UNISON AND GMB SAY SUBSIDIARY MODEL AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES WILL ALLOW THE UNIVERSITY TO EMPLOY SUPPORT STAFF ON LOWER WAGES; INFERIOR PENSIONS; REDUCED MATERNITY AND PATERNITY PAY; REDUCED ANNUAL LEAVE AND REDUCED SICK PAY.
The University of South Wales (USW) has been branded ‘immoral’ by unions for planning to employ new support staff on greatly reduced pay and inferior employment contracts whilst sitting on reserves of £100m.
The changes will affect incoming, newly employed support staff, including workers in I.T., examinations, academic registry, libraries, estates, accommodation and student support from 1 December 2020.
Even though academic and existing support staff will not be directly affected by the changes, the proposals will nevertheless create a two tier workforce which threatens to undermine pay and conditions for all.
Workers have criticised the institution for planning to create a university owned subsidiary to employ new starters. Staff say it is an unsavoury business tactic which enables the university to erode pay and employment conditions over time, making the whole local community poorer. By using this model, USW hopes to avoid having to consult with existing workers.
But unions UNISON and GMB say the subsidiary will allow the university to employ support staff on lower wages; inferior pensions; reduced maternity and paternity pay; reduced annual leave and reduced sick pay. They say that in most cases, new starters will earn thousands of pounds less than existing colleagues doing exactly the same job, and effectively be seen as second-class employees.
Both staff unions have reacted furiously and have pledged to enlist the support of students; the local community and politicians to resist the proposals. They are supported by the USW branch of the University College Union (UCU)
“The university is behaving scandalously and not being honest with staff about what they are proposing, “ said Dan Beard, UNISON USW branch secretary. “The trade unions successfully challenged moves by USW to employ new starters on greatly inferior contracts in April 2018 and we are absolutely determined to do so again.”
He said the move would tarnish USW’s academic reputation, and students and the local community will see it for what it is: “a highly divisive strategy.”
As the economic impact of the pandemic becomes clear, universities are trying to make the most low paid and often casualised staff pay the cost. Already thousands of workers on temporary contracts have effectively been laid off throughout the U.K.
But unions in USW say the outsourcing plans are not a reaction to Covid and were in the pipeline well before Coronavirus hit. They also point to the £100million in reserves put aside for a situation like the one currency facing higher education. Instead of using these, they are attacking low paid workers.
“USW takes its staff from communities with high levels of deprivation. By greatly reducing the pay of new starters, the university will be taking money away from a poorer area and failing in its civic duty…Female employees will be disproportionately affected as they comprise the majority of support staff,” they say.
Nicola Savage, Education lead for GMB said the changes were “appalling, and unnecessary.”
The unions have launched a petition, which they are encouraging members of the public to sign Stop University Of South Wales Plan For Second-Class Employees! and a social media campaign with the hashtag #100millionUSW.
