University Salaries

EDM number 704 in 2003-04, proposed by Ian Gibson on 26/02/2004.

That this House believes our universities, and the staff who work within them, are a valuable part of our society and our economy; notes that university staff have delivered all that has been asked of them over the last two decades but have not been adequately rewarded for their achievements; notes with particular concern the long-term decline in university salaries which has seen academic pay drop by 40 per cent. compared to average earnings; believes this is a contributory factor to the growing recruitment and retention problems which exist across the higher education sector; warmly welcomes the cross-party support for higher salaries for academic and related staff and, in particular, believes they should receive their fair share of the 18 per cent. real terms funding increase in England and the funding increases in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; is therefore dismayed that academic staff in the 'old' universities are being offered longer scales and shorter increments, thus worsening their career prospects, while all academic and related staff are being offered a pay rise barely above inflation; further notes that university vice-chancellors have received an average pay increase of 6 per cent., double that offered to their employees; and urges the university vice-chancellors to make their staff a priority, return to the negotiating table and seek a settlement to the current pay dispute which is in the interests of staff, students and the country as a whole.

This motion has been signed by a total of 130 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.