Tag: local newsletter

Please do not reply to this newsletter, as your email will bounce. Contact your Departmental Rep or uonucubranch@gmail.com if you need any assistance.

Dear members,

Because our dispute is local, we can, to some extent, choose the forms of action that work best for us. What kind of action do you think would be most effective? Tell us your thoughts and ideas, anonymously here.

Read on for the following topics:

1. 1. You said yes!
   2. Know your rights – extended leave and redundancy
   3. Branch Committee meeting summary
   4. Interim branch Mental Health Campaign meeting
   5. Transgender solidarity
   6. Local and national campaigning
   7. Joining link and further information

You said yes!

As communicated in Lopa’s email yesterday, the branch voted yes in the indicative ballot to both ASOS and strike action. This was taken with a large majority of members voting. This indicates we should be able to move to the actual ballot which will give us a powerful bargaining chip against management’s unnecessary and brutal cuts to the workforce. We hope to use this in order to join Cardiff and Dundee University workers in successfully scaling back redundancies.

Know your rights – extended leave and redundancy

In circumstances where you are on leave during the time your role is at risk, the employer must still consult you. They would also need to demonstrate that your extended leave is not a direct or indirect reason for your risk of redundancy (Equality Act 2010). Within this, time off for dependents or pregnancy is disregarded where absence is part of redundancy selection criteria. (UoN Redundancy Policy)

• • Statutory redundancy pay requires a minimum of 2 years of continuous employment, but this is inclusive of leave. 
  • If you are made redundant while on leave, you would be entitled to statutory pay for the full leave period you have notified the employer about, regardless of when your employment ends. You should also expect to access any enhanced benefits on top of the statutory minimum during the notice period.

If you are offered redeployment while

• • pregnant, 
  • on parental or adoption or neonatal leave, 
  • in the first two weeks of taking leave following a miscarriage before 24 weeks,
  • recently returned from parental leave up to the child being 18 months old

You are given priority for redeployment, and the post should be offered without an interview. (UoN redeployment policy)

Branch Committee meeting summary

Your Branch Committee met on Wednesday 7th May and discussed

• • Update on negotiations and consultations with management
  • Redundancy Working Group blog
  • Joint-union trans-solidarity statement (see below)
  • Palestine solidarity actions

The Branch Committee meets weekly. If you would like Committee to discuss a particular topic please email the details to: uonucubranch@gmail.com

Congress 2025: Share your views

UCU Congress, the supreme policy-making body of our union, will take place Saturday 24 May – Monday 26 May. Our branch will be represented by Alan Barker, Lisa Rull and Gertjan Lucas. Congress decides the policy of our union for the forthcoming year and often beyond. It is a fundamental element of our democracy. For more details, see our guide to Congress. We encourage all members to convey their views on the most impactful proposals under discussion at Congress.

Interim branch Mental Health Campaign meeting

Lisa Rull (Equality Officer) is exploring restarting the UCU UoN Mental Health Campaign Group. As such, she will be hosting a meeting on Teams, Monday 19th May 12:30-1:30 pm. Join using this link.

All staff welcome to raise issues of concern around mental health support and challenges for staff and students within UoN. We have historically been able to collate and challenge on a number of issues relating to mental health.

Transgender solidarity

In response to the supreme court ruling, the branch together with UNISON University of Nottingham have published a solidarity statement. Union members also held a joyful solidarity picnic on Wednesday 7th May on campus. See below for further local and national initiatives for transgender solidarity.

• • Have you been questioned, stopped or challenged using a single-sex space? Fill in this form to help Transactual advocate on this issue at a national level.
  • Print Club for Trans Rights, tomorrow Wednesday 14th May 7pm-9pm at Carousel Community Building. Bring t-shirts to print on. Suggested donation £5.

Local and national campaigning

Sign UNISON UoN’s petition to oppose job cuts
In Phase 1 of Future Nottingham, staff represented by UNISON will be most effected. Please sign their petition to oppose cuts and show solidarity with your fellow workers.

PSC National Demonstration – Nakba Anniversary
To mark the 77th anniversary of the Nakba and protest our governments collaboration in ongoing genocide in Palestine, Palestine Solidarity Campaign are holding a march in London this Saturday 17th May. Coaches will be departing from Forest Recreation Ground at 8:00 am sharp, you can book coach tickets here. 

Call on Nottinghamshire County Council to divest from apartheid
Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign is leading a movement to demand Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) divests its Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) from companies and organisations complicit in the genocide in Palestine. Currently the LGPS holds £170 million in shares in genocide-complicit companies. In line with the branch’s BDS motion and solidarity with Palestine motion the branch has given official support to the campaign.

We encourage all members resident in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County to sign the petition here.

Oppose a renewal of Starbucks’ licence on campus!
The encampment students have organised a petition asking UoN not to renew Starbucks’ contract on campus due to the company’s support for Israel. The UCU committee has agreed on supporting the collection of signatures. Click here for more detailed information and to sign the petition.

Joining link and further information

Remember to pass on the online joining link to your colleagues.

Having trouble at work? Please log a case with our large, competent casework team!

Need to talk to your Departmental Rep? Find the full list of UoN UCU reps here. If you are interested in becoming a departmental rep, get in touch!

Struggling with your mental health or wellbeing? UCU members get free access to confidential support service educationsupport.org.uk who can be called 24/7 on 08000 562 561.

Yours sincerely,

L Scott Blankenship and Will Paterson-Bassett, Branch Communications Officers, on behalf of UoN UCU Branch Committee

Branch website: https://uonucu.org/

Please do not reply to this newsletter, as your email will bounce. Contact your Departmental Rep or uonucubranch@gmail.com if you need any assistance.

Dear members,

We hope you enjoyed your bank holiday weekend. 

Please remember to vote in the indicative ballot (look for email with subject line “IMPORTANT: University of Nottingham UCU consultative ballot” check your spam!). If you are a new member, you should have now received your ballot by email as of 1st May. If you have not received your ballot, please contact your Rep.

Newer members may have questions about the nature of a trade union, and what industrial action is. University of Durham UCU have made a document to answer some of their members FAQs. 

Read on for the following topics:

1. 1. University workers stand together and win
   2. Annual General Meeting (AGM) report
   3. Have your say on what comes next
   4. Departmental Reps meeting summary
   5. Transgender solidarity events
   6. Local and national campaigning
   7. Joining link and further information

University workers stand together and win

In the past week we have seen two major wins for workers at UK Universities. At the end of March, the University of Dundee announced that 700 jobs would have to be cut in order to balance the books. However after the threat of strike action University management appear to have seen a better way and reduced job losses to 300 via a voluntary severance scheme. Similarly, workers at Cardiff University forced their management to abandon plans for compulsory redundancies.

This shows that despite all the pressures on the sector, redundancies can be avoided. However, this is only possible when workers unite and wield the only weapon we have – the withdrawal of our labour.

Annual General Meeting (AGM) report

Our AGM took place on Wednesday 30th April, where we heard reports from Branch President (Lopa Leach) and Treasurer (Tony Padilla). Thereafter the nominees for next year’s committee were confirmed. While the committee remains much the same, we are happy to welcome Frederique Poujades as Anti-casualisation Officer (job share with Hannah Heilbuth). We will be sad to lose Gertjan Lucas (Equalities Officer), Onni Gust, and Sam O’Thomson (Anti-casualisation Officer).

The following motions were passed;

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

Motion 2: No 120 percent workload at UoN!

Motion 3: Support a Trade Dispute with the Secretary of Education over funding

In addition, the branch approved an amendment to motion SFC7 scheduled for debate at Congress. The amendment is as follows;

“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 reflect 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.”

Have your say on what comes next

Because our dispute is local, we can, to some extent, choose the forms of action that work best for us. What kind of action do you think would be most effective? Tell us your thoughts and ideas, anonymously here.

Departmental Reps meeting summary

The Departmental Reps met on Thursday 1st May and discussed;

• • Feedback and concerns resulting from Phase 1 Future Nottingham and our branch’s strategy
  • Current status of the “Get the Vote Out” (GTVO) campaign

This meeting is used to provide space for Reps to feed back comments and concerns from members in their areas. 

The Reps network extends across most academic Schools and professional services, however there are a number of academic and professional services departments still needing Reps. If this role interests you, particularly if your department has no rep, please email uonucubranch@gmail.com. New Reps are well supported by the Branch Committee and the rest of the Reps network.

Congress 2025: Share your views

UCU Congress, the supreme policy-making body of our union, will take place Saturday 24 May – Monday 26 May. Our branch will be represented by Alan Barker, Lisa Rull and Gertjan Lucas. Congress decides the policy of our union for the forthcoming year and often beyond. It is a fundamental element of our democracy. For more details, see our guide to Congress. We encourage all members to convey their views on the most impactful proposals under discussion at Congress.

Transgender solidarity events

In the last newsletter, we communicated that we would inform members of local events in solidarity with the transgender community. Here we highlight two, both taking place tomorrow Wednesday 7th May.

• • Trans solidarity picnic: 1pm-2pm on the grass next to Trent Building Great Hall, University Park. Organised by members of UCU and UNISON University of Nottingham.
  • Print Club for Trans Rights, 7pm-9pm at Carousel Community Building. Bring t-shirts to print on. Suggested donation £5.

Local and national campaigning

Academic-related, professional services staff open meeting
UCU’s academic-related professional services staff (ARPS, i.e. APM in UoN terminology) committee will be holding the next open meeting this Friday 9th May from 12:30-1:30pm. ARPS members are invited to join the meeting to talk about the issues affecting them and their branches currently. The format is open and friendly and all ARPS members are welcome. Please register for the meeting using this online form and a Zoom link will be sent to you on the morning of the meeting.

Protect Education Now! National Rally – 10th May
Post-16 education in crisis. It is our duty to bring together the whole of UCU’s membership to fight back against cuts, attacks in the media, financial mismanagement, and the erosion of professional pride. This Saturday 10th May, UCU has called a huge rally in central London for UCU members and supporters to come together like never before.

Please register your attendance here. Coaches will be leaving for London from Nottingham Train Station at 8am and will subsequently pick up from Derby Bus Station. Return coach will leave from 5pm from Millbank to drop off at initial pickup points. If you would like to take the coach please contact Chris Pritchard (Branch Secretary, Nottingham Trent University UCU) at REDACTED.

Call on Nottinghamshire County Council to divest from apartheid
Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign is leading a movement to demand Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) divests its Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) from companies and organisations complicit in the genocide in Palestine. Currently the LGPS holds £170 million in shares in genocide-complicit companies. In line with the branch’s BDS motion and solidarity with Palestine motion the branch has given official support to the campaign.

We encourage all members resident in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County to sign the petition here.

Oppose a renewal of Starbucks’ licence on campus!
The encampment students have organised a petition asking UoN not to renew Starbucks’ contract on campus due to the company’s support for Israel. The UCU committee has agreed on supporting the collection of signatures. Click here for more detailed information and to sign the petition.

Joining link and further information

Remember to pass on the online joining link to your colleagues.

Having trouble at work? Please log a case with our large, competent casework team!

Need to talk to your Departmental Rep? Find the full list of UoN UCU reps here. If you are interested in becoming a departmental rep, get in touch!

Struggling with your mental health or wellbeing? UCU members get free access to confidential support service educationsupport.org.uk who can be called 24/7 on 08000 562 561.

Yours sincerely,

L Scott Blankenship and Will Paterson-Bassett, Branch Communications Officers, on behalf of UoN UCU Branch Committee

Branch website: https://uonucu.org/

Please do not reply to this newsletter, as your email will bounce. Contact your Departmental Rep or uonucubranch@gmail.com if you need any assistance

Dear members,

We hope you all members have had some time to rest over the Easter break. Please make every effort to attend the AGM tomorrow Wednesday 30th April from 1:00-2:30 pm. The full agenda, including text of three proposed motions can be found in Nick Clare’s (Branch Secretary) email. In addition we will confirm the nominees for Branch Committee for next year. Zoom details below.

REDACTED

Read on for the following topics:

1. 1. A catalogue of management obfuscation
   2. Keep pressure on management
   3. UCU stands in solidarity with transgender people
   4. Agnes Flues memorial lecture
   5. Know your rights – stress and mental health
   6. Branch Committee meeting summary
   7. Departmental Reps meeting summary
   8. Local and national campaigning
   9. Joining link and further information

A catalogue of management obfuscation

In the midst of the announcement of compulsory redundancies and our resultant dispute with the employer, management has taken actions and made statements that we fundamentally disagree with. This includes the following;

• • In the first dispute resolution meeting negotiators were led to believe that management would wait before making public statements. As such we cancelled our interview with the BBC that afternoon. Management went to the press within hours of the meeting.
  • Management initially communicated a smaller proportion of redundancies to staff and students than in some detailed documentation shared with unions.
  • Stated in a meeting with unions that Castle Meadows Campus was purchased in 2019, when in fact it was purchased in 2021. 
  • Despite repeated protestations, management continues to fall short in producing a detailed business case for redundancies, as it is required to do for a meaningful consultation. The documentation we have received at UoN is far less detailed than other universities have seen fit to share with their local unions.

We hope that management will be more careful with their communications in the future.

Keep pressure on management

Don’t forget to keep discussing the current situation with your colleagues, and vote in the indicative ballot (look for email with subject line “IMPORTANT: University of Nottingham UCU consultative ballot” check your spam!). If you are a new member, joining in the last month, we are in the process of arranging the ballot being shared with you too, check your emails on 1st May and vote!

You can also be a part of the pressure against these redundancies by joining the Redundancy Working Group, and/or becoming a caseworker. In either case email rwguonucu@gmail.com.

UCU stands in solidarity with transgender people

UCU is committed to standing up for all members and fighting against all forms of harassment, prejudice and unfair discrimination on whatever grounds that may arise. The union proudly and actively supports trans rights. This has been affirmed in national UCU’s statement on the Supreme Court Ruling on the legal definition of a woman. This branch upholds the position of national UCU. We will inform members of local events in solidarity with the trans community.

Agnes Flues memorial lecture

The first annual inaugural Agnes Flues memorial lecture took place last Thursday 24th April, and was well attended by UCU members and activists across the trade union movement. Mick Lynch (Secretary-General RMT) spoke on the necessity of continuing our militant fight for workers’ rights, and solidarity across trade unions. Photos from the event can be found here.

You can read more about the remarkable and committed life of Agnes in her obituary written by former Branch president, Howard Stevenson. 

Know your rights – stress and mental health

Struggling with Stress or Mental Health issues?

• • You are protected under the Equality Act 2010 (see ACAS advice on mental health at work) if stress has become a long-term condition (e.g. if it leads to anxiety, depression or another substantial impact on your daily life). Employers must make reasonable adjustments. 
  • Confidential support: You have the right to access Occupational Health or other workplace wellbeing services – but union support is often crucial to ensure your rights are properly respected. In the first instance, we advise you to ask your Line Manager to conduct an Individual Stress Risk Assessment. 
  • Keep a record: if you are experiencing stress, keep notes of workload issues, dates and any communications you have with management – this can be vital if you need to challenge unsafe working conditions. 

Branch Committee meeting summary

Your Branch Committee met on Wednesday 16th and Wednesday 23rd April and discussed;

• • The Agnes Flues memorial lecture
  • Preparations for the AGM
  • Involving members in developing strategies for industrial action
  • Strategy for dealing with redundancies resulting from Phase 1 of Future Nottingham

The Branch Committee meets weekly. If you would like Committee to discuss a particular topic please email the details to: uonucubranch@gmail.com

Departmental Reps meeting summary

The Departmental Reps met on Wednesday 16th April and discussed;

• • Supporting members who are stressed due to the uncertainty caused by management announcement of redundancies
  • Communications with students regarding the implications of Future Nottingham

This meeting occurs approximately monthly to provide space for Reps to feed back comments and concerns from members in their areas. 

The Reps network extends across most academic Schools and professional services, however there are a number of academic and professional services departments still needing Reps. If this role interests you, particularly if your department has no rep, please email uonucubranch@gmail.com. New Reps are well supported by the Branch Committee and the rest of the Reps network.

Local and national campaigning

Academic-related, professional services staff open meeting
UCU’s academic-related professional services staff (ARPS, i.e. APM in UoN terminology) committee will be holding the next open meeting on Friday 9th May from 12:30-1:30pm. ARPS members are invited to join the meeting to talk about the issues affecting them and their branches currently. The format is open and friendly and all ARPS members are welcome. Please register for the meeting using this online form and a Zoom link will be sent to you on the morning of the meeting.

Protect Education Now! National Rally – 10th May
Post-16 education in crisis. It is our duty to bring together the whole of UCU’s membership to fight back against cuts, attacks in the media, financial mismanagement, and the erosion of professional pride. On Saturday 10 May 2025, UCU has called a huge rally in central London for UCU members and supporters to come together like never before.

Please register your attendance here. Coaches will be leaving for London from central Nottingham at 8am and will also pick up from Derby. More precise details will be communicated in due course. If you would like to take the coach please contact Chris Pritchard (Branch Secretary, Nottingham Trent University UCU) at REDACTED.

Call on Nottinghamshire County Council to divest from apartheid
Nottingham Palestine Solidarity Campaign is leading a movement to demand Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) divests its Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) from companies and organisations complicit in the genocide in Palestine. Currently the LGPS holds £170 million in shares in genocide-complicit companies. In line with the branch’s BDS motion and solidarity with Palestine motion the branch has given official support to the campaign.

We encourage all members resident in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County to sign the petition here.

Oppose a renewal of Starbucks’ licence on campus!
The encampment students have organised a petition asking UoN not to renew Starbucks’ contract on campus due to the company’s support for Israel. The UCU committee has agreed on supporting the collection of signatures. Click here for more detailed information and to sign the petition.

Online International Rally – Hands off our universities // Defend campus protest // Solidarity with Gaza
University and College Workers for Palestine has organised a solidarity rally against the state repression of students protesters and University administrations in the US. The rally will take place online at 5:30 pm on Thursday 1st May. More information and registration here.

Stop the redundancies at the University of Derby
Up to 35 Professors and Associate Professors are facing a compulsory redundancy process at the University of Derby. UCU Derby have written an open letter you are invited to sign, opposing these cuts at Derbyshire’s only University and critiquing the poor engagement with trade Union as it has unfolded. Joining link and further information

Joining link and further information

Remember to pass on the online joining link to your colleagues.

Having trouble at work? Please log a case with our large, competent casework team!

Need to talk to your Departmental Rep? Find the full list of UoN UCU reps here. If you are interested in becoming a departmental rep, get in touch!

Struggling with your mental health or wellbeing? UCU members get free access to the confidential support service Education Support who can be called 24/7 on 08000 562 561.

Yours sincerely,

L Scott Blankenship and Will Paterson-Bassett, Branch Communications Officers, on behalf of UoN UCU Branch Committee

Branch website: https://uonucu.org/

Please do not reply to this newsletter, as your email will bounce. Contact your Departmental Rep or uonucubranch@gmail.com if you need any assistance.

Dear members,

Happy Easter and Subbho Noboborsho! There will be no newsletter next week due to Comms officers taking annual leave. Newsletters will recommence on the week starting 28th April.

While we are all committed to helping each other within our UCU branch, we are not a service. Rather, we are an organisation based on solidarity. A repeat of our training session for supporting compulsory redundancy individual consultations for anyone reps who want to be involved and couldn’t make the last one. Thursday 8th May 2-4pm on Zoom. Trainer: Gareth Brown, regional UCU office. Sign up here.

Please remember to get tickets for the inaugural Agnes Flues memorial lecture taking place on Thursday 24th April at 6pm.

Read on for the following topics:

1. 1. Management scores an own-goal
   2. Fight back, together
   3. Solidarity with casualised Language Centre staff
   4. Know your rights – discrimination
   5. Workload – a change in framing
   6. Branch Committee meeting summary
   7. Departmental Reps meeting summary
   8. Local and national campaigning
   9. Joining link and further information

Management scores an own-goal

On Monday 14th April, the first meeting concerning redundancies between University management and campus unions took place. UCU was represented by Lopa Leach (Branch President), Andrew Armstrong (APM Officer), and Julie Cooper (East Midlands Official). This meeting was extraordinarily short as it became apparent that management had not done basic legal minimum tasks required before this meeting. No details of which jobs will be cut, and the business case for cuts to each business unit have been given. In other words, unions were not informed of how many redundancies there are planned, where those redundancies are planned, and why they are ‘necessary’. UCU declared that the consultation period could not legally start without this legally required information being provided. We will see in May if this information is forthcoming.

If you are made aware that your own or your colleagues’ roles come under compulsory redundancy, please let your rep or the committee (uonucubranch@gmail.com) know the details. This information should come first to the Unions alongside a business case so we can be aware and support staff properly.

Fight back, together

The Branch Committee, Reps, Caseworkers, and activists are working hard to resist the draconian and unnecessary redundancies announced by the VC last week. Friday’s lively Q&A session was attended by 230 members, demonstrating the resolve of members to fight back. 

You will of course be updated by email, but further information can be found on the redundancy section of the website. Don’t forget to keep discussing the situation with your colleagues, and vote in the indicative ballot (look for email with subject line “IMPORTANT: University of Nottingham UCU consultative ballot” check your spam!). You can also be a part of the pressure against these redundancies by joining the Redundancy Working Group, and/or becoming a caseworker. In either case email rwguonucu@gmail.com.

Solidarity with casualised Language Centre staff

Staff at the Language Centre experience high amounts of casualisation and insecurity, which has been compounded by administrative failings associated with Unicore resulting in missed wages. Within less than a week, more than 100 Language Centre staff and UCU members signed an open letter calling on management to provide more secure contracts and improved work conditions. The HR Director, Helen McNamara, has since replied and committed to respond within our deadline of two weeks. We will keep everyone updated with further developments. We also welcome further signatures. Please add your name here.

Know your rights – discrimination

Section 98 of the Employment Rights Act, 1996 specifies that an employer must apply objective and fair criteria when selecting employees for redundancy. The Equality Act, 2010 protects employees from discrimination based on specific protected characteristics e.g. age, race, gender, disability, etc. Employers must ensure that redundancy selection is not based on discriminatory factors. Under section 98 of the 1996 Employment Rights Act, employees have the right to challenge the fairness of their dismissal, including redundancy, if they feel the procedure or selection criteria were unfair. 

Workload – a change in framing

The Workload Group had a major win this week. We have seen written evidence that some schools are now setting maximum workload to 80 – 100%. There is still a lot of work to be done to ensure that this is now rolled out consistently across the university, for equity reasons. We will continue to push for a workload model group within each business unit, comprised of union reps, directors, course leaders, etc. This group will be tasked with reviewing each business unit’s workload model in an ongoing and sustainable way, to ensure there is no shrinkflation of workload. 

On a less positive note, the University is still refusing to set up a bespoke Workload/Stress JNCC. This is despite;

• Being reported to HSE for failing legal stress prevention measures 
• A Freedom of Information request revealing horrifying work-related stress absence figures 
• Conscious and consistent overworking of staff in four out of five faculties. 

What will it take for our employer to take this issue seriously?

Branch Committee meeting summary

Your Branch Committee met on Wednesday 9th April. Given current circumstances the meeting focused on;

• Our response to declaration of redundancies
• Discussion of HR1, S188 and Future Nottingham Phase 1 documents presented to us for committee responses.

We also heard a report from the first consultation meeting between management and campus trade unions. Management was represented by the Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellor and head of HR. UoNUCU was represented by Lopa Leach and Andreas Bieler as President and Vice President respectively, while Unison was represented by their Executive Committee.

The Branch Committee meets weekly. If you would like Committee to discuss a particular topic please email the details to: uonucubranch@gmail.com

Departmental Reps meeting summary

The Departmental Reps met on Wednesday 9th April and discussed;

• Administrative preparations for the indicative e-ballot
• Guidance for the Get The Vote Out (GTVO) campaign
• Supporting APM members through phase 1 of Future Nottingham

This meeting occurs approximately monthly to provide space for Reps to feed back comments and concerns from members in their areas. 

The Reps network extends across most academic Schools and professional services, however there are a number of academic and professional services departments still needing Reps. If your department has no Rep, and this role interests you please email uonucubranch@gmail.com. New Reps are well supported by the Branch Committee and the rest of the Reps network.

Local and national campaigning

Call for delegates to hybrid congress – either in-person or online 
Lisa Rull and Gertjan Lucas, Equality Officers, had been nominated as delegates to the annual UCU congress. With four positions available, they have been elected unopposed. Nominations will remain open until a sufficient number of delegates is reached, so if you are still interested do get in touch by emailing the branch.

UCU reasonable adjustment survey
UCU is aiming to gain an understanding of your experiences with reasonable adjustments at work from both the perspectives of UCU members and branch representatives who support disabled UCU members. They kindly ask that you complete a brief survey to share your insights by tomorrow, Wednesday 16th April at the latest.

Oppose a renewal of Starbucks’ licence on campus!
The encampment students have organised a petition asking UoN not to renew Starbucks’ contract on campus due to the company’s support for Israel. The UCU committee has agreed on supporting the collection of signatures. Click here for more detailed information and to sign the petition.

Stop the redundancies at the University of Derby
Up to 35 Professors and Associate Professors are facing a compulsory redundancy process at the University of Derby. UCU Derby have written an open letter you are invited to sign, opposing these cuts at Derbyshire’s only University and critiquing the poor engagement with trade Union as it has unfolded. Joining link and further information

Academic-related, professional services staff open meeting
UCU’s academic-related professional services staff (ARPS, i.e. APM in UoN terminology) committee will be holding the next open meeting on Friday 9 May (12:30-13:30). ARPS members are invited to join the meeting to talk about the issues affecting them and their branches currently. The format is open and friendly and all ARPS members are welcome. Please register for the meeting using this online form and a Zoom link will be sent to you on the morning of the meeting.

Joining link and further information

Remember to pass on the online joining link to your colleagues.

Having trouble at work? Please log a case with our large, competent casework team!

Need to talk to your Departmental Rep? Find the full list of UoN UCU reps here. If you are interested in becoming a departmental rep, get in touch! 

Yours sincerely,

L Scott Blankenship and Will Paterson-Bassett, Branch Communications Officers, on behalf of UoN UCU Branch Committee

Branch website: https://uonucu.org/

Please do not reply to this newsletter, as your email will bounce. Contact your Departmental Rep or uonucubranch@gmail.com if you need any assistance.

Dear members,

Chag sameach to all members observing Passover starting Saturday!

In these worrying times we want to keep our members as informed as possible. To this end, the Redundancy Working Group has compiled detailed advice and information on our website. In addition, as communicated by Lopa on Monday, there will be an online Emergency Meeting and Q&A session this Friday 11th April at 3pm to discuss what the branch is doing to support you and resist job cuts.

Please remember to get tickets for the inaugural Agnes Flues memorial lecture on Thursday 24th April at 6pm. The tickets are now available without an access code, so please share with people outside of UCU.

Read on for the following topics:

1. 1. Educate, Agitate, Organise
   2. Make sure your colleagues know what’s happening at UoN
   3. Spotlight on casework
   4. Unsustainable workloads make us ill!
   5. Branch Committee meeting summary
   6. Local and national campaigning
   7. Joining link and further information

Educate, Agitate, Organise

Last week a total of 1,100 staff members attended two open informational meetings held by the three campus unions. These were used to inform staff about Future Nottingham, University restructuring and possible compulsory redundancies, the Universities financial position, and our next steps as staff and/or union members. The high attendance and engagement signifies that there is both a high level of concern about the future of the University, and a willingness to try to do something about it.

Thank you to all who attended and promoted the meetings. 

Colleagues at all levels, all job types, unionised or not, can follow this Whatsapp channel for updates on working conditions, redundancies and restructuring at UoN. Members are anonymous to other members and admins unless you are contacts. Please share this with your colleagues, and ensure they turn notifications ON.

Make sure your colleagues know what’s happening at UoN

Help make colleagues aware of what’s really happening at UoN, from job cuts to vanity projects. Download our campaign poster, print it off and stick it to your office door or anywhere else people will see it.

This poster was developed by the Redundancy Working Group, which develops our strategy to combat the risk of redundancies and feeds back to the Branch Committee. If you are interested in joining, please contact uonucubranch@gmail.com.

Spotlight on casework

As we are now half way through the academic year, it seems a good time to reflect on the practical solidarity the branch has been offering members. Since September we have helped 72 members, which is nearly double that at this point last year. From advising members on handling protected conversations to supporting members facing bullying, the range of issues we help with is diverse. A big thanks to our local caseworker team without whom none of this would be possible (Lila, Cyril, Michaela, Onni, Peter, Jenny, Liz, Martin, Lisa, Gertjan, Sara, Alice, Luisa and David). I also need to thank the fountains of knowledge and experience Julie and Gareth at the UCU regional office who support our local caseworkers when issues get especially complex or questions of legality are raised.

We are currently looking for extra caseworkers, specifically to help members facing compulsory redundancies should the University announce those. Please contact the branch email, uonucubranch@gmail.com if you would like to help. 

As a reminder, if you are a member and need advice on an employment issue, the quickest way to raise it is via the ‘Ask for help’ tab on our website.

– Andrew Renault (Casework Coordinator)

Unsustainable workloads make us ill!

Despite reporting UoN to HSE for failing its legal duty to prevent work-related stress, our employer is still hesitating to establish the Workload/Stress JNCC we have urgently requested. In the meantime, a Freedom of Information request has revealed that 4,713 working days were lost to work-related stress absence between 1st Sept 2023 and 31st August 2024. That amounts to over 21 years of work lost in one year, due to the unmitigated pressure of unsustainable workloads.

Please keep filling in the testimonial form so that we have ongoing evidence of the impact of overwork and the lack of stress prevention, for the HSE inspectors. 

Branch Committee meeting summary

Your Branch Committee met on Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd April and discussed;

• • Feedback from meetings with APM staff
  • Our plan for the possibility of APM redundancies, including moving forward our timeline for balloting
  • Publication of the redundancy campaign documents
  • The encampment students’ petition to oppose the renewal of Starbuck’s contract with the university

The Committee also received advice from Steve French on action to oppose redundancies.

The Branch Committee meets weekly. If you would like Committee to discuss a particular topic please email the details to: uonucubranch@gmail.com

Local and national campaigning

Gathering information on redundancy
At UoN UCU, we are determined to fight management’s cuts, especially when they put the job security of our members at risk.  In order to prepare for any future redundancies we are keen to find out more about what sort of cuts or suspicious changes are happening across the University. We’ve set up a google form for you to share this information with us.

Workload group drop ins
The Workload Group is organising drop-in sessions to support members to fight against unsustainable workloads. The next sessions will take place online;
Monday 7 April April 1.00 – 2.00. Meeting Link

Call for delegates to hybrid congress – either in-person or online
Lisa Rull and Gertjan Lucas, Equality Officers, had been nominated as delegates to the annual UCU congress. With four positions available, they have been elected unopposed. Nominations will remain open until a sufficient number of delegates is reached, so if you are still interested do get in touch by emailing the branch.

UCU reasonable adjustment survey
UCU is aiming to gain an understanding of your experiences with reasonable adjustments at work from both the perspectives of UCU members and branch representatives who support disabled UCU members. They kindly ask that you complete a brief survey to share your insights by Wednesday 16th April at the latest.

Oppose a renewal of Starbucks’ licence on campus!
The encampment students have organised a petition asking UoN not to renew Starbucks’ contract on campus due to the company’s support for Israel. The UCU committee has agreed on supporting the collection of signatures. Click here for more detailed information and to sign the petition.

Joining link and further information

Remember to pass on the online joining link to your colleagues.

Having trouble at work? Please log a case with our large, competent casework team!

Need to talk to your Departmental Rep? Find the full list of UoN UCU reps here. If you are interested in becoming a departmental rep, get in touch! 

Yours sincerely,

L Scott Blankenship and Will Paterson-Bassett, Branch Communications Officers, on behalf of UoN UCU Branch Committee

Branch website: https://uonucu.org/