Category Archives: Consultations and negotiations

2 April: emergency general meeting on the REF code of practice

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Tuesday 2 April 2-3pm, Michael Sadler LG 19 We need members’ views on the draft Code of Practice for REF 2021 (CoP) that the university released for consultation yesterday. We are looking to build on the wealth of experience and expertise in our membership to inform the branch’s position. To this end, we have put together a very short survey that can be completed [here]. Alternatively, you can email your comments to us directly at ucu@leeds.ac.uk.  All thoughts, comments and concerns are welcome. We are particularly keen to receive your views and experiences relating to:  how preparations for REF 2021 interact with Annual Academic Meetings (AAM) and the Staff Review and Development Scheme (SRDS) [CoP para 19]; the process for identifying staff with significant responsibility for research and staff who are engaged in independent research [CoP para 35-41]the process for appealing these decisions [CoP para 55-60]; and the process for selecting outputs [CoP para 76-84]. Alongside providing your feedback to UCU, we also encourage members to engage with the university’s consultation process by either emailing leedsref@leeds.ac.uk, or by attending one of the three drop-in sessions organised by University Management, details of which can be found [here]. We are holding a Leeds UCU Emergency General Meeting on 2 April, at 2pm, in Michael Sadler LG 19 to discuss the Code … continue reading

Unions improve new adverse weather policy

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The university has revised its new policy for adverse weather conditions following consultation with trade unions. UCU, Unison and Unite were consulted on the draft policy, which all three unions agreed over-emphasised the importance of keeping the university running over the safety of staff. University senior management have made numerous changes to the policy, which now much better emphasises that staff should not risk their safety or health to get to work. The policy is now on the university website: http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/info/29/leave_other_leave/329/managing_staff_affected_by_adverse_weather_and_disruptions_to_public_transport This isn’t an agreed policy, but the university has made significant improvements at our request. UCU’s advice, as usual, is to go into work if you can but don’t be pressured to if you can’t. … continue reading

UCU paper for Senate on IT

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Below is the content of the UCU paper on IT given to members of the university senate before their 16 January meeting. Below is a summary of comments from academics, IT staff and UCU Committee members, many of which have been raised multiple times at various meetings across the university. IT Reorganisation The IT reorganisation was undertaken without sufficient analysis of: the services IT needs to deliverthe skills and resources required to deliver those services The predictable result is loss of service rather than the increased efficiency that may have been possible with a more professional approach This is why the £3million saving was not a saving – it was cutting costs without understanding or anticipation of the impact, for example: The number of ‘single points of failure’ within IT has risen significantly. This substantially increases the University’s risk profile. If a service goes down or a statutory obligation is not met as a result of the sole support being unavailable, the resultant cost could exceed that £3million ‘saving’. This implies overly simplistic risk evaluation and planning.Because these are potential costs rather than known recurrent costs, it is all too easy for management to disregard them.  Reorganising IT isn’t the … continue reading

Members agree new policies at general meeting

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Members meeting on 10 December passed 8 motions deciding branch strategy, policy and decisions: Motion 3: USS pensions Motion 4: Motion of no confidence in University of Leeds Council USS decisions Motion 5: Supporting Vicky Blake’s Candidacy for UCU Vice President Motion 6: Continuing consequences of the IT reorganisation Motion 7: Responding to the Proposed Centralisation of Timetabling Motion 8: Anti-casualisation claim Motion 1: Re-affiliation and resubscription to Labour Research Department Motion 2: Re-affiliation to Leeds Trades Unions Council Motion 3: USS pensions Leeds University UCU notes that individual employer responses to USS consultations are now in the public domain.We are disappointed that the University of Leeds management has consistently positioned itself amongst the ‘hawks’ in this respect.We are embarrassed that our employer continues to maintain this untenable approach, notably on the critical issue of ‘risk’, in the face of contrary findings published by the Joint Expert Panel (JEP). Motion of no confidence in University of Leeds Council USS decisions University of Leeds UCU branch notes That as the governing body of the University, the Council has a responsibility to act openly, transparently and in the best interests of staff and students and other stakeholders. The University of Leeds Council … continue reading

Vote! Pay + Equality Claim (UCU consultative ballot)

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(Text of email sent to all Leeds UCU members on 8 June 2018) You will have had (or should shortly receive) a very important email from UCU entitled “UCU Pay and equality consultation”. (If you have not received it, please click [here] for a replacement). This is a vital UCU internal consultative ballot (the stage before an ‘official’ ballot which, by law, would need to be conducted by post). As ever, we ask all members to vote by the 27 June deadline. Turnout matters and is a way of showing and building strength in itself. We are also asking members to observe the recommendations on which the national negotiators, the Higher Education Committee, and the annual Higher Education Sector Conference last week are united… Key Information (in brief):  Even conservative assessments (including [Michael Otsuka’s]) show declining real-terms pay, and that’s before you factor in casualisation, discrimination, the effect of workload inflation, etc. Therefore: Please vote to REJECT the pay offer in question 1 Please vote YES to taking sustained industrial action if that is needed in question 2 (See attached picture) The proportion of university expenditure spent on staff has fallen to just 54.7%, while reserves held by institutions have increased by 259% and capital expenditure by 34.9%. It’s about time money was … continue reading