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Outrage as ex-Labour leader Wendy Alexander’s Dundee University salary rises to £170k

Wendy Alexander. Image: Alan Richardson Dundee, Pix-AR.co.uk
Wendy Alexander. Image: Alan Richardson Dundee, Pix-AR.co.uk

A union has criticised a bumper pay rise for Dundee University senior staffer Wendy Alexander whose salary has increased to a minimum of £170,000 a year.

It means the former leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, who is now the university’s vice-principal for international, takes home around £35,000 more than First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The substantial wage bump of at least £10,000 comes as numerous staff protest what they say are damaging cuts to pensions for the lowest paid staff.

Ms Alexander will receive a rise of at least 6% but potentially far more after moving up to a new pay band.

She replaced Jack McConnell as party head in August 2007 but stepped down the following year “with deep regret” after breaking the rules on declaring donations.

She was chosen to spearhead the university’s activities around the globe in 2015.

Senior staff move into higher salary band

The former politician is among numerous executive staff to bag new improved conditions.

The vice-principal of education Blair Grubb, vice-principal of research John Rowan, and the university secretary Jim McGeorge — who all receive salaries of well over £100,000 — have also been moved to a higher salary band with increases of up to £10,000 per year.

The principal and vice chancellor Iain Gillespie meanwhile remains in the same salary band with a pay of £240,000-£249,000.

The figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information request by Unite the Union.

Dundee University workers and students protesting outside the university. Image: Steve MacDougall / DC Thomson.

Susan Robertson, regional industrial officer at Unite, which is helping organise the strikes, says the huge salaries are “shocking”.

And she says each member of the university’s eight-strong executive group receives more in pension contributions than most of the lowest paid full-time staff get as their total salary each year.

“It’s the sheer hypocrisy of it,” she said. “Senior staff are getting paid extortionate amounts, meanwhile our members are being put into pension poverty.

“They say they don’t have any money but clearly they do if they are able to pay that much to senior staff and keep topping up these salaries too.

“Staff striking are now in their seventh week on the picket line and they won’t give up.”

Pension changes spark strikes

The controversial pension changes relate to the University of Dundee Superannuation Scheme (UODSS), which is only available to the six lowest pay grades.

It is being partly replaced by a privately administered scheme which striking staff say could see retirement funds slashed by up to 40%.

The university agreed not to entirely scrap the existing arrangement and will continue to offer a Defined Benefit (DB) scheme to existing members.

Staff on strike on Perth Road. Image: DC Thomson.

The changes have already been agreed by the University Court, the institution’s governing body, and will be implemented on January 1 next year.

Unite the union is leading strike action which is set to go on for the rest of the year unless a new agreement is reached.

University says 9% increase given to lowest paid staff

The organisation posted figures on its social media pages suggesting senior staff are receiving even higher increases.

However, Dundee University disputes this.

A spokesperson said: “The figures presented are misleading, as a change in pay band does not equate to the same percentage change in exact salary.

“Salary bands for the university executive group are published every year in our annual financial statements and are publicly available.

“Pay awards for senior staff are subject to the same criteria as all those at Grade 10 or above, including professorial staff.

“The most recent nationally agreed pay award, which we implemented on August 1 gives a 9% increase for staff on the lowest spinal points of our salary scales, compared to 3% for those at higher salary points.”

Plumbers and joiners affected by pensions

Staff affected by pension changes include those working in the estates department such as plumbers and joiners, as well as technicians, student support staff, and security officers.

Discussions between the university and staff have been ongoing for around 18 months now but have yet to be resolved.

Staff remain on the picket line outside the university’s Tower Building on Perth Road.

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