National Pay Ballot - Result

Submitted by Branch Admin on Fri, 15/06/2012 - 16:53
Members voted 56/44 against strike action over pay, and 70/30 for action short of strike (ASOS), on a 32% turnout. On this basis, the UCU national executive has decided not to proceed with with strike action or ASOS, but to accept the employers' 1% pay offer and regroup for next year's negotiations. This decision has caused some considerable debate among UCU members, local branches, and nationally. We present both sides here: the first a letter by Tom Hickey of Brighton UCU and the national executive; the second a memo from Michael MacNeil, National Head of HE. We will be discussing the results at the next General Meeting if members are interested in carrying forward the debate.

Outsourcing - continuing the fight against privatisation

Submitted by Branch Admin on Mon, 21/05/2012 - 14:21
UCU continue talks with management against the proposed outsourcing of vital services and 10% of campus jobs to private companies. We have been lobbying MPs, speaking to concerned alumni, identifying who can help with the campaign and how. This will be a central item on our general meeting agenda on November 7th at 1pm (location TBA). Please come along.

In brief, the university proposes to outsource estates and facilities management and catering services. This will mean that 235 members of staff will no longer work for the university, with significant consequences for their terms and conditions. This move also raises very worrying questions about the trend towards privatization of large areas of campus services across the UK, with possible effects to the quality of those services and the cohesion of the campus community.Please also see the attached statement of support from Caroline Lucas MP.

Privatisation of campus services - Statements

Submitted by Branch Admin on Mon, 14/05/2012 - 16:04
Please read the following attachments, which comprise a letter to UCU reps outlining how outsourcing will affect everyone on campus, and a joint statement by the three campus staff unions.

PLEASE ALSO SIGN THE PETITION AT:    http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/save-our-services/.  

Restructuring of Finance and Research & Enterprise

Submitted by Branch Admin on Tue, 17/04/2012 - 14:55
We're still involved in individual negotiations for the affected group of staff in finance. As things stand, all but a handful have either accepted or are negotiating ERVS. From the start of this consultation process, we have raised concerns about where staff losses will leave competent running of the new finance Agresso system when that comes into effect next month.

On Research & Enterprise, we have been coordinating with UNISON, who have undertaken the majority of the negotiations. We were given to understand that at-risk staff would be supported, with various posts ring-fenced for them. That now turns out not to be the case, and nowhere have we seen much University enthusiasm to retrain staff where the need exists. Focus has been far more on ERVS than retaining staff through redeployment, or re-skilling staff.

Changes to the Organisation of UCU

Submitted by Branch Admin on Tue, 20/03/2012 - 18:24
UCU members have voted in favour of changes to how the union is run at a national level. These include a reduction of the size of the national executive committee, with savings spent at local branch level, and greater membership involvement with electing negotiators.

The proposals will now go to UCU's annual congress, and you can read more about them here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/changeproposals    

Is the new academic year stressing you out?

Submitted by Branch Admin on Thu, 27/10/2011 - 18:10
Recourse, a free advice and support service for those working in FE and HE, are running an HE Stress campaign to highlight the stresses and pressures staff are under at the start of the academic year. They are offering hints, tips and advice to help deal with stress, manage time, and improve health and overall well-being.

More information is available here: <http://recourse.org.uk/he-stress/> or you can call Recourse (formerly CUSN) for free and in confidence on 0808 802 03 04.

USS Campaign - Health and Safety

Submitted by Branch Admin on Tue, 11/10/2011 - 13:42
There are many fantastic initiatives being undertaken around the country as part of the work-to-contract and work-to-rule. For example, have a look at this attached initiative from members at Liverpool UCU, ensuring that their PCs are safe to work with and that their work spaces meet with Health and Safety regulations. If you feel any H&S issues are being breached, please address them with suggested templates in this document. We're working on our own H&S guidance, which will be uploaded soon.

Statute 21 - September Report

Submitted by Branch Admin on Fri, 12/08/2011 - 15:58
After successfully gaining the bulk of the concessions we had been aiming for, the new Statute 7 (formerly Statute 21) was due to go to Council on Tuesday 27th. This will now be delayed until the next Council because negotiations on the statute and associated employment procedures are still ongoing on with UCU and the other unions.

     

Sussex UCU comment on UoS's decision to charge £9000 fees

Submitted by siteAdmin on Tue, 29/03/2011 - 21:15
Universities are being forced to raise their fees dramatically to cover the loss of almost all their teaching funding from government.

We regret that fees at this level will lead to greater inequality as poorer students will feel they cannot afford to go to university, and less prestigious universities will be in danger of closing down as they have to charge lower fees which will not cover their costs. Universities have become like private companies geared towards providing courses that will attract consumer income, rather than education which is for the good of society.

Motion on events following the occupation of Sussex House on 3rd March 2010

Submitted by siteAdmin on Thu, 24/02/2011 - 11:15
Status: 
Passed by unanimous vote at UGM Wednesday 16 February 2011
Full text of motion: 

Wednesday 3 March 2010 shall remain in the annals of Sussex as the day riot police were called onto campus. We believe that only an independent inquiry would be able to throw light on the actions taken that day both by students and by management. Council has said that all the questions arising from that day have been answered,  or are unanswerable; however, we feel there are questions which must still be addressed, including:Given the high number of students who participated in the protests, why were the students who became known as the 'Sussex Six' selected for summary suspension and exclusion (as well as later disciplinary proceedings)?Has the High Court injunction against protest on campus formally been removed? If not, why not? What is the status of Statute V given that lawyers say that its total absence of due process guarantees renders it invalid under the Human Rights Act?How does Senior Management explain the discrepancy between, on the one hand, the Registrar's witness statement in the High Court injunction that protesting students "have locked key members of staff including myself in their offices against their will" and "are holding key members of staff hostage", and, on the other hand, students' firm denials, including the fact that they did not have a key to the Registrar's or other staff's offices?Given the present national climate, we think these questions remain entirely pertinent. We respectfully ask management to give them all the attention they require and to give us full and truthful answers.We also make the following requests:That management offer its firm assurances that it is committed to approach any future student protests in a spirit of democratic dialogue and negotiation.That management confirm its commitment to engage, vigorously and in good faith, in peaceful methods of conflict resolution and to refrain from calling in the police in a protest context except as an absolute last resort if the safety of persons is under threat.

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