GMB reject pay offer for higher education staff and demands bosses 'keep up and pay up'
Employers told to come back with a better deal by April 27.
GMB has rejected a pay deal for workers in higher education – telling employers to ‘keep up and pay up’.
The union, along with Unison, UCU, Unite and EIS, entered negotiations over this year’s HE pay bargaining with UCEA (the University & Colleges Employers’ Association).
GMB represents administrators, clerical workers, drivers, cleaners, estate managers, IT workers security guards and porters in the higher education sector.
The combined unions demanded any offer at least matched inflation, while GMB’s commitment to £10 an hour, for a 35 hour week, for all working people was specifically stated within the claim.
So far the employers have pitched a pay offer an offer of 1.8% - which works out £8.40 an hour for a 35-hour week.
John Callow, GMB Policy Officer, said:
"We had to reject this offer on behalf of our hard-working members – it’s simply not enough.
"Not only is it below the real living wage – as set by the Living Wage Foundation – but it falls a long way short of the £10 an hour we feel to be fair and just.
"We urge the employers to come back with a better offer on April 27.”
