Members emails Archives - UCU University of Leeds Branch

Health and safety in libraries

Posted on 15 February 2021 by Alan Smith24 March 2021

Library staff remain seriously concerned about the health and safety implications of Library study space being open to students. Two motions were overwhelmingly passed at last week’s emergency general meeting supporting Library colleagues, which you can read at leedsucu.org.uk/members-vote-to-call-to-close-library-study-spaces Members at the meeting were keen to ensure that the university provides study space for students with essential needs, and our library reps emphasised the part of the motions which calls for the use of unstaffed and remotely monitored study space such as computer clusters rather than libraries. The branch will be calling for a UK-wide campaign by UCU to close library study spaces and return libraries to a click and collect service.

New lockdown

Posted on 6 January 2021 by Alan Smith25 January 2021

Message from branch president Ben Plumpton sent to members Tuesday 5 January 2020 Happy New Year, and here’s hoping it is a better one than 2020… I’m writing to let you know that Leeds UCU is working hard on your behalf related to the current lockdown and with regard to the seriousness of the increasing pandemic. In particular, we have asked the VC to:

The start of constructive progress on Covid-19-related issues

Posted on 27 March 2020 by Alan Smith27 March 2020

Text of email from Ben Plumpton to members 27 March 2020 Hello everyone, Many of you will have been working at home for a week or longer. These are challenging times, and you might feel you are struggling with too much to do, juggling different responsibilities, health issues, practical problems or mental health. Many of us are caring for children or other family members, and that needs to be the priority. Try not to let work get you down, do what you can, and be kind to yourself. I hope that we as union members can support each other with some of this, and that our solidarity can help us to feel less alone and less worried. If there is anything you think the union could help with please email ucu@leeds.ac.uk. 1. Welcoming the start of constructive progress on Covid-19-related issues On Wednesday 25 March we had a more productive meeting with university HR managers which indicated that the university senior management is starting to listen to some of the serious issues staff have been raising through UCU, Unison and Unite unions and through their managers. There is a lot still where the decisions are yet to be made, which … Read more