SUCU Branch News 4 June 2015

SUCU AGM next Wednesday 10 June 1pm

Business will include election of next year’s Branch Committee, two motions for debate, and an update from National Congress. The two motions concern – the arms trade (read background information ahead of the discussion here), and concerns about how the University’s capability procedures are being used. All members are encouraged to attend our AGM which will be held in the Council Chamber of the Octagon Centre.

A sandwich lunch will be served at 12.45 and the SUCU Annual Report will be available on the day. Please print out and display this poster and ask UCU colleagues to come along.

Rotherham Advertiser Victimisation

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) chapel (branch) at the Rotherham Advertiser have agreed to take strike action on Thursday 11 June. The 24-hour walkout is in response to the decision by the new chief executive, Nick Alexander, to target the NUJ’s Father of Chapel (FoC, shop steward) for compulsory redundancy. FoC Phil Turner is the only person who has been dismissed among editorial staff and was told on Wednesday 27 May. The union is appealing this decision and demanding the company withdraw the threat of redundancy immediately. Read more…

The NUJ is asking supporters to send respectful messages of protest to Rotherham Advertiser chief executive Nick Alexander nick.alexander@garnett-dickinson.co.uk. Please copy in and send messages of support and solidarity to syorksnuj@hotmail.co.uk and campaigns@nuj.org.uk. You may wish to use messages sent from SUCU Committee as a template. There will also be a solidarity demo and rally in support of our trade union colleague. This will take place at 12 noon in All Saints Square, in the centre of Rotherham on Saturday 6th June at 12 noon.

UCU National Congress 2015 update

UCU’s annual decision making conference took place in Glasgow over the bank holiday weekend and you can find all the motions debated and voted on here. Conference voted to recommend rejection of the 1% pay offer and members will be balloted in time. SUCU delegates to Congress will give a full report back to members at the AGM next Wednesday 10 June.

Successful local action at Warwick against casualisation

Congratulations to colleagues and students at Warwick whose campaign has resulted in University management disbanding TeachHigher – a recruitment service that would have been contracted to supply hourly paid academic staff, so that staff would not be employed by academic departments. An Assembly will now be held on June 19th, 12.00, University of Warwick instead of the planned demo to discuss how best to move forward with the national campaign against casualization in HE. Read more..

End austerity now!: People’s Assembly demonstrations in London, 20 June

Its anticipated that thousands of people will be joining the protests against austerity at People’s Assembly demonstration in London on 20 June. UCU members are encouraged to make plans to attend and help build this important event. Transport arrangements including coaches from Sheffield.