Email to staff 1 November 2019

Dear colleagues,

You may have seen reports from last night and this morning that UCU members working in UK universities, including the University of York, have voted to back strike action and action short of a strike in ballots over both pensions and pay. UCU have published this statement.

UNISON and Unite also carried out ballots for industrial action. While UNISON didn't receive a mandate for industrial action over pay, we are awaiting results from their ballot on the USS pension scheme. Unite's ballot didn't receive a mandate for action.

I recognise the strength of concerns over pensions and pay and that a vote for industrial action is not taken lightly. But it remains disappointing that we now face the prospect of further industrial action at York and across the UK. My priorities now are twofold: to work through Universities UK (the association of universities which represents employers in negotiations on USS) to seek a resolution to the dispute with the UCU; and to ensure that we can continue to provide an outstanding education for our students and, in the event of industrial action, to minimise disruption to teaching, learning and research.

The ballot outcome is also disappointing because recent negotiations between UCU and Universities UK concluded with a proposal that foresaw no reductions to USS pension benefits. In addition, employers committed to paying the majority of the extra contributions required by USS – ie employers contributing a further 1.5% and employees being asked to contribute a further 0.8%.

This proposal avoided the higher mandatory increases that would have been required if the default position under USS rules (Article 76.4-8) were triggered. Going ahead on the basis of this proposal would also have allowed time to consider the second report of the independent Joint Expert Panel set up by UCU and Universities UK to report on possible longer-term reforms to the scheme. Amid the uncertainties of Brexit and the upcoming General Election, I believe that the recent proposal is the least worst option that could be achieved, given the constraints set on the process by the USS Trustee and The Pensions Regulator.  Universities UK have published a statement in response to the ballot results.

It is important to note that the University of York is just one member of the pension scheme and we are reliant on a national negotiation process which is conducted on the University's behalf. Pay negotiations are also conducted on a national level on behalf of participating employer members. These issues therefore can't be resolved at a local level here at the University of York.

Next steps are not yet clear but we know that the UCU Higher Education Committee is due to meet later today to decide how to respond to the ballot result. I urge them to continue negotiations with UUK to resolve this dispute. I, and the University's Executive Board, will continue to work closely with Universities UK to maintain open and constructive dialogue between all parties. We will also work constructively and collaboratively with our local UCU branch. We will provide further updates as and when there is new information.

Best wishes,

Charlie

Professor Charlie Jeffery

Vice-Chancellor