On 22nd July, thousands of UNISON members working at universities will be issued with ballot papers over the pay dispute for the pay rise due in August. Ballot papers will go to home addresses. With inflation at 12% or 9%, depending on which measure you use, anything less than these seemingly massive increases, will represent a significant pay cut.
The employers have made a final offer of 3%, with stepped increases going up to 8% across grades 4, 3, 2 and 1. This represents a significant real-terms pay cut and is nowhere near what’s required to prevent university workers being much worse off. Many will already be living hand to mouth and relying on food banks. We can’t carry on like this.
So, we need to fight back by following the example of the rail workers and others, and voting for strike action, as the only way we’re going to see any pay justice.
Once more, we need to get a turnout in excess of 50% of those balloted, so every vote will count. Please make sure you vote, and let us know when you have done. We’ll be chasing up every member, because we can’t afford to risk a situation where we can’t do anything about this.