YORK UCU   –   DISPUTE BULLETIN No. 5

The UCU mass-petition on USS pensions has finally gathered over 16,000 signatures.

This clearly indicates the extent and strength of feeling among our members on this issue.

The petition will be presented to the employers’ representatives, Universities UK, at the USS institutions meeting today, 4 December 2014, in London.

The petition reads as follows:

 “We the undersigned believe that the USS pension scheme is an important benefit to university staff as well as a significant factor in the recruitment and retention of high quality staff for member institutions.

 We note that the employers’ initial proposals would have meant a reduction in annual pension income of up to 27% for staff. We call upon the USS Board to agree a fair method of valuation which reflects the underlying strength of the USS fund. We call upon university managements to support such an approach and to work with UCU to develop a pension scheme which ensures all eligible existing and future staff, including casualised staff, benefit from a decent guaranteed pension income.”

 Here at York we are looking for our management to indicate publicly that like managements in comparable institutions (Warwick, Oxford, LSE, Imperial College) they support the call to revisit the questionable methodology and approach of USS to the deficit and to the reform of the scheme.

In the local context we still think it is appropriate to ask if the recent actions of the senior managers of this university can be said to conform with the high estimation of the values which inform our life and work here, as praised by our incoming Chancellor, Sir Malcolm Grant:

“… this great university which has always represented a set of unimpeachable values. It has a passionate belief in social justice, freedom of speech, a respect for the individual and, above all, a commitment to the highest academic standards.”

University of York Branch Executive