Please contact ucu@leeds.ac.uk by 1st March if you would like to represent the branch at either of these events (to be held online): Academic-related professional staff annual meeting (Thursday 18 March), see https://www.ucu.org.uk/acrelannual Annual meeting of staff on casualised contracts (Saturday 13 March), see https://ucu.org.uk/cascontractsmeeting
Read moreBranch officers are continuing to push for fixed term contracts to only be used in very limited circumstances. We are having some success in particular areas, and we are also monitoring the university’s job adverts so that we can raise concerns at an early stage. If you would like to be involved with our anti-casualisation working group, which will be discussing and re-launching our anti-casualisation claim, please get in touch with our anti-casualisation officers, Xanthe Whittaker and Joanne Armitage.
Read moreAppointments to committee Equality officer: Lorraine Youds Anti-casualisation officers: Xanthe Whittaker and Joanne Armitage (role share) Committee member (lead on climate and the ecological emergency): Jennifer Fletcher The following motions were agreed: Motion 1: opposing redundancies at Leeds University Leeds UCU: Notes: Faculty of Biological Sciences management communication which hinted at compulsory redundancies if not ‘enough’ staff leave through the voluntary redundancy scheme. that UCU branches (eg. Heriot Watt, Brighton, Northumbria Universities) have recently won ballots for industrial action, despite the obstacles to campaigning during Covid-19 restrictions. Re-affirms our opposition to all redundancies. urges all members to sign the Leeds UCU petition opposing the ‘voluntary’ redundancies in the Faculty of Biological Sciences and the School of Medicine. agrees to: demand a commitment from management that no compulsory redundancies will be proposed or made in FBS or SoM. call a dispute if management will not rule out compulsory redundancies. trigger the steps for an industrial action ballot if management pursues compulsory redundancies. Motion amended as above text and carried without opposition. Motion 2: Response to Funding Extensions for PGRs The Leeds UCU Branch notes that: The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted many post-graduate research students (PGRs) because of their reduced ability … Read more