JNCHES Update February 2025

At the most recent EIS ULA Executive Committee meeting, the national dispute regarding the 2024-25 pay offer from UCEA was discussed.

After lengthy debate, the Committee took the view not to request a statutory ballot for industrial action in pursuit of an improved 2024-25 offer but to contrate efforts on the 2025-26 offer with a rapid move to dispute if a unacceptable opening offer is not made. 

The 2025-26 pay claim was also discussed at length. The Committee decided on proposals which will be taken to a meeting of the joint trade unions this month, where the formulation of the joint pay claim will be discussed. The full 2025-26 pay claim is expected to be submitted by the end of February and the first meeting of the New JNCHES committee to discuss the claim will take place on Monday 31st March in London.

You, as an EIS ULA member, are justified in feeling aggrieved at substandard pay offers being imposed on you each year whilst many senior managers at universities you work in have received substantial pay uplifts.  As such, the EIS ULA are seeking an acceptable pay offer from University employers as soon into the 2025-26 negotiation process as possible, with the EIS moving into dispute if this is not forthcoming. This is on the basis that UCEA has not previously meaningfully increased the pay uplift offered between the opening and final offer.

Updates on the progress of pay talks and New JNCHES related matters will be included in future EIS ULA member bulletins