York University has become the latest university to announce that it is to raise the pay of its lowest-paid staff, saying it is “concerned” to protect the pay of those employees.
In a statement to staff and the trade unions, the university said: “We are concerned to protect the pay of those employees on the lowest salaries.
“For this reason, we have decided that, regardless of the outcome of the pay settlement nationally, we will ensure that no employee of the university is paid less than £14,719 per annum (pro-rated according to the number of hours worked).
“The salaries of employees on the first two salary points of grade 1 will be uplifted to this rate with effect from 1 August 2013.”
The university goes on to state that it supports national negotiations and urges all parties to return to the negotiating table to try and reach a settlement to the dispute.
UNISON regional organiser Steve Torrance said: “This is a positive step from a university in the Russell Group of universities.
“While we welcome moves from any employer towards implementing the living wage for the lowest paid, all of our members need a fair pay rise of more than 1% after five years of real terms pay cuts.
“We echo York University management’s call for all parties to return to the negotiating table to resolve the current dispute.
“However, negotiations are like dancing and it takes two to tango. So my message to UCEA is strictly come dancing!”
UNISON has led the campaign for no employee in higher education to be paid less than a living wage and is convinced that, given the current success of the UK university sector, the money is available in to make an improved offer on pay for those that have contributed to the world class services to students.
However, the union’s members in higher education are taking a third day of strike action on 6 February over the employers’ refusal to improve on the 1% pay offer.
The employers claim that anything more is not affordable and they will not increase the bottom of the existing pay scale to ensure that the lowest-paid university staff earn a living wage.
Currently, more than 4,000 employees are paid less than the living wage.
Higher education industrial action