University Offers Pay To End Row

Mon, May 15, 2006

Source: BBC

A West Yorkshire university has become the first in England to offer its lecturers a local pay deal amid a long running national dispute over wages.

A West Yorkshire university has become the first in England to offer its lecturers a local pay deal amid a long running national dispute over wages.
The University of Huddersfield has offered staff a guaranteed salary increase of 5% for 2006/7.

It said it had offered the "interim" deal in a bid to avoid jeapordising students' chances of graduating.

Staff at some universities have refused to set exams and to mark coursework while others plan to walk out.

'No solution'

Only two other universities have drawn up local offers - St Andrews and Aberdeen in Scotland. Both were rejected by unions, though Aberdeen pressed ahead with its plans regardless.

Vice-chancellor professor John Tarrant said: "As there appears to be no solution to the national dispute we believe there is an obligation on us to do everything we reasonably can to bring the dispute at Huddersfield to an end, in the interests of students and staff.

"By taking this action we hope to maintain positive relationships with our students and staff - students should come first at Huddersfield, they are our primary concern."

The ongoing dispute is between universities and the Natfhe and AUT unions, who want a pay increase of 23% over three years; employers have offered 12.6%.

The dispute has raised fears thousands of students across the country may not be able to graduate and their future employment prospects could be affected.

Huddersfield University said it was not seeking "local bargaining" by making the offer and would match the national settlement if a higher figure was secured. It has not withdrawn from discussions over national pay.

'Fair and proper'

The chairman of the Huddersfield University branch of Natfhe, David Arthurs, said it was too early to comment on how staff would react to the pay offer.

But he said: "What we are very conscious of is working with our colleagues and others in the trade union movement to make sure we get a fair and proper settlement.

"This offer has been put to every member of the university irrespective of whether they are a union member or not."

He added: "Most people are not looking for individual, local bargaining, they are looking for a national agreement and that is what the Natfhe and AUT are working on."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/4772895.stm