Pay Award 2016-2017: message from John Brady

Tuesday, 13 September 2016

I write to provide you with an update you on this year’s pay award.

As you may be aware pay awards are negotiated through a national body (the JNCHES). This year the Universities & Colleges Employers Association has made a full and final offer of 1.1% on base pay, with further uplifts that address concerns about pay for staff at the bottom of the pay scale by bringing the hourly-rate on the lowest pay spine point above the National Living Wage.

The five trade unions (UCU, Unite, Unison, EIS, GMB) who are part of the JNCHES have not accepted this offer and have initiated the formal disputes process; there is no immediate prospect of this dispute being resolved.  

In this context the University has decided to implement the proposed pay award “on account” to avoid colleagues experiencing any undue delay in receiving  their pay increases.  All staff for whom the national pay award applies will see the uplift reflected in their September salaries, along with any back pay; the pay award is effective from 1 August 2016.

I should note that there remains a possibility of further industrial action in the sector as part of this ongoing dispute; I will provide further information should the need arise. 

Please feel free to contact me on j.j.brady@reading.ac.uk if you have any questions.

John Brady

Director of Human Resources