Category Archives: Equality

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

Guidance for members on work visas next strike

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

(Text reproduced from email sent to all members by Gabriella Alberti, Equality Officer, 12/4/18) As we have already pointed out in a previous email, the latest USS strike has brought to the fore what the union understands as differential treatment for University staff members on working visas in terms of their participation in industrial action. We believe the experience of unfair treatment by our colleagues on working visas is far from marginal to this important dispute, and that it rather points out to the many contradictions that inhabit our campuses and the HE sector in the UK, where the effects of the Point based system and monitoring of international students and staff have been contested and challenged by our unionsince their introduction. The latest events have shown even more that immigration controls directly hinder our fundamental collective rights. UCU national HQ has released today a message regarding members on working visas’ participation in the strike action, following the lack of response (as of today) by the Home office to Sally Hunt’s letter on this matter on the 15th of March 2018.  Matt Waddup, UCU national head of policy and campaigns writes: “Our parliamentary team have been strongly pressing the minister for a response but despite assurances … continue reading

Rights of EU27 citizens after Brexit

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

On 12 December the European Commission published a memo with questions and answers based on the common understanding of the rights for citizens following the recent negotiations. We’re linking to this here not as legal advice but because we know this will be of interest to many members and because it hasn’t been widely publicised in the UK. “Questions and Answers – the rights of EU27 and UK citizens post-Brexit, as outlined in the Joint Report from the Negotiators of the European Union and the United Kingdom Government” You may also be interest in the response of the campaign group the3million to the latest negotiations. For UCU members there both general and individual legal advice available – see Guide to working in the UK for EEA and non-EEA nationals. … continue reading

EU staff rights and the Brexit negotiation – notes from today’s meeting

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

Notes from today’s open meeting on EU staff rights and the Brexit negotiation are available as a powerpoint presentation: Brexit Summary Resources Nov 2017 (download) Latest advice from the university The next university EU Immigration Information Session for staff is 11am Wednesday 29 November, Clothworkers Central building, Speakman lecture theatre (G.89). Individual advice can also be booked, see the university link above. Immigration legal advice from UCU (both general briefing papers and individual legal support is available for UCU members) Here are some of the documents referred to in the discussion: The letter to the EU heads of state from The 3 Million (only available as PDF download) ‘Technical note’ from the UK government European parliament rejects UK response as inadequate and outlines its red lines for EU citizens UCU policy ‘we are international’ … continue reading

Open meeting: casualisation and gender pay gap

University of Leeds UCU Posted on by

Wednesday 8 November, 1pm – 2pm Baines wing 1.13 As part of our work putting together a claim on the gender pay gap at the University of Leeds and tackling the casualisation of jobs at the University of Leeds we’d like to invite you and any other staff to a meeting on Wednesday to discuss these issues. Please pass this on to any colleagues who may have an interest in these issues (and who doesn’t have an interest in equal pay and permanent jobs?!). This meeting is open to non-members as well as members. Concerned about the gender pay gap? Fixed term? Hourly paid? Agency? Variable or Zero hours? All of the above? We want to hear about the experiences of staff at Leeds on these kinds of contracts. Permanent, salaried member of staff? This meeting is also for you to learn more about issues facing your colleagues & to share ideas. UCU is committed to equal pay and to fighting the abuses faced by staff on casualised contracts within further and higher education. We hope that all members will support these campaigns and stand with colleagues on casual contracts to put an end to such abuse. Casualisation + Gender … continue reading