University lecturers and employers meet again over pay dispute

Lecturers’ unions and university employers are to meet again later today in a fresh bid to end the increasingly bitter pay dispute.

The Universities and Colleges Employers’ Association (Ucea) will meet the University and College Union (UCU) in London to try and break the deadlock.

Last week the UCU rejected Ucea’s latest pay offer of 13.1% over three years.

Ucea warned that national negotiations had reached “the end of the road” but the unions said they were not prepared to accept the latest deal.

The unions had been seeking 23% over three years, but last week said they would accept a “double figure” deal over two years if Ucea agreed to a review of the sector’s finances in the third year.

A joint statement from the two sides said formal negotiations would resume at 4.30pm at the TUC headquarters in London.