Universities facing strike action offering pay rises of 2-3 percent

Three of the four universities facing strike action on Thursday are offering pay rises ranging from two to three percent for most staff.

Lincoln University said it offered a three percent increase in salaries and allowances on three collective agreements during its negotiations with the Tertiary Education Union, Public Service Association and E tū union.

The University of Auckland said its offer was three percent from February next year, two percent the following year and 1.8 percent in 2027.

It said staff paid $65,000 or less would get a further 0.5 percent in the first year and 0.25 percent in 2026.

"This offer rewards staff to the maximum extent possible while still maintaining financial responsibility. It follows the 9 percent increase (11 percent enhanced general revision) that staff received over the past two years," the university said.

Massey University said it recently increased its pay offer from 1.5 percent to two percent "following improvements in its financial deficit, and is yet to see any movement from the unions in their pay claim".

"Following lack of movement to date in respect of negotiations, the university is taking a short period of time to reflect on aspects of its bargaining position and is hopeful we can get back to negotiations as soon as possible," it said.  

Canterbury University would not tell RNZ the pay rise it had offered.

It said talks with unions had been constructive.

The Tertiary Education Union said it was seeking a six percent pay rise for its members.

It said the strikes scheduled for Thursday would involve 4000 of its members.

The union's assistant national secretary, Daniel Benson-Guiu, said pay growth in the universities had been much slower than the rest of the workforce, at a time when inflation had been at 30-year highs.

"Our members will not take that lying down. They fought two years ago when 7000 of our members took action, they are fighting now and they will keep fighting until they get the recognition they are owed," he said.

The union said it was in negotiations with Victoria University and with Otago University.

It said Auckland University of Technology was not negotiating this year and the University of Waikato was beginning new negotiations after settling its collective agreement in July.