University of Leeds Local Association Committee

1pm-2pm, Tuesday 6 October 2015

Venue: Baines Wing G.03

Minutes

Attendance: Mark Taylor-Batty (President), Brendon Nicholls, Ben Plumpton, Steve French, Gabriella Alberti, Lesley McGorrigan, Neil Maughan, Nigel Bubb, Vicky Blake, Elwyn Isaac, Mark Walkley, Tim Goodall, Hugh Hubbard, Andy West, Alan Smith (administrator)

1. Apologies: Paul Steenson, Ann Blair, Malcolm Povey, Steven French (lateness), Steve Lax, Jeremy Toner
2. Amend to add Hugh to attendance.
3. Matters arising
   Co-option of Environmental Rep: the committee welcomed Tim Goodall.
   Pay. Mark gave an update from the regional pay briefing. In real terms we have had a 15% pay cut, and increased pension contributions and national insurance contributions next year. Pay at the top end is increasing and most universities are holding surpluses.
4. Regional committee delegates
   Agreed to delegate Ben Plumpton, Lesley McGorrigan, Vicky Blake, Mark Taylor-Batty, Brendon Nicholls.
5. Co-option of anti-casualisation representative
   Agreed Mark would email membership by the end of this week to seek nominations
6. Draft organising plan
   Committee agreed to roll considerations around increasing involvement of reps into draft organising plan which Alan will present to a future committee as a discussion document.
7. Website and social media
   Agreed Mark Taylor-Batty, Nick Efford, Ben Plumpton, Vicky Blake and Alan Smith will take responsibility for website and social media and will have access to the Twitter account, with roles agreed within that. UCU HQ are setting up a new website which we can use which they will host, combining the current website and blog. Facebook page to be used primarily to link to posts on the website. Longer term plan for web app in dashboard form interspersed with UCU news. Events to be collated into a Friday members email. A senator to produce a summary of senate for UCU members.
8. Electing departmental representatives in IT
   Agreed to seek nominations for departmental representatives for IT.
9. RIS (Research Innovations Service)
   Held over to next meeting
10. e-assessment
    Reported that the trade union side of the Joint Committee of the University and UCU expressed our opposition to the opt-out model and raised all issues as agreed. Ongoing.
11. Statutes
    Reported that the statutes negotiating team pressed the issues as requested. “Some other substantial reason” remains unresolved. Management will add caveats to removal from non-substantial post to prevent it being used to remove people dissenting from the central view.
    The proposed new statutes will be sent to the committee when we have new drafts from the employer. An extraordinary committee will be arranged to discuss them in detail.
12. Joint Committee of the University and UCU
    as reported elsewhere
13. Refugee crisis
    Motion moved by Gabriella Alberti

This branch notes:

The worst refugee crisis since the end of World War II with millions fleeing their homes looking for refuge in Europe.

Since 2000 around 30,000 migrants or refugees have died in their attempts to reach or stay in Europe, with the highest figures recorded in the past two years.

The continuing plight of refugees in Calais and elsewhere in Europe escaping from war, political oppression, poverty and violence.

The demonization of migrants and asylum seekers by the media and the government.

The inadequate response by the Tory government, for example, only allowing in just 20,000 refugees by 2020 on a temporary basis in the first instance, and only from camps in the Lebanon.

The heartening public response to the crisis e.g. collections, donations etc.

That the University of Leeds is collaborating with the Council to promote Leeds as a City of Sanctuary. As part of this the University is proposing to offer scholarships and to host a second public meeting of Leeds City of Sanctuary on the 21st October.

That other universities such as the University of East London have committed to offer at least ten postgraduate scholarships to Syrian refugees.

This branch resolves to

Contribute to ongoing solidarity action occurring on campus such as the collections by students and to donate to local Leeds charities in support of both asylum seekers and migrants in need, both locally and internationally.

Campaign and pressure the government to accept more refugees and offer them permanent status in the UK, including Syrian and other refugees escaping violence in the Middle East and beyond.

Adopt a ‘Refugees welcome here’ position and to promote this in the wider union movement, as an important means of reinforcing the principle of solidarity at a time when cuts in public and welfare services and a hostile media make migrants and refugees easy scapegoats.

Play an active role in developing a discussion with senior management at the University of Leeds to explore internal ways in which the university can effectively provide short- and long-term assistance for refugees/asylum seekers, including the development of scholarships for asylum seekers and refugees and support for educational activities such as ESOL classes for migrants.

Commit to a longer term campaign that goes beyond expressions of solidarity and collections of usable goods and includes initiatives that involve us as educators in promoting a culture of welcome and inter-cultural dialogue on our campuses, involving students from all backgrounds.

The motion was carried. Agreed to put this to the General Meeting as a motion from the Committee.

14. Prevent
    Motion moved by Brendan Nicholls:

University of Leeds UCU local association notes the new “Prevent Duty” being imposed on Higher and Further Education providers. The branch observes that this duty erodes staff and students’ academic freedom, freedom of speech and freedom of debate.

The branch notes further that the definition of extremism as “vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values” is a direct attack on ethnic minorities. It undermines the free exchange of ideas and undermines democratic social inclusion. The branch believes that the effect of this definition will be to institutionalise both racism and Islamophobia.

University of Leeds UCU local association resolves to work with UCU HQ to develop a policy of non-co-operation with the “Prevent Duty,” up to and including branch boycotts.

The motion was carried. Agreed to put the motion to the General Meeting from the Committee.

15. Facilities money
    Held over to next meeting
16. Annual leave
    Held over to next meeting
17. USS
    Held over to next meeting
18. Promotions
    Held over to next meeting
19. Any other business
    The agenda for the General Meeting was agreed as follows: Pay, refugee crisis, prevent, USS, promotions, fixed-term contracts, congress delegates, car parking

University of Leeds Local Association Committee

12pm-1pm, Tuesday 8 September 2015

Venue: Business School Maurice Keyworth SR (1.24)

Minutes

1. Attendance: Mark Taylor-Batty, Brendon Nicholls, Briony Thomas, Lesley McGorrigan, Hugh Hubbard, Nick Efford, Elwyn Isaac, Steve French, Alan Smith (administrator)
   Apologies: Gavin Reid, Ben Plumpton, Stephen Lax, Ann Blair, Mark Walkley, Gabriella Alberti, Malcolm Povey, Neil Maughan, Vicky Blake
2. Minutes of previous meeting: Agreed
3. Matters arising: There were no matter arising
4. New branch administrator:
   Mark welcomed Alan to the branch and explained Alan is also employed as an organiser and will be helping with recruitment, campaigns and communications.
5. Promotions documents
   Trade Union Side met management about proposed academic-related document on 7 September. TUS stressed members perceptions is academic-related lack of promotion opportunities – in some cases have ‘no promotion’ clauses in their contracts and our perception is the threat of downgrading is also a serious problem. TUS requested data from management around promotions of academic-related staff, and said we will consider that data before looking at the proposed re-wording of the promotions document.
   Discussed lines to take with rewording of academic promotion document. Removing of gendered language is welcome, but some of the simplification risk making promotions more difficult to get in some circumstances. Concerns raised that they are using HERA, rather than HERA-related as previously assured. TUS will request that role profiles are published on the website again, as these have been removed.
   Noted that a workshop had raised issues about the mechanism, not just the wording, but these haven’t been addressed yet in the proposals.
6. (One) IT
   Management proposing response to situation in IT which may make the situation worse. Serious concerns to raise at JCUU and if necessary ESRG
7. Cubane
   Agreed to take to JCUU
8. Car parking
   Members shocked by the increased costs. Management stating these were ‘agreed’ but they must mean agreed with other parts of management as not agreed by trade unions. To raise at General Meeting.
9. Setting date for General Meeting
   Meeting will be 7 October 2pm
10. Setting away day agenda
    Ref and Tef, Cubane, pay dispute, Prevent, access to facilities for former employees, job security and casualisation, comms, surgeries / roadshows / themed meetings, recruitment and organisation, casework
11. Manchester pay discussion
    Committee members to let Mark know if they want to attend
12. Refugee crisis
    Collecting items in UCU office or with Mark or Lesley, working with LUU.
13. Co-option
    Carry over to following Committee
14. School of Education
    Concerns raised, to consider raising at ESRG

University of Leeds Local Association Committee

1pm-2pm, Tuesday 22 September 2015

Venue: Baines Wing G.03

Minutes

Present: Mark Taylor-Batty, Brendan Nicholls, Neil Maughan, Hugh Hubbard, Mark Walkley, Malcolm Povey, Steven French, Paul Steenson, Nigel Bubb, Gabriella Alberti, Lesley McGorrigan, Ann Blair, Nick Efford, Ben Plumpton, Alan Smith (admin)

1. Apologies
   Steven Lax, Vicky Blake
2. Minutes: agreed
3. Matters arising
   Co-options
   The following co-options to the Committee were agreed:
   Brendan Nicholls formally co-opted so that both joint Honorary Secretaries may vote at the committee
   Tim Goodall co-opted as Environment Representative
   The Committee can co-opt 4 members, and will seek to co-opt a member on a fixed-term or casual contract and a post-graduate representative.
   Refugees
   Agreed it would be useful to have a motion to the general meeting; agreed to talk to LUU about what more we can do together; agreed to liaise with CARA and discuss possibly having a speaker at the general meeting
   General meeting
   14 October agreed as new date, and 25 November agreed for subsequent meeting. Alan to put notice out this afternoon. The committee authorises Brendon to set dates for the year.
   Car parking
   Agreed to put members’ issues to JCUU.
4. Joint Committee of the University and UCU (JCUU)
   Agreed that JCUU minutes can be circulates to the Senate if they are agreed by Secretaries of both Management Side (MS) and Trade Union Side (TUS).
   JCUU TUS will normally be Mark, Brendon and Vicky plus one other delegate, in addition to the regional officer and Alan to keep notes.
5. Statutes
   Congratulations to negotiators – current proposals infinitely better than they were a year ago.
   Date of next meeting not set. Must have principle of no detriment.
   Among issues discussed: serious concern that “some other significant reason” clause for dismissal, if not a disciplinary or capability matter, could be used for senior management strategic aims
   Negotiating team to raise issues discussed with the employer.
6. Fixed-term contract policy
   A number of concerns were raised about the policy, including that it would give more freedom for the employer to use fixed-term contracts because it gives examples rather than prescribed circumstances. Negotiators would seek to improve the policy further. JCUU trade union side to request details including rationale of new fixed terms contracts on ongoing basis.*
7. Pay campaign questions
   The committee agreed responses to the UCU consultation on the pay campaign
8. Prevent policy and motion
   JCUU TUS will seek an update from employer. Agreed it might be good to have a motion on this for the general meeting.
9. Inviting reps to attend the committee (in non-voting capacity)
   Principle agreed, with 4 abstentions, but not clear if allowed in the rules. Agreed that a more detailed proposal would be brought to the next Committee
10. Facilities
    This and subsequent items were not discussed as the meeting closed
11. Casework time buy-out
12. Annual leave
13. USS
14. Any other business