Strike Pay - UPDATE

Dear Members,

We are at last able to release some important information to you that may help with your decision to support the Industrial Action Ballot over the Higher Education Pay Claim 2022/23.

Here is a short quote from the Chair of the UNISON Industrial Action Committee:

"On behalf of the Industrial Action Committee, I can confirm our standing policy is to pay £50 per day strike pay (or full take home pay if this is less) from day one of any properly authorised strike action (subject to sufficient resources being available in the national UNISON Industrial Action Fund)".

 Sandy Nicoll, IAC Chair”

 

Just to expand on this:

Previously strike pay was only £25 per day, and you could only start claiming it on the 3rd day of prolonged Industrial Action (not one day actions). This means there will be less of a financial burden on you each day you participate in the strike. First we need you to vote YES! so that our branch meets the voting threshold. We know it’s a difficult time to lose some money out of your pay, that is why this change has been pushed forward at the highest levels of UNISON to assist you our members.

Everyone is feeling the pinch of the current financial climate. The Retail Price Index is currently at 10%+ and is ever-increasing. Our current Pay offer is 3%, well below the RPI.

If we work together shoulder to shoulder to fight for an improved pay offer that is not in real terms another pay cut. Then together we can make a difference. It’s been 13 years since the Higher Education sector has had a real pay rise. Together, it’s time to make a stand and say no more. If not now, then when?

Vote YES for Industrial Action. Return your ballot paper in the free post envelope ahead of the deadline of 26^th August.

Just for information, no date has yet to be set, but this ballot is taking place now so that if we meet the threshold the industrial action will take place at the start of the term.

For more information visit:

www.unison.org.uk/wereworthmore

www.unisonljmu.blogspot.com

Thank you for your continuing support.

UNISON@LJMU

Ballot 2022

 

#UNISONtheUnion #HigherEducation #PayBallot Keep your open for your #Ballot envelope in the post.

#UNISONinHE Is asking you to vote #YES!

If you don't receive your envelope by 28th July call 0800 0 857 857

#UNISONljmu Please support the proposed action.

www.unison.org.uk/wereworthmore

Final Pay Dispute Meeting

Dear UNISON Members,

At the final dispute meeting this morning the employers failed to make an improved offer on pay. This mean the offer remains the same as previous emails which is 3% from spinal point 20 and above. In real terms is a pay cut given that this fails to match any measure of inflation.

Realistically, this means the only way we are going to get anything near a decent pay award, is to force the employers back to the negotiating table. That means voting YES, for strike action in the forthcoming industrial action ballot which opens on Friday 22nd of July.

We as a branch will be sending out information and asking members to look out for the ballot papers arriving on or after the 22nd. We need you, our members to get out and use your vote. 

By law we need to get above the 50% threshold of members to participate in the ballot. Then we need to get above the 50% voting threshold for the YES vote, in order to get lawful industrial action. 

Please use your vote. Vote for strike action. We're worth more, we can't afford less. 

www.unison.org.uk\wereworthmore

Higher Education Pay 2022

 

WEBINAR - HE Pay Campaign 2022 – Branch Briefing

Dear Members, We would like to invite you to a branch briefing webinar regarding the up-and-coming Pay Campaign. UNISON HQ will be holding a webinar to brief branches on the HE pay dispute and campaign plan to get out the vote on the strike ballot. The webinar will take place on Thursday 7th July from 12:30-13:30 and will be held on Zoom. All branch activists from higher education branches or other branches with higher education members are welcome. Please register your interest in attending the webinar below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Register in advance for this meeting

Take Action

Not a member of UNISON@LJMU.

Get yourself protected and join today!

https://www.unisonljmu.org.uk/become-a-member

We are in Dispute!

Higher Education members vote to reject pay offer

The union has given notification of a formal dispute to the Higher Education employers, the University and Colleges Employers Association, after 83% say ‘no’ to 3% offer 

UNISON has given notification of a formal dispute with the higher education employer, the University and Colleges Employers Association, after a consultative ballot of members showed that 83% of members across the UK reject the 3% pay offer and wish to move forward into an industrial action ballot.

The national turnout was 36.2%, but 11 branches had a turnout of over 50%, with 17 others managing between 40 and 50%.

The next steps will see branches have the opportunity to opt out of an industrial action ballot, with that ballot opening on 22 July. It will close for Scotland on 19 August and for England and Wales on 26 August, with potential industrial action in Scotland from 9 September and in England and Wales, from 19 September at the start of university term during student welcome weeks.

The union believes that the results of the consultative ballot reflects the widespread worry and anger of relatively low-paid members who are struggling in the face of rising bills.

Pay rises in higher education over the last 13 years have all been below inflation, so the purchasing power of members’ earnings has fallen over that period, and the current cost of living crisis has brought this to a head.

NB: Members at the University of Leeds will be out on strike again from 20-24 June as part of our continuing national dispute over last year’s national pay rise, which was only 1.5%.

UNISON@LJMU are in Dispute with LJMU over the 2022/23 pay award. Formal written notice of the dispute was submitted to Vice Chancellor Mark Power on Monday 6th June 2022. Both letters are below.