UCU Members Briefing

College proposal on pay caps and cuts:

As we have reported back in previous briefings, the unions have been meeting with the college management to discuss their proposals to introduce a cap at point 32 of the salary scale and cut the rate of pay for hourly paid lecturers by 20%.

In our last briefing we reported that having met on 9^th May, the college management had told us that they would meet again with us on 16^th May to put forward new proposals. Unfortunately the meeting that was due to take place on May 16^th has been put back 1 week to 23^rd May. This is regrettable, as we had been told on May 9^th that the college was seeking a speedy conclusion to the outstanding issues. At present therefore we still have on the table the college’s original plans to cut and cap pay.

UCU also committed that we would produce a written response to management’s proposals. This has now been submitted to the college and a copy is attached. We believe that our response demonstrates that there is no coherent case for the college to now go ahead with their proposals on pay for lecturers.

Planning for possible action:

UCU members voted by a margin of 87.8% for strike action over the college’s proposals. Our very strong ballot result was followed up by a very well attended UCU branch meeting where members voted overwhelmingly ( with 1 vote against) to mandate your branch officers to call escalating strike action. Under law we need to take that action within 28 days of the closure of our ballot, or our ballot will no longer be valid. We also need to give 7 days notice of any strike action arising from the ballot that we held.

Since we have not yet had any firm proposals from the college management that shows that they are prepared to remove the threat to the pay of lecturing staff, we will need to submit our notice for strike action very shortly. Your UCU branch officers will be working closely with the UCU regional and national officials over the next few days to discuss possible forms and timings of strike action, should it be necessary.