Falmouth University has announced plans to bring on-campus academic staff in-house from 1 August 2023, meaning that staff will be automatically enrolled into the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS).

All new campus-based academic jobs will also be employed directly through the university, rather than a subsidiary company.

The decision marks the end of a long-running dispute with Falmouth University and College Union (UCU) members, who previously backed strike action due to concerns over the creation of a 'two-tier workforce' that enrolled new employees in a “greatly inferior” scheme.

However, the union revealed that Falmouth UCU members have since "overwhelmingly" voted to resolve the dispute and work constructively with management going forward.

Given this, it highlighted the decision as demonstration of what “productive collaboration” can achieve, suggesting that other employers should look to Falmouth and make sure their staff can access the sector’s leading pension schemes.

Falmouth University UCU branch co-chair, David Devanny, stated: “We have been campaigning for this for some time, and this is clearly an issue which means a lot to UCU members here at Falmouth, who have sacrificed a lot. 

“This outcome allows on-campus members to be employed by the university again, giving them the same terms, conditions and pension rights as colleagues at other universities. It goes to show what productive collaboration between university leadership and trade unions can achieve.’

UCU general secretary, Jo Grady, added: “Today I want to send a big congratulations to each and every member at Falmouth University for getting a deal for all on-campus academic-contracted staff to be brought back in-house. 

“Other employers need to look to what Falmouth’s management has achieved and work with UCU to make sure staff can access the sector’s leading pension schemes.”

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