Created on: 17 Mar 2023
Dear Member
Earlier in the week you were sent an update on the current new JNCHES pay negotiations. You can find out about 2023-24’s pay round here.
Your EIS-ULA Executive is now actively considering the Terms of Reference for Pay Related Matters in the 2023-24 pay round as well as the 5% offer for that year’s talks. We will update you on that in the coming dates and weeks.
However, this bulletin really concerns the 2022-23 pay round, which remains a matter of dispute and so you should this week have received your ballot paper for a new statutory ballot for that year's pay dispute. The law requires that we ballot our members every six months in relation to industrial action, and so we are balloting members for a renewed mandate to keep up the pressure on employers in relation to the 2022-23 pay dispute.
This time we are balloting on Strike Action and Action Short of Strike to increase the pressure on employers to act fairly.
You can find out about the 2022-23 pay offer on our website.
The strike action taken to date has led to an improved offer at Edinburgh Napier University, which resolved the dispute at that institution, which means that their members will not be included in this ballot.
We need to keep up the pressure on other Scottish employers to make improved offers to our members. They have the money and they absolutely can afford to pay a better pay rise than you have had for 2022-23. While inflation topped 14%, your employer imposed 3%, making a real terms cut of around 11% for most academic staff. As your bills went up, the value of your pay went down.
That is simply unfair and unsustainable.
Added to yet another imposed sub inflationary rise for 2023-24 and consistent sub-inflationary offers since 2009, your pay has now lost over 1/3rd of its value in real terms. Meanwhile, Principals have seen the value of their pay packets grow.
EIS-ULA is urging you to use your ballot paper to vote YES to strike action and YES to industrial action.
Keep the pressure on your employer to ensure a fair settlement for front line academics and protect your profession by voting YES to both ballot questions!
If you have not received your ballot, please email us at ballot@eis.org.uk