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Employers' leaders will have enjoyed Joe Sim's letter (October 10) claiming that the lecturers' union Natfhe and the Association of University Teachers leaderships are in bed with them. Employers have delivered nothing on pay that could command such intimacy.

Workload is a key priority for us, and Natfhe is launching a campaign to highlight these issues and to protect our contractual rights in "new" universities.

Some 87 per cent of Natfhe members voted for the deri-sory 3 per cent annual pay rise, but as a holding operation prior to a serious campaign to obtain the catch-up element this year, now that employers have access to new funds.

Natfhe has no illusions about job evaluation, but the deal was again strongly backed in a ballot as we had gained sufficient protection to enable a degree of consistency across the country. Natfhe wants the framework agreement to deliver national consistency and decent fair pay for all - not different deals.

Jill Jones Chair of the Higher Education Committee, Natfhe