The Universities and Colleges Employers Association made the 2011-12 offer at a meeting with the five unions ¨C the Educational Institute of Scotland, the GMB, Unison, Unite, and the University and College Union ¨C yesterday.

The offer would apply to all staff on the national pay spine, but not to the highest-paid staff ¨C including vice-chancellors ¨C whose pay is decided locally.

A Ucea spokesman said the ¡°offer has been made in recognition of the difficulties faced by the lower paid staff working in the sector¡±.

However, as the national pay spine currently starts at ?13,203, the ?150 offer would amount to a below-inflation 1.1 per cent rise even for the lowest-paid staff.

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The offer follows on from 0.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent pay rises in the previous two years.

Ucea¡¯s spokesman highlighted the context of the ¡°pay freeze for the majority of public sector employees¡± and ¡°further financial challenges and uncertainties arising from changes to funding¡±.

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The unions will consult with members on the offer, but none will recommend accepting. No further negotiations are scheduled.

Michael MacNeil, the UCU¡¯s head of higher education, said: ¡°Yet again the employers have offered our members a real-terms pay cut.

¡°At a time when the cost of living is rocketing, to offer ?150 across the board is simply storing up trouble for the future.¡±

Mike Robinson, national education officer for Unite, said all of the sector¡¯s unions had rejected the offer at the meeting, which was ¡°a first¡±.

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¡°This is the third year in a row of below-inflation offers from Ucea. It represents a decrease of over 10 per cent in salary for staff in the sector over the last three years,¡± he said.

¡°Universities are trying to raise the maximum fees and pay the minimum in pay.¡±

Ben Thomas, national education officer for Unison, said the union ¡°was very disappointed with the offer and its national committee will decide what further action to take when it meets next week¡±.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com