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Category Archives: Equality

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Our motions to UCU Congress 2019

Posted on 23 May 2019 by Alan Smith23 May 2019

These are the motions proposed by members of UCU University of Leeds branch and agreed by all members at our general meetings which are on the agenda to be debated by all branches at UCU Congress 2019. Composite motions are composited by the congress business committee from two or more similar motions proposed by different branch, so these may not reflect the exact wording agreed by members of this branch but ought to reflect the intent. Motion 9 – Composite: Representation of migrants in UCU structures (University of Leeds, The University of Manchester) Congress notes: 1.     migrants, defined as non-U.K citizens, constitute a large demography within UCU’s membership 2.     UCU’s structures currently do not represent migrants, thereby leaving them vulnerable to discrimination, harassment, surveillance and other forms of oppression Congress believes: a.     all workers should be treated equally independent of immigration status b.   racist and anti-migrant sentiments are fuelled by policies such as Hostile Environment and discourses surrounding Brexit c.   there should be no place for targeted racism and legal discrimination within our sector d.   only direct migrant representation can advance UCU policy and organising strategies on matters specific to migrant members such as mobility rights, visa fees, NHS surcharge, social security. Congress resolves to:                    i.       recognise migrant … continue reading

Posted in Equality, Gender equality, General Meetings, LGBT+, Migrant members, UCU democracy

Minutes of general meeting 2 May 2019

Posted on 16 May 2019 by Alan Smith13 August 2019

Thursday 2 May 2019, 1pm – 2pm Roger Stevens lecture theatre 4 (8.04) Minutes Agreed Amendments to motions on the UCU congress agenda Amendment to EQ17 Gender Identity after the 2018 Gender Recognition Act (GRA) consultation Line 3: At the end of the first sentence add ‘and modern evidence indicates that neither are binary’. At the end of the last sentence add ‘and formal recognition of non-binary status for data gathering purposes.’ Motion carried. Amendment to EQ 18 Respectful dialogue on gender/gender diversity in Congress notes 1, delete from ‘potentially … practices’, add after ‘have’; ‘the potential to significantly improve trans people’s lives’.in 3. insert ‘trans and other’ between ‘feminist’ and ‘scholars’.In Congress believes a. add after ‘equality’: ‘under the Equality Act 2010 and other legislation, and supports proposed changes to the 2004 GRA.’in Congress believes c. delete ‘potential conflicts of’, insert ‘the’ before ‘rights’, and insert ‘of oppressed groups’ after ‘rights’.In ‘Congress calls on UCU to ii; add ‘and trans people’ after ‘academics’.In final sentence, add ‘underpinned by solidarity with all oppressed groups and promote unity in action of women and trans people in the face of attacks on either group.’ Motion carried. Amendment to HE7 UCU must remain … continue reading

Posted in Elections, Environment, Equality, Gender equality, General Meetings, LGBT+, Minutes, University Democracy, Wider campaigning

Update on gender pay gap talks

Posted on 8 March 2019 by Alan Smith8 March 2019

UCU submitted our gender pay claim in August 2018. For background information see leedsucu.org.uk/genderpaygap In the gender pay claim we asked the university senior management to share with us the detailed information behind the headline figures, to provide us with more detailed information – some of which already exists – including intersectional data on ethnicity, age group and disability, so we can work with them to show where the problems are and make effective plans to end the gender pay gap. We asked the university to produce this information within 4 months. The university met with UCU negotiating team on 20 February 2019. They have not provided us with the detailed information we asked for in advance or at the meeting, and instead talked us through the actions they have taken to reduce the gender pay gap from 22.5% to 20.1%. (Which includes recruiting more men into relatively lower paid roles, which improves the mean average, which would not have been our priority!) The university has proposed to meet us again for further talks in two months. We welcome any progress so far but have impressed upon university management that we want to end the gender pay gap and they … continue reading

Posted in Equality, Gender equality, Gender pay gap

International Women’s Day events in Leeds

Posted on 7 March 2019 by Alan Smith7 March 2019

Women’s Strike The Women’s Strike Assembly has organised two women’s strike events in Leeds for 8 March: 12pm rally in Briggate4.30pm assembly at Bridge Street Church. More details on their facebook page. For the avoidance of doubt: UCU is not explicitly or implicitly calling for members to take strike action, but please go along to the events if you can. Some staff and students are meeting at the Parkinson building steps at 11.30am to walk down together. International Women’s Day event on Saturday Saturday 9 March 10.30am – 12.30pm Momentum have issued wide invitations to their Women and Socialism event on Saturday from 10.30am – 12.30pm, in Leeds Civic Hall (the one with the golden owls). Speakers include Leeds TUC president Jane Aitchison (who spoke at our strike rally last year). Celebrating 100 years of women in engineering and science 7th – 8th March, Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery. Feminist Archive North mark the centenary of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) with a display of material from their collections related to women in science and engineering. Please support this event if you can: when we were on strike this time last year Feminist Archive North phoned us to say they … continue reading

Posted in Campaigns, Equality

Standing up to racism – support for Nita Sanghera

Posted on 6 March 2019 by Alan Smith7 March 2019

UCU vice-president Nita Sanghera has been subject to horrendous abuse online by members of a far-right white supremacist group. We stand alongside Nita. UCU stands for the kind of unity and equality that the far right despises. UCU London Region have published a statement and are encouraging all UCU members to put our names to it: uculondonregion.wordpress.com/2019/03/03/ucutransformed-defends-nita-sanghera UCU has published a statement nationally, which also gives details of international day of action against racism demonstrations on 16 March in London, Glasgow and Cardiff https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/9985/UCU-statement-in-support-of-Nita-Sanghera … continue reading

Posted in Black members / BME, Campaigns, Equality

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Hardship applications and surgeries

Posted on 12 December 2019 by Alan Smith12 December 2019

Strike deductions for most members at University of Leeds will be taken out of January’s salary, but some members, most commonly hourly paid postgraduates who teach, will lose money this month instead. So our hardship process is ready to support those members who need it now. National UCU fighting fund and the local hardship fund Our local fund is only to request any support you need in addition to what you can claim from the national UCU fighting fund. If you’re not eligible for support from the national fund because you were only scheduled to do one day’s work over the strike period you can apply to the local fund if you need to. If you are eligible to claim from the national fund but will still be in hardship because of your circumstances, claim from the national fund and at the same time apply for the additional money from the local fund. (Don’t try to claim the same loss from both funds – that would be fraud!) More details here about the updated rules for the local Hardship Fund and explanation of how the two funds work together. Should you apply? Generally we don’t get paid for striking, so … continue reading

Posted in Dispute advice, Dispute information

Enthused by being on the picket line? Want to be a UCU rep?

Posted on 12 December 2019 by Alan Smith12 December 2019

Thank you to everyone who picketed! Some of you are in schools or departments that haven’t elected a UCU department rep, or an anti-casualisation rep, or a postgraduate rep, or a workloads rep, or a health and safety rep. Could you do that role? If you’d like to do any of these roles, or you can think of a colleague who’d be good for the role, please send your nominations to ucu@leeds.ac.uk by the end of Wednesday 15 January. If you want to know more, there’s a bit more detail in this post or you can talk to another UCU rep or email ucu@leeds.ac.uk Unsure if all the roles are covered in your school/department? Here’s the current list of UCU department reps. (There have been a few additions in the busy run-up to the strike – if we’ve missed one off the website please email ucu@leeds.ac.uk!) How to nominate someone to be a UCU department rep Just a quick email is fine, saying something like “I nominate [name of colleague] to be the [UCU department rep / UCU anti-casualisation rep / UCU postgraduate rep / UCU workloads rep / UCU health and safety rep] for [my school/department]. To be a … continue reading

Posted in Elections

Christmas carolling and guerilla baubling

Posted on 10 December 2019 by editor110 December 2019

Leeds UCU members seem to enjoy a sing song, judging by your enthusiastic participation in the songs at our strike rallies! It was great to have our ‘woodwind section’ entertaining us and leading us. We are probably the only UCU branch with a bassoonist, flautist and clarinet player on the picket lines! So you’ll be pleased to hear we are getting together again to sing our alternative Christmas carols – you can find them in the Leeds UCU songbook at https://tinyurl.com/t7vsy8e (scroll down). There’s also a rather brilliant ASOS version of ‘Down by the picket line’. Meet on Friday 13th December at 12:30 by the wavy lines sculpture. And how about some creative guerrilla baubling?  There are many Christmas trees around campus which could be made lovelier with the addition of some UCU baubles, and it would be splendid to see photos tweeted (use hashtags #ucuASOS #guerrillabaubling #UCUchristmas, and tag @leedsucu) Templates are here (various wording) and here (blank) – feel free to adapt them or make your own. … continue reading

Posted in Open meetings and events, Uncategorized

Dispute information

Posted on 5 December 2019 by Alan Smith13 December 2019

Everything you need to know from from UCU nationally Advice and information about the strikes, including detailed advice for migrant members with a visa Local information Reporting strike action, and guidance on action short of a strike Hardship Fund applications and surgeries – how to claim and how to get advice on claiming (Link to key information posted in advance of the strike, for reference) … continue reading

Posted in Dispute advice

Reporting strike action, and guidance on Action Short of a Strike

Posted on 4 December 2019 by editor14 December 2019

Reporting strike action On Thursday 5th December, or on your first day back if you don’t work Thursdays, you should report that you took strike action, via ESS or by email to industrialaction@leeds.ac.uk, as set out in the email from HR on 18th November. You should also report that you are taking ASOS. If you are on a visa, it’s extra important that you are recorded as having been on strike, otherwise it could count as unauthorised absence which could affect your visa – you might like to report by email and ask for confirmation that your report has been recorded. Guidance on ASOS We will be doing the ASOS which was set out in the voting papers for the ballot, and which you voted overwhelmingly for. We are asking you to: work to contractnot cover for absent colleaguesnot reschedule lectures or classes cancelled due to strike actionnot undertake any voluntary activities Your committee, with the help of the packed General Meeting on 3 December, has put together the a document containing local ASOS guidance, available here: www.leedsucu.org.uk/asos-guidance-from-leeds-ucu/ Also see the national FAQ at www.ucu.org.uk/he-action-faqs Note in particular that our university management have softened their approach compared to 2018 – … continue reading

Posted in Dispute, Dispute advice, Dispute information
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