UNISON’s higher education members have accepted an employers’ pay offer for 2017-18 worth between 1.7% and 2.4%, with higher increases for the lowest-paid staff.

The lowest pay point (spinal column point 2) will receive the highest increase, bringing it to the living wage rate of £8.45 an hour for those working a 35-hour week.

UNISON’s head of higher education, Donna Rowe-Merriman, commented: “Members working in universities have reluctantly accepted this year’s offer. 

“Whilst higher than recent years, it still does not go far enough in compensating staff for successive years of low wage increases.

“The HE service group executive has already begun work on next year’s claim and will want to mobilise support from across HE to ensure decent pay for our members in future.”

Members voted by 71.1% to 28.9% to accept the offer in a consultation carried out by the union’s branches.

The employers were informed of the result after the service group executive ratified the consultation, which saw almost three-quarters of union branches (74.6%) return a response, and a majority vote for acceptance in every UNISON region.

Unions and employers also agreed to continue work on dealing with the gender pay gap and zero-hour contracts in the sector