparation.
They could not have done it without us.