We are constrained by the resources available, says Dr Copland

Geoffrey Copland of the University of Westminster accepts that lecturers are underpaid relative to their peers.

The problem, he says, is that universities are constrained by the resources available.

And, he argues, the Natfhe and AUT action has precipitated pay talks which could resolve the issue.

"The academic unions are trying to force the issue before we have a single negotiation," said Dr Copland.

He added that universities had yet to receive a pay claim from support staff and that until this was lodged they were unable to assess how the different claims should be treated.

We want to make money available to make sure our staff are fairly remunerated. However we have to do so within the limits of the money available Dr Copland

At the hub of the dispute is extra funding from tuition fees which come into force for students attending courses starting in autumn 2006.

The unions say universities are getting �3.4bn extra from top-up fees and other funding.

Dr Copland, who is also chairman of the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association, said at least a third of the additional money coming in would "almost certainly" be going into staff pay.

However, he pointed out that additional money coming from tuition fees depended on how many full-time UK-based students were enrolled and this would vary between institutions.

He said: "The unions have said, 'give us a third of this money,' but that means there would be different pay in different universities."

Competitive

Dr Copland said: "The bottom line is we want to make money available to make sure our staff are fairly remunerated. However, we have to do so within the limits of the money available."

More than 120 MPs, including members of the education select committee, signed a Commons motion backing the calls for more pay.

Dr Copland said: "We need to make sure that the salaries we pay to our staff are competitive. We know there has been a period when we have been unable to pay little more than inflationary-based rises.

"We also have to take account of what's affordable."

The allocation of the extra funding coming in from top-up fees has also yet to be decided.

Dr Copland said one of the biggest complaints he received from lecturers was that they were overworked.

"We want to use some of the additional money to get some more staff," he said. "There is a balance to be struck to pay additional staff and extra money for existing staff."