17 February 2006

Lecturers primed to strike if pay deal not sorted immediately

Lecturers, researchers and academic related staff have today (Friday) sent a clear message to vice-chancellors that they are prepared to take industrial action on university campuses throughout the UK if their pay claim is not sorted out immediately.

The academic unions AUT and NATFHE have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action and also for 'action short of a strike' which may include assessment boycotts. Millions of students could be left with coursework unmarked, lectures and seminars cancelled, and their exam programmes thrown into chaos if a pay deal cannot be reached.

Academic pay has declined by 40 per cent in real terms over the past 20 years and the unions want their pay brought into line with equivalent professionals. They argue that additional government funding - plus the extra billions of pounds from controversial top-up fees - means that employers can now afford to sort out staff pay.

The unions are angry that the employers have reneged on public promises to use the new funding to improve pay. The employers have not yet made the unions any pay offer and AUT and NATFHE said today that a failure to do so swiftly will lead to unparalleled industrial action across the UK's universities.

Both unions have made it clear again that any industrial action will be an absolute last resort and they remain committed to resolving the dispute at the negotiating table, not on the picket line. However, conscious that the employers have had five months to make an offer and have not done so, they confirmed that early next week they will release exact details of what action will take place.

NATFHE balloted academics in new universities. AUT balloted academics, librarians and academic related staff in old universities.

64% of AUT members voted for strike action and 81% also voted for 'action short of a strike'.

70% of NATFHE members want strike action and 87% voted for 'action short of a strike'.

AUT turnout was 51%. NATFHE turnout was 47% (of higher education members).

NATFHE general secretary Paul Mackney said:

"This is a strong mandate for action and shows the level of dissatisfaction throughout higher education. Employers must respond immediately with an offer - not talks about talks - if they are to prevent disruption. More than £3.5 billion of extra funding starts to enter the sector this year - ample to begin restoring academic salaries. The Bett inquiry established the case, Tony Blair acknowledged it, the government has increased funding and vice chancellors promised to use fees to improve pay. It's time to come up with the cash.'

AUT general secretary Sally Hunt said:

"The unequivocal backing from members of both unions for industrial action sends a clear message to the employers. University staff do not appreciate being lied to and today they have said that enough is enough. For too long they have had to accept the tired old excuses from vice-chancellors of wanting to pay more, but not having the money. That money is here now. They promised it when lobbying for top-up fees. The employers can still stop disruption in our universities, but they need to come back to us and make a real offer that seriously addresses the declining pay their staff have suffered for decades."

Notes to editors:

•  "The shortfall of teaching funding has badly hit the salaries of academic staff, which have shown practically no increase in real terms over two decades." Tony Blair, speaking to Universities UK, 14 January 2004.
   
• In April 2004, the then minister for higher education, Alan Johnson, said that university vice-chancellors, lobbying for the introduction of top-up fees, had cited low academic pay as one of the reasons for introducing top-up fees. Speaking in the House of Commons, he said that vice-chancellors had told him that at least a third of the income from fees and extra grants would be put back into the salaries of the staff. 

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