Category Archives: News

HWUCU branch membership collectively nominated for the Celebrating our Values in Action Award

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The members of Heriot-Watt UCU have been collectively nominated for the Celebrating our Values in Action Award at the upcoming Celebrating our People Awards.

We didn’t win this time, but there is always next year. Plenty more work to be done in the meantime as we continue the fight to protect our pensions, secure fair pay and employment conditions, manageable workloads, and a safe workplace.

The union’s strength is in its membership and the greater our number, the stronger we are.

Membership is open to staff and students in the UK.

Join UCU and have the strength of the union around you.

Dear Marion Winters

I am delighted to let you know that Heriot-Watt UCU Branch Members has been nominated for the above award as part of our inaugural Celebrating our People Awards.

Here is a short summary about the nomination;

The Heriot-Watt UCU Branch membership are the very embodiment of the HWU Collaborate value. A group of individuals who are working hard in partnership. Members have sacrificed pay [] to take part in industrial action with the purpose of ensuring fair pay and equal treatment, and we fight collectively to keep all employees safe in the face of increasing stress and deteriorating working conditions. Consultation and feedback from branch members helped to prevent compulsory redundancies in the first year of lockdown. Our reps and negotiators have worked hard with the senior leadership team to minimise the threat of covid on campus, and we continue to work with them to put in place suitable hybrid working arrangements post-covid. This is all achieved by members who collectively put themselves forward for the benefit for all.

A judging panel met in May and had the difficult task of shortlisting all the nominations received for this award. The team nomination unfortunately did not meet the shortlist. However, you should be very proud that you were nominated by your colleagues and what you have achieved.

In line with our value Celebrate – my sincerest congratulations! It is only through people like you that Heriot-Watt continues to be a thriving and successful Institution. As the lead name for this nomination, I would appreciate if you could share this with the others in the team.

You will receive a Certificate of thanks for your contribution to Heriot-Watt University, supporting delivery of Strategy 2025 and living our values.

I look forward to your continued support and contribution to the Heriot-Watt community.

With best wishes,

Professor Mark Biggs,
Vice-Principal and Provost and Executive Sponsor of the Celebrating our People Awards

 

Action Short of Strike including Assessment and Marking Boycott to commence from 23 May

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UCU UK have called for Action Short of Strike (ASOS) including an Assessment and Marking Boycott (A+MB) to begin on Monday, 23 May 2022.

A lot of marking will already have been completed by now but there will still be plenty outstanding along with other assessment and marking-related activities such as moderation, boards, and the preparation work for these, both academic and administrative. There is movement in the disputes, and we can make this work if all who are eligible to participate do so. Collective action is the key.

The industrial action will be continuous and all members should undertake any ASOS that is applicable to them. This will not incur salary deduction. Examples of ASOS include:

  • Only working your contracted hours – normally 35 hours per week for a FTE
  • Not volunteering to do more
  • Not covering for absent colleagues
  • Not rescheduling classes and lectures cancelled due to strike action
  • Removing uploaded materials related to, and/or not sharing materials related to, lectures or classes that will be or have been cancelled as a result of strike action

We would also ask all members who can, to participate additionally in the A+MB.

Participating in the A+MB will be considered partial performance by the university and HR have indicated a deduction of 30% per day of participation will be made. This will be calculated as 30% of 1/365th per day of the salary. By way of example: A member at the top of grade 9 will lose £29 for each day they participate.

It is important to note that A+MB is not as straight forward as striking so we have put together some frequently asked questions about the practicalities of the Assessment and Marking Boycott.

If there are any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Annual General Meeting 2022

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This year’s AGM will be held online by Zoom meeting on Wednesday 25 May 2022 at 12:00.

All of our local members should have received an invite by email together with a note of the agenda and the minutes of the 2021 AGM for information. If not, or if you require a reminder, please contact Juergen Munz at Juergen.Munz@hw.ac.uk.

Please note that BSL Interpreting will be provided.

Agenda

  1. Welcome
  2. Attendance and apologies
  3. Minutes of AGM 2021
  4. Report from the committee
  5. Treasurer’s report
  6. Appointment of auditor
  7. Election of Officers and Representatives of the Committee
  8. Disputes
  9. AOB

Join the UCU

We are a strong Branch with well-attended AGMs/EGMs and an active membership and Committee but we can always use more help. To find out more about the work of our local HWUCU branch please check out the rest of this website and our Twitter feed at @UCU_HWUBranch.

If you have a few spare moments and you would like to get more involved please get in touch with one of our school or service reps, or the Membership Officer. Contacts can be found at https://heriotwatt.web.ucu.org.uk/branchcommittee/

If you are not already a member here are 5 Reasons to Join UCU. It only takes 10 minutes and subscriptions start from just £2 per month, so why not join today?

We are looking for Professional Services reps

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As this year’s HWUCU AGM approaches we have 5 vacancies for Professional Services reps and we are looking for members to take up these roles. If you are thinking of getting a bit more involved in the Branch, becoming a School or Professional Services Rep is a great introduction. Full training for all roles is provided through UCU Training.

The AGM will be held on Zoom at 12noon on Wednesday, 25th of May 2022.  The official AGM Convening Notice (including agenda items) will be circulated nearer the time along with details on how to join the meeting.

We also have another 9 roles which are up for confirmation (i.e. marked as ‘acting’) or election/re-election. The current incumbents listed below have confirmed that they wish to be re-elected or confirmed into these roles, however, any HWUCU member is free to stand for any of these roles.

If you wish to stand for any of these positions or wish to be re-elected or confirmed, please contact Juergen Munz at the local branch office for an nomination form. The form should be signed by two nominators and returned by 13 May. Emails of support are also acceptable.

Position Current Incumbent
Secretary Jürgen Munz
Green Rep Ruth Humphreys
Green Rep Daniel Pacey
MACS school rep Hans-Wolfgang Loidl
Health & Safety Officer John Spinks (acting)
Postdoctoral Researchers & Casualised Members Kristina Peterson (acting)
Professional Services rep Anna Clark (acting)
EGIS school rep Sandhya Patidar (acting)
SoSS school rep Colin Garvie (acting)
Professional Services rep vacant
EGIS school rep vacant
EPS school rep vacant
MACS school rep vacant
TEX school rep vacant

We are always looking for additional helpers, too. So, if you don’t want to stand for an official position on the committee you can volunteer to help out with specific tasks e.g., recruitment, strike organising or work on a sub-committee.

If you are interested and wish to help, please get in touch!

Why are our employers paying for a non-existent deficit?

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A recent report by the the USS pension trustee shows assets have soared to over £88bn substantially shrinking the deficit calculated by the 2020 valuation.

The report confirms that the level of contributions required to service the deficit has fallen to 0%. We have asked UUK to revoke the cuts but they say they need a mandate from employers to do so.

Some employers have already joined UCU in calling for a new valuation but so far not @HeriotWatt. As a result, from today members of staff are set to see significant reductions in their retirement income.

If vice-chancellors instead choose to rely on a flawed valuation, conducted in March 2020 whilst markets crashed due to Covid, and use it to slash employee benefits then questions must be asked about why they are ideologically committed to harming their staff, even when doing so harms the university’s own finances. Jo Grady, UCU general secretary

Why @HeriotWatt, we ask?

Please join our call for UUK employers to revoke the cuts by:

  1. using our email tool to send a message to your vice chancellor urging them to instruct UUK to revoke their cuts or simply copy the letter text below and send it to principalsoffice@hw.ac.uk
  2. sign our emergency petition to the chair of the JNC telling her to back a revocation and support UCU’s counter proposals.
  3. Write to your MSPs, constituency and list. The Education, Children and Young People Committee (ECYP) of the Scottish Parliament has the power to call witnesses as part of a committee enquiry into the governance of Scotland’s Universities. Our Principals can be held to account over their claims that UCU pension proposals are unaffordable. Our colleagues at the University of Edinburgh have started a campaign. You can contact our local branch office for a flyer that explains more, and a sample letter template which you can use.

Letter text:

Dear Professor Richard Williams OBE

I am writing and requesting that you urge your representatives Universities UK (UUK) to revoke their cuts to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) in light of the recent USS financial monitoring report, and to instruct USS to implement UCU’s proposals as the most sensible short-term solution ahead of a new valuation.

The strong financial position of the scheme, as reflected in the new FMP, demonstrates that you and other USS institutions will be paying out huge sums of money to redress a deficit that does not exist. Growth in the scheme’s assets of £22bn, soaring from £66.5bn to £88.8bn, has outstripped growth of liabilities, meaning that required deficit recovery contributions now stand at 0%.

If the cuts to guaranteed retirement income in USS come into force on Friday and are not reversed, they will not only entrench deep inequalities in our sector but threaten its future by leading to a mass exodus of staff.

For many of us, a good pension was a saving grace in the face of constant decline in pay and working conditions. Sadly, I was therefore unsurprised that UCU’s recent survey showed 60% of staff planning to leave the sector in the next five years over these cuts to our pensions.

Neither you nor any other institution in USS should be wasting money on a non-existent deficit. By pushing for UCU’s proposals to be tabled and passed — as the best solution while the union and UUK work together to press for a sensible, moderately prudent valuation — you will be protecting the pension of me and my colleagues.

And in helping to stop the devastation of our pensions, you will be protecting the future of your institution and UK higher education more widely.

As a dedicated, hard-working employee, I am already profoundly dejected by the attacks on my pensions and pay. If UUK presses ahead with these cuts after they have been decisively shown to be completely unnecessary, it would be an unforgivable betrayal.

Please do everything in your power to urgently pressure UUK to change course.

Yours sincerely,

Final day for now but the fight continues

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Support our Striking Staff

To mark our last strike day on Friday we finished with particularly colourful picket and a book swap to raise money for our local branch Hardship Fund.

On the picket we have been joined many visitors who came to show their support solidarity. These have included:

  • The Heriot-Watt Student Progressive Society
  • Our BSL colleagues and interpreter Kitty
  • Joanna Cherry QC and MP for Edinburgh South West
  • Richard Leonard MSP
  • Val Walker, Scottish Labour candidate in the Edinburgh City Council Elections
  • Des Loughney, Edinburgh Trade Union Council
  • Vicky Blake, UCU President
  • Lena Wanggren, UCU Scotland President
  • Janet Farrar, UCU President Elect

A big thank-you to you all, and also to the passers-by to stopped to chat and help us with our group photos, and to those of you who have tooted and honked in support.

We raised £109 in cash, with more donations to be made directly into the hardship fund. This has far exceeded our expectations and just to reiterate: please don’t hesitate to claim if you’re struggling financially due to pay deductions for strike action.

Action Short of Strike

For now we continue with Action Short of Strike and no-one should work beyond  35 hrs/week (or part thereof if on a fractional contract), reschedule classes or meetings cancelled due to strike action, cover for absent colleagues, or undertake voluntary tasks. Something which you can do is activate your automatic reply in email, clarifying that you are participating in Action Short of strike. Some examples you can use:

  1. I am participating in industrial action where I work to ‘contract’ (known as action short of a strike or ASOS).  This means that we work only 100% of our allocated working time but not beyond that.  Given that our normal work load expects us to use our goodwill to work excessive hours, this means that my progress and replies to your email might take much longer than either of us would like. If you want to know more about why I participate in ASOS, please see here: UCU – Why we’re taking action
  2. I am taking part in continuous action short of a strike in the form of working to contract as part of UCU’s national industrial action to defend pensions and pay for university staff, and to push back against the widening inequalities across higher education. You can find further information about the disputes here: UCU – Why we’re taking action

Further information which may be of use:

How to say No to extra work

You can politely and professionally decline work/volunteering as part of ASOS or you can send an email stating: ‘I am currently engaged in action short of strike to defend [eg] pay, equalities and pensions which includes working to my contract. All UCU members are advised not to cover for absent colleagues or undertake voluntary activities as part of this action. For this reason I am unable to…’

If your manager raises a concern about this, inform your local branch officers immediately.

Some other initiatives

  • Write to your MSPs, constituency and list. The Education, Children and Young People Committee (ECYP) of the Scottish Parliament has the power to call witnesses as part of a committee enquiry into the governance of Scotland’s Universities. Our Principals can be held to account over their claims that UCU pension proposals are unaffordable. Our colleagues at the University of Edinburgh have started a campaign. You can contact our local branch office for a flyer that explains more, and a sample letter template which you can use.
  • Mass resignation of external examiners

Not in the UCU?

It is never too late to join the UCU. You do not have to be a member of a union to take part in industrial action and had have your voice heard, but it is advisable. Being part of a recognised collective bargaining group comes with benefits and protections.

It only takes a few minutes to join the UCU, it doesn’t cost much, and your subscription will be eligible for tax relief.

 

&

Taps-oan and don’t forget to post your ballot

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Scorchio!!!

Not quite taps-aff in Edinburgh on day 4 of this week (day 14 of this year, and day 17 of the current round of strikes of pensions, pay and working conditions) but some deck chairs and an ice cream van would not have been out of place this morning.

Thank-you to everyone who has observed the strike action this week and especially those who have joined the in person and virtual pickets. Tomorrow (25th March) is our last day of our current wave before other branches start action next week. Lets make the picket the largest and most vibrant yet.

We picket from around 08:30 to 10:30 outside the main entrance to the Edinburgh campus, and tomorrow we will have a Book Swap to raise funds for the branch hardship fund. Please bring any books you would like to swap (probably not academic books!) and some cash to buy some books on the day (we are suggesting a £1 per book donation – we recognise times are very tough so if you would like a book please do come along and you can donate another time). The Book Swap will last from around 09:00 to 10:00 with our daily photo taken at 10:00 If, like Elvis, you don’t carry cash you can donate online.

To make the social media photos as vibrant as possible please consider wearing some bright colours and bring a homemade placard. I will be wearing my lovely UCU coloured tights and making a placard to show my solidarity with the P&O workers. Please see https://twitter.com/The_TUC/status/1506958305150840837 if you are looking for some inspiration. Please also bring any food you would like. The bar has been set high by yesterday’s BBQ s’mores.

If you haven’t been to a picket before, please come and meet some new friends. Tomorrow will be a great day to start.

If you have any colleagues who are not in the UCU they will also be most welcome to visit the picket, donate to the hardship fund, and look for some new new books! If eligible, they can also join UCU online at https://www.ucu.org.uk/join

See you there!!

Ballot papers

Please also remember to post your ballot papers. The educational trade unions have put their pay claim forward and this will make a tangible material difference to your life.

It is essential we show the employers that we are committed to not only our own working conditions, but to preserving universities for the next generation of workers. If you have not received or lost your ballot papers you must request a new one ASAP.

Thank you for your patience as we follow up with members via email and text to find out if you’ve been able to vote yet or not. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the branch.

 

A wonderful sunny Wednesday morning with Val Walker

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Left to right: Marion, Val, Caroline, and Ruth. John and George at the back. Where did Zippy go?

We were delighted to welcome Val Walker to the picket today. Val is the Scottish Labour candidate for Fountainbridge and Craiglockhart ward in the Edinburgh City Council Elections on May 5th, 2022. If elected, Val will be working on behalf of communities that span Fountainbridge where she has lived for 20 years, Shandon, Craiglockhart, and Chesser.

Plenty of chat about community issues and local democracy but it didn’t take long before we got onto the state of the roads. Sorry Val!

Along with the restoration of essential front-line services hit by cuts, Val is pledging to work on getting the basics right: The condition of the roads and pavements, ensuring safety for pedestrians and cyclists while also taking the views of local residents who need access and parking into account, and the provision and maintenance of safe public spaces for everyone. The sort of issues which anyone who regularly cycles or walks into campus via the South West corridor or Union Canal, particularly through the dark winter months, will be familiar with. On the environment, Val told us of her commitment to protect and enhance our green spaces, and the drive to ensure that the Council’s ambitious net zero carbon reduction targets are met by 2030. Gets my vote.

S’mores get my vote too. A breakfast of melted marshmallow and chocolate sandwiched between two lotus biscuits. Nice one Krissy. I’d never heard of them before today. I’m going to have to try a triple decker now.

Local Council Elections

The election is due to take place on Thursday 5 may 2022.

Did you know?

  • Students can register at both of their term-time and home addresses but can only vote once in a particular election.
  • All foreign citizens, resident in Scotland, who have permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who do not need such permission, can vote at Scottish Parliament elections and Local Council elections.
  • 16 and 17 year olds, resident in Scotland, can vote at Scottish Parliament elections and Local Council elections.

To vote in the elections you need to be registered to vote.

You can register online at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

The deadline for applications to register to vote in the Local Council elections is midnight on Monday 18 April 2022. If you have already received your poll card you do not need to register again.

Postal vote applications must be submitted to the Electoral Registration Officer no later than 5pm on Tuesday 19 April 2022. To find out more and register to vote by post visit https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-post

Further information

For further information on registering to vote, or for advice on postal or proxy voting please contact our office using the details below.

Gary Elliott
Electoral Registration Officer
17A South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh
EH12 9FL

Email: enquiries@lothian-vjb.gov.uk
Phone: 0131 344 2500
Website: https://www.lothian-vjb.gov.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ERO_lothianvjb

Our picket is the place to be for breakfast

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Janet Farrar (UCU) and Richard Leonard MSP

This morning we welcomed Richard Leonard MSP and Janet Farrar from the UCU. On the menu: sausages, eggs, tatty scones, and some great craic with our new friends.

Richard, a long-time trade unionist and former leader of the Scottish Labour Party was once described by comic book author Mark Millar as “the most exciting thing to happen up here in decades”. A man ahead of his time Richard has long advocated nationalising the scottish rail network and providing free public transport. Ideas subsquently adopted by the Scottish Government.

Honoured to stand in solidarity with Heriot-Watt UCU branch and Janet Farrar this morning. All UCU members have my 100% backing in ther fight to stop this pensions robbery. – Richard Leonard, MSP

Janet is President Elect of the UCU, taking over from Vicky Blake after Congress in June. She lectures in a Trade Union Education unit at Manchester College and has extensive experience across a full range of union roles at local, regional, and national level. Janet has first hand experience of life on precarious contracts and juggling excessive workloads, and she is passionately committed to tackling inequalities and supporting members who are exeperiencing stress as a result of bullying and harassment.

Thanks so much for a lovely welcome at a cracking branch – Janet Farrar, UCU President Elect

A big thank-you to @LabourRichard and @janetfarrarUCU. It was great to see you both. A visit to the pickets always boosts morale and we are particularly grateful to Richard for raising our concerns and dispute in the Scottish Parliament.

Switching now from national to local, we hope to be meeting Val Walker tomorrow (Wednesday). Val is the Scottish Labour Candidate for the Fountainbridge Craighlockhart ward in the Edinburgh City Council Elections. Many of our staff and students here at HWU live in this ward, so this is a great opportunity to meet Val and find out a little bit more about her pledges on everything from roads and transport to greenspace and net-zero targets.

No word yet on what culinary delights will be served up but we hope to see you all there.

P.S. Don’t forget to complete your ballot and return in the pre-paid envelope. If you haven’t received yours yet, watch for an email from UCU with a link for ordering replacements from Wednesday.

A big turnout of staff and students for the start of the third wave of strike action

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Day 11 and a big turnout for the start of the third wave of strike action

We were joined today by Des Loughney of the Edinburgh Trade Union Council (ETUC) and students from HWU Student Union for the start of the third wave of strike action in the USS pension and 4-Fights disputes.

The ETUC has been in existence since 1853 when as the Edinburgh & District Trades Council it campaigned for workers in Edinburgh to get a half day off on Saturdays.

Continuing in this proud tradition a motion to support the UCU disputes was recently passed by the Student Union. HWU students will be joining staff on picket lines to show that they stand in solidarity with the UCU, and signing the NUS open letter to UUK and UCEA executives.

Staff deserve to be paid fairly for their work. They deserve contracts that guarantee them a stable job, and workloads that are manageable. Women, disabled staff and staff of colour deserve pay parity with their counterparts.

Why you should be on strike

Our employer’s have forced through pension cuts which will see reductions of up to 35% in the retirement income guaranteed to a typical member. We want our employers to stop these unecessary cuts and re-enter negotiations. We also want our employers to stop using zero-hours casual contracts and work with us to tackle unmanageable workloads and end race, gender, and disability pay gaps.

Our employers can afford to do all of this but they are choosing instead to squeeze staff and make students suffer.