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Update and invite to member’s meeting Monday 2nd June 1-2pm

Email sent to members Tuesday 27th May 2025

Dear members,

I hope you were able to have some much needed time off over the bank holiday? We are just writing with some key updates to events happening both here and nationally, so apologies for the amount of information but we have tried to keep it as clear as we can!

Member’s meeting – Monday 2nd June, 1-2pm

We have called this meeting to provide you all with more updates on our dispute with the University. After the excellent response to the indicative ballot, UCU has now formally sent our ballot information to the VC Jane Norman and the full ballot will open for a month from the 30th of May. As ever it is crucial we have a strong turnout in this ballot, in order to respond to both Phase 1 and Phase 2, and so you will be hearing from our wonderful reps as they help get the vote out.

This meeting is a chance to hear from the committee about all the meetings we have been having with management, ask questions about the dispute and ballot, and provide feedback on potential industrial action plans as we move into summer, next academic year, and even Phase 2. The meeting link can be found below:

UCU UoN is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: UCU UoN’s Member Meeting

Time: Jun 2, 2025 13:00 London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87172097595?pwd=uAFTwas32QouWEmBibmEJtFQCVzaz1.1

Meeting ID: 871 7209 7595

Passcode: 918987

Phase 1 update

Lopa, Andreas, and Andrew recently sent you a detailed update on Phase 1 of Future Nottingham. Since then the deadline for VR applications has been extended to the 9th of June and we have continued to meet with University management and have submitted and discussed a range of questions and queries about the process. These questions reflect the fact that we have still not received proper and meaningful information about Phase 1 and therefore we still dispute that we are in a proper period of collective consultation which would enable us to give counter-proposals.  

As you can see from the many comments on the staff sharepoint, there is a strong response from staff that communication from the University has been unclear and confusing, and that the way pooling and redundancies have been handled has been rushed. This has been disastrous for staff wellbeing, and is why it is so important we have a strong turnout in the upcoming ballot. 

You received emails from our APM officer Andrew Armstrong on Friday 23rd about area-specific member meetings for APM staff so please do come along to these, and we will be continuing to roll out faculty-wide, all staff meetings over the coming weeks to help provide all UoN staff with as much clarity as we possibly can. We are also working with our sister unions so that all staff can push back together.

Phase 2 information

While officially we are being told that Phase 2 is yet to start, as we flagged with the situation in American and Canadian Studies, academic restructuring decisions are already being taken without proper stakeholder consultation. An increased focus on ‘performance management’ through unprecedented use of protected conversations and potential changes to the ADC process is also underway. 

Recently the short-sighted decision to shut down the important (and surplus-generating) evening classes and some inter-faculty programmes at the language centre, with the potential cost of over 20 jobs, shows exactly why we need a strong turnout in the ballot. We must hold the University to account in both Phases 1 and 2. 

As soon as we have any more concrete information on Phase 2 we will of course share it with you, especially as we know that Faculty level discussions have begun.

National picture updates

Finally, just some wider information on the national picture following the UCU congress at the weekend. Our fantastic delegates (Lisa, Gertjan, and Alan) will provide a fuller report in time, but the key thing to note is that the ‘Trade Dispute’ motion that we overwhelmingly supported as a branch was passed at congress. This Times Higher article gives a bit more detail on what this could mean, but we feel this is a positive step for exploring other avenues at a national level – something crucial given the derisory 1.4% pay offer from UCEA.

In solidarity,


Nick (Branch secretary) 

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e-ballot results and updates

Dear Members

We now have the results from our indicative e-ballot, which closed on Friday. Thank you to all those who have voted: the overwhelming result on a massive turn out is that a clear majority are willing to take action in support of protecting jobs and livelihoods of people at our university.  So heart-warming, thank you, wonderful people. These results mean we can now seek authorisation from our national union to actually ballot.  It is vital you vote in that ballot if it is authorised, again in numbers that the university cannot possibly ignore!  The ballot will again have the 2 Qs on type of action: Strikes and Action Short of a Strike, starting from late July of this academic year (covering Phase 1 of FN) and autumn term of next academic year (when Phase 2 kicks in and CR of Phase 1 is finalised). The ballot paper, on defending jobs at UoN, will detail the types of ASOS which we may call upon you to take, these were identified from the many conversations members had with reps and committee. 

A few further updates and recaps for you: 

As you know, in March, UCU members voted to declare a dispute with the University because the VC refused to rule out compulsory redundancies. During a brief dispute resolution period with us,  VC/UEB would not step back from the planned redundancies. 

Phase 1 update: On 8 April, 2025, management announced Phase 1 of Future Nottingham, involving 258 FTE redundancies of APM staff,  equivalent to 387 roles. These are, in the first instance potentially voluntary, but if need be also includes compulsory redundancies. Voluntary redundancy is being pushed for, at all levels of APM, in professional services and in schools, although the bigger changes (centralisation)  and compulsory redundancies will tip into Phase 2. Beyond not understanding why sending VR letters to all APM staff would cause them to be hugely and unnecessarily saddened (!), roles considered for CR are being published in departments group meetings leading to people in those roles being known more widely as being targeted (unacceptable). Structural changes are not being properly disclosed to the TU negotiating teams (for UCU they are: P, VP, APM Officer & Regional BA ) and some extensive restructuring such as External Relations and CARO, have not been shared properly with Unions or staff.  The risk level of the changes is not being provided nor is why these exact roles are being considered for CR. We are, therefore, strongly contesting their understanding of when the official consultation period has started, it has not! 

Additionally, management have directly said services those people provide to the University will suffer, or others (APM or Academics) may have to pick up (ahm! Workload!! 100% is 100%!).

Phase 2 Update: Plans are already being drawn up and presume will be concluded by the month of May, re which degrees, which research is deemed financially unviable, without understanding what will be lost re knowledge advance and education.  It is highly likely that similar levels of redundancies for academics and technicians will be imposed, again based on top-down analyses rather than involvement of the stakeholders who deliver all the teaching and research. The implications to our UK and global rankings are huge.

We remain of the firm opinion that these cuts are neither necessary nor are they solely externally enforced, considering local financial mismanagement around vanity projects such as Castle Meadow Campus.

We will continue having the regular weekly meetings with management about their plans of implementing redundancies and challenging their vision of a shrinking U of Nottingham. In these meetings, it has also become clear that sustained industrial action is needed to sway management’s strategy.

Unison are also seeking mandate to go into Industrial Dispute, so we may have both unions on strike together. We also plan to hold a very visible 3 union rally soon, to show total solidarity, we will inform on dates. 

In solidarity

Lopa (P), Andrew (APM officer), Andreas (V-P)

On behalf of UoNUCU Branch Committee

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AGM reminder and new emergency motion on workload

Email sent to members on Monday 28th April 2025. Content has been modified slightly for the purposes of this post.

Dear Member,

Thanks so much to all of you who came along to the inaugural Agnes Flues memorial lecture on Thursday. We had a fantastic turnout and a great talk from Mick Lynch. If you would like to see some photos take a look at this link here.

AGM reminder and new motion

I am just writing with a final reminder about Wednesday’s AGM, as well as an additional emergency motion surrounding workload that has been put forward by the branch committee. As you will know our excellent workload campaign has made some really significant strides of late, but there are some concerning new developments about expectations that workloads can be regularly as high as 120%, something that will only be made worse with potential redundancies caused by Future Nottingham. This motion addresses that.

Congress and nominee update

Beyond the motion there are also two small additions, one is an updated and now correct list of nominees for next year, and the other relates to Congress. Branch Committee have received and endorsed one amendment to a motion scheduled for debate at Congress. In line with our branch rules, a vote by the membership is required on whether to submit this amendment on behalf of the branch. Please find the full text below ahead of discussion at the AGM:

Amendment to SFC7

“Insert following resolve i.

ii. Working with relevant specialist committees, review all officer role job descriptions and the use of language throughout the model branch rules to ensure they reflects current equality strands and language. For example, insert ‘migrant members’ in the enumeration of equality groups in bullet iv) under 8.6 Equality Officer.

And renumber accordingly.”

I have also attached a slightly updated agenda which now includes the new emergency motion and the zoom link for your convenience.

Hope to see you on Wednesday.

Nick (Branch Secretary)

UCU UoN is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: UCU UoN AGM
Time: Apr 30, 2025 13:00 London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88616322843?pwd=R2XekibdbDSSh4Iglw3HbWFYXLTvvd.1

Meeting ID: 886 1632 2843
Passcode: 929647

AGM Agenda – Wednesday 30th April 1.00 – 2.30

  1. Welcome and introduction (Lopa Leach – President)
  2. Branch Committee membership 2025/26 (Nick Clare – Secretary)
  3. President’s report on 2024/25 (Lopa Leach – President)
  4. Treasurer’s report on 2024/25 (Tony Padilla – Treasurer)
  5. Debate and vote on Motion 1: “New progressive pay structure for highest earners to protect jobs at UoN” (attached)
  6. Debate and vote on Motion 2: “No 120 per cent workload at UoN!” (attached)
  7. Debate and vote on Motion 3: ”Support a Trade Dispute with Secretary of State for Education over Funding” (attached)
  8. Congress preparation
  9. Any Other Business

Motion 1: “New progressive pay structure for highest earners to protect jobs at UoN”

Motion 2: “No 120 per cent workload at UoN!”

Motion 3: ”Support a Trade Dispute with Secretary of State for Education over Funding”

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Job Losses at UoN

Email sent to members on Tuesday 8th April 2025

Dear members 

We are deeply concerned by today’s news of job losses at UoN, as reported by the VC in her email earlier today. We have also met with VC and senior management this afternoon, where these APM job losses and timelines (Phase 1) were discussed. We are already very worried about some discrepancies between public statements by the university and information we have received privately by them. Rest assured that the branch committee will be going through all the information in meticulous detail and will be challenging the university’s attack on staff at every turn. We will be in touch with further updates as they come in. Please do attend the Emergency meeting on Friday, where we can discuss further. 

Yours, in solidarity, 

Lopa

On behalf of Branch Committee

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Call for Emergency Meeting and Q&A session

Email sent to members on Monday 7th April 2025

Dear members

Emergency Meeting/Q&A session with UoN UCU: Friday April 11 at 3pm

Further to my email on Friday, we would like to invite you to a branch meeting this week, where we can discuss and deliberate on Phase 1 Future Nottingham plans which begin soon. The Phase 1 document will be available to all stakeholders (we were told) on Tuesday 8 April. We had/have asked to see this document, but were told that it was still undergoing draft changes. Late Friday evening, we received an email inviting Andreas and I to a meeting on the afternoon of the 8th to discuss Phase 1, possibly in the JNCC subgroup meeting on Organisational Change. Last week we also had 2 excellent, hugely well-attended, Joint Unions Open Staff meetings for Professional Services Colleagues who Phase 1 directly affects, with many important questions being asked.  Phase 2, which will affect academics, will begin in the autumn term, and there is also a Phase 3 (Estates) planned. We have sent our ASF2 to the interim CFO, who plans to have a finance meeting with us soon. 

We know that many of you will be worried about job security in view of the possibility of compulsory redundancies and the methods employed to reach these.  We are sure you will have lots of questions about what is happening and what your branch is doing to support you and to push back against any job cuts.  We are keen to know all concerns and what you think we should be doing/challenging further. We need to have a safe space where we can discuss all this. To this end, we are hosting an UoNUCU Emergency Meeting/Q&A session, on Friday April 11 at 3pm. See the zoom link below.  Please do come.

This week we will also start sending out daily emails outlining various pertinent aspects of our campaign against redundancies. These will be sent from the Redundancy Working Group email, so do look out for those. 

Don’t forget the indicative e-ballot emails will start coming to you from April 10, and ends on May 9, we need all to vote.

See you on Friday. 

Yours, in solidarity, 

Lopa 

————————————————————————————-

UCU UoN is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Emergency Q&A with UoNUCU

Time: Apr 11, 2025 15:00 London

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83065082470?pwd=n4VqDdbvX10ewxIn1T22bi45xrf50b.1

Meeting ID: 830 6508 2470

Passcode: 297197