HE pay offer consultation

Our branch, along with other Higher Education branches around the country, is being consulted on the current pay offer for 2018/19. Today you will have received an email with full details of the offer and your e-ballot paper. If you have not received an email please check and update your information on My UNISON. The consultation runs from 9 July to 27 July 2018.

UNISON has been calling for an increase of 7.5%, and a real living wage for all higher education staff.

Following an offer that came in mid April and was for an increase of 1.7% or £325 a year, higher education employers have now made a new pay offer of a 2% or £425 pay rise, whichever is greater, on all pay points for the 2018/19 pay round. 
The final offer follows the latest meeting between the higher education unions – UNISON, Unite, the GMB and academic unions UCU and EIS – and the University and Colleges Employer’s Association.
UNISON National Secretary Jon Richards said the offer “does not meet our claim in full, but we welcome the improvements on the employers’ initial offer”. 




The Higher Education Service Group Executive Committee (HESGE) met on Thursday 24 May to discuss the offer and, following a detailed discussion, agreed to consult members with a recommendation that they vote yes to reject the pay offer. This is in line with a decision taken at UNISON’s 2018 Higher Education Conference to recommend the rejection of any offer that did not meet the claim agreed by all unions.

The HESGE were clear that the offer falls well short of our aims. Recent years have seen a series of below inflation pay rises that are making it increasingly difficult for HE support staff to make ends meet, and the HESGE calls on the employers to improve their offer.

If a significant majority of UNISON members vote yes to reject, then the HESGE committee will request a full industrial action ballot and seek to co-ordinate with other unions, which could lead to escalating industrial action to make the employers improve their offer.
If you aren't already a member, join UNISON today to have your say on HE pay.