UNISON members in higher education are to be consulted on the employer’s pay offer of 1.1% for the majority of staff, with the removal of the bottom pay point from the national pay scale and tapered increases from 3.1% on point 2 to 1.6% on point 7.
The union attended dispute meetings earlier this month, along with UCU, Unite and EIS, to try to improve the offer. However, this failed to deliver any increase from the employer.
UNISON’s national higher education service group executive (HESGE) voted unanimously to reject the offer, as 1.1% for most staff is inadequate.
The HESGE is recommending that members also reject it in the forthcoming consultation, and then move on to take escalating industrial action early in the autumn to try to secure an improved offer.
Members will be consulted on the offer via branches between 26 May and 1 July.
