Category Archives: Equality

Pay + Equality: what next locally + nationally

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Text of email from Branch President Vicky Blake Dear Members, Thank you to everyone who voted in the Pay and Equality Ballot, and all who helped us to get the vote out. As you will see from Matt Waddup’s email that has just gone out to members nationally, our historically high turnout in this postal ballot on pay and equality was not quite enough to break the 50% threshold set by the (anti-)Trade Union Act 2016. In this email: • Our result • What next in the pay and equality dispute • Local campaigning and action on gender pay and casualisation Our result Prior to 2016, we would be celebrating this turnout, and this result. At Leeds, members voted strongly for strike action (69.8%) and action short of a strike (77.7%). This government’s anti-trade union legislation has denied us our right to withdraw our labour despite our turnout of 49.2%. We only needed 15 more votes to break the threshold. (You may wish to note that, while advocating the 50% threshold’s introduction, Boris Johnson was in post as London Mayor having achieved… 31.8% turnout in his election.) What next? We remain in dispute over the joint unions’ pay and equality claim. … continue reading

Why you really do need to vote – from a reluctant striker

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Chloe and colleagues outside the School of Law during the USS pension strike A personal post from new UCU committee member Chloe Wallace When I look back over our strike action in February and March, I have a lot of good memories: standing with friends old and new; the support of my colleagues and students; the feeling of empowerment and hope for the future. But all in all, it wasn’t much fun. Quite apart from the snow, the rain, and the pay deduction, there was disruption to the job I love and the students I’m committed to, anxiety in such an uncertain situation, and an ever-present feeling of guilt. When it was over, I breathed a sigh of relief; back to normal at least for a while.  So my heart sank when it became clear that we would have to ballot on striking yet again for a fairer deal on equality, casualization and pay. We, individually and collectively, have too much to do, and university staff and students don’t deserve more disruption after what we dealt with this year. We talked about fairness, equality and casualisation on the pickets and on #striketwitter throughout and beyond the action. We know they matter and that … continue reading

Black history month event – seminar and social

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The UCU Yorkshire and Humber black and minority ethnic (BME) network’s Black History Month event is on Wednesday 3 October, 3pm – 5pm. All UCU members welcome. Seminar programme Surviving the workplace – empowering yourself Wednesday 3 October, 3pm – 5pm Room A – 103, Broadcasting PlaceLeeds Beckett University, Woodhouse Lane WelcomeSteve Mardy and Steve Lui, the network team3pm – 3.10pm Opening addressSaleed Rashid, Y&H regional equality officer3.10pm – 3.20pm Workshop: surviving the workplace; “how to raise BAME issues in the workplace”3.20pm – 4.15pm Saleem Rashid (Sheffield College) and Nitin Rajyaguru (Cardiff and Vale College, Coleg Caedydd a’r Fro)Questions and answers4.15pm – 4.50pm Discussion relating to network activities4.50pm – 5pm Seminar closeSteve Lui and the network team 5pm onwardYorkshire and Humber black and minority ethnic (BME) network social in The Fenton pub … continue reading

Victory on migrant workers’ right to strike!

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Gabriella Alberti and Dima Barakat Chami report on this significant change to Home Office rules brought about by pressure from UCU, especially from members of UCU University of Leeds branch On Thursday the 12th of July our General Secretary informed all union members that our UCU campaign for the right to strike of international staff under visa has been won. According to the guidance and immigration rules for migrant workers (under the tier 2 and 5 immigration routes) any staff dependent on a working visa who would incur more than 10 non-consecutive days of unpaid leave (thus including legal strike action) per calendar year would risk the possibility to be reported by their employer to the Home Office. This would effectively put her/his and their family’s right to reside in the UK at risk. It is thus not impossible to imagine how such a punitive and unequal law would discourage migrant workers from joining strike action beyond the symbolic day or two. In this sense we are very proud that our longest ever strike in higher education has acted not only as a terrain to test such unequal treatment on a fundamental democratic right, but ultimately also as springboard for … continue reading