Category Archives: Campaigns

UCU legal briefing for international members

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

Legal briefing for international members Friday 25 May, 12pm – 1pm Baines Wing seminar room 2.37 This briefing will be particularly focused on members’ concerns around visa requirements in relation to industrial action (“unauthorised absence” and reductions in pay), but can also cover any other questions regarding our legal working rights (not surpassing the 180 days in a 12 month period, research leave, pensions, etc.). This briefing is also open to international staff who aren’t UCU members. This is a general briefing legal briefing rather than casework representation. If you need individual support through the union please contact ucu@leeds.ac.uk or for individual legal advice on immigration issues see ucu.org.uk/legal Let’s get the law changed The legal briefing will look primarily at the Home Office current rules, but UCU is challenging the Home Office to change it’s rules to ensure staff working on visas don’t have a reduced right to strike. UCU general secretary Sally Hunt and Labour’ shadow chancellor John McDonnell MP have written an article calling for clarity from the Home Office. UCU is calling on members, especially staff working on international visas, to write to their MP and ask them to back UCU’s call. UCU international staff email list There’s … continue reading

The Precarious Postdoc: Interdisciplinary Research and Casualised Labour in the Humanities and Social Sciences

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

This important piece of work by Catherine Oakley, UCU University of Leeds member, and Sophie A Jones shows the mess of precarity facing postdocs, specifically in Humanities and Social Sciences but notes many of these bad practices started in Stem subjects, and proposes how faculty research leads, funding bodies and university senior management teams can fix these problems. The local UCU committee and UCU anticasualisation reps will work hard to try to get these recommendations implemented at the University of Leeds. We all deserve job security. http://www.workingknowledgeps.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/WKPS_PrecariousPostdoc_PDF_Interactive.pdf   … continue reading

Vote in University Council Elections!

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

Your chance to vote for two elected positions on University Council is here, and it closes at 12 noon on Friday 18 May! There are also elections for several University committees – please use your votes! You will have received, or will soon receive an email entitled “Online Voting” from Electoral Reform Services. Vicky Blake, current UCU Branch President and Mark Taylor-Batty, former UCU Branch President and current member of University Council, are both standing for election for University Council.  Both Vicky and Mark have worked very hard to represent UCU members over several years.  Please do consider voting for them in the University Council election. Their statements are available via the voting link, and below: Vicky Blake – Election statement for Council Healthy university communities hold democratic representation and accountable decision-making at their heart. I will represent ordinary university staff members’ concerns in matters of governance, with deep commitment to transparency and rigour. As an elected University Senator for two years, and through elected UCU positions at the University of Leeds, I know many staff feel disenfranchised from university governance structures. I seek change: increased openness will facilitate engagement with how these structures work. I work in Educational Engagement … continue reading

‘Disappointing’ opening pay offer from employers

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

The employers have made their opening offer on HE pay. The UCU national negotiators’ view is that this is “a disappointing offer that falls short of even keeping the value of pay in line with the increases to the cost of living and does not address the serious and wide spread issues of pay inequality, workload and precarious employment in the sector.” The final scheduled meeting between the employers and UCU negotiators will be on 10 May. More details on the national UCU website at ucu.org.uk/article/9435/HE-national-negotiations-2018-19   … continue reading

Posted in Pay

UCU members have ACCEPTED the latest offer from Universities UK

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

From email sent to all members by branch president Vicky Blake at 3.14pm on Friday 13 April 2018

The result of the UCU members’ ballot over whether to accept the latest UUK proposal closed at 2pm. We have just heard the result from HQ: Accept

This means that our industrial action will be called off.  So no strike on Monday.

This was not the result that the branch EGM agreed to support, however we know that everyone gave the issue considerable thought before voting and we respect each other’s opinions. We need to keep our solidarity strong and carry on working well together. We have uploaded a Dinosaur of Solidarity image created by our very own Honorary Secretary Jonathan Saha for everyone to use on social media [here] – solidarity shared is strength and support increased!

We also need to watch UUK/USS very carefully so we can hold them to account.  There’s an interesting @USSbriefs just out on how to constitute a Joint Expert Panel.  We can discuss next steps at the General Meeting on Monday.

Remember: everyone is invited to come to the Library Pub from 5pm this evening!

Remember the General Meeting on Monday at 1pm, Quaker House

This is a really important meeting! Please do make every effort to attend. The updated agenda was sent out by email on 11/4/18 (23:05), and is also available online [here].

In Solidarity!

Vicky and Committee

PS

The results were as follows:

Yes to accept the UUK offer 21,683 (64%)
No to reject the UUK offer 12,230 (36%)

Total balloted: 53,415
Total votes cast: 33,973
Total number valid votes: 33,913
Turnout: 63.5%