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Author Archives: admin

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Might USS scrap the 2017 valuation, and replace it with a 2018 valuation?

Posted on 4 December 2018 by admin4 December 2018

You will have received an email recently from Jill Nimmo, forwarding a USS communication in which they offer a brief summary of the cost-sharing consultation with members that took place over the summer, and which was in effect eclipsed by the publication of the JEP report in September. They refer to the JEP by all but name in a second paragraph headed ‘Alternative Proposals’, and point out that a subsequent survey of employers indicated that employers are broadly willing to adopt the JEP recommendations. They then point out that they intend to run a new valuation, dated at 31 March 2018. The implications of this new valuation need then to be consulted upon, and they explain that this will then mean that any new payment arrangements which could be agreed will be too late to be implemented, and the first tranche of the emergency increase in employer and employee contributions will come into effect in April 2019. This will mean an increase in member contributions from 8% or salary to 8.8%, and an increase of employer contributions from 18% to 19.5%. We presume that any subsequent agreed change to contributions as a consequence of the March 2018 valuation and  related … continue reading

Posted in Pensions

A USS pension update

Posted on 6 November 2018 by admin7 November 2018

Our University was one of the institutions that wanted us to lose Defined Benefits altogether.UCU National Disputes Committee adopts a ‘No Detriment’ positionUSS letter proposes using an updated March 2018 valuation to supersede the March 2017 valuation Our University’s position on last year’s UUK proposal to end to Defined Benefits Members at Leeds may have seen the recent release of the University of Leeds’s recent responses to UUK surveys of its members over the USS pensions scheme. What these documents tell us is that our University is among the most hawkish in willing an end to your Defined Benefit pension and that, in something of a volte-face given that early verdict, they have conceded that the UUK should adopt the JEP recommendations. We link to these documents at the bottom of this page.Michael Otsuka, who has been instrumental in commenting on and explaining the various vagaries of the pensions dispute, has described our recorded university’s position as “foaming at the mouth alarmist in their claims of DB” and pointed out that our employer was one of the minority that advocated a shift to 100% defined contributions – the base cause of last year’s strike. Professor Otsuka highlights the insensitivity of our … continue reading

Posted in Pensions

No deficit = no detriment

Posted on 15 October 2018 by admin18 October 2018

The latest development in the ongoing USS saga sees the revelation that USS themselves seem to have failed to correctly apply their own ’Test 1’, and that when this is corrected there is no deficit in the scheme as of March 2018. If there is no deficit, then there is no longer any argument for any change to our contributions or for any ‘benefit reform’, the euphemism we hear often which means changes to how much we receive in pension, and the means by which it is calculated. This seeming flaw has been exposed by Sam Marsh, a member of the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC). ‘Test1’ and ‘self-sufficiency’ The USS have three tests which they apply in coming to a valuation.* Of these, Test 1 considers the viability of achieving a ‘self-sufficiency’ position in 20 years. ‘Self-sufficiency’ is, in effect, a position whereby all owed pensions can be paid without significant further contributions to the scheme from employers or employees. The Joint Expert Panel (JEP) expressed concern about Test 1 as “given too much weight in determining the valuation and its effects extend beyond its original purpose” (p. 8) and that specifically “Test 1 drives the investment strategy toward a … continue reading

Posted in Pensions

Joint Expert panel report – a first response

Posted on 14 September 2018 by admin14 September 2018

Yesterday, the long-awaited report from the Joint Expert Panel was released.  You can read the executive summary here , and the full report here. The report very much validates many of the arguments that UCU and activists have been rehearsing over the last year. Given the fact that the Panel was made up half of employer representatives and half of UCU representatives, it is perhaps notable that the conclusion are more in line with what UCU and First Actuarial have been arguing for many years than the statements we have seen from employers. UCU responded yesterday by saying that the report represents “a significant landmark in our ongoing campaign to defend members’ pensions.” Some key aspects of the report The JEP considered the manner in which the USS trustees use the ‘three tests’ to weigh up the affordability of contributions, and conclude that “too much weight” has been given to the long-controversial ‘Test 1’ which was now acting as a ‘constraint’ on benefit design and investment strategy, rather than guiding those decisions. The Panel state that USS had not given enough weight to the fact that our pension scheme is a large, cash-flow positive scheme and that the ’strength and … continue reading

Posted in Dispute, Pensions

USS consultation – a pause for thought

Posted on 6 September 2018 by admin9 October 2018

Members will have received communications recently from the University and from UCU about the USS’s consultation over proposed changes to our pension. The consultation is a requirement upon USS, and was originally deferred as a result of the outcome of the dispute earlier this year, when it was originally scheduled for June. One of the important proposals that caused members to vote to freeze our dispute earlier this year, was the creation of the Joint Expert Panel (JEP) that would look into the pension valuation. We therefore don’t recommend that members respond to the USS consultation until the JEP reports. Leeds UCU will be in touch with members again once we have considered the implications of that report, with some recommended responses to the consultation. There’s no rush – you have until Friday 2nd November to respond to the consultation.Members who want begin to consider responding to the consultation, or wish to do so before the JEP reports, might wish first to read the recent UCU briefing for members on this issue. And perhaps read Sheffield UCU’s commentary on Twitter here.  The questions asked in the consultation cover: The removal of the 1% matchProposals over contributions above the salary thresholdIncreased contributions … continue reading

Posted in Pensions

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Call for motions for general meeting and UCU Congress

Posted on 14 February 2019 by Alan Smith14 February 2019

Do you want to propose a union policy or strategy? UCU is a democratic union, we make our policies together through branch-level general meetings and then nationally at the annual Congress. Our next general meeting on 13 March will be where we decide which motions our branch will propose to the 2019 UCU Congress. Please submit all motions by 12pm Tuesday 5 March Please send motions to ucu@leeds.ac.uk Any member can write a motion. If you want help in phrasing it, it can be good to talk to a union rep, or to have a look at motions from a previous Congress (PDF). The general meeting is Wednesday 13 March, 12pm – 1pm, Roger Stevens lecture theatre 11 (10.11). Directions and room information … continue reading

Posted in Administration, General Meetings, Local Association

Leeds UCU newsletter February 2019

Posted on 11 February 2019 by editor113 February 2019

(Printed newsletters should be appearing round campus, or you can download it in PDF form here.) Use your vote! We’re balloting again in the dispute over Dispute over casualisation, equal pay, workload and fair pay. It’s vital for our union democracy that you use your vote. Last October Leeds members voted clearly to strike – 70% in favour – on a turnout of 49%. It was the highest national turnout on a pay ballot in UCU’s history. The new anti-trade union law (requiring a 50% turnout) stopped us from striking. We think members should decide, not the government, so we’re re-balloting so that your decision counts. This ballot is an opportunity to show the employers that we are still strong, which will have ramifications for pensions and current and future local issues, disputes and negotiations. We urge all members to vote Yes to strike and Yes to action short of a strike including a marking boycott. We need to know what the whole membership thinks about taking action, so please vote whatever your view. We’re asking the employers to work with us nationally to: Tackle the scandal of casualisation (e.g. 65% of Leeds research staff and 36% of teaching only … continue reading

Posted in Newsletter, Uncategorized

Solidarity with Queen Margaret UCU strikers

Posted on 7 February 2019 by admin47 February 2019

We are all with you in solidarity as you strike today to defend jobs and to defend each other. Stand firm!  You have much to be proud of! Not only have members at Queen Margaret University refused to take any threat of staff cuts lying down, you have also smashed the anti-trade union act 2016’s threshold barrier with 72% turnout! May your pickets be massive, fun, and enlightening for all around you!  In contrast, Queen Margaret’s senior management should hang their heads in shame. That management prefer to terrorise staff with the threat of the axe rather than to properly explore alternatives with UCU negotiators is a disgrace. The proposed cuts would steal livelihoods and intensify workload pressure on staff who remain in post. Your local strike is all our fight. Nobody strikes lightly, so as you stand together for jobs, for education, and for decency and hope: know that we are with you.  In Solidarity, Vicky Blake (President) on behalf of us all at Leeds UCU … continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Queen Margaret UCU, Solidarity, strike

Email to members – 1 February 2019

Posted on 1 February 2019 by editor111 February 2019

TThe university’s lists system doesn’t seem to be sending this email out to our members – so here is our latest email for all to read! UCU local news: remember to vote; international members survey; improving the adverse weather policy; lots more! Dear UCU members – A few brief updates for you: Strike ballot – remember to vote, don’t be silenced Need a replacement ballot paper? Want to know how this ballot applies to you? Want to tell us you’ve voted? See our frequently asked questions Election for UCU national vice president – our Vicky Blake on the ballot paper The election for UCU national vice president opens on Friday 1 February. Our fantastic president Vicky Blake is one of the candidates. We’re holding a hustings on 12 February at 12pm. International staff survey Our international staff survey is live now. It’s open to non-members too, so pass it on to your friends and colleagues! leedsucu.org.uk/international-staff-survey New adverse weather policy We’ve made improvements to this policy before the university published it, to emphasise staff health and safety over keeping the university running. You shouldn’t feel pressured to come into work if it’s not safe to. leedsucu.org.uk/unions-improve-new-adverse-weather-policy Help us beat casualisation … continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized

Counting the costs of casualisation survey open now

Posted on 1 February 2019 by Rachel Walls1 February 2019

Currently, UCU is running a UK-wide survey ‘Counting the costs of casualisation’. If you’re on an insecure contract, please fill it in and encourage colleagues to do so too. … continue reading

Posted in Anticasualisation, Uncategorized
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