The University of South Wales (USW) has announced plans to employ all new support staff in a new company owned by the University which will allow them to employ staff on lower wages, inferior pensions, and reduced terms and conditions. This is being done in the name of cutting costs despite the University sitting on cash reserves of £100 million pounds. In most cases, new starters will earn thousands of pounds less than existing colleagues doing exactly the same job. The proposed terms are the worst of any University in the UK. New starters will effectively be second-class employees.
New support staff will get:
+ Lower Wages
+ Far Inferior Pension
+ Less Maternity/Paternity pay
+ Less Annual Leave
+ Less Sick leave
+ No Flexitime
+ Performance Related Pay
+ No Cost of Living Increase (unless directors say otherwise)
These changes will affect staff working in IT, examinations, academic registry, libraries, estates, accommodation and student support. Academic staff will not be affected, which sends a clear signal that support staff are not important to the University Executive.
The University is sitting on cash reserves of £100 million pounds. The University takes its staff from communities with high levels of deprivation. By doing this the University will be taking money away from a poorer area and failing in its civic duty. Female employees will also be disproportionately affected as they comprise the majority of support staff. Existing staff could eventually be transferred to the new company and its inferior employment contracts.
If this is able to go through at USW it will soon come knocking on the doors of other Universities!
Staff unions, GMB and UNISON, are appalled by this divisive strategy and supported by the university lecturers’ union, UCU, we are determined to challenge and oppose these plans. We will be enlisting the support of students, the local community and politicians to resist these proposals.
Show your support, please sign and share their petition today!
Thank you
UNISON Branch Secretary