AUT/NATFHE pay action: whats going on in your institution?

Dear All,

Progress on negotiations - UCEA call in ACAS, AUT and NATFHE agree to meet ASAP:

In a clear sign that the action short of a strike is biting, UCEA have at last recognised the urgency of the situation. AUT and NATFHE met UCEA yesterday (18 April) and the following statement was agreed:

“Arising from a meeting today convened by Mary Stacey (independent Chair of JNCHES), the UCEA, AUT and NATFHE agreed, at the employers’

suggestion, to:

· Convene early officer discussions on HE funding

· Invite ACAS to facilitate discussions between UCEA, AUT and

NATFHE with a view to resumption of full JNCHES negotiations at

the earliest opportunity”

AUT’s position on talks at ACAS:

AUT is glad that the employers are finally showing some sense of urgency about resolving the dispute. Many members have asked what AUT’s negotiating position is. Our position remains that:

· We are looking for an offer which responds seriously to our costed

three year claim

· The settlement should be national not local

· We will not suspend our action unless and until we receive an offer

which has been democratically endorsed by members

· Money deducted from members as part of the action short of a

strike should be returned as part of any settlement

Within that context, AUT is more than prepared to be flexible about how we achieve an increase for members that reflects your worth. Speaking after the meeting on 18 April, Sally Hunt AUT general secretary, said:

“We are pleased that talks are at last taking place between the two sides.

However, talks about talks are not going to resolve this dispute. The employers must grasp the opportunity to discuss our pay claim, rather than talking about when we will discuss it. The only offer on the table so far failed spectacularly to address the three year element of our claim. It is vital that we get back round the table to agree a deal that delivers real increases for staff whose pay has declined so dramatically over the years.”

Now is the time to stand firm

At last the employers have agreed to edge down the road towards a negotiated settlement. The reason for this is the action that you are taking which is having a major impact in every institution where there are AUT and NATFHE members.

We know that for the tens of thousands of members who are taking part this action is difficult, not least because of how you view your responsibility to your students. However, the action is having an effect, not least upon employers who until yesterday would not even contemplate serious negotiations to break the deadlock:

· Any member reading this who is NOT taking part in the action so

far is asked to begin to do so now. Join your colleagues in fighting

for a better deal.

· Join the 2,000+ new members who have joined the action in the

last few weeks alone.

· Every member who takes part in the action increases the strength

of your negotiators’ hands.

· Every member who declines to do so, reduces the likelihood of a

better deal.

Dear Colleagues

ANNOUNCEMENT

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS TO GUARANTEE STUDENT ASSESSMENT, PROGRESSION AND GRADUATION DESPITE ACTION SHORT OF A STRIKE BY SOME STAFF

Background

I am sorry to have to inform you that discussions between UCEA (the UK Higher Education employers' organization) and the AUT have not yet resolved the issues that have led to widespread "action short of a strike" across the higher education sector. 

As foreshadowed in earlier communications about this dispute, failure to reach a resolution by the end of April confronts universities and their students with the serious prospect of disruption of the forthcoming examinations process.

The gravity of this risk needs little elaboration.  The University is receiving a considerable volume of correspondence from students making plain their intention to seek legal redress should the university breach what they regard as its contractual obligation to conduct and conclude the examinations process and provide them with results in time to allow them to progress and (as appropriate) graduate as they would expect to have done under normal circumstances. 

From a larger number of students, the feedback we are receiving indicates widespread bewilderment, concern and distress.

 

The University of xxxxxxx Approach

Readers of the THES will know that universities are reacting to these circumstances in very different ways, including significant pay reductions for every day of "action short of a strike" and consideration of legal action against individuals whose refusal to participate in the examinations process is seen to be placing their university at legal risk. 

The University of xxxxxxx, on the other hand, has been consistent in allowing two fundamental values to guide its approach to this dispute.

The first is the value we attach to collegiality, and an accompanying determination to get through this crisis without damaging the collegial culture upon which the strength and scholarly integrity of the University so profoundly depends.  There has been no questioning in this University of the professional integrity or conscientious judgement of those undertaking "action short of a strike."

The second is the value we attach to the rights and interests of students.  Failure to provide any student with the examinations processes and the timely publication of results that he/she would have received under normal circumstances raises legal, financial, professional and ethical issues.

Individual academic and academic support staff may judge that the issues prompting "action short of a strike" override their ethical and professional obligations to the interests and welfare of their 2006 students.  As I have said, I respect that judgement of conscience, while profoundly regretting the circumstances in which it is being made.

A corollary of that collegial respect is an accompanying expectation that colleagues undertaking selective industrial action will, in turn, respect the absolute obligation of the University to safeguard the interests of its students.

I have therefore signaled all along that the University will use its best endeavours to ensure that the interests of students are not compromised as a result of this dispute.

Action to Safeguard the Interests of Students

After long and detailed work by members of the Senior Executive, I am now in a position to announce that The University of xxxxxxx is providing all its students with a guarantee that in 2006:

An examinations process will be conducted and examination results will be determined and published in sufficient time to allow successful students to progress to the next stage of their studies and, for final year students, to receive their degree results in time for graduation in July 2006.

Many examinations will take place as normal, but where this is not possible, the University will do everything it can to maintain the scholarly integrity of assessment and the comparability of results in 2006 with those in previous years.

Implementation

Recommendations to the Board of Governors authorizing extraordinary procedures and actions required to fulfill the above guarantee are being finalised, and will be submitted to members of Senate prior to their consideration by the Board on 17 May. 

Staff and students will be kept informed of developments in relation to the dispute through further communications, including the University's Web Site.  In particular, Vice-President/Deans, Heads of School and Associate Deans (Teaching and Learning) will play a vital role in the communications process.

I still hope that the need for extraordinary measures will be avoided by an early resolution of the dispute. 

Yours sincerely,

"a guy who makes about 10 times more than you + benefits"