HEFCE have published a report outlining the most pressing challenges facing HE in developing and engaging its workforce in the difficult economic environment. The 'HE Workforce Framework 2010' report, designed to stimulate debate across the sector, poses five key questions (halfway down this page) that include considerations of workforce flexibility, financial sustainability, competetiveness and performance, and pay and reward systems for staff.
The THE has picked up on the element of the report which considers national pay bargaining, following on from its story late last week which covered the posibility of universities abandoning national pay deals and choosing to negotiate locally. The report doesn't seem to be signalling the end of sector-wide negotiations any time soon but does note that "views in the sector are divided over the long-term future of national versus local bargaining", and questions "the affordability of awarding automatic annual increments to around 60 per cent of HE staff".
If you don't fancy wading through the full 144 pages there's a 55 page 'overview report' and a good two page summary on the HEFCE website. The UCU think that it kicks off the debate from the wrong starting point, and could potentially destabilise the sector.