www.thecourieronline.co.uk Monday 11 November 2013 Elect Issue 1279 Free ion Guid Specia e l Time inside to PartOffic Fresb e ers’ Wrs and Orga niser eek s
BACK TO THE FUTURE How possible is a
The Independent Voice of Newcastle Students
OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE EXPLOITATION? p.27
modern day Jurassic Park? p.32
Est 1948
DRESSED TO IMPRESS p.16
Revealed: Senior uni wages in midst of staff pay dispute
EXCLUSIVE By George Sandeman Editor An investigation by The Courier has revealed that 274 people employed by the University earn an annual salary of £70,000 or more. The figures also show that the 11 members comprising the Executive Board, the University’s most senior management team in charge of day-to-day operations, earn a combined salary of approximately £1.48 million each year. The Courier obtained the figures from a Freedom of Information request and shows university salaries from the academic year 2011-12. These revelations come at a time when
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Over 270 senior staff earning £70k or more each year
trade unions representing workers in the Higher Education sector have been embroiled in a pay dispute with universities throughout the country, including Newcastle. University staff have been offered 1% pay increases whilst striking unions claim that their members have suffered a 13% real terms wage cut over the last five years. Despite persistent attempts by The Courier to secure an interview with Veryan Johnston, the Executive Director of Human Resources at the University, and other members of the management team the Press Office stated that nobody was available. However, they did release a statement
in answer to one question about how the University was able to justify senior salaries whilst not meeting the demands
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Executive board salaries total nearly £1.5 million annually
ing groups. “Many of our highly paid staff are clinicians whose pay is determined at a na-
Johnston said: “We are committed to providing the best teaching for our students and in order to do this we need to offer competitive salaries to attract and retain the best academics.” of striking staff. Veryan Johnston said: “The University takes part in national pay negotiations and the offer of 1% on the pay scales is in line with major public sector bargain-
tional level by the NHS and not by the University.” Johnston, who served as Chair of the Russell Group’s Human Resources Directors from 2006-08, added: “Last year
over 40% of staff received an increase of more than 3% and in the latest staff opinion survey, 92% said Newcastle University was a good place to work.” 10 days ago, members of the University’s staff participated in a day of strike action that was coordinated across several British higher education institutions. Protests were held outside several university buildings, including Kings Gate which houses much of the University’s management and administration team, as well as gathering later on in town underneath Grey’s Monument. The effect of this work stoppage on students was the loss of lectures, Continued on page 4