Universities and
Colleges (Industrial Action)
2. Maggie Chapman (North
East Scotland) (Green)
To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with
Scottish universities and the University and College Union
Scotland about the four fights and Universities
Superannuation Scheme pensions disputes, in light of the
recent reballoting for industrial action by staff. (S6O-00975)
The Minister for Higher
Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training
()
I have regularly met university leaders and trade unions,
including UCU Scotland, to discuss the on-going disputes on pay,
working conditions and pensions.
Although our universities are autonomous bodies and, as such,
have responsibility for making their own decisions on pay,
working conditions and pensions, I will continue to urge both
sides to continue to engage in constructive and meaningful
dialogue in order to resolve the dispute, and the underlying
issues, without the need for further industrial action.
Maggie
Chapman
The minister will be aware of the deep dissatisfaction among
staff and students in higher education. In addition to the UCU
reballoting, the University of Dundee’s Unison workers are out on
strike, as we speak.
Does the minister agree that university principals need to
account for the almost £80 million of Scottish public money that
they are planning to use to meet a deficit in the
USS, even though the USS has
stated that the deficit no longer exists because it was a result
of Covid? Could Scottish ministers offer to work with Scottish
principals to make the case that a revaluation of the scheme and
a reduction in the £80 million spending is necessary?
Maggie Chapman mentioned the situation at the University of
Dundee, so I also make it clear that I have engaged with the
university and unions to discuss the issue.
In respect of the wider issues around the USS,
we should remind ourselves that it is not a Scotland-specific
scheme; it applies UK-wide. It is also not a Government-funded
pension scheme, so it does not fall within the devolved
responsibilities of Scottish ministers. I would, therefore, not
be able to determine whether there should be a revaluation.
However, as I said earlier, I will continue to engage with
university leaders and unions to discuss the matter and will
press them to resolve the issues without the need for further
recourse to industrial dispute.
Mercedes Villalba (North
East Scotland) (Lab)
I remind members of my entry in the register of members’
interests.
A survey of university staff by the UCU highlighted that up to
two thirds are seriously thinking about leaving the sector during
the next five years. Their pay has fallen by 25 per cent in real
terms during the past decade, and changes to USS pensions are set
to leave staff up to £240,000 worse off. The minister must
recognise the harm that is being done to university staff by
year-on-year real-terms pay cuts and cuts to pensions. Can the
minister share with us what action the Scottish Government is
taking to encourage university principals to address staff
concerns seriously?
As I have said a number of times today, this is a matter on which
I continue to engage in dialogue with unions and university
management. I actively discuss issues with them; the subject that
Ms Villalba has asked about will be one of them.
However, when push comes to shove, I cannot resolve the dispute.
It is for university management and unions to come together to
discuss the issues. I urge them to do so along the lines of the
fair work framework under which we operate, by ensuring that
there is proper and meaningful dialogue and that workers’ voices
are listened to. Ultimately, I hope that they can resolve the
matter together.
Michael Marra (North East
Scotland) (Lab)
The minister speaks the language of dialogue and discourse, but
does he not recognise that 13 years of flat cash and no increase
in the unit of resource that goes to universities is leading to
the challenges and creating the conflict between management and
workers and the tough decisions that have to be made? If the
matter is going to be resolved, the Government will have to make
sure that it resources higher education properly.
We are resourcing higher education properly. This year, we will
again provide more than £1 billion of public expenditure to our
universities to support their continued financial sustainability.
I would have thought that that would be recognised as a fairly
substantial investment. In recognition of some of the challenges
that have been experienced over the pandemic period, we have
invested more than £190 million in direct additional funding to
support universities through the difficult circumstances.
We are stepping up to the mark and investing in higher education,
and we will continue to do so.
