Kent UCU are petitioning for the highest paid staff at The University of Kent (those on over £100k) to take an ongoing 20% pay cut.

Over the past 10 years, the salaries of the highest paid staff at Kent have increased by 326%.

In 2013 there were only 10 staff earning above £100k (totalling £1.3million). That number has now nearly quadrupled to 41, meaning staff costs for the highest paid have risen to over £5.1million per year.

This increase in pay for those at the top comes at the same time as the University’s finances have been dreadfully mismanaged. In 2019 Kent forecasted cash reserves that would cover just five days: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/university-forecasted-cash-reserves-would-cover-just-five-days

To pay for the mishandling of University finances, senior management are pushing through constant rounds of job cuts.

Despite over 300 staff leaving through voluntary redundancy, we have been told that in 2021-22 further staff cost savings of between £1.0-£1.6m will be required. This could equate to around 40 academic jobs, and our VC Karen Cox has refused to rule out compulsory redundancies for 2021. 

As an alternative to more redundancies, Kent UCU are petitioning for the highest paid staff at Kent (those on over  £100k) to take an ongoing 20% pay cut. 

If all 41 staff at Kent earning above £100k each took a 20% ongoing pay cut, the University could save around £1million per year. This would go a long way in addressing the ongoing pay savings required. 

If you agree that the students Kent should not lose more staff, and that the highest paid should take a 20% ongoing pay cut instead, please sign below: