spine

The new salary structure, which is to be endorsed by the council's decision-making cabinet at its meeting on Monday, follows the National Joint Council for England and Wales (NJC) and trade unions agreeing a new pay spine with effect from April 1 this year, as part of a two-year agreement.

In addition, the agreement requires individual universities to determine their own grade structures, using the national pay spine.

They are also concerned about the assessment process which will decide which teachers should move up to the upper pay spine.

"With regard to academic and professional support staff they are on a national pay spine. This means their salaries are not set by the university but by the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) in negotiation with the staff unions."

I see colleagues being 'downbanded' on the pay spine, roles undermined and access to

"With all that in mind, the employers are prepared to make an offer of 0.50% on all points in the national pay spine.

It led to the introduction of an upper pay spine for those lecturers who achieved teaching excellence.

'They give with one hand and take away with the other,' she said'What the Chancellor is not telling people is they set the hare running when they put the divisive upper pay spine in place for teachers.

"On top of that, our older members are very angry that Charles Clarke removed the top two levels of the pay spine that was promised by David Blunkett when he was Education Secretary.

He said: "The Government has only agreed to fund 40 to 50 per cent of the cost of the new upper pay spine in England.

A single pay spine across the country brings much stability to the healthcare labour market and means organisations do not get into a bidding war for occupational staff who are in short supply.

It concerned the progression of a group of lecturers up the pay spine.

Martin Broome, vice principal at Dewsbury College said: "Although Dewsbury College has made 4.6% and 3% pay awards to employees in 2003-4 and 2004-5 respectively the College has not been in a position to implement the other element of the pay negotiations - the harmonisation of staff pay on to a single pay spine for all employee groups - within this timescale.

Wrexham chief strategic services officer Wynford Thomas said: ``We are aware of the concerns of NAS-UWT and we are actively considering funding the upper pay spine.''

To do that we need over four per cent because of the upper pay spine in teachers' wages and incremental upward drifts in salaries.