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I welcome Deian Hopkin's commitment to national bargaining and his remarks on London weighting's inadequacy ("Comrades, we are on your side", THES , November 15).

Unions are seeking a ?4,000 flat-rate increase on London weighting this year for all staff, regardless of salary, which will benefit lower-paid staff more.

The employers have made no real offer on London weighting to new university staff and a 0 per cent offer for those in old universities. Yet they keep telling us that they understand that it is too low.

Now surely is the time to make substantial progress on our claim for this year, while we jointly lobby government to fund the additional London costs we bear. Otherwise staff will have no option but to take further action.

It is fair to target "fat-cat" vice-chancellors who, during a decade and a half of constraint on university pay, have accepted huge rises themselves. Partnership suffers when this is the reality.

Jill Jones
Chair
Natfhe negotiators