Bargaining in UK Higher Education

Ben Thomas

National Officer

Education and Children’s Services Unit

Background

UNISON

Largest union in the UK with over 1.3 million members.

Members in local government, health, education and utilities.

50,000 members working in higher education

The History of Higher Education in the UK

•Ancient

•Red Brick

•Plate Glass

•Polytechnics

History

Almost exclusively for the privileged

1961 Education Act

‘The Golden Age’

Expansion

History

1989 first student loans

Fees

Top up fees

Current proposals

Bargaining

• National Bargaining

• 10 separate agreements

• Dearing Report

• Bett Report

Bargaining

• National Agreement 2001

• Single Table Bargaining

• Single Pay Spine

• Job Evaluation

• Harmonisation

Bargaining

• Real Pay Growth

• Reduction in the working week

• Improved conditions of service

•Narrowed the gender pay gap

The Present Day

• 350,000 staff in higher education

• 169 universities

• Broadly 50/50 support staff/Academic

• 50% unionised

• UCU and UNISON largest unions

The Present Day

• HE White Paper

• Fees $14,000 per year

• Change the culture of HE

• Increased competition

• Student Choice

The Present Day

• Increase shared services

• More privatisation

• Minimum wage regulations

• Increasing places in elite institutions

• New providers including for profit providers

The Present Day

• Quotas

•Sponsored Places

• Visa restrictions

• Pensions

Challenges for UNISON

• National Bargaining

• Impact on student numbers

• Jobs cuts and job security

• Privatisation

• Pay

Challenges for UNISON

• Recruitment and organisation

• Recruiting in private companies

• Pensions

• Uncertainty

What are we doing

• Organising

• Campaigning

• Industrial Action

Details

www.unison.co.uk

b.thomas@unison.co.uk

UNISON 130 Euston Road London NW1 2AY UK