Black and minority ethnic lecturers facing pay discrimination

Shocking evidence of pay discrimination in higher education is today published by AUT - the higher education union.

The report - Ethnicity and the use of discretionary pay in UK HE - shows that white lecturers are 60% more likely to be awarded performance related pay than their black and minority ethnic (BME) colleagues.

AUT is calling on the university sector to take concrete action to end pay discrimination rather than just talking about doing so. In particular, AUT is calling for the negotiation of open, transparent and equality-proofed procedures for awarding the performance bonuses in every university. Ethnicity and the use of discretionary pay in UK HE analyses data on staff and levels of pay provided by the university sector itself.

The research examines those staff awarded 'discretionary points' when they reach the top of their pay scale. It shows that 21% of white lecturers on the main lecturer pay grade have been awarded discretionary points compared to just 13% of their BME colleagues.

Sally Hunt, AUT's general secretary, said: "Once again we find evidence of discrimination in higher education. It is deeply disturbing that white lecturers are 60% more likely to be awarded discretionary points than their black colleagues.

"Employers have known about this for a long time. They must accept responsibility for such failures and take some meaningful action to end pay discrimination in higher education. Sadly, I expect all we will hear will be excuses, explanations and examples of spreading good practice. That is simply not good enough.

"It does not take much to introduce fair, transparent and equality-proofed procedures for awarding discretionary points. All it takes is a willingness on the part of the university employers to move forward."

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