EU Settlement Scheme pilot

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Please see advice below from UCU head office in relation to the extension of the pilot scheme:

We have received queries this morning about the government plans to extend the EU Settlement Scheme pilot to EU citizens working in universities across the UK.

The first stage of the pilot had previously been run in Liverpool institutions and health services. It is now being extended to all licensed UK higher education institutions. UCU has received mixed feedback from many members who have used the service so far.

The purpose of the scheme is to enable EU citizens resident in the UK and their family members to obtain the necessary UK immigration status they require in order to live and work in the UK after the end of the planned EU exit implementation period.

During this pilot phase, only those employed by HE institutions are eligible to apply, but the scheme will open to all eligible applicants including family members by 29 March 2019. Applicants to the pilot phase must be a resident EU passport holder or, if they are the non-EU family members of EU citizens, a biometric residence card.

The fee to apply for settled status is:

  • £65 if you’re 16 or over
  • £32.50 if you’re under 16

It is free to apply if EU citizens:

  • already have valid indefinite leave to remain in or enter the UK
  • have a valid permanent residence document
  • are applying to move from pre-settled status to settled status
  • are a child in local authority care


UCU’s position is that employers should pay the fee incurred by staff who seek settled status.*

 Branches should note that the London School of Tropical Medicine has already agreed to do this on behalf of EU staff with the rationale that it wants to ‘remain a truly global community.’

*We have raised the numerous costs to international staff with the University of Leeds and we’re glad to see the University of Leeds has committed to refund the cost of these applications. The university’s Brexit page has links to details: leeds.ac.uk/forstaff/homepage/390/brexit

Branches should ask their own employers to make a similar statement and financial commitment.

Further detailed advice on Brexit and immigration status is being drafted arising from today’s political developments and will be shared soon.

If you have any questions about this advice please email ucu@leeds.ac.uk and we will ask UCU head office 

Free immigration legal advice for UCU members

In general, for legal advice on working in the UK for members who are EEA or non-EEA nationals, see this legal guide from UCU. The guide includes how to get individual legal advice through the union.

We are international. Let's keep it that way.

National unity demonstration against fascism and racism: 17 November 2018

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UCU is supporting a national demonstration of unity in London on Saturday in response to concerns of increasing racism and xenophobia and the rise of the far right. The demonstration is called by Stand Up To Racism, Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism and supported by the TUC.

Locally there are coaches going from Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Sheffield and York. Members will be able to claim the coach fare back from UCU regional office (heyorkshire@ucu.org.uk) For details, including all the local coaches, see https://www.facebook.com/events/1887445111550804/

National unity demonstration against fascism and racism

New branch anti-casualisation officer

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Arumina Bhattacharya has been elected (unopposed) as the branch anti-casualisation officer.

stamp out casual contracts

The full list of members elected to the committee this year is at leedsucu.org.uk/about-us/committee-members-2018-2019

The list of department reps, including department anti casualisation, workload, postgraduate and health and safety reps is at leedsucu.org.uk/about-us/departmental-representatives

If your department doesn’t yet have a UCU anti-casualisation rep, and you’d like to volunteer or nominate a colleague, contact ucu@leeds.ac.uk

Reminder of deadline for motions to the next general meeting

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A reminder that the deadline for motions to the next ordinary general meeting is 12pm Tuesday 20 November.
The meeting is 1pm Monday 10 December on Roger Stevens lecture theatre 11.
Room information 
In some circumstances the chair of the general meeting may accept emergency motions submitted after the deadline of 20 November. See leedsucu.org.uk/about-us/local-rules

Details of scheduled ordinary general meetings for the rest of the year is available at leedsucu.org.uk/notice-of-scheduled-ucu-general-meetings-2018-2019

National Stress Awareness Day

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At the UCU stall at the National Stress Awareness Day event, 7 November in Parkinson Court, we asked people what they thought were the causes of stress for them. Many staff said job security was the main cause of stress, and many staff and students said money was the main cause of stress. The overwhelming majority of staff and students said workload is the main cause of stress.

Ball tube physical graph showing lots more balls in the workload tube than job security or money
Most people who participated said workload causes them stress

UCU is campaigning to reduce workloads, but we’re facing opposition from senior management, some of whom are very dismissive, claiming they don’t think there is a widespread problem.

We’re setting up a new network of UCU workload reps to investigate and provide more evidence to show university senior management that they need to reduce workloads for the sake of staff health and safety and so we can all have a rewarding life outside of work. 

Find out who your UCU workload rep is, and, if there isn’t one, discuss with colleagues who would be a good UCU workload rep for your area: leedsucu.org.uk/about-us/departmental-representatives

If your workload is too high and you would like support from UCU to try to reduce it, contact ucu@leeds.ac.uk to request a UCU caseworker.