2024/25 New JNCHES

[AlltheFs]

Does anyone know why the pay negotiations are so quiet this year? No updates since mid May that I can see and no offer tabled?

Because UCU is a crap union? The strikes were a disaster. We're all knackered.

Not sure what that has to do with no offer from UCEA? They usually at least say what is going on.

I was wondering this too. Seems odd.

(non)update yesterday.

Seems like there will be something this week from UCEA. It’s given me a really unpleasant feeling this round-and I’ve been in HE for 22 years.

I expect that UCU will be putting us on a(nother) strike footing very shortly. Sigh.

Surely not. Like it's been such a successful tactic. I can't imagine that going on strike for more pay will be popular when we are all waiting for the sword to drop.

Apologies @GCAcademic for expressing doubt. I've just checked the UCU updates page and you are absolutely right that 24-25 could be another year of strikes.

Don't worry - in a few years you'll be as cynical / successful in anticipating the delusion of UCU as me!

Glad I'll be on research leave next year.

It's a constant battle between scepticism, cynicism and disbelief when it comes to UCU actions on my part. That time the scepticism won out over the cynicism.

So relieved I left the union, frankly. And I don’t say that with any joy.

A friend of mine is an unaligned member of the NEC of UCU and they despair sometimes as well. And they were very respectful of my decision to resign, which took me 6 months to decide to do. But the trans activism when all around us, universities are crumbling just seemed mad.

I’ll confess to not being an academic but I work in a senior faculty role working very closely with academic colleagues. Prof services are just as demoralised and cynical. Especially in our institution which has introduced “block teaching”. Less said there…

I’m not a UCU member either as my feminist brain can’t condone joining but the pay and conditions issues are a shared source of pain and frustration!

Fiddling while Rome burns....

Indeed. I’m hoping my colleague will be a voice of reason, but it’s a tough gig.

Another non-update. Surely the it's unlikely that any pay rise will happen in August, now?

14 June 2024
UCEA and trade union officers have met following the recent trade unions’ committees and UCEA Board meeting. Detailed negotiations continue to allow the trades unions to clarify their collective view on both the Terms of Reference items and the final pay offer presented by the employers. The aim is to deliver a detailed update to this detailed and important New JNCHES process in the coming fortnight.

In previous years where there hasn’t been agreement the employers have implemented their offer in any case so I assume that would happen again. Of course it’s open to UCEA to take the gift of cost-savings offered to them by non-agreement. In the current climate I wouldn’t put it past them.

But what is the employers’ offer, I looked and couldn’t see? It’s usually 1-2%…

The Times Higher Education June 10th stated an offer of 2.3% (see Tom Williams article ‘UK pay talks reach crunch point as unions debate employer offer’)

Yes, when the employers have implemented the (unagreed) offer in the past, we've at least known what the offer was long before this point in the year. We seem to have no sense this year of what the offer is.

Cross-posted. Thanks, I hadn't spotted that. Interesting that we find out this information from a journalist rather than the union.

And UCU are wanting RPI + 2%, yes? There's a lot of water between those two positions. I wouldn't hold my breath for an agreement.

In other news, striking season has started again with Goldsmiths going on strike today.

Thank you @Sparklepunk !

Most welcome. You would have thought that the unions would have reported the offer if it is true. I’m in Unison and not a peep there either.

At least it does state a final offer has been provided but it is so frustrating not knowing what it is going to be. We should have heard something by now.

To be fair I’d be thrilled if they adopted the 35hr week the union is asking for. I’m 0.81 but we are a 37hr institution. The pro rata pay increase if I did 30hrs out of 35 would be well worth having.

I can’t see it happening though.