MyGlasgow News

The University of Glasgow has welcomed the announcement by the University and College Union (UCU) that a marking and assessment boycott has been put on hold until mid-January to allow talks to proceed.

A statement said: "Both parties are committed to seeking a joint proposal for reform that offers an affordable, sustainable and attractive pension scheme, for both current and future members. Both parties are pleased that the agreement to suspend industrial action at this early stage will mean that students will not have been adversely affected and members of staff will not have had pay deducted."

Earlier the UCU had notified the employers that industrial action was being sanctioned in response to proposed changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). The University had made clear it would do all in its power to minimise the impact of a boycott of assessment and marking. It had also warned that breach of contract would result in loss of salary.

The UCU's suspension of the industrial action was conditional upon the University agreeing not to deduct any pay from staff who may already have participated in the industrial action, subject to the delivery of outstanding marking and assessment within a reasonable time scale. 

A spokesperson for Human Resources said there had been no pay deductions to date. It's understood very few members of staff across the Campus had taken action by not fulfilling marking and assessment responsibilities.  

The cessation of industrial action came after talks between Universities UK and the UCU. The union side announced it was suspending the threat of action until mid-January. Further discussions will now take place to try to agree a permanent solution to the USS pension scheme dispute.

Reforms

The employers’ proposed reforms are:

• The final salary section would close for future benefits, with existing benefits protected and calculated using pensionable salary and service at the date of change.
• Future pension for all members would build up in the career revalued benefit (CRB) section on earnings up to a salary threshold – proposed at £50,000.
• Pension on salary above the threshold would be provided in a new defined contribution (DC) section.
• All members would also have the option to pay an additional 1% of salary into the DC section, which the employers would match.

These proposals have been put forward due to a large deficit within USS to ensure that it remains sustainable, attractive and affordable for both current and future members.  Over the last few days, the HR team have been running drop-in sessions for staff to assist with information and to provide USS members with the opportunity to raise questions. 

The University will continue to update staff on developments and any other related information as it becomes known. A number of FAQs have been published and can be accessed here:

www.gla.ac.uk/services/humanresources/mgrs-admin/employee/indaction/faqnov/

The FAQs are being updated as information becomes available.

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First published: 20 November 2014