Solidarity with Queen Margaret UCU strikers

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We are all with you in solidarity as you strike today to defend jobs and to defend each other. Stand firm! 

You have much to be proud of! Not only have members at Queen Margaret University refused to take any threat of staff cuts lying down, you have also smashed the anti-trade union act 2016’s threshold barrier with 72% turnout! May your pickets be massive, fun, and enlightening for all around you! 

In contrast, Queen Margaret’s senior management should hang their heads in shame. That management prefer to terrorise staff with the threat of the axe rather than to properly explore alternatives with UCU negotiators is a disgrace.

The proposed cuts would steal livelihoods and intensify workload pressure on staff who remain in post. Your local strike is all our fight. Nobody strikes lightly, so as you stand together for jobs, for education, and for decency and hope: know that we are with you. 

In Solidarity,

Vicky Blake (President) on behalf of us all at Leeds UCU

Email to members – 1 February 2019

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TThe university’s lists system doesn’t seem to be sending this email out to our members – so here is our latest email for all to read!

UCU local news: remember to vote; international members survey; improving the adverse weather policy; lots more!

Dear UCU members – A few brief updates for you:

Strike ballot – remember to vote, don’t be silenced

Need a replacement ballot paper? Want to know how this ballot applies to you? Want to tell us you’ve voted? See our frequently asked questions

Election for UCU national vice president – our Vicky Blake on the ballot paper

The election for UCU national vice president opens on Friday 1 February. Our fantastic president Vicky Blake is one of the candidates. We’re holding a hustings on 12 February at 12pm.

International staff survey

Our international staff survey is live now. It’s open to non-members too, so pass it on to your friends and colleagues! leedsucu.org.uk/international-staff-survey

New adverse weather policy

We’ve made improvements to this policy before the university published it, to emphasise staff health and safety over keeping the university running. You shouldn’t feel pressured to come into work if it’s not safe to. leedsucu.org.uk/unions-improve-new-adverse-weather-policy

Help us beat casualisation and high workloads

We’re looking for more members to join our anti-casualisation working group and our workloads working group. If you might like to get involved, email ucu@leeds.ac.uk

Thanks for your time!

Alan Smith
Branch Administrator  |  UCU University of Leeds Branch

Phone extension 35904  |  0113 343 5904
Room 7.51  |  E C Stoner Building  |  University of Leeds  |  LS2 9JT

leedsucu.org.uk  |  @leedsucu

Dispute over casualisation, equal pay, workload and fair pay

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Your industrial action ballot paper should have arrived shortly after 16 January 2019. It’s vital for our union democracy that you use your vote.

The vote has to be done by post because the government made it illegal to run industrial action ballots online.

Please use your vote – democracy is important
We need to know what the whole membership thinks about taking action, so please vote whatever your view. We’re asking you to tell us locally when you’ve voted (not how you voted) because this will help us get the 50% turnout.

The ballot is open until midday Friday 22nd February.

Why are we balloting again?

Last October Leeds members voted clearly – 70% – to strike over casualisation, gender equality, workload and fair pay, with a turnout of 49%. It was the highest national turnout on a pay ballot in UCU’s history. Only the new anti-trade union law stopped us from striking. We think members should decide, not the government. We’re re-balloting to exceed the 50% legal threshold so that your decision counts. More on this in our Frequently Asked Questions page.

We urge all members to vote Yes to strike and Yes to action short of a strike including a marking boycott.

Requesting replacement ballot paper

If you haven’t received your ballot paper you can request a new one online here. (You will need your membership number). New members should receive one automatically.

We’re asking the employers to work with us nationally to:

  • Tackle the scandal of casualisation (e.g. 65% of Leeds research staff and 36% of teaching only staff are on fixed-term contracts)
  • Recognise and address excessive workloads
  • Take real action on the gender pay gap (22.5% at Leeds)
  • Offer a fair real-terms pay rise (2% doesn’t even cover inflation)

Questions about the dispute?

You can find out more about the dispute on our Frequently Asked Questions page, and in the posts below, and in emails from local or national UCU reps, and by talking to your UCU department rep. You can also follow us on Twitter @leedsucu.

New colleagues who aren’t UCU members?

Please help us to to keep this branch of UCU strong by encouraging new colleagues to join the union at ucu.org.uk/join.

Postgrads who teach can join the union for free: ucu.org.uk/free

Unions improve new adverse weather policy

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picket organisers under a pink gazebo in a blizzard

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.