Category Archives: General News

The “Transforming Cardiff” cuts and on-going discussions with the University Executive Board

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A UCU Wales official and your local branch lead negotiator, Josh Robinson, met with the VC and senior members of his team to discuss the future change agenda at Cardiff university. It was a very constructive meeting, where the VC assured the campus unions that they were trying very hard to develop a strategy which would allow them to make the necessary changes and at the same time avoid compulsory redundancies. We have agreed to meet again as a group to discuss the paper which is going to university Council on the 11 February.

Hopefully after Council the university will share with the campus unions the content of the paper as it affects all university staff. The UCU official also requested that the VC consider discussing ideas about change processes with the campus unions before a decision is made by council. The campus unions assured him of their ability to maintain confidentiality whilst the ‘ideas phase’ was being developed and agreed by council. He agreed to give this serious consideration for the future and indicated that our commitment to maintaining confidentiality would certainly help him in securing agreement.

If you aren’t aware of our evidence-based case against Transforming Cardiff, then please take the time to watch our video primer.

Do you have experience of shooting and editing short videos?

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If so, we need your help. During the USS Strike we were very lucky to have a small team of committed members willing and able to shoot and edit videos about our campaign.

We do pretty well these days at attracting mainstream news media interest in what we’re doing, but making your own media can be a really powerful tool for all sorts of reasons and we’d like to do more of it.

Number one on our current wish list would be someone interested in shooting and editing a short video piece about the issues faced by casual staff at Cardiff University (we already have people who can help with scripting, presenting, and interviewing if needed).

Please contact ucu@cardiff.ac.uk to find out more and/or express and interest.

Your colleagues need you! (Part II): Nominations for branch exec positions

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In a very real sense the Union is powered by its members, and is only as effective if an active, informed, and engaged membership steps up to fill the voluntary posts which keep our Union going.

The Cardiff branch Executive Committee co-ordinates the work of the branch between general meetings, negotiating with management, planning strategy, and generally keeping the show on the road. And we could use your help!

Nominations for next year’s Branch executive committee are now open. There are a range of officer positions and 10 ordinary member roles which allow you to ease in gently and make a valuable contribution to the Branch however big or small.

Nominees would be taking up the role in October, and time is allowed for the work through our facilities agreement with the University.

Have a word with any current member of the exec if you’d like to know more about what’s involved, and then download your nomination paper.

Nominations close on Weds 13 Feb at 4pm.

New Season of the “Common Room”: Schedule announced

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This semester’s series of the utterly marvellous Common Room sessions – designed to be interactive, challenging and critical spaces for debate and resistance – has been released. All staff and students are welcome, whatever your background, seniority, specialism or contract. Sessions will take place at 1-2pm on Wednesdays to maximise participation outside of teaching hours.

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Please see the flyer for details of each event.

Appeal for volunteer case workers: Your colleagues need YOU!

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All union branches are powered by oodles of “unseen” voluntary work carried out by branch officers and active members. In this very real sense the Union is powered by its members, and is only as effective as its membership is active, informed, and engaged.

Case work is one of the most important, but least appreciated, examples of this invisible Union work. It involves representing and supporting individuals or groups of members experiencing difficulties in their jobs.

The Cardiff UCU Case Work team is always very busy, but it is currently going through a big spike in demand – made even worse by the current (and unnecessary) “Transforming Cardiff” cuts.

  • If you have previously done Case Work at Cardiff or one of your other workplaces, and don’t currently, please consider volunteering again now;
  • If you’ve never done case work but would consider volunteering to help out with this extremely good, and often very rewarding, job please get in touch (ucu@cardiff.ac.uk)

You can find out more on the national UCU site about what case work involves, and how it’s done. If you volunteer, you will not be sent into the field unsupported, and the union has excellent training which prepares you very well.

Cardiff Uni consultation on the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF) Code of Practice

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The University has published a draft REF code of practice which you can read about on the intranet. They have asked staff to send in their views on this draft as part of a consultation exercise.

We encourage you to engage with this process, but Cardiff UCU will also be sending a co-ordinated response on behalf of members. Please send us your thoughts as well as engaging with this as individuals.

Journalism is Not a Crime: NUJ film screening of the documentary “No Stone Unturned” & talk with the film-makers

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Our comrades at the Cardiff Trades Council have asked us to share the following info about (what looks like) a great Alex Gibney documentary about a brutal murder during the Norther Irish troubles screening Thursday 7th Feb, 6.30pm-9.30pm: Rm 0.06, Cardiff JOMEC, Two Central Square (one of the Uni’s “shiny new buildings)

Hosted by the NUJ and Cardiff JOMEC, there’ll be a free screening and a talk with some of the film-makers, who were arrested on trumped-up charges in an attempt to stifle their work. For more info and free tickets see the Eventbrite page.

Uni Travel-to-Work Survey

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The University is currently surveying staff about their travel/commuting routines. In the past responses have helped us to build successful cases for the Season Ticket Loan scheme, the Cycle to Work scheme, Nextbike sponsorship, increases to cycle parking, and more. The more of you who fill it out, the better we’ll be able to argue for policies which make our commuting lives easier.

Stop Trashing Cardiff – The Video

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“Transforming Cardiff” is a cost-cutting restructuring exercise being carried out at Cardiff University. At its core lies the third voluntary severance scheme in under 6 years, and the danger of compulsory redundancies in the future. The Cardiff branch of the University and College Union has declared a Trade Dispute with the University to oppose the threat of compulsory job losses. We also think that the whole cost-cutting exercise is rooted in mismanagement and a poor analysis. Our expert finance group has been looking in detail at the University’s accounts, as well as its case for cutting staff. This video summarises their findings. Continue reading →

Resist Transforming Cardiff – Every Monday 12.30 in Main Building

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Please consider joining us for regular informal lunch-time gatherings (bring your lunch) every Monday in the Foyer/Viriamu Jones Gallery of the University’s main building. We think this is an excellent opportunity to meet colleagues from other schools, to discuss the situation of the University and to generate ideas for a more sustainable future. Continue reading →