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By Joe Rukin
Sir Richard Sykes, Imperial College Rector and former chairman of GlaxoSmithKline has been named as the "number one hypocrite" by the AUT as they step up their first strike action over London Weighting Allowances in 82 years. London Lecturers are paid an annual £2,134 allowance, £1,000 less than school teachers, a figure which not changed since 1992. Whilst strikes in the rest of the HE sector are off due to settlement, HE in London and FE everywhere else still face industrial action in the new year.
The Association of University Teachers took the decision to name and shame highly paid heads of London universities who have been accused of blocking the union's weighting claim. Sykes has been singled out as the 'stumbling block' which has prevented negotiations progressing, so the union had no qualms about revealing his £242,000-a-year pay. Sykes also gets a free house, at 170 Queen's Gate, near the Albert Hall, which is estimated to be worth several million pounds.
Sally Hunt, the general secretary of the AUT, said:
"Richard Sykes wants to increase costs massively for London students on the one hand, and freeze pay for those who teach them on the other. Some university staff are struggling on as little as £12,500 inclusive of London weighting, and yet he and the other University of London vice-chancellors are on huge salaries which give them, in effect, a London bonus that's worth £16,000. Not only that but, with his job, he has been given a free luxury property in the heart of London, while less fortunate university staff are so poor they have no choice but to share accommodation that is little better than student standard. For many people, buying a flat or having a family are out of the question."
Another headline name at number three is Anthony Giddens, who gets £160,000-a-year from the London School of Economics. Giddens is credited as being one of the main thinkers behind Blairs' Third Way philosophy. The top ten in full are;
Sir Richard Sykes, Imperial College (£242,000), Andrew Haines, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (£166,000), Anthony Giddens, London School of Economics (£160,000), Arthur Lucas, King's College (£158,000), Sir Derek Roberts, UCL (£156,000*), Robert Boyd, St George's Hospital Medical School (£152,000), Professor Michael Thorne, University of East London, (£189,000*), Steven Schwartz, Brunel University (£154,000*), Kenneth Barker, Thames Valley (£150,000), Professor Deian Hopkin, South Bank (£137,000)
* Predecessor's 2000-01 salary
As part of the one day action in November, Universities across the capital ground to a halt, as the AUT were joined on picket lines by all the major unions in HE; Unison, AMICUS, NATFHE. As yet there have been no talks. At Middlesex University, Unison branch secretary Andrew Tremayne said:
"Strike action is always a final resort. If there is any blame for the disruption, that should lie squarely at the feet of the employers. If they do not come back to the negotiating table, our members are prepared to take further action."
In the FE sector, the threat to repeat Novembers strikes which saw 250 colleges hit, with over 40 closed altogether has been held back for the time being. The action, called by Natfhe, Unison & ATL saw 3.5m students effected as lecturers disputed the 2.3% pay offer from the AoC. The strike went ahead despite an attempt in the High Court to block it. Education Secretary Charles Clarke has announced an extra £1.2bn for colleges, which will come on line just in time for the next election in 2006. The deal will hopefully "substantially narrow the pay gap" between colleges and schools, but the AoC has not yet returned to talks with lecturers unions.
However, the price for the cash will be 'improving standards'. Clarke said that excellent colleges would get the most money, while poor performing institutions could expect a lower increase. To get their share, colleges will have to meet targets for student numbers, improve pass rates, meet the needs of employers and provide incentives for staff to improve services. Increases will be staggered until 2006, with funding rising from £4.4bn now to £4.7bn in 2003-4, £5.2bn in 2004-5 and £5.6bn in 2005-6.
Clarke said
"We are providing the biggest ever investment in FE together with much greater freedom for colleges and other providers - but this must be matched by reform and higher standards across the whole of the sector. Change in the sector is desperately needed - for too long it has been the forgotten service of the education world. It does provide some excellent quality learning but performance across the board can vary widely."
Paul Mackney, general secretary of NATFHE, cautiously welcomed the 2.5% increase in college funding;
'This is a much needed boost which should enable colleges to close the
disgraceful pay gap between lecturers' and school teachers' pay by 2004.
The national employers should return to the bargaining table immediately
and hammer out a pay deal to restore lecturer morale and enable colleges
to recruit and retain staff. But the patience of lecturers and other staff has worn out. NATFHE members are looking for an immediate improvement
on the last 2.3% pay offer and a clear programme to close the
college-school pay gap by 2004. Further education lecturers are pro modernisation but anti
exploitation. For the last two decades the return for immense innovation
and response to change has been exploitation. In February this year
NATFHE supported the national employer-union submission to the
comprehensive spending review for a modernised workforce. We want
conditions that enable lecturers to deliver their very best for their
students including time to do the job, professional development
opportunities and a reduction in bureaucracy.'
Independent, University 'fat cats' blamed in pay row
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BBC, University strikers target Queen
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This is Local London, Striking staff to bring university to its knees
This is Local London, Unions combine for university strike action
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This is Local London, College lecturers strike action
IC Birmingham, Three colleges close through strike action
Guardian, Lecturers' pay strike shuts 40 colleges
Guardian, 250 colleges hit by FE strike
Guardian,
Strike suspended as colleges welcome funding deal for further education
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