UNISON’s Higher Education members have voted overwhelmingly to accept a pay offer that will see thousands of low paid university staff receive the Living Wage and end a long running pay dispute in the sector. Following a period of consultation, 89% of UNISON members voted to accept the offer for 2014/15, with 11% voting to reject.
All staff will receive a consolidated 2% rise, while workers on the lowest pay scales who work a 35 hour week will now be paid at least the Living Wage (£7.65 outside of London).
The agreement is set to benefit staff in more than 150 universities across the UK, including UNISON members in Chichester University in West Sussex. Chichester University already pays its own staff above the Living Wage and has recently agreed to pay it to outsourced staff as well within the next two years. All Chichester University staff will of course benefit from the 2% consolidated increase to basic pay, which will help increase the value of pensions.
The decision to accept the pay offer officially settles the pay negotiations for 2014-15, and draws a line under the 2013-14 pay offer that led to three separate days of strike action in October and December 2013, and February this year.