Covid-19: QUB to spend £4.5m on 'exceptional payment' for staff

QUB said it is a thank you for its staff's "hard work and dedication during the challenges of Covid"

Queen's University is to spend about £4.5m on an "exceptional payment" to staff for work during the pandemic.

About 4,300 staff will receive £1,000 and about 300 casual staff will get a £150 "recognition payment".

Ulster University previously decided to pay most of its staff an extra cost-of-living payment of up to £1,000.

The University and College Union (UCU) at Queen's said the payment recognised staff's "significant sacrifices during the pandemic".

Queen's said the additional money would be paid to staff in July.

"This is a genuine thank you and recognition for your hard work and dedication during the challenges of Covid-19 over the past two years," the university said in an e-mail to staff.

"Your efforts and achievements in working together to deliver teaching, research and support for students and the wider work of the university in ever-changing circumstances have been truly remarkable."

In a joint statement with the university, the UCU - which represents many lecturers and support staff - also said that agreement had been reached on a number of other reforms.

Minimum wage commitment

Members of the UCU have taken strike action a number of times in recent years in a dispute over pay, working conditions and pensions.

That led to some classes and lectures for students being cancelled during the strikes.

Although the dispute was UK-wide, UCU branches at Queen's and UIster University had argued that the local universities could move on some areas like working conditions and pay.

In a joint statement with the UCU, Queen's University said it would reform things like contracts for academics who taught on a casual basis.

Many PhD students, for example, also teach undergraduate classes, mark exams or assignments, or lead classroom and laboratory demonstrations.

Some have previously claimed they were paid below the minimum wage for their total work.

The university also said it would commit to pay at least the minimum living wage of £9.90 to all employees and convert a number of staff on fixed-term contracts to permanent employees.

In a separate statement, the UCU branch at Queen's said it welcomed the university's commitment to seek a resolution to the dispute over pay, pensions and working conditions.

It also welcomed the Covid recognition payment but said that university staff had suffered 15 years of real-terms pay cuts.

"Like all workers the cost-of-living crisis, wage stagnation, and rising prices for childcare and other basic services have impacted QUB staff and their families," the union said.