7 December
Agreed early process for the 2023-24 New JNCHES pay round provides a unique opportunity to address sector-wide cost-of-living concerns
UCEA and the trade unions* have now agreed on meeting dates for the process by which the 2023-24 New JNCHES pay round could be brought forward. The first meeting will take place on 13 December, with two further meetings across December and January. This agreement to shift the timetable** is unprecedented and provides a unique opportunity to address sector-wide cost-of-living concerns.
Raj Jethwa, UCEA’s Chief Executive said:
“All HE institutions fully recognise the inflationary pressures currently facing staff. UCEA has been clear that, with many HE institutions having very tight budgets, we are unable to re-open the 2022-23 pay round. However, there is a real possibility that we can set aside differences to bring forward the New JNCHES 2023-24 pay negotiations in a bid to address the cost-of-living pressures facing staff. This is an unprecedented approach by employers and follows in-depth discussions with UCEA’s members across September and October in response to the inflationary pressures on staff and HEIs alike.
“This led to UCEA's consultation providing a clear mandate to bring forward the 2023-24 pay round, which UCEA raised at the recent longstanding scheduled autumn meeting.”
The jointly agreed statement*** is clear that ‘whilst employers view the 2022-23 round as closed, employers also recognise that the unions do not regard the 2022-23 round as concluded and would want any settlement of 2023-24 to take account of this.'
UCEA and HEIs understand that while the UCU and other trade unions do not regard the 2022-23 pay round as concluded the HEIs, through UCEA, have been consistent and comprehensive in confirming that the pay round is now closed.
Further feedback to UCEA’s initial reports**** from HE institutions being targeted by UCU’s industrial action has confirmed low and isolated levels of disruption to students’ studies. While UCU’s industrial action has played no part in the offer for an early start to the 2023-24 pay round, all sides should prioritise what is feasible and affordable relating to addressing cost-of-living concerns. All sides need to avoid preconditions as far as possible to facilitate productive negotiations.
* EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite
** The New JNCHES agreement facilitates three meetings in March, April, May each year – see www.ucea.ac.uk/our-work/collective-pay-negotiations-landing/New-JNCHES-Overview/
***Process for the New JNCHES pay negotiating round for 2023-24
The parties agree to amend the Agreement as follows:
To follow the New JNCHES Agreement in terms of the number of meetings, and the purpose of the negotiations, but over an accelerated and early timescale. Specifically, there would be up to three negotiating meetings in December and January. If these meetings do not reach an agreement, the parties will follow the New JNCHES Agreement Dispute Resolution process exhaustively, outlined in the Appendix to the New JNCHES Agreement, to conclude the pay round by the end of January 2023.
Both sides agree to de-escalate the dispute during the above described intense period of negotiations, including the impact of and employer responses to ASOS.
Whilst employers view the 2022-23 round as closed, employers also recognise that the unions do not regard the 2022-23 round as concluded and would want any settlement of 2023-24 to take account of this. The employers agreed to consider this as part of the 2023-24 pay round.
In these meetings all parties will strive to achieve a conclusion to the 2023-24 pay round, and commit to a number of meetings for further negotiation, in relation to the other aspects of the unions’ claim.
**** www.ucea.ac.uk/news-releases/24nov22/
ENDS
Notes
For information relating to essential USS changes please go to USS Employers website at www.ussemployers.org.uk
Please contact the UUK media team for enquiries relating to USS at www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/creating-voice-our-members/media-team
For further information: Please contact Andy Fryer, Head of Communications and Membership (a.fryer@ucea.ac.uk) or Marc Whittaker, Communications and Events Manager (m.whittaker@ucea.ac.uk)
Agreed early process for the 2023-24 New JNCHES pay round provides a unique opportunity to address sector-wide cost-of-living concerns
UCEA and the trade unions* have now agreed on meeting dates for the process by which the 2023-24 New JNCHES pay round could be brought forward. The first meeting will take place on 13 December, with two further meetings across December and January. This agreement to shift the timetable** is unprecedented and provides a unique opportunity to address sector-wide cost-of-living concerns.
Raj Jethwa, UCEA’s Chief Executive said:
“All HE institutions fully recognise the inflationary pressures currently facing staff. UCEA has been clear that, with many HE institutions having very tight budgets, we are unable to re-open the 2022-23 pay round. However, there is a real possibility that we can set aside differences to bring forward the New JNCHES 2023-24 pay negotiations in a bid to address the cost-of-living pressures facing staff. This is an unprecedented approach by employers and follows in-depth discussions with UCEA’s members across September and October in response to the inflationary pressures on staff and HEIs alike.
“This led to UCEA's consultation providing a clear mandate to bring forward the 2023-24 pay round, which UCEA raised at the recent longstanding scheduled autumn meeting.”
The jointly agreed statement*** is clear that ‘whilst employers view the 2022-23 round as closed, employers also recognise that the unions do not regard the 2022-23 round as concluded and would want any settlement of 2023-24 to take account of this.'
UCEA and HEIs understand that while the UCU and other trade unions do not regard the 2022-23 pay round as concluded the HEIs, through UCEA, have been consistent and comprehensive in confirming that the pay round is now closed.
Further feedback to UCEA’s initial reports**** from HE institutions being targeted by UCU’s industrial action has confirmed low and isolated levels of disruption to students’ studies. While UCU’s industrial action has played no part in the offer for an early start to the 2023-24 pay round, all sides should prioritise what is feasible and affordable relating to addressing cost-of-living concerns. All sides need to avoid preconditions as far as possible to facilitate productive negotiations.
* EIS, GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite
** The New JNCHES agreement facilitates three meetings in March, April, May each year – see www.ucea.ac.uk/our-work/collective-pay-negotiations-landing/New-JNCHES-Overview/
***Process for the New JNCHES pay negotiating round for 2023-24
The parties agree to amend the Agreement as follows:
To follow the New JNCHES Agreement in terms of the number of meetings, and the purpose of the negotiations, but over an accelerated and early timescale. Specifically, there would be up to three negotiating meetings in December and January. If these meetings do not reach an agreement, the parties will follow the New JNCHES Agreement Dispute Resolution process exhaustively, outlined in the Appendix to the New JNCHES Agreement, to conclude the pay round by the end of January 2023.
Both sides agree to de-escalate the dispute during the above described intense period of negotiations, including the impact of and employer responses to ASOS.
Whilst employers view the 2022-23 round as closed, employers also recognise that the unions do not regard the 2022-23 round as concluded and would want any settlement of 2023-24 to take account of this. The employers agreed to consider this as part of the 2023-24 pay round.
In these meetings all parties will strive to achieve a conclusion to the 2023-24 pay round, and commit to a number of meetings for further negotiation, in relation to the other aspects of the unions’ claim.
**** www.ucea.ac.uk/news-releases/24nov22/
ENDS
Notes
For information relating to essential USS changes please go to USS Employers website at www.ussemployers.org.uk
Please contact the UUK media team for enquiries relating to USS at www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/creating-voice-our-members/media-team
For further information: Please contact Andy Fryer, Head of Communications and Membership (a.fryer@ucea.ac.uk) or Marc Whittaker, Communications and Events Manager (m.whittaker@ucea.ac.uk)
