Date: Monday 3 February 2014

Pay inequality in Scotland’s universities must end, says UNISON 

UNISON Scotland is calling for urgent action to be taken to redress the pay balance in universities.

The growing inequality in pay in higher education between senior managers and the workforce as a whole has been under the spotlight in the run-up to further strike action called for February 6, 2014.

The union has criticised university bosses for taking above-inflation salary increases while low-paid staff are left to pay the price. Union members across Scotland will be embarking on a day of action on Thursday to highlight that they are worth more than the 1 per cent pay rise being offered to them.

Emma Phillips, Regional Organiser for UNISON Scotland, said:

“The pay balance needs to be urgently redressed.

“If the money exists to pay whopping pay rises to university bosses, then the money exists for employer’s to improve their measly current 1 per cent pay offer.

“It is the hard work of employees in higher education that support the delivery of world-class education to students, yet staff have seen a 13 per cent decrease in the value of their pay in recent years.

“Staff are being asked to do more and take home less and it’s time for universities to reverse the wage cut.”

ENDS

Note to editors
This is the third walk out by unions representing all sectors of the higher education workforce – UNISON, EIS, UNITE and UCU Scotland.

For further information please contact:
Emma Phillips, UNISON Scotland Regional Organiser, 07538 101 221

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