Branch News

18th February 2025

Cardiff UCU statement calling on the LSW to suspend the fellowships of Profs Larner and Walford Davies

Prof Wendy Larner, the Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University, and her deputy, Prof Damian Walford Davies have put forward proposals to cut 400 academic staff across Cardiff University and completely close research and degree courses in 5 disciplines, including Music, Modern Languages, Nursing, Ancient History and Religion and Theology.

While HE finances are under immense pressure, Cardiff UCU are clear that these cuts are unnecessarily brutal. The proposals are already having a catastrophic effect on the reputation of the institution and of wider Wales as a place of learning, while applications to study these subjects at Cardiff are evaporating. Cardiff UCU call on the Learned Society of Wales to immediately suspend the Fellowships of Profs Larner and Walford Davies – if the society genuinely upholds the pursuit of knowledge in Wales and is committed to addressing challenges both locally and globally, it cannot, in good conscience, include among its fellows those who have revealed themselves to be the foremost adversaries of learning in Wales. 

July 2024 Newsletter

  • University changes and lack of consultation 
  • Health and Safety inspection on work-related stress 
  • Workload Rep Training available
  • Deferral of Launch of Academic Promotions Round for 2024/25 
  • Subscription rates for 2024-25 

March 2024 Newsletter

  • Three dystopian futures – The Big Conversation/Y Sgwrs Fawr
  • Stealth restructures?
  • Update on negotiation on relevant factors –improving contracts for people on precarious contracts
  • Info & meeting about grading Info on freedom of speech regarding Palestine
  • Anti Racism March Sunday 17th March
  • Graduate Tutor/Demonstrator contracts – info and survey
  • Resource on bullying and harassment
  • Letter on fossil fuels
  • UCU worker’s café – AI Discussion
  • Open Democracy article on money poured into UK universities
  • Anti-Casualisation – Cardiff unimpressive in new UCU ranking on working conditions for researchers 
  • And in case you missed it, Cardiff University fixing apparent recruitment problems with new font and shade of red

February 2024 Newsletter

  • Call for General Meeting 
  • Update on the last General Meeting 
  • Update on The Big Conversation / Y Sgwrs Fawr – Unions meeting with the VC 
  • UCU Campaign for University Democracy – last chance to vote in the ballot 
  • Affiliation to Trades Council 
  • Solidarity & Events including local hustings for candidates in the ongoing UCU elections 

November 2023 Newsletter

  • Our participation in Y Sgwrs Fawr – The Big Conversation
  • Help us tackle precarity – Members meeting on ‘relevant factors’ – 1pm Tue 21 Nov
  • Workload and wellbeing
  •  Reply from Jane Bryant MS to our request for an Enquiry into HE in Wales.
  • Academic Related and Professional Services (ARPS) Staff 
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) 
  • Solidarity with Palestine 

October 2023 Newsletter

  • Upcoming General Meetings
  • University governance campaign – please vote
  • Callout for members to respond to the consultation on USS pensions scheme
  • Callout on collective and individual grievances
  • Get the vote out campaign
  • Llanelli Unites Community Fun Day on Sunday

18th September Strike Update

  • Welcome week Strike called off – What now?
  • Fighting fund
  • Reballot

September 2023 Newsletter

  • Welcome and reflections 
  • PGR contracts 
  • Get The Vote Out – a new ballot 
  • USS Pensions consultation 
  • Get involved with Cardiff UCU 
  • Workload Reps Training

July 7th 2023 MAB Update

  • Graduation week strike 17-21 July
  • Update on our dispute – the MAB and upcoming negotiations
  • Communicating about the MAB with students
  • Support student-led petition for fee refunds
  • Solidarity Badge making + The Alternative Graduation Party
  • Next MAB Solidarity Meetings
  • MAB Whatsapp Group

June 23rd 2023 MAB Update

  • Update from meeting with VC and communications from UEB
  • Upcoming Strike Days
  • Banner-Making Workshop – Wednesday 28 June at 5pm

June 15th 2023 MAB Update

  • Erosion of academic standards during the MAB
  • Boycotting exam boards
  • Attending exam boards to uphold standards
  • Contributing to the local fighting fund

May 25th 2023 MAB Update

  • MAB survey
  • Branch fighting fund GoFundMe
  • Don’t make it easier for our employer to make deductions!

May 17th 2023 MAB Update

  • Contributing to the local fighting fund
  • Participating in the boycott
  • Solidarity meeting for Welsh speakers on Friday at midday
  • MAB Solidarity Meetings

March 2023 Newsletter

  • Industrial action
  • Workload
  • Challenging sexual harassment and sexual violence workshop
  • Dim diolch – submissions to University ‘Diolch’ initiative vetoed
  • February Town Hall Meeting
  • CO2 monitoring in buildings
  • Branch fundraising

January 2023 Newsletter

  • Industrial action
  • Letter to the Vice-Chancellor about industrial action
  • Challenging sexual harassment in the workplace
  • New working group – Environmental Sustainability – please join working groups!
  • Cardiff UCU Equality, Diversity and Inclusion survey – closing 31st Jan
  • Improvements to University Parental leave policy
  • Contribute to the branch – facilities time available!
  • Report from the branch’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) and the UK Delegates General Meeting (DGM)

December 2022 Newsletter

  • Report on our EGM ahead of strike action in November
  • Report on strike action
  • Reporting your strike action
  • Accessing the strike fighting fund
  • Action Short of Strike (ASOS)
  • Cardiff University Students’ Union votes to support UCU strikes
  • Our branch’s commitment with equality and inclusion during the strikes and beyond
  • Workers can win book launch
  • DivestUSS
  • Network to challenge racism – call to participate
  • Diolch initiative – put your reps forward!
  • Protest to save St. David’s Hall

November 2022 Newsletter

  • Ballot outcomes and next steps in disputes
  • 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

October 2022 Newsletter

  • 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
  • Events, Solidarity and Wider Campaigns