National pay award 2013-2014

National pay negotiations for 2013-2014 between UCEA and HE trade unions failed to reach an agreement, and UCEA has advised Higher Education institutions to proceed with a one per cent pay increase for staff.

There has been a difficult context for these negotiations, as outlined below.

• Negotiations have taken place against a backdrop of economic stagnation and expectations of restraint, given a public sector pay policy that limits pay increases to one per cent. The outlook for public funding for HE remains uncertain due to predicted cuts to government expenditure and funding for teaching is more unpredictable, particularly for HEIs in England.
• This pay offer is alongside the offer of a number of joint working proposals on other important elements of the unions' claim, including the further work relating to the gender pay gap and on hourly paid and casual work.
• The one per cent offer is just one part of the overall staff benefit package that includes excellent conditions of service and defined benefit pensions. Additionally, staff on grades 2-9 receive annual incremental rises up to grade maximum, which average a three per cent annual increase on top of cost of living awards. Excellent performance can be rewarded through accelerated/additional points. Progression for staff on grade 10 is also linked to excellent performance.
• With the UK's economic difficulties, inflation issues have affected everyone, but HE pay and benefits packages continue to compare favourably with those outside HE.

Given these restraints, we believe that overall this is a fair package.

The one per cent annual pay award will apply to the UCL non-clinical grading structure and the non-clinical London allowance, and will be implemented in the January 2014 payroll with arrears backdated to August 2013.

The new salary scales can be found at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/salary_scales/final_grades.php

Nigel Waugh, Director of Human Resources