UNISON has condemned the decisions by the majority of universities who form the Russell Group to increase the salaries of their vice-chancellors by far more than the current cost of living – at a time when they are imposing another real-term pay cut for other university employees.
The average vice-chancellor salary in the group rose by just over £22,000 to nearly £293,000 in 2012-13, according to a Times Higher Education analysis of 19 of the group’s 24 members.
Once pension payments are taken into consideration, those vice-chancellors received an average of £318,500 last year – up from £302,500 in 2011-12.
It means an average salary rise of 8.1% and a 5.2% rise in overall benefits – significantly higher than the 1% pay deal offered to staff.
UNISON members have so far taken part in two days of strike action over pay.
“Many higher education employees have scraped by on their salary to provide for their families over Christmas,” said Jon Richards, UNISON’s national secretary for education & children’s services.
“To start back at work in the New Year, struggling to make ends meet, and be told of the huge increases awarded to vice-chancellors is a real blow.
“The same vice-chancellors are imposing another below-inflation rise on their staff, which means another real-term pay cut. UNISON members are taking strike action over such hypocrisy.
“The increases announced are simply outrageous, especially at a time of record surpluses in the sector and buoyant student numbers,” he added. “UNISON members who earn below the living wage at these institutions will be incensed to learn of the double standards being applied.”
The University of Cambridge, which increased the pay package of vice-chancellor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz by £20,000 to £334,000, has over 200 staff that are paid below the current living wage of £7.65 per hour.
Those staff earn more than £7,000 less per year than that single pay rise to the vice-chancellor. And it would cost significantly less than his salary to boost all staff income to the living wage.
UNISON believes that universities can and should do more to support their lowest-paid employees.
Research carried out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation concluded that universities can play an important and distinctive leadership role in addressing the concerns of disadvantaged communities. UNISON argues that this can be addressed by first investing in their own staff, who often live and work in the community where the university is based.
“Students want to see their fees funding the services they access, clean living facilities, good quality food and refreshments, 24-hour library services and a secure campus, as well as world-class teaching and research facilities,” said Mr Richards.
“They do not want to see their tuition fees funding the above-inflation pay rises of university vice-chancellors and senior managers, while staff are offered a pittance.”