Universities UK has said that it is prepared to rethink its proposed reforms of the Universities Superannuation Scheme if the pension fund can be put on a sustainable footing.

Strike action over changes to the scheme, which unions say could cost the typical lecturer ?10,000 a year in retirement, entered a second day on 23 February and was due to resume on 26 February, but pressure to reach a settlement is growing.

As staff at 65 universities walked out, more vice-chancellors called for fresh negotiations, with Chris Day, vice-chancellor of Newcastle University, saying that he ¡°absolutely support[ed]¡± the strike.

In an , Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors, indicates that it is willing to shift its position, stating that ¡°we have been and continue to ask for further talks with [the University and College Union] on the future of the scheme¡±.

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A two-month consultation would begin at the end of March, say Janet Beer, the vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool and the UUK president, and Alistair Jarvis, UUK¡¯s chief executive.

¡°We would like to appeal to you to take the opportunity to put forward any proposals you feel may not have been sufficiently considered,¡± the letter says. ¡°We have sought independent expert advice at each stage of this process, but we are open to the possibility that we have not considered every possible angle.¡±

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Union members¡¯ key concern is the proposal to end the defined-benefit element of the USS, which guarantees members a certain level of pension income in retirement. Under UUK¡¯s proposals for a fully ¡°defined contribution¡± model, returns for members would be dependent on the performance of the scheme on the stock market.

UUK says that it is ¡°open to changing the scheme again to reintroduce defined benefits if economic and funding conditions improve¡±.

Other options, the letter says, could include ¡°exploring alternative models for risk sharing¡±, for example, a ¡°collective defined contribution¡± model, which is not currently possible under UK legislation but may be in future. UUK says that it is also willing to discuss exploring ¡°how deficit recovery contributions can be kept as low as possible¡±, and options to reduce the risk of USS investments.

The letter warns that the USS faces a ?6.1 billion deficit and that universities cannot afford to increase their contributions to the scheme any further.

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In response, the UCU accused UUK of ¡°spin and subterfuge¡±, adding that the association had given ¡°no indication¡± over whether it was prepared to negotiate with members on their terms.

¡°Universities UK needs to stop sending out mixed messages on whether it wants to talk or not,¡± said Sally Hunt, UCU¡¯s general secretary. ¡°If they want to talk to us without preconditions, as the universities minister has suggested, then let¡¯s do it today.

¡°The sector is suffering from a serious image problem at the moment and staff and students deserve much better from their leaders than spin and subterfuge.¡±

Three days of strike action were due to get under way on 26 February, with walkouts of four and five days in subsequent weeks.

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rachael.pells@timeshighereducation.com