Next Branch Meeting Wed 28 Jan 1pm Council Chamber, Octagon Centre
All members are invited to attend. Under discussion will be the pensions dispute, local pay and performance management, and we have a speaker from Sheffield College. Beverages will be served at 12.45.
Please be prepared - USS dispute marking and assessment boycott may restart on 16th Jan
The UCU Higher Education Committee meets on 14th Jan to consider a progress update from the negotiators and to decide whether to restart the boycott. You will recall that the marking and assessment boycott was suspended until 16 January 2015. We have been informed by HQ that to comply with legal requirements, UCU has served a fresh notice of industrial action on the employers. We will keep you updated.
Local pay and performance management
We have reported previously that SUCU together with the other campus unions are in ongoing discussions with management about SRDS and 'reward and recognition'. Management are putting brief updates on the HR website.
At this stage we have broad agreement on the main points apart from incremental pay progression. Discussions affecting pay continue to be on the basis of the 'Framework Agreement' underpinning our current pay structure. In particular regarding incremental pay progression this says, 'Staff will have a normal expectation that progression from point to point up to the exceptional threshold will take place on an annual basis, subject exceptionally to existing procedures for dealing with performance problems, when increments may be withheld. Accelerated incremental progression, including progression into the exceptional range, will reflect sustained exceptional contribution by the job holder.' Come to the Branch Meeting on 28 Jan 1pm to hear more and join the discussion.
Anti-bullying and harassment campaign
Our joint union anti-bullying campaign continues. We previously reported that as well as raising awareness through anti-bullying campaigning we are working with the HR team to develop new policies for the University on this theme. We will have an update on this soon along with an invitation for members to have an input, and to attend other informative events.
Members may be interested to read this Guardian article 16 Dec - Struggle for top research grades fuels bullying among university staff:
More than half of university staff say recent policy changes have caused an increase in bullying – and that institutions aren't doing enough to tackle the issue
81% of Russell Group university members said REF has had a negative impact on bullying.
The fevered build up to this month’s university research audit has exposed academics to an atmosphere of competitiveness and bullying, according to a survey by the Guardian’s higher education network.
MPs tear into government over uncontrolled expansion of private colleges
An influential group of MPs has torn into the government over its failings to account for public money as it rubber-stamped the expansion of private for-profit colleges. Read more..
SUCU Branch News 11th December 2014
Published on
Up to 10% bonuses for University Executive Board members
Just in case you are thinking of applying for the Deputy VC or PVCLT jobs you may notice that your 'highly competitive' pay would come with a bonus scheme which applies now to all UEB members. They get a bonus of up to 10% of salary "upon delivery of agreed objectives". This is a very worrying development. What does it say about someone's commitment to the institution and their work if they really need a bonus to put effort in? If they don't need it why have it? And any bonus scheme distorts the work as only a limited set of objectives can be set, and these must be measurable ones. There is ample evidence that bonus schemes create dysfunctional organisations - why on earth is the University leadership on one?
Student occupation of INOX Dine
SUCU Committee members would like to send a message of solidarity to all involved in the recent student occupation which was protesting against privatisation, for the Living Wage, and against tuition fees.
University of Sheffield statement about USS
Our lobby of Senate yesterday was called off in response to the statement from University management on USS. We welcome the decision to at least have some criticism of some elements of the USS approach, which seems to be in response to our pressure and proposed lobby and support from the Students Union. But the criticism is very late and extremely muted - the fundamentals are unchallenged.
We remain concerned as expressed on our website: The University's commitment to decent pensions for staff must be in question when they have:
slashed the pensions of grade 1-5 staff and closed their final salary scheme, and
the VC has bought out of USS two years ago (with a 17% rise on top of his 26% pay rise, as previously reported)
UCU Survey - fairness, accessibility and transparency of the higher education application and admission process
This is a reminder that all UCU members are invited to complete this UCU survey exploring the fairness, accessibility and transparency of the higher education application and admission process and how this works for your students.
SUCU Branch News 4 December 2014
Published on
USS update
Motions passed by a very well attended General Meeting last week have been sent to UCU HQ. Members have called for a Special Sector Conference to recall the current UCU negotiating position as well as putting forward our USS position, and expressing our concerns over punitive pay deductions over ASOS and a proposal for local flexibility over what action is taken. We will update you with progress on this.
Lobby Senate next Wed 10th Dec 13.45-14.15, outside Firth Court. Many Russell Group Universities have opposed the pension cuts - why hasn't Sheffield done likewise? UUK risks recommending a major downgrading of pensions - due to a flawed valuation. THIS MUST BE CHALLENGED. Imperial College have publicly come out against the USS methodology. Please join us outside Firth Court at 13.45 to demand our University speaks out too.
The USS petition now has OVER 16,000 signatures! This will be handed over to Universities UK at the USS board meeting today.
Researchers: Could you redeploy into a Vice Chancellor’s Fellowship?
Our employer is about to advertise a series of "Vice Chancellor’s Fellowships", which are posts created by the employer with the deliberate intent of bringing new staff in from other universities while it simultaneously lays off hundreds of existing researchers already here every year. But under recent EU law, researchers and anyone else threatened with redundancy are eligible to redeploy into such new roles if they can show they can meet the basic requirements with "sufficient retraining" (which can be quite a lot of training). If they can do this, then they automatically must be given the job in preference to any external candidates. Are you interested in doing such a redeployment? If so please get in touch with us.
LGBT Research Conference 2015 Manchester, Friday 15th May 10-16.00 and reception until 18.00
Attendance is free for UCU members, but regrettably UCU is unable to reimburse travel and accommodation expenses for UCU members on this occasion. For all non UCU members the cost will be £12.00 (inclusive of VAT). Refreshments and a light lunch will be available. Venue: University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL. The deadline for registration is Friday 17 April.
SUCU Branch News 27 Nov 2014
Published on
Update from General Meeting today
A very well attended and quorate branch meeting today discussed the current position in the USS dispute. The following motions were debated and members voted unanimously to pass them.
Motion on Special Conference on HE Pensions, Sheffield UCU GM 27 Nov 2014
This UCU branch supports the call for the requisition of a Special HE Sector Conference to debate the campaigns to defend pensions in HE, and to defend the capacity of the UCU to call industrial action short of a strike as part of those campaigns.
Passed nem con
Motion on USS negotiations, Sheffield UCU GM 27 Nov 2014
This branch recognises the absolute necessity to effectively fight the attack on our pensions, and in particular to prevent the introduction of a Trojan Horse 'Defined Contribution' element.
The branch is deeply disappointed with the extensive concessions made already to the employers by our negotiators, in particular the abandonment of the final salary pension. We would like to see final salary for all. We believe this concession was unnecessary and destructive, as there was tremendous support for action in the ballot on our side, and the employer side was publicly falling apart as the supposed scheme deficit was exposed as an artifice. The concessions should be taken off the table.
Passed nem con
Motion on Punitive Pay Deductions, Sheffield UCU GM 27 Nov 2014
In response to the recent assessment boycott our employer was going to make punitive deductions. They were going to deduct 25% of pay from staff engaged in the assessment boycott, a far greater proportion of salary than of work, and were to continue to deduct 25% until the assessment work was done, presumably until the end of the dispute, however short the assessment work itself. Compare that to the two hour strikes in our pay dispute earlier this year, which of course did not and could not result in indefinite 28% pay docking.
If an agreement is not reached with the employers in the coming negotiations and the industrial action resumes it is essential that our response is effective and deals appropriately with punitive deductions. We are pleased that the HEC on the 19th November reaffirmed the policy explicitly stated in the ballot that there would be national strike action if employers make punitive deductions.
If action resumes we would urge the HEC to allow local branches to flex the approach to action short of a strike and strike action, as each is most effective at different times in different universities.
Passed nem con
Imperial College have publicly come out against the USS methodology
Some faculties now have bridging funds and researcher pools to improve job security for researchers. For example, Engineering now has bridging funds available which any PI can apply for to secure researchers between projects. SUCU continues to campaign for more of these positive steps towards decasualisaton. We'd like to know more details of what is available in every faculty -- you can help by replying to this email with a quick report of what's available in your own faculty and experiences you have had with them.
Times Higher Education’s Best University Workplace survey
What’s the best thing about working at your university? How do your colleagues and managers make you feel valued? In what areas do you need more support? These are among the questions THE are asking in the second annual Times Higher Education Best University Workplace survey, which is online now.
Newsletter for Academic Related, Professional Staff in Higher Education
The Autumn 2014 edition of UCU's newsletter for members working as administrators, librarians, computing and other professional staff in HE.
Important motions to be voted on at Branch Meeting tomorrow 27th Nov 1pm
Published on
Important motions to be voted on at Branch Meeting tomorrow 27th Nov 1pm
Venue: Council Chamber, Octagon Centre
Two very important motions that could change the direction of the USS dispute will be discussed and voted on tomorrow. Its vital that as many branch members as possible attend so the meeting is quorate.
Many UCU branches are calling for a Special Higher Education Sector Conference to review the negotiators' strategy. Such a conference is the only way for members to change the current negotiating position. According to UCU rules there needs to be at least 20 branches calling for a special Higher Education Sector Conference. SUCU Committee will be proposing the following motion at the General Meeting this Thursday:
Motion on Special Conference on HE Pensions, Sheffield UCU GM 27 Nov 2014
This UCU branch supports the call for the requisition of a Special HE Sector Conference to debate the campaigns to defend pensions in HE, and to defend the capacity of the UCU to call industrial action short of a strike as part of those campaigns.
Proposed: SUCU Committee
A second motion will also be proposed by Committee at the meeting, that addresses the need for local flexibility to take and schedule industrial action:
Motion on Punitive Pay Deductions, Sheffield UCU GM 27 Nov 2014
This branch recognises the absolute necessity to effectively fight the attack on our pensions, and in particular to prevent the introduction of a Trojan Horse 'Defined Contribution' element.
The branch is deeply disappointed with the extensive concessions made already to the employers by our negotiators, in particular the abandonment of the final salary pension. We believe this was unnecessary and destructive, as there was tremendous support for action in the ballot on our side, and the employer side was publicly falling apart as the supposed scheme deficit was exposed as an artifice. The concessions should be taken off the table.
In response to the recent assessment boycott our employer was going to make punitive deductions. They were going to deduct 25% of pay from staff engaged in the assessment boycott, a far greater proportion of salary than of work, and were to deduct 25% until the assessment work was done, presumably until the end of the dispute, however short the assessment work itself. Compare that to the two hour strikes in our pay dispute earlier this year, which of course did not and could not result in indefinite 28% pay docking.
If an agreement is not reached with the employers in the coming negotiations and the industrial action resumes it is essential that our response is effective and deals appropriately with punitive deductions. We are pleased that the HEC on the 19th November reaffirmed the policy explicitly stated in the ballot that there would be national strike action if employers make punitive deductions.
If action resumes we would urge the HEC to allow local branches to flex the approach to assessment boycotts and strike action, as each is most effective at different times in different universities.
Proposed: SUCU Committee
Note - amendments can be proposed at the meeting, or could be circulated beforehand if requested.
Other agenda items are: reward and recognition negotiations update.
Display this poster and encourage colleagues to attend this meeting.
SUCU-General-Meeting-Agenda-27-Nov-14