I am not able to check email today as members of Cardiff UCU are taking industrial action, along with members at 150 other universities, over attacks on pay, working conditions, and pensions. Members of Cardiff UCU will be on strike on 24, 25 and 30 November. Please do not email on these days as I will not be able to respond to emails sent to me on strike days on my return. If you would like more information about the dispute, please go to www.cardiffucu.org.uk. If you are a student, please do contact v-c@cardiff.ac.uk to find out what steps the Vice-Chancellor is taking to avoid a dispute.
Nid wyf yn gallu agor fy e-bost heddiw gan fod aelodau UCU Caerdydd yn ymgymryd â gweithredu diwydiannol, ynghyd â 150 o brifysgolion eraill, o achos ymosodiadau ar gyflog, amodau gwaith, a phensiynau. Bydd aelodau UCU Caerdydd ar streic ar 24, 25 a 30 Tachwedd. Peidiwch ag e-bostio yn ystod y dyddiau hyn os gwelwch yn dda gan na fydd modd i mi ymateb i’r e-byst sydd wedi eu gyrru i mi ar ddiwrnodau’r streic pan fyddaf yn dychwelyd. Os hoffech fwy o wybodaeth am yr anghydfod, ewch i www.cardiffucu.org.uk os gwelwch yn dda. Os ydych yn fyfyriwr/aig, mae croeso i chi gysylltu â v-c@cardiff.ac.uk er mwyn darganfod pa gamau sy’n cael eu cymryd gan yr Is-ganghellor er mwyn osgoi’r anghydfod.
Cardiff University Students’ Union vote on support for industrial action
Branch meetings for ARPS members
General Members’ Meeting motion on module evaluation scores passed
University Research Culture Survey and Target Operating Model Feedback
Mechanical Ventilation of teaching spaces/offices/ meeting rooms
Branch News & Updates
Ballot outcomes and next steps in the dispute
As you will likely have already seen, the aggregated ballots produced a high national turnout (58% for the pay and conditions dispute, 60% for the USS dispute) and strong yes votes for action. UCU is the first education union to win a mandate in a nationally aggregated ballot since the introduction of the anti-trade union turnout threshold introduced in 2016.
We don’t have the disaggregated figures for the turnout at individual branches, but our own record keeping suggests that we very likely exceeded the 50% turnout threshold and made a strong contribution to the national mandate. Thank you to everyone who voted, and everyone who worked so hard knocking on doors, ordering replacement ballots, and checking in with colleagues.
The national Higher Education Committee (HEC) met on Thursday evening (3rd November) to decide what action should be taken in respect of the ballot mandates obtained. Three days of strikes have been called for this month:
Thursday 24th November
Friday 25th November
Wednesday 30th November
Action short of strike (ASOS) starts from the 23rd November. As part of ASOS, UCU is asking members to:
work to contract (meaning that you only fulfil the duties explicitly expressed in your contract)
not undertake voluntary activities
not cover for absent colleagues
refuse to reschedule classes missed due to industrial action
remove materials for classes that would have taken place on strike days from online learning platforms.
There will be an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) on Thursday 17th of November at 13:00 so that we can collectively discuss the local character of the action that we will be taking. Please look out for specific communications about the action over the next few weeks.
Cardiff University Students’ Union vote on support for industrial action
The Cardiff University Students’ Union Annual General Meeting (AGM) is on 24th November from 5:30PM to 9PM. There will be a vote on a motion to support UCU’s industrial action. Support from our local students’ union will help our cause as we take action later in the month. We encourage our PGR members to engage with the AGM and to vote on the motion to support our action.
Branch meetings for Academic-Related Professional Services members
To better engage with the things that are important to Academic-Related Professional Services (ARPS) members, the branch is holding a series of one hour lunchtime and late afternoon meetings, two in person and one online. We want to obtain your views on:
the primary issues facing ARPS staff,
the priorities Cardiff UCU branch should be focusing on in relation to the university’s Professional Services.
how UCU locally and nationally can better represent ARPS staff.
Wednesday 23rd November 13:10 – 14:00hrs Heath campus: Main Hospital Seminar Room B.
Wednesday 30th November 13:10 – 14:00hrs Cathays campus: Glamorgan Building Room 0.81
In the next few years Professional Services staff are highly likely to see changes in many ways we work and are managed, the way our career development is supported and how our performance is evaluated. Cardiff UCU wants to know how you would like us to represent you.
We look forward to seeing you at one of these three events and thank you in advance for giving us your views. This is your opportunity to directly meet members of the branch executive.
General Members’ Meeting motion on module evaluation scores passed
At the recent members’ meeting, a motion on “Numerical targets for student module evaluations” was passed. The full wording of the motion is available on the branch website. The motion notes many of the issues with numerical targets on module evaluations, especially the ways in which responses can be biased against certain members of staff (e.g., women, people of colour). There have to be better, fairer ways for staff to be able to advertise the strengths of their teaching. We will be raising the motion in our next negotiation meeting with senior management. We will let you know what the University’s response is when we have it.
University Research Culture Survey and Target Operating Model Feedback
The University is currently running two sets of consultations. One is about research culture, and one is about a ‘target operating model’ (TOM) for the University (i.e, changes to working practices for professional services). It might seem that the former is targeted at staff in academic roles and the latter targeted at staff in professional services, both are open to all staff and we encourage all members to respond to them. It is easy (and sometimes very much appropriate) to be sceptical of these ‘consultation’ exercises. Nevertheless, if staff don’t tell their stories, then it’s a license to the University to come up with its own.
The Research Culture Survey is an online form that is open until the 30th of November.
Sandy Gould, one of the Branch Executive Committee members, attended the ‘listening session’ in Mackenzie house on the 27th of October and had this to report to members:
“It was an interesting morning. Staff are, as you would expect, extremely knowledgeable about the barriers they face in trying to get their jobs done. All the staff in the sessions I attended spoke with alacrity about their roles and where the University needs to focus its attention. For my part, I thought it was noteworthy that the University had chosen to start this process with senior university managers, and not staff at the sharp end who are often left to carry the can for decisions taken by senior managers. Whether what was said during the listening sessions is actually heard remains to be seen.”
Cardiff UCU has not been consulted on the development of a TOM. On the 26th of October, we wrote to the University’s Chief Operating Officer to ask when we could expect the University to honour its commitment under the recognition agreement that sets out how the University and campus unions interact with one another. We have not yet received a response.
Mechanical ventilation of teaching spaces/offices/meeting rooms
As a consequence of your local branch raising our concerns the systems will continue to use fresh air only until that assurance can be given.
Should members have any concerns over ventilation in any of the rooms that they use then please contact the UCU office.
Events, solidarity and wider campaigns
Cardiff Climate Justice Coalition Protest
Saturday 12 November, 12 noon, Cardiff. More information will be published shortly. Part of global day of action coinciding with the latest round of international climate talks.
Global temperatures, rising. Energy bills, rising. Billionaire profits, rising: To stop this crisis we need action that cuts carbon, tackles inequality and ends the injustices baked into our world.
Stonewall record of support on trans rights
Stonewall are running a “handraiser” campaign in support of trans rights. It’s a little bit like a petition, and you can opt-in to receive more updates from Stonewall. You can sign the record of support at Stonewall’s webform.
People and Planet campaign to defund border industry success at CardiffMet
CardiffMet has become the first university in the UK to divest from the border industry. The border industry supplies the tools and means for upholding unjust border policies. CardiffMet’s most recent ethical investment and banking policy promises to “screen out border industry companies”.
Welcome to this October 2022 newsletter. We will be sending you a newsletter at the start of every month with updates from the branch, with occasional emails in between if we have anything urgent to communicate with members. You can also follow our branch on media platforms (fb and twitter – links).
In this newsletter you can read about:
Branch president’s message for the new semester
Industrial action – please vote!
Correspondence over summer agreement
Academic Related Professional Services – New Rep
PrideCymru and the trans* solidary group
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Priorities Survey
As we start the 2022-23 academic year, I want to start by thanking everyone for their contributions to the branch last academic year. It was another year full of challenges and I have continued to be impressed at how the branch comes together in the face of these. I think we should all be proud of what we achieved together (see more information about some of these below).
We have an important year ahead with the current ballots, the ongoing work of our anti-casualisation, workload and Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity (EDI) working groups, as well as new initiatives (more information about some of these below). This also looks set to be an important year for the Trade Union movement more broadly, with increased strikes across a number of unions as well as increased cross-union activities, which are vital particularly in the current climate of increased attacks on pay and conditions and the cost of living crisis. As always, please get in touch if you would like to get more involved with our branch activities.
I also wanted to update you that I am due to be on maternity leave from 12th October till 12th April and will therefore have reduced involvement in the branch during this period. Vice Presidents Joey Whitfield and Andy Buerki, along with Renata Medeiros Mirra as branch Chair, will cover my duties in my absence. A full list of the 2022-23 Executive Committee is available on the branch website. I look forward to continuing in my role where possible!
In solidarity,
Lucy Riglin Cardiff UCU Branch President
Industrial action
Members are currently being balloted for industrial action, including strike action. You should have received your ballot by post. If you have not, please contact your local rep, or email the branch office. A replacement ballot can then be arranged for you.
In this aggregated ballot, UCU is relying on large branches with significant organising capacity to get over the 50% threshold nationally. It’s imperative that as a branch we reach 50% – ideally significantly higher – to help make up for smaller branches with lower density where organising is harder.
So far, we know that 39% of eligible Cardiff UCU members have voted. We’re on track, but still have some way to go. You can help getting us there by reminding your colleagues to vote and adding a banner to your email signature to make the campaign more visible. If you have already voted, please let us know, either by letting your local rep or the branch office know or by filling in the reporting form. Knowing which members have already voted really lets us focus our door knocking and other ‘get the vote out’ activities.
During previous negotiations with university management, we urged the VC to use his position with UUK and UCEA to prevent further action and we hope he will do so, even though we did not receive the unequivocal commitment we hoped for. Members supporting ballots (however they vote) is a strong signal to management that the branch membership is engaged and paying attention.
Earlier this year, we avoided a marking boycott because our strong mandate for action brought our VC to the negotiating table and we were able to secure some important local demands, such as UCU’s involvement in the work for the new workload model.
However, we were very clear to state that we would continue the fight for better working conditions and fair pay. Our pay this year is going to be at least 7% below inflation after already falling 25% behind in real terms over the last decade. Our pensions have been cut tremendously – cuts which have subsequently proved to be unnecessary. Universities are too slow and too slippery when it comes to giving the most precarious staff the stability that they deserve.
Please do vote – if not now, then when?
On Wednesday 12th October, we have a branch General Meeting, where members can bring any questions about the ballot and the industrial action. Please save the date. Papers for the meeting will be sent very soon.
Correspondence over summer agreement
The branch came very close to launching a marking boycott. After negotiations with management, an agreement was put to members. Members responded favourably to the agreement, and the boycott was called off. The branch wants to make sure that that University is keeping up its end of the agreement, and wrote to the Vice-Chancellor over the summer to find out which actions the University had taken toward fulfilling the agreement. We have received a response from the Vice-Chancellor, which included the University’s letter to UCEA over pay. The branch will continue to seek updates from the University for members on its progress in completing ongoing work in aid of the agreement.
Academic Related Professional Services (ARPS)
Graham Getheridge has recently taken on the role of ARPS rep. Here is Graham’s introduction:
Dear UCU members,
My name is Graham Getheridge and I have taken on the role of Academic Related Professional Services (ARPS) Representative for the Cardiff University Branch.
I am based in the College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences and am involved with supporting students and staff with matters concerning student employability and work experience.
I have been working at Cardiff University for 10 years and have been serving on the executive committee for over 12 months. During this brief time I have been surprised by the amount of activities at branch and national level that involves roles undertaken by professional services staff.
Additionally, I have become aware of many existing professional services staff who do not engage with the union for one reason or another. I also feel we have the potential to attract new members to the union from the professional services community at Cardiff University.
It has been a difficult few years for many of us due to the pandemic and for many the return to campus can feel very daunting.
It is for this reason that the branch will be putting on a number of remote and face to face discussion events throughout the University during the new academic year. The aim will be to engage with ARPS staff and listen to what they want from their union and how they want their branch to represent them.
If you wish to know more about what UCU is doing nationally for ARPS members, please visit the national website here.
I look forward to meeting existing and new members in the months ahead at one of our ARPS events. Please look out for emails and newsletters for more details.
Wishing everyone well for the new academic year.
Graham Getheridge
UCU Cardiff Branch: ARPS Representative
If you are ARPS staff and have a question for Graham, have something you want to report, or are wondering how you might be able to encourage your colleagues to join the union, please do contact Graham.
Pride Cymru and the trans* solidarity group
Over the 27th and 28th of August, several members of Cardiff UCU joined the Pride Cymru march through Cardiff. We were proud to be represented in the march and be able to walk with our branch banner. We hope we can go with even more members next year, when Pride Cymru will move to the 17th and 18th of June. Thank you to Matthew Keenan (https://instagram.com/matthewkeenanphotographer) for taking and letting us share this fantastic photos.
It’s also the time of the year when many new staff and students are joining the University. The trans* solidarity group has been working hard on welcome posters, so let folks know that we’re happy they are part of our community. The solidarity group has invited everyone to print off these posters for display; if you’d like to do so, please download the full resolution images so that the print-outs do them justice!
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Priorities Survey
Depending on how much detail you want to provide, the survey should take around 5-10 minutes to fill in. Feel free to share with other colleagues who work for Cardiff University (the survey is open to everyone, not just to UCU members).
Please engage with it so that we can represent you better. If you would like to get involved in our EDI working group, please contact ucu@cardiff.ac.uk and we will get in touch.
Events, solidarity and wider campaigns
Wales Organising Network
The UCU Wales office will begin holding organising network meetings later this year. These meetings will be an opportunity for UCU reps, members with an interest in organising, and members currently running campaigns on their worksites to come together to discuss current campaigns and share best practices.
Organising reps will be invited to these events as a matter of course; if you would like to attend but do not currently hold a position as an organising rep, please email kjacobson@ucu.org.uk to be added to the distribution list.
Support industrial action
Workers in many sectors have already voted to take industrial action. Many others are being balloted. The Communication Workers’ Union, always strong supporters of UCU action, are taking further strike action over the coming weeks. Royal Mail members will strike on the 30th September and 1st of October. Perhaps consider putting a post in your window to show support for your postie? CWU members will also be striking for four days during October.
Legal action against strike-breaking legislation
The government will attempt to pass legislation that allows agency workers to break strikes. Eleven unions have launched legal action against this attempt to break legitimate strikes. The right to strike is an fundamental one; unions must resist government attempts to legislate in ways that make it all but impossible to do so.
As we start the 2022-23 academic year, I want to start by thanking everyone for their contributions to the branch last academic year. It was another year full of challenges and I have continued to be impressed at how the branch comes together in the face of these. I think we should all be proud of what we achieved together (see more information about some of these below).
We have an important year ahead with the current ballots, the ongoing work of our anti-casualisation, workload and Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity (EDI) working groups, as well as new initiatives (more information about some of these below). This also looks set to be an important year for the Trade Union movement more broadly, with increased strikes across a number of unions as well as increased cross-union activities, which are vital particularly in the current climate of increased attacks on pay and conditions and the cost of living crisis. As always, please get in touch if you would like to get more involved with our branch activities.
I also wanted to update you that I am due to be on maternity leave from 12th October till 12th April and will therefore have reduced involvement in the branch during this period. Vice Presidents Joey Whitfield and Andy Buerki, along with Renata Medeiros Mirra as branch Chair, will cover my duties in my absence. A full list of the 2022-23 Executive Committee is available on the branch website. I look forward to continuing in my role where possible!
We are conducting two surveys on the following areas concerning Academic Related Professional Services (ARPS) staff in UCU:
Better ways of working (BWOW)
Financial Services Unit (FSU) restructure
Better ways of working :
This survey covers the latest development around hybrid working relating to academic related professional services staff only. UCU Cardiff exec are seeking to gain a deeper understanding around how BWOW is affecting our membership. All information will be held within data protection guidelines and anonymised.
Better Ways of Working aims to achieve more flexibility for all Professional Services staff in the way that we work and where work takes place, through a smart working approach that balances the needs of the University, teams and staff.
The programme aims to facilitate a safe and structured return to campus for Professional Services teams, taking into consideration government guidelines. It will also enable us to be more flexible about where we work, preserving the wellbeing and productivity benefits that off-campus working can bring, and that many staff have enjoyed over the last year.
Along with the other trade unions at Cardiff University, UCU have been attending meetings with the implementation team and are happy with the manner in which the consultation has been handled by management. However, as we near the time when the full effects of BWOW are felt we would like to survey our ARPS membership before the next union consultation meeting in order to feedback their views.
Individual responses to this survey will not be shared, all data will be generalised to avoid individual identification.
FSU: for ARPS staff within Financial Services only.
Historically, operational finance services have been carried out across the University in a variety of ways with differing processes; team structures; systems and levels of complexity. This resulted in a challenging system landscape; with many ways of delivering a process with complex or multiple hand offs, duplication of work and for many staff and teams this presented challenges around resilience; professional training, support, and career development. It was recognised that there were areas of best practice across the University, but these were difficult to identify; maximise and replicate across the finance division.
Against the above backdrop, an informed case for change was clearly articulated by both customers and stakeholders of Finance. Reviews of the service offering concluded that the overall transactional service operates in a complex landscape which led to inefficiencies, with many ways of delivering a single task. This was further magnified by aged processes and systems that were inflexible and suboptimal in meeting the needs of the university. As such finance was seen as a burden with a compliance focus rather than a service delivery and enablement focus underpinned by a strong financial understanding and control framework.
During the past 12 months Financial Services have undergone a consultation and restructuring project to bring together individuals from across the University who undertook operational finance activities independently, this process is near to concluding.
UCU alongside the other Cardiff University unions have attended a series of meetings with the implementation team, therefore, we would like to consult our members who are directly affected by these changes on how these have affected you. Please state the positive as well as any not so positive impacts and concerns you have as a result of any of the changes.
Unless requested within the survey, we will put comments, views and any concerns forward to the implementation team in an anonymised format.
The following statement has been jointly released on the 27th May 2022. The statement was a condition of Cardiff UCU standing down further ASOS. Branch negotiators got advice from the Branch Executive Committee, the Cardiff University USS Actuarial Valuation Technical Group, and Head Office before agreeing the statement.
We will now request that Head Office remove the current notice of ASOS. In the meantime, we urge members to respect the democratic decision of the branch to stop ASOS once the statement was agreed.
Cardiff University and the local branch of UCU (Cardiff UCU) have worked in partnership to agree a joint statement relating to the current USS dispute. This follows a constructive dialogue at a local level between Cardiff University and Cardiff UCU.
We acknowledge that changes to the accrual of pension benefits over recent years have made USS a less attractive pension. These changes have affected different member groups disproportionately, but all members will have suffered some detriment. At the same time current levels of USS benefits and contributions pose a challenge to both employers and employees.
It is regrettable that Members’ trust in the governance and valuation methods of USS has broken down. We need USS to be a trusted and valuable pension scheme, because it is an important part of Cardiff University’s employment terms and conditions. Cardiff University is committed to supporting national efforts to deliver this.
Further, the University and Cardiff UCU, working jointly in partnership, call on all parties to:
Recognise that the USS Trustee’s approach to the next valuation of the scheme’s assets and liabilities, and to its timing, should be moderately prudent and evidence-based in order to maximise any potential upside.
Ensure that any upside arising from the next valuation should be used to improve member benefits.
Continue to support the principle of a Defined Benefit scheme.
Support JEP recommendations on USS governance to ensure greater stakeholder representation so that members play a more active role in its valuation process including input into matters such as valuation assumptions and strategies relating to investment and funding.
Recognise the importance of conducting and publishing outcomes from Equality Impact Assessments, including sector-wide assessments, on all current and future pension changes to the scheme, and factor them into consideration of any future proposals.
We urge all parties involved to work to rebuild trust through a transparent and evidence-based approach to discussions and communications around the valuation process.
Cardiff University will use its position as a member of UUK to work actively in support of the points set out above and Cardiff UCU will use its position as part of the national union to do likewise.
The branch executive sent the following message to the Vice-Chancellor and other University representatives on the 20th May.
Dear Vice Chancellor,
We are happy to report that our members voted overall favourably towards standing down the marking boycott.
However, only 35% of our members voted in favour of accepting the UEB proposal that requires cancelling all forms of ASOS. The majority of our members were mainly concerned about not having had an opportunity to read the USS statement you are prepared to release.
Taking your commitment to release a meaningful statement in good faith, we should be able to agree such a statement early next week with you and call off all ASOS as soon as the statement is released. This will cause minimal impact on students and is guaranteed not to threaten graduation.
We hope you can appreciate that there are many aspects of your proposal that we are accepting in good faith and in the spirit of trust and we hope that UEB can show similar trust in UCU.
We are very pleased to have reached this outcome in such a short window and to have collectively avoided what would have been a very difficult situation for everyone involved. We are also glad to see this as a good example of what can be achieved when trade unions and management work together for the collective good of the institution.
We will now be instructing our members to not go ahead with the marking boycott.
As mentioned before, we are also keen to be able to stand down ASOS altogether early next week. With this in mind, we suggest a meeting with yourself on one of the following dates in order to agree a joint statement on USS. We will also be inviting members of the Technical Group to this meeting
Monday 23rd May 14-15hrs
Tuesday 24th May 13-15hrs
Wednesday 25th May 12-15hrs
Please let us know by the end of business today which of these times are suitable for you.
Below is a letter sent from the Cardiff University USS Actuarial Valuation Technical Group to Cardiff University. A PDF version of the letter is available.
17/5/2022 To:Cardiff University Cc:Cardiff UCU Sent by email
Dear Damian, Darren and Lisa
Re:USS
Wewouldlike to express our thanks to youfor thecontinuationof theCardiff UniversityUSSActuarial ValuationTechnical Group(henceforth the “TechnicalGroup”).In the meetings leading upto the 2020 valuation, weprovidedour personal view onwhatweconsidered asthebestinterests ofUSS memberswhen matters of valuationwere concerned.Sincetheconclusionofpricing ofbenefits,we understand thatour rolehas becomeprimarilytooffer technical viewson USS based onevidence offinance and economicsas well asthat ofgovernance of pension schemes.Itisin theinterests ofbothCardiff Universityand Cardiff UCU to meet to discuss issues onfor examplepension benefits andaffordability.
WehopethattheTechnicalGroup can continuetoprovide usefulinformationtoall USS membersworking at Cardiff Universityand to university management. To this end, we would like to publishthe Group’s viewson USSinthepublic domain. We sincerely hope thattransparentinformationwill facilitate constructive meetings between Cardiff University and Cardiff UCU.
Wenote that theTechnicalGroup’s viewmayhavebeen considered by Cardiff University in itsresponse to the USS’srecentconsultationon theStatement of Investment Principles. The summaryof our view can be found in Appendix A.
In addition to the Statement ofInvestment Principles, we also would like to ask Cardiff University, potentially in conjunction withCardiff UCU, to follow the precedent of our GW4 peers,Oxford,Cambridge, Imperial College and otherinstitutions andconsider making astatement regarding USS’s2020 valuation.Astarting point for such a statementcan be found in Appendix B.
As explained above,we would like to put thecontents of AppendicesA and B inthepublicdomain.
Yours sincerely,
Members of Technical Group Dave Atkins Simon Rushton Frank Sengpiel Woon Wong
Appendix A:On Statementof Investment Principles
We share the concerns expressed in the Joint Letter signed by the VCs of universities ofCambridge, Oxford,Imperial CollegeLondon, the summary of which is provided below1
There is an undue focus on the “gap to self–sufficiency risk metric”, which appears to bedriving the investment strategy
The level and type of leverage proposed would import significant risks into the scheme
The timing of any increase in LDI (inflation–linked bond purchases) is poor and out of step with the work to review aspects of the USS Scheme
In particular, we think the USS’s proposed increase in LDI by leverage
contradictswith its own view on de–risking at low interest rates
goes against its repeated assurance to stakeholders that self–sufficiency is a concept applicable only to valuation and will not be implemented as an investment strategy
contradicts with the view held by the Joint Expert Panel (JEP), Valuation Methodology Discussion Forum (VMDF), the UUK actuary, the UCU actuary, and the Joint Letter
Appendix B:Call on USS
We call on USS for a new valuation that is moderately prudence and evidence based. We alsocall onUSS to carry out a review of its governance so that academics can play a more active role in itsvaluationincluding matterssuch asvaluation assumptions, and investment and funding strategies.
We believe that the recent benefit reformsbroughtby 2020 valuationareunnecessary.The deficit is caused by excessive prudence and failure toconsider thepost–valuation experiencewhich haswitnessedthescheme assetrisestoa levelthat ismore than sufficient toprudentlypay for promised pensions.
The letter below was sent to the Vice-Chancellor on the 17th May 2022. There is a PDF version available too.
17th May 2022
Dear Vice-Chancellor,
We are writing ahead of the marking boycott called by UCU due to start on the 23rd May. No member of staff takes industrial action lightly and we are open to negotiating a way to prevent the boycott going ahead – an outcome that would be desirable for all involved.
While the mandate for strike and action short of a strike is national, we have the power as a local branch to stand down the marking boycott aspect of the action short of a strike, if UEB can agree to a minimum set of requirements. In this particular dispute, then, it is very much within your power to bring the marking boycott to an end (or indeed prevent it from going ahead in the first place).
Please find below our requests for the USS Pensions and Four-Fights disputes:
USS
Make a public statement (with UCU Cardiff) calling for the protection of our pensions (joining institutions like Cambridge, Oxford, Bristol, KCL, Bath, Birkbeck, Glasgow & Imperial, amongst others)
Pay in the Deficit Recovery Contributions into members’ pensions
Four-Fights
Write to UCEA to urge them to accept UCU’s national demands
Commit publicly to publish detailed information for ethnic, gender and disability pay gap and to work with the unions meaningfully in addressing inequality, including looking at recruitment, career development, and career progression issues and addressing the demands in our recent child-care claim during the 2022/23 academic year.
Commit publicly to agree with the unions a framework to address workload by June 2023
Commit publicly to implement contracts for PGAs, reduce the remit for the use of variable hour contracts, and improve conditions for staff in those contracts, as negotiated as part of the Teaching Delivery Governance Group.
Commit publicly to end the use of relevant factors in open-ended contracts and work with the unions to guarantee secure employment to research staff.
Offer a bonus of £250 per month to all workers during the 2022/23 academic year in compensation for the pay deflation our salaries have suffered and considering the increasing inflation.
Cardiff UCU Branch has established a local fund to help those suffering particular financial hardship due to loss of pay arising from UCU industrial action.
“Particular hardship” means that the member is low-paid (such as on a small fractional contract or hourly paid equivalent) and/or that the action disproportionately affects them (for example, a strike is on the only day(s) that they work or covers the majority of their hours).
While the loss of income through striking affects everyone, those who are already in very financially insecure situations are the worst hit, and these people will be prioritised – e.g. hourly-paid workers; postgraduates who teach/demonstrate.
The Cardiff UCU Hardship Fund is designed as a safety net for local members and is intended to augment the UCU National Hardship Fund by allowing members to claim towards loss of income for the first one or two days of action which the National Fund does not cover, or in cases where it is not applicable (deductions of less than 100% for ASOS).
Please be aware that the local fighting fund is a limited pot of money – for which we are already fundraising and will continue to fundraise throughout the action – and we cannot guarantee to reimburse you for the full amount that you have lost.
If you wish to donate to the fund you can do so by direct bank transfer, or set up a regular standing order, to:
The Cardiff UCU hardship fund applies to the first one or two days of strike action taken by the member (i.e. your first one or two days – this might not be the first days of the action). The National UCU hardship fund will cover the remaining days.
Where the National Fund does not cover the action (e.g. <100% pay deductions), the Local Fund will aim to cover each lost day of pay as per the limits above, e.g. if the University deducts 20%, we will aim to pay £50/£75 1 day per week to members taking action.
Applications from members on all pay grades will be considered although priority will be given to:
those who are casually employed or on part-time contracts;
those on lower grades (Grade 6 or lower)
If you are a PGR who teaches, make sure that you have upgraded from “student” to “standard free” membership. It only takes a minute, and is still FREE while you’re studying. You can update your membership online.
Members who continue to suffer disproportionate hardship are eligible to submit further applications to the Cardiff UCU Hardship Fund although we reserve the right to seek information on support received from the National Fighting Fund and we may ask you for additional evidence of hardship.
Evidence
Where staff are paid on a regular monthly basis and the strike pay is indicated as a loss on the pay slip, this will be the evidence required.
Where staff are paid on an hourly basis and claims are made through monthly time sheets submitted to cover the hours worked, the time sheets that have been submitted during the boycott / strike period, a payslip for the period and a timetable or email showing that they were scheduled to teach / mark will be the evidence required.
If you have difficulties evidencing action or would like advice on making a claim for additional funds please contact hardshipfund@cardiffucu.onmicrosoft.com to speak to a Cardiff UCU Branch Officer.
Please note that PhD funding is not affected by your decision to take action.
How to Apply to the Cardiff UCU Hardship Fund
Ensure you read and familiarise yourself with the eligibility requirements and terms and conditions set out below.
Your application will be reviewed by an Assessment Panel convened specifically for the purpose of assessing applications to the Cardiff UCU Hardship Fund.
If approved, funds will be made by bank transfer to the account stated in the application.
We aim to process all applications within the dates given above.
To be eligible to make a claim against the Fund, you must meet the following criteria:
Be a current and fully paid up member of the UCU.
Be paying the correct subscription rate.
Have taken part in the industrial action called by the Union.
To have been deducted pay from the University on each day of action in which you have participated.
Be able to supply a PDF or scanned copy, of your pay slip(s) showing the gross amount of pay deducted in respect of each day’s participation in the action, or other evidence showing loss such as that stated below.
Members unable to demonstrate loss of pay from relevant payslips can include: your teaching timetable; letters/emails from the School confirming your teaching times or other documentation confirming appointment and the time sheets submitted to your School for the period of the action.
Claims not accompanied by payslip(s) showing the deductions or other supporting documentation will be rejected.
A claim arising from this dispute will only be paid if it is received within 3 months after the date of loss of pay.
No claim can be met for members who are in arrears of subscriptions or for those who are not paying the correct level of subscription based on their earnings.
If you have selected “yes” to the special circumstances button on the claim form we may ask you for additional evidence.
Please ensure that you enter correctly all the bank details as we may not be able to recover any payments sent to an incorrect bank account and, if that occurs, we regret it may not be possible to make a further payment from the Fund to recompense for the mis-directed payment.
Terms and Conditions
In no case will payments from combined applications to UCU accredited funds be made in excess of your actual total loss of income. The pro-rata principle will be applied where appropriate for part-time staff.
Member who continue to suffer disproportionate hardship are eligible to submit further applications to the Cardiff UCU Hardship Fund although we reserve the right to seek information on support received from the National Fighting Fund and we may ask you for additional evidence of hardship.
All claims are at the discretion of the Cardiff UCU Hardship Fund Assessment Panel. The Panel reserves the right not to meet a claim if it is not satisfied about the eligibility of the claimant, the details of the claim itself or the supporting evidence.
As the fund is finite there may be a cap placed on payments. We reserve the right to withhold decisions relating to claims from staff at higher grades until the full extent of applications received has been assessed.
