2024/2025 HE Pay Campaign – Consultative Ballot

New JNCHES National Pay Negotiations for HEIs

The majority of Higher Education Institutions  (HEIs) in Scotland (and the rest of the UK) have agreed to implement a national pay spine negotiated at a body called New JNCHES.

The HEIs have set up “UCEA” (aka the Employers) to negotiate on their behalf. University staff are represented by the five trade unions that are recognised; UCU, EIS ULA, Unison, Unite and GMB.

The New JNCHES Agreement may be found here.

The current New JNCHES pay spine is here. Each HEI “sizes” their own posts to fit a “pay range” of salary points. Most lecturers’ pay ranges end on Point 44.

Every year, the Employers and Staff Side trade unions meet to negotiate an annual cost-of-living pay uplift, this leads to an updated New JNCHES Pay spine.

The UHI, SRUC and RCS do not participate in national collective bargaining.  The SRUC and RCS have recognised the EIS for local bargaining at their institutions. The vast majority of UHI lecturing staff are employees of UHI Academic Partner Institutions and thus members of EIS FELA and their pay is determined through national collective bargaining at NJNC.

The 2024-25 Annual New JNCHES National Pay Negotiations

The five trade unions representing university staff lodged their pay claim.

From the EIS perspective the two key points are:

• an increase on all pay points of at least RPI + 2% or a flat rate of at least £2,500 (whichever is greater) and a commitment to restore lost pay.

• Implementation of a Scottish New JNCHES Standing Sub-Committee

There were several meetings New JNCHES meetings this year and the final offer was made on July 3rd, 2024.

The key points of the 2024-25 UCEA pay offer are:

• Pay Uplift of between 2.5% to 5.7% dor the New JNCHES Pay Spine - with most EIS ULA Lecturers or Promoted Lecturers receiving 2.5%;
• A review of the New JNCHES pay spine;
• Joint national work on contract types, workload and pay gaps and;
• No Scottish New JNCHES Sub-Committee.

The EIS ULA Executive Response

The EIS ULA Executive considered the final pay offer above and decided to seek members’ views to make a decision. The Executive recommended that members reject the pay offer in a two question consultative ballot as:

• The pay uplift is tapered to provide the greatest % uplift for the lowest paid staff. The EIS ULA Executive  is clear that 2.5% is not enough for university lecturers.
• The Universities claim that they are cash-strapped and making the best offer possible. However, this offer is below RPI inflation and follows a long line of sub-inflationary pay uplifts that have reduced the value of university salaries in real terms over many years. Universities have been systematically driving down the proportion of their spending on staff pay. The EIS does not believe that staff should have to sacrifice their pay to increase university operating surpluses.
• Other trade unions sought joint work with UCEA on contract types, workload and pay gaps. Whilst these workstreams may produce helpful outputs, UCEA has previously steadfastly refused to produce binding collective agreements that can be enforced at the university level.  
• The UCU and Unison have both rejected the pay offer, and entered into dispute with UCEA. However, no New JNCHES Dispute process has ever produced an improved pay offer.
• The Employers have refused to activate the Scottish New JNCHES Sub-Committee despite having a commitment to support the Scottish Government’s Fair Work programme.

The second question in the Consultative ballot asks members if they are willing to support industrial action if members reject the pay offer. It is unlikely that the Employers will improve the offer unless members take sustained industrial action. Universities are “hard employers” and only significantly change their negotiating position when they have to. 

This EIS ULA consultative ballot on the pay offer will close on September 2nd. 

If you are an EIS member who has not received a ballot paper then you should email ballot@eis.org.uk