2012 Pay Offer

Dear Colleague

The EIS understands that Universities are to impose the 2012 pay offer of 1% this December or early in 2013.

Earlier this year, all five HE unions rejected the 2011 pay offer of 1% and balloted their members for industrial action. All five unions obtained a mandate for industrial action – although the UCU failed to get a mandate for strike action. In November Unison, Unite and GMB (i.e. the HE support staff unions) all "noted” the conclusion of the 2012 Pay Negotiations and in early December the UCU surprisingly "accepted” the pay offer. The EIS is currently the only union rejecting the 2012 Pay Offer of 1%.

As members are aware, the EIS-ULA campaign to pursue a fair pay rise for 2012 included strike action on 23 October 2012 and ongoing industrial action short of a strike which started on 24 October 2012. It is the EIS-ULA Executive Committee’s wish to continue the campaign and the industrial action short of a strike as it should assist in limiting members’ workloads.

It has become increasingly clear to the EIS-ULA Executive Committee during the last year that the UK national bargaining through New JNCHES is driven largely by the financial situation facing English HEIs. Higher Education is a devolved matter and the Scottish Government has chosen to provide the HE sector with real terms funding increases for this year and the next two years. The Scottish HEIs are in a healthy financial position and do not suffer the funding uncertainties which derive from tuition fees, AAB targets etc.

The EIS believes that most Scottish HEIs are content to remain in New JNCHES as the financial situation in rest of the UK HEIs will limit and moderate any pay increases. The fact that HEIs decided to impose the pay settlement without the agreement of the EIS undermines the collective bargaining machinery of New JNCHES. Both of these matters are of concern to the EIS-ULA Executive Committee.

The EIS was heartened by the extra unconsolidated 0.5% plus £100 promised to Edinburgh Napier University staff in December 2012 and the EIS will be seeking to replicate this payment across Scottish HEIs.

The EIS believes that the reasons that Edinburgh Napier University gave its staff this award are applicable to other HEIs. Furthermore, the practice of paying unconsolidated bonuses to senior HEI staff is long established across the sector and the EIS believes that ALL academic staff should have access to such benefits.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any queries on this matter.

Yours sincerely

David Belsey
National Officer
Further and Higher Education