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The AUCL rightly points out that academic staff in the new universities and colleges receive lower pay on average than their counterparts in the old universities and that this is caused by the fact that more staff in the old universities are promoted.

However, the AUCL's solution of transferring staff on to the old universities' pay scales would not improve the average pay of our members. The proportion of promoted posts in the old universities is determined at insitutional level, and is dependent on the availability of funding. Nationally and locally Natfhe has sought to negotiate agreements to increase the number of promoted posts and range and promotion critieria to include pedagogic promotions as well as promotions for research ability and administrative/mangerial ability.

In the longer term we would wish to see the establishment of a single pay structure based on the trade union principle of negotiating best practice from both sectors.

AMANDA HART

Acting negotiating secretary HE, Natfhe