Heriot-Watt UCU Solidarity Hardship fund

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We are engaged in industrial action – a.k.a. on strike – over  national legal disputes relating to equality and the gender pay gap (27.7% at HWU), excessive workloads, decreasing pay, casualisation of the work force (short and zero hours contracts) and pensions. The outcome of this dispute will affect, (we hope benefit), all staff at Heriot-Watt University and throughout the HE Sector. Making HE a fairer place to work.We have the support of our students Union in taking strike action. Striking is a last resort when your employer will not listen to staff concerns leaving them with no other option than to withdraw their labour. Striking staff are not paid and many of our members will suffer financial hardship as a result of taking action.

We are asking you to donate to the HWUCU Strike Hardship Fund to help our striking branch members who are most in need.

Any donation – big or small – to support striking workers in struggle is greatly appreciated. For any queries please contact ucu@hw.ac.uk

What will the money be used for?
The Hardship Fund will be used to support striking members of Heriot-Watt UCU who require additional financial support (alongside the national UCU Fighting Fund).  Taking part in industrial action and forgoing pay is difficult for everyone, yet can be particularly financially challenging for those on casualised, precarious and fractional contracts (e.g. part-time, temporary contracts, post-graduate students who do teaching, marking and research).
How can you donate?
i) You can donate directly to our bank account
The Bank: Unity Trust Bank
Account name: UCU – Heriot-Watt University LA 023 Hardship Fund
Sort Code: 60-83-01
Account No. 20391168
ii) You can donate by cheque to our Branch office
Heriot-Watt UCU office
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh
EH14 4AS

Thank you for your support!

Heriot-Watt University must call for changes at USS to resolve the pension dispute

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We believe that staff working at Heriot-Watt University deserve a fair pension in retirement, paid for at a reasonable cost during their working lives. The current situation with escalating costs of contributions based on disputed valuation technique is harmful to staff, HWU the employer, and to all who value Heriot-Watt University.

Your branch has launched a petition asking the University leadership to publicly call for the resignation of Bill Galvin and Sir David Eastwood.

Full petition can be accessed here

Students, Support the Strikes!

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Having voted overwhelmingly for industrial action, university staff across the UK will go on strike to defend their pay and pensions from Monday 25 November to Wednesday 4 December. Colleagues at HWU will also be on strike during this period. We have issued more information to our students that offers a brief explanation of what these strikes are about, what they mean for students, and what you can do to show your support.

Read more information on our Student flyer.

We are delighted that our Student Parliament has voted to support the Industrial Action, see statement by HWUnion

The National Union of Students supports the strikes, see this joint statement.

USS and HE autumn ballots 2019

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Members in branches where UCU has registered a dispute over the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) will receive two ballot papers.

  • One for pay inequality, job insecurity, rising workload and pay deflation.
  • One for USS
  • A ballot insert for each dispute.
  • All ballot papers should be returned in the single prepaid envelope provided.

If you have not received your ballot papers, please request a replacement via: https://www.ucu.org.uk/ballotrequest

General Meeting – 28th November

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Local Members’ Meeting on 28th November, 12.00 to 14.00
Post Graduate Centre 304

Murdo Matheson, Policy & Communications Officer for UCU Scotland, will speak on Trade Union representation and the new Governance statues.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at this meeting. Please feel free to bring any colleague who may be interested.

HWUCU Branch Committee

Local General Meeting on the Report of the Joint Expert Panel USS

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The Branch Committee has arranged a General Meeting to discuss the recently published first report of the Joint Expert Panel (JEP) on USS. The speakers will be:

Dr Catherine Donnelly, FIA – Associate Professor HWU and member of the JEP.

Dr Carlo Morelli – Senior Lecturer Dundee University, member of NEC and UCU rep on the USS JNC.

Date: Thursday 27th September 2018

Venue: Chaplaincy

Time: 10.00-12.00

It would help us immensely with space management if you could signify your intent to attend, please email: G.S.Bruce@hw.ac.uk

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at this meeting. Please feel free to bring any colleague who may be affected / interested.

HWUCU Branch Committee

HWUCU Hardship Fund

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In support of industrial action, the Officers of HWUCU have the discretion to agree that compensatory payments can be made from a local Hardship Fund to those members who have had pay deducted as a result of the member’s participation in industrial action.

As the UCU national Fighting Fund does not provide cover for all days of a dispute, a local Hardship Fund has been established to provide support for this period. As per the national Fighting Fund, the maximum daily claim limit is capped at £50.

The union endeavors to give priority of payment to members most in need (e.g. lower paid or casual staff, members on insecure contracts etc.)

HWUCU Hardship Fund guidance notes

HWUCU Hardship Fund application form

If  you would like to make a donation, or share with those who can, the details are:
The Bank: Unity Trust Bank
Account name: UCU – Heriot-Watt University LA 023 Hardship Fund
Sort Code: 60-83-01
Account No. 20391168

Vote now to save USS – Ballot closes Friday 19 January.

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UCU is currently balloting its members for industrial action over changes proposed by UUK to slash USS members’ retirement income. The ballot closes on Friday 19 January and the union is urging any members who have not yet voted to cast their vote immediately.

Further information can be found at https://www.ucu.org.uk/uss

https://www.facebook.com/ucu.campaigns/videos/1975844146017001/