There will be a radio phone-in style opportunity to put questions directly to the union’s national leadership before the upcoming Branch Delegate and Higher Education Committee meetings.
The meeting will be held via Twitter Space on Monday 9 January at 7pm. A Twitter account is not required to join the meeting but is required to ask a question.
Happy new year and a big thank-you to everyone who took part in the strike action and who continue to take part in ASOS, working to contract.
With UCEA refusing to make an offer we need to discuss how to get the employers’ bodies to negotiate seriously on pay and conditions and pensions.
We will be holding an extraordinary branch members’ meeting to discuss industrial action and make decisions about the next steps via Zoom on Monday 9 January at 4pm.
At the meeting motions will be put to the members to establish our branch position for the Branch Delegate Meeting on Tuesday 10 January and the Higher Education Committee on Thursday 12 January. It is important that this meeting is quorate, so please attend. Deciding on the next steps is crucial and we need to hear the views of members.
If you have not received instructions on how to join the Zoom meeting, please contact the branch office.
Thank-you to all who have voted. The ballot will close on Friday 21 October, and we hope that we will be able to inform members and employers of the result on Monday 24 October.
We will then hold a members’ meeting to discuss the next steps and establish a branch position for the Branch Delegate Meeting (BDM) on Monday 31 October. The outcomes of the BDM will inform the decisions of a Special Higher Education Committee on Thursday 3 November.
The local branch members’ meeting will be held online via Zoom on Wednesday 26 October at 12pm. If you have not received instructions on how to join the Zoom meeting, please contact the branch office.
We need this meeting to be quorate, so please attend. Deciding on the next steps is crucial and we need to hear the views of members.
Live event with UCU General Secretary Jo Grady at 8:00am on Monday 17 October.
Vote YES by Monday 17 October or forever accept less. If you haven’t already voted, please post now to ensure your ballot is delivered on time.
We have just five days left to get our votes in the post.
Five days to win a proper pay rise.
Five days to take back our pensions.
Five days to gain job security.
Five days to wipe the smile off the face of every vice-chancellor in the UK.
Now it all comes down to us.
How has the semester shaped up so far? Are any issues emerging – covid, ERP, PDR, timetabling, workload, student support, or even just finding somewhere to buy a coffee?
The local UCU branch will be hosting an open online meeting to discuss at 12:30pm on Wednesday 12 October.
This is a chance for all staff to talk to UCU reps about working at Heriot-Watt University.
The meeting is open to members and non-members and the Zoom link for meeting can be found on the Watt Could be Better? newsbeat article on the staff intranet at (HWU login required).
HWUCU oppose the use of metrics. We have not agreed to the use of metrics for research, or in connection with a performance review tool which is known variously as People Enabler, Succession Planner, or Talent Review.
Please contact the branch office if your line manager or anyone from HR contacts you about this.
We are currently setting up a working group about systems, processes and workflows. If you are interested in joining this group, please email me at m.winters@hw.ac.uk.
Watch this event live on YouTube at 7.30pm on 6 October 2022.
We cannot simply rely on vice chancellors doing what is right, we must also show them our power. And we can only do that by delivering a strong YES vote in this ballot.
If you haven’t voted and posted your ballot paper yet, please do so as soon as possible and let us know.
If you haven’t received a ballot paper or have lost it, request a replacement here.
We know that some of you still have concerns about voting YES in this ballot. That is why our general secretary Jo Grady last night answered your difficult questions about the ballot in a UCU Live Q&A session which you can replay here.
We are now officially halfway through our higher education ballot window but we cannot afford to take our foot off the gas now. If you have already voted or need a replacement ballot please let us know now.
Winning this ballot is the only way that we can bring your employers back to the negotiating table, the only way that we can improve your working conditions, and the only way that we can fix the injustices of the higher education sector.
The annual HWUCU branch BBQ will be returning Thursday 15 September from 2:00pm in the grounds of the Chaplaincy, weather permitting. Please save the date.
We are doing the organising and we will be cooking up burgers and sausages to suit all tastes on meat and non-meat grills. Vegan and vegetarian options will be provided and you can bring your own food if you have special dietary requirements. All you need to do is show up with some salad, and whatever you drink – this is a BYOB event. Plates, cutlery, and glasses will be provided.
It will be a great opportunity for members to meet new people and recreate the atmosphere of the picket line, but union talk is not required.
Families, friends, pets, and potential new members all most welcome.
From 6.00pm Jo Grady will be inviting members who’ve been lucky enough to already receive their ballots to tell us why they have voted early and voted YES