Queen's University: deal agreed in staff pay dispute

Queen's University has reached a pay deal with the trade unions NIPSA, UCU and Unite as they aim to protect students' education from disruption.

Staff will receive a 13% salary increase over three years, a one-off non-consolidated payment dependent on salary, and an additional day's leave, effective from August 1 2024.

The announcement from Queens' comes at a time when many universities and their staff face financial difficulties, including in Northern Ireland where funding for universities and colleges has been cut by 40% since 2011.

Staff at Queen's have engaged in industrial action for several years calling for better pay and working conditions, but also highlighting gender inequality and the use of zero-hours contracts.

The vice-chancellor of Queen's University, Professor Sir Ian Greer, said: "At Queen's University, we consider our people to be our key asset and today's announcement underlines this.

"This pay deal recognises the remarkable body of work our people have delivered across teaching, academic research, hosting major events and bringing positive and real change to communities and our society.

"It will provide certainty for our staff and their families, as well as assurances to students that potential disruption to their studies has been hugely reduced.

"Echoing the same advice I gave the returning Executive earlier this year, it is crucial we invest in people to reap the benefits longer term.

"This deal adds to our existing top-class terms and conditions as a major employer in NI, and we remain committed to our mission to recruit and retain the best people with the University's ultimate aim of producing the most talented and high achieving graduates that will make a difference to our society and the world."

Sean O'Connell, president of UCU (University and College Union) at Queen's, said the union was "delighted" to have reached a fair settlement with management on pay.

He said: "This is an important step towards pay restoration and a fitting reward and recognition of the efforts of all Queen's staff.

"Significantly, this deal means we can now all focus on providing stability for both staff and students, and management should be congratulated on the vision they have demonstrated by making this pay agreement possible.

"With this agreement on pay now ratified, we look forward to working to find equally positive resolutions to the other issues that have been the trade unions' focus in recent years."

Julia Farkas, NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance) branch chair at Queen's, said it was "a new start to industrial relations at Queen's".

She said: "The unions believe this deal will provide clarity to both students and colleagues over the next three academic years."

The deal was also welcomed by the Queen's students' union, with union president Beth Elder, saying: "Like our peers at universities across the UK, many of our current students experienced disruption during their educational journey as a result of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and industrial action in recent years.

"The pay deal means that Queen's students now find themselves in the fortunate position of having certainty that their studies are highly unlikely to be affected during the period of the deal.

"This is really important, reducing unnecessary stress and ensuring the stability needed for students to thrive and get the most out of their time at university."