As a result of a series of negotiations which concluded in the early morning of 11 May, after a final 15 hour session of talks, important progress has been made towards resolving the outstanding dispute in HE on pay and conditions, and also towards the establishment of a new NJC for the sector as a whole as recommended by the Bett Report.
A package of proposals has been assembled covering pay for all staff in the sector up to 31 July 2002, along with detailed proposals on the establishment of a new National Joint Committee. The University & Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) have made clear that the offer on pay, which provides for phased increases leading to a new unified settlement date for all staff of 1 August from 2002 onwards is conditional on acceptance of the whole package of proposals and full settlement of the current dispute.
All the HE unions will now be consulting their members. A further meeting between UCEA and all the unions is to be held on 25 June.
