Category Archives: Local Campaign

Southampton UCU consultative ballot on new contract of employment

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Dear colleague

We are currently balloting members on whether to accept or reject the new master contracts of employment.  You should already have received an email with a unique voting link and you have until Tuesday 10 October at 5pm to vote on the proposals.  If you have not received this email please contact Amanda at ucu@soton.ac.uk as soon as possible.

Southampton UCU has been in negotiations with University of Southampton on the new master contracts of employment for staff at Levels 4-6 since summer 2013. These negotiations have been taking place with renewed intensity in the last academic year. The stated intent of University of Southampton in re-drafting contracts of employment is, “To produce a set of modernised contract of employment templates which are legally compliant, written in ‘plain English’, to make the terms and conditions of employment simpler to understand, and, where possible, to future proof standard clauses. It is important to note that the existing terms and conditions of employment are not being changed in this revision.”

The proposed contract is for new staff joining the University, or for staff who are taking up a new post. At present this does not affect contracts for existing staff, who will for the time being remain employed on their current contracts of employment. Southampton UCU is keen to ensure consistency and equity in terms of employment at University of Southampton, therefore if our members approve the new master contracts of employment for new staff, we will in principle approve these contracts being rolled out to existing staff at a future date.  During the lengthy negotiations we carefully considered the views of University of Southampton and the University considered feedback from your Southampton UCU reps. We feel that we are now able to present to our members the final version.

We encourage members to look at the new contract as well as the summary document, both of which can be found here:  https://groupsite.soton.ac.uk/Administration/Master-Contracts-Project/Pages/Home.aspx

PLEASE USE YOUR VOTE.

 

 

International staff survey

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UCU is the largest post-16 education trade union in the world and we are committed to representing our international workforce and fighting for their interests in uncertain times.

Please help us to support international staff by completing our survey of non-UK education workers and sharing it with colleagues.

Most recently, UCU’s campaigning on behalf of international staff has focused on developing UCU’s immigration employment advice service for both EEA and non-EEA nationals which now includes support for member’s families. UCU’s on-going ‘UK universities and colleges are international’ campaign also provides resources and guidance for your local UCU branch.

The UCU post-Brexit charter, produced in December 2016, sets out eight key policy priorities, and UCU’s general election manifesto also called for further protections. The UCU submission to the ‘impact of exiting the European Union on higher education’ inquiry was prominently cited in the final report.

The union does much to represent international staff but we need to do more. Please help us to better support members and future members by completing and sharing our survey of non-UK education workers.

Many thanks, Sally Hunt

UCU general secretary

p.s. – Office for Students: The Department of Education is recruiting for board members for the newly established Office for Students. Members may wish to consider this opportunity to contribute at a senior level to post-16 education. The union does not have any formal role in this process but we recognise that members may be interested in the role.

National Senior Management survey for UK University staff

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The National Senior Management Survey (SMS) is an anonymous survey for university staff around the UK to complete about the practices of their senior management team. The survey is a form of audit that seeks to move the gaze from the narrow metrics of staff performance to the senior management teams who set the conditions through which staff performance becomes possible. The results will be disseminated as widely as possible and a league table of findings will be produced. In so doing it seeks to ask questions of the current trajectory of higher education in the UK and to broaden debate about what universities should and could be for our students.

You can complete the survey here:  https://smsproject.wordpress.com/

Preliminary findings were reported in the THE recently: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/overpaid-and-overbearing-uk-university-staff-management

Southampton UCU General Meeting – 29 March

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Members are invited to attend the next UCU General Meeting which is being held on Wednesday 29 March at 12.15pm in room 85/2207.  The topics of the meeting are:

Experiences with appraisal, two years in; and

A forward look at REF and TEF

We are now into the second year of the new appraisal process and have received a variety of concerns from members, both appraisees and appraisers, on the new system, particularly in relation to moderation at Faculty and University level, and the requirement within Faculties for final scores to conform to the “bell curve” of expectations.  The meeting will provide a forum at which you can raise your concerns, which we can then take forward with management.

With both REF and TEF on the horizon we will be discussing the impact of these processes on your current roles: in particular, possible changes in pathways (from balanced to teaching only) and how this fits with your career plans. We welcome your ideas and contributions, especially if you have concerns you would like to raise.

As we will be providing a light sandwich lunch could you please email Amanda (ucu@soton.ac.uk) if you will be attending, and any special dietary requirements, by Thursday 23 March.  Lunch will be available from 12.15pm with the meeting commencing at 12.30pm prompt. 

Universities are International – Open meeting 1 March

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UCU is holding an open meeting for staff to discuss Brexit and international issues.  We are concerned by the impact of recent political decisions on our staff and students and would like to engage with colleagues to understand more about the issues that are important to you.

At the meeting we will discuss how we are campaigning on your behalf, including details of our policy charter, and how we will be engaging with management at University of Southampton to take your concerns forward. 

The meeting is being held on Wednesday 1 March at 12.30pm in room 6/1083.  It is open to UCU and non-members alike so please encourage your colleagues to attend.

If you are unable to make the meeting but have questions/queries that you would like raised, please email ucu@soton.ac.uk

 

1 Day Without Us – 20/2/17

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Southampton UCU is proud to support 1 Day Without Us, a National Day of Action on 20th Feb 2017 to celebrate the contribution of migrants to the UK, to coincide with UN World Day of Social Justice.

 

We have an infostand as part of the University’s Diversity Showcase Day on 20th February in Garden Court.  Come and chat to us, join in a bit of fun, and share your stories with us.

We would also ask all supporters to take photos and post them on social media using the hashtag #1DayWithoutUs. We also invite you to take selfies individually and  post them with your personal messages of support using the hashtag.

More details here: http://www.1daywithoutus.org/

Find out more about UCU’s campaign to defend the rights of EU nationals and how you can become involved. https://www.ucu.org.uk/we-are-international

Southampton UCU is holding an open meeting at 12.30pm on Wednesday 1 March in room 6/1083 (Nuffield) to discuss the impact of Brexit on our international staff and students.  We would be interested to hear your views and concerns so please do come and join us – ALL WELCOME.

It couldn’t happen at a university?

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Apart from the UCU web site, we have a number of valuable sources of information. Wonkhe is building a considerable reputation, and of course many of us buy the Times Higher Education Supplement. For wider employment issues, there are the Labour Research Department publications, and the Hazards Campaign on health and safety; this has strong involvement from our old friend Jon Bamford.

Among the press, we have worryingly few friends. I read the Guardian most days, but recently the news is sometimes so bad that I can only face the Sudoku. By far my best source of news is my subscription to Ian Hislop’s Private Eye. They do some really good Christmas cards too; unfortunately, you are now too late to either buy or post them.

As Ian almost never wins in court, I feel safe in attaching a tiny sample from last week’s edition. It couldn’t happen in a university, could it?

Denis A Nicole
Southampton University UCU Branch President

UCU Anti-casualisation Open meeting – 23 November 2016

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Are you or your colleagues employed on a fixed term/hourly paid/zero hour contract? Do you feel treated less-favourably than permanent staff?  Do you face difficulties planning your future career development?  Or even face financial problems through insecure contracts?  If so, we would like to invite you to attend a meeting to discuss your concerns.

The campaign against casualisation is one of UCU’s national priorities and we are delighted that Jonathan White, UCU’s Bargaining Policy and Negotiations Official, will address the meeting to discuss the work UCU is doing to improve working conditions, and to help move staff onto contracts that give them stability and continuity of employment.

You do not need to be a member of UCU to attend this meeting.

Please join us at:

12:30 to 13:30

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

Room 58/1007 L/T C (Murray Building)

Highfield Campus

Southampton UCU General meeting – 12pm 9 November

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Colleagues

The coming year is going to be very busy for Southampton University UCU.

The new University Strategy puts many jobs at risk and we have to decide the Union’s approach to the proposed changes.  At a national level, we have the ongoing Industrial Dispute, along with extra pressures from EU exit and the Higher Education Bill.

We will be holding our General Meeting on Wednesday 9 November in room 58/1007 (Murray Building L/T C) from 12pm – 1.30pm.  Please join us for lunch and help guide the direction of Southampton University UCU over the coming months.  For catering purposes please email your attendance and any dietary requirements by Friday 4 November to Amanda at ucu@soton.ac.uk

We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Fighting racism in Southampton – 1 October 2016

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The following message is sent on behalf of Southampton and South West Hampshire Trades Union Council

We have had news that the same group of Fascists that came to Southampton in July this year are planning to return this Saturday 1st October 2016. They are planning to hold an anti-immigrant protest under the banner ‘White Lives Matter’ but they have not publicised where or when in our city they plan to do this. Information will come out nearer the time but what we do know is that this is not a solitary event they propose but one of many and they have also announced an event in Portsmouth along the same lines to take place the week after on 8th October.

There is a proposal for those interested in a counter-demonstration as we had in July to meet at the Bargate at 11am in the city centre. It may be a ‘false flag’ operation with a no-show from the Fascists but just in case many want to meet and be prepared should they do. All are invited to come along as last time and Police have been made aware so should be in attendance also.

There is a meeting to discuss this on Tuesday evening held by Southampton Stand Up To Racism at 7pm in the West Itchen Community Trust, Ropewalk Centre, 53 Derby Road, Southampton, SO14 0DJ. All are welcome!