Author Archives: cardiff

Consider Standing for Senate or Court: Have your say in running the University!

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There are a number of vacancies on Senate, to which it is essential we nominate UCU members for election so our perspectives get aired and considered at the highest level. Details are below, and UCU members tend to meet and confer in advance of meetings. If you are considering standing and would like to discuss it, or need somebody to propose or second your nomination, please email ucu@cardiff.ac.uk. Nominations close at noon on 26 June.

There are vacancies for a Senate term up to 31 July 2022 for members of staff:

  • at grade 5 and above – but excluding Professors – who work in a School or College of the University (excluding Architecture, Biosciences, Medicine, Psychology or Social Sciences which already have the maximum 2 representatives).
  • who are Professors (but who don’t work in Biosciences, Engineering, English Communication & Philosophy, History Archeology & Religion, Mathematics, Music, Optometry or Psychology which already have the maximum 1 representative).
  • at grade 5 and above from the Professional Services directorates (excluding Human Resources, Research and Innovation or IT and Programme Management which already have the maximum 1 representative).

There are also vacancies for staff from each of the Colleges and Professional Services directorates at grade 5 and above to serve on Court.

Click here for more information on the vacancies or to get a nomination form

Or email Committees@cardiff.ac.uk

 

Cardiff UCU Motions to UCU Congress 2019: “Protect LBGT+ studies/protect LBT+ staff”, “Workload, Mental Health, Health & Safety, and Workplace Suicide”

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Two super-important motions were moved on our behalf at the UCU Congress a few weeks back by our branch President Ryan Prout;

  • The first, on LGBT+ studies and protection of LGBT+ colleagues was passed; and
  • The second, which called on UCU to campaign for a new law to force employers to record workplace suicides (in light of the tragic loss of more than one of our Cardiff colleagues in recent years), was remitted to the UCU National Executive Committee because time ran out. We hope it will be passed soon.

Work-related mental health crisis in Universities:

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Research by Liz Morrish (who spoke recently at Cardiff in an event supported by us) identifies widespread structural issues with workplace stress in UK HE.

UCU Congress in 2019 also saw an important fringe event (co-organised by Cardiff UCU branch President Ryan Prout) about the epidemic of stress and bullying in the workplace. Among other things, stats were shared form the UK’s Education Support Partnership charity.

Counsellors at Education Support Partnership, the only charity dedicated to improving the wellbeing and mental health of the whole education workforce throughout the UK, dealt with a record 9,615 cases between April 2018 and the end of March 2019, the largest number in the charity’s history. At the same time, its counsellors continue to report that more calls are coming from those already experiencing a crisis. Read more here.

Cardiff UCU continues to campaign on unmanageable workloads at Cardiff University, and along with the Union nationally is seeking to use Health and Safety legislation to pursue its claims and force recognition and changes. To find out more or get involved, or want help negotiating unrealistic workload demands, email ucu@cardiff.ac.uk.

If you are experiencing mental health difficulties and need someone to listen now, please, please, please ring the Samaritans on 116123, call the University’s outsourced and confidential employee assistance programme Care First on 0800 174319.

Here is more info on support provided by the University to staff.

Your views on the effects of your savings and investments:

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The Ethics for USS campaign have made us aware of this survey being run by the Department for Work and Pensions.

If you could all fill it in and ask your friends (whatever pension scheme they are in) to do so, that would be great!

Background: Pension schemes like USS constantly use a definition of Fiduciary Duty which *only* takes into account monetary return and ignores ethical and environmental concerns. If the legislation were clearer, they would have to take members views into account.

Jo Grady elected as new UCU General Secretary:

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Jo Grady from the University of Sheffield has been (convincingly) elected as the new leader of the UCU on the highest turnout ever in a UCU leadership vote. This is the first time that a rank and file member has been elected, and this represents an exciting new direction for our union.

Read her inspiring address to UCU Congress last week.

You can read more about Jo’s priorities on her manifesto page, as well as checking out short videos about her plans & a whole bunch of other resources.

The Times Higher Education covered the win (paywalled, but all Cardiff Uni staff & students get access).

Novara Media also covered the results

Cardiff UCU anti-casualisation meeting: all welcome!

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The Cardiff UCU Anti-Casualisation Committee invites you to an open meeting about the long-term strategy of the group. This meeting is open to everyone who is interested in improving working conditions at Cardiff University (whether you’re a UCU member of not). The outcome of the meeting will be to create a manifesto which will guide the Cardiff UCU Anti-Casualisation Committee’s future activities and strategy. It will also be an opportunity to learn about our work so far and our plans for the future.
We will discuss the following topics

  • Professional services staff on fixed-term contracts
  • Academic staff on fixed term contracts
  • Hourly paid teaching staff
  • Postgraduate tutors and demonstrators
  • International staff on casual contracts
  • Impacts of casualization on staff on open-ended contracts

Date & venue: Tuesday 4th June 2019, 3pm-5pm, Glamorgan Building, Committee Room 1

Please feel free to just come to parts of the meeting if you can’t make the whole meeting!

UCU Boycott of Senate House (University of London):

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The UCU congress voted last week to boycott Senate House, the administrative centre of the University of London (UoL), because of its treatment of cleaning, catering and security staff and others not directly employed.

It is hoped the move will pressure the university into bringing the predominantly BAME and female staff in-house into direct employment, strengthening their workplace rights and providing the benefits enjoyed by other employees at the institution, such as equal terms on sick pay.

There have been 17 days of strike action since September 2017, when UoL cleaners and security began a campaign to end outsourcing, with calls for a boycott of Senate House beginning in December 2018. More than 180 Senate House events and 35 seminars were relocated, and more than 400 academics and 23 UCU branches have expressed support for the workers.

Read more in the Guardian

Find out how to observe our participation in this boycott

UCU Response to the Augur Review of education funding in England:

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Although focused on England, this review has the potential to seriously affect Universities in Wales because our systems are so entwined.

Responding to the funding review from Philip Augar, the University and College Union (UCU) said that the review had missed an opportunity to explore radical alternatives to the status quo and risked delivering an even worse version of the politically toxic system it was supposed to improve.

UCU head of policy and campaigns, Matt Waddup, said: “The prime minister called the Augar review because the current funding system was so politically toxic. Unfortunately, this review looks like a wasted opportunity to develop radical changes that would make a real difference for students and institutions.”

Read the full response.

Stand up to Trump

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The Stand Up to Trump Coalition, are planning to march in Cardiff on Saturday 1st June at 12PM, venue tba (Hopefully City Hall).

There will be a meeting to discuss details on Thursday 23rd May at 6.30pm in Cathays Community Centre, Cathays Terrace, Cardiff.

There is also a banner making workshop planned for the following Thursday, 30th at the same place and time.

They will be putting on coaches to the national demonstration in London on 4th June, details tba.