2021-2022 pay offer
05 Aug 2021
Universities advised to implement pay uplifts with effect from 1 August 2021
Dear colleagues
Our University takes part in collective bargaining for your annual pay award which means that we, along with most other universities and higher education colleges, ask the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) to negotiate with the trade unions on our behalf.
UCEA has now informed all employers taking part in the 2021-22 New JNCHES pay round that it regards the current pay negotiations to be concluded and that we should implement the pay uplifts offered with effect from 1 August 2021. Your revised rate of pay, along with any arrears, will be paid in the September 2021 salary instalment.
The final offer is a guaranteed increase of at least 1.5% with higher percentage uplifts to be made to pay points below Spine Point 22, up to a maximum of 3.6%.
More than half of our staff will receive a further annual pay increase due to increments within their salary grade of between 1.5%-1.7% of their salary, in addition to the pay award. Senior leaders at our University usually receive below inflation pay awards. Updated pay scales can be found on StaffNet:
UCEA has recommended that we make this pay award despite there being no indication of a settlement being achieved with the University and College Union, UNISON, Unite, the Educational Institute of Scotland and the GMB.
Pay is a significant part of the overall package of benefits offered by our University and we recognise the hard work put in by colleagues, particularly over the pandemic. Whilst we realise that the trades unions are dissatisfied with the outcome of the negotiations with UCEA, we believe this increase to be a fair one.
UCEA has published full details of the pay offer on their website, including a table so you can see how the salary for your spine point will increase as well as its annual commentary on HE pay vs other sectors.
Best wishes
Karen Heaton, Director of Human Resources