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Update on anti-casualisation negotiations

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The first anti-casualisation meeting with the university HR team took place yesterday. Our concerns were listened to and we provided information/clarification on questions arising from the official claim we had submitted earlier this year. You can read the claim here: leedsucu.org.uk/ucu-anti-casualisation-claim-submitted-to-university-of-leeds The university has agreed to identify parameters they think they can align with to publish a joint statement on casualisation. We anticipate formal time-limited negotiations to begin shortly but further steps in this regard require active engagement from our casualised members. We are putting together a survey to find out the details and extent of the casualisation problem at Leeds and also planning towards a meeting of all casualised staff that will soon be announced. … continue reading

Meetings for members coming up

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General meeting, Thursday 2 May 1pm – 2pm, Roger Stevens lecture theatre 4 (8.04). The deadline for motions or agenda items for this meeting is 12pm Tuesday 16 April. If you want our branch to propose an amendment to a motion on the UCU congress 2019 agenda, or propose an emergency motion to UCU Congress, or to encourage our delegates to the congress to vote in a particular way on a motion at UCU congress, this is the meeting to put that to. Annual General Meeting, Thursday 16 May 3.45pm – 5pm, Workshop Theatre. The deadline for motions for the AGM is 12pm Tuesday 30 April. The deadline for nominations to elected committee positions is 3.45 Wednesday 15 May. For more details see leedsucu.org.uk/who-should-be-on-next-years-ucu-committee-agm-details … continue reading

9 April: USS pensions open meeting

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Tuesday 9 April 1-2pm: USS Pensions Open Meeting: with UCU Pensions Rep Mark Taylor-Batty and UCU national USS negotiator Sam Marsh Mechanical Engineering LT B (2.37) (Open to members + non-members – bring colleagues!) Our pensions rep Mark Taylor-Batty and Sam Marsh (one of UCU’s elected national negotiators on USS) will give an update on the current situation and lead discussion with members. Please bring your questions too! We have deliberately timed this meeting to fall after the next USS negotiation meeting between UCU and UUK. You can help to publicise this by printing and distributing this leaflet. Backgroundː  The employers’ body Universities UK (UUK) has recently conducted a consultation of member institutions regarding the USS 2018 pension scheme valuation. UUK has written to USS with a summary of the institutional responses which they have published [here]. The University of Leeds put its consultation response online yesterday, which is [here].   We (UCU) have many and growing concerns in the sector over the governance of the USS pension scheme, and poor communications from the USS executive. You can read the latest statement from the UCU National Disputes Committee which was convened after Congress 2018 to steer the USS dispute [here]. We … continue reading

2 April: emergency general meeting on the REF code of practice

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Tuesday 2 April 2-3pm, Michael Sadler LG 19 We need members’ views on the draft Code of Practice for REF 2021 (CoP) that the university released for consultation yesterday. We are looking to build on the wealth of experience and expertise in our membership to inform the branch’s position. To this end, we have put together a very short survey that can be completed [here]. Alternatively, you can email your comments to us directly at ucu@leeds.ac.uk.  All thoughts, comments and concerns are welcome. We are particularly keen to receive your views and experiences relating to:  how preparations for REF 2021 interact with Annual Academic Meetings (AAM) and the Staff Review and Development Scheme (SRDS) [CoP para 19]; the process for identifying staff with significant responsibility for research and staff who are engaged in independent research [CoP para 35-41]the process for appealing these decisions [CoP para 55-60]; and the process for selecting outputs [CoP para 76-84]. Alongside providing your feedback to UCU, we also encourage members to engage with the university’s consultation process by either emailing leedsref@leeds.ac.uk, or by attending one of the three drop-in sessions organised by University Management, details of which can be found [here]. We are holding a Leeds UCU Emergency General Meeting on 2 April, at 2pm, in Michael Sadler LG 19 to discuss the Code … continue reading

Vigil for New Zealand today 1.30-1.45pm outside LUU

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On Friday, UCU national executive committee meeting began with a silence to commemorate the victims and all those affected by the terrorist attack which targeted mosques in Christchurch. Our emergency statement [here] confirms our commitment as an education union to take the lead in ensuring that people of faith are protected and have a safe environment to learn and pray. Please join together today at the vigil for victims of the terrorist attack against mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. This has been co-organised by the LUU Islamic Society, LUU Ahlul Bayt Islamic Society, LUU, and the chaplaincy. We will meet outside LUU (in the precinct) at 1.30 today, until 1.45pm. Today and every day Leeds UCU stands in solidarity with our Muslim members and students here at Leeds, and around the world. We condemn all acts of hatred and Islamophobia. Together we are stronger. Today we send a strong statement that our university community says NO to Islamophobia. Please do take 15 minutes to join the vigil if you are able. … continue reading