One way to make our voice heard is to have everyone who is a member of UCU on the picket line for the 30th November day of action. We need to have a show of strength at UEL and will be joined by other unions as well as students; I am asking ALL members to come to the picket line. Please do not take this as an opportunity to work from home, as busy and overwhelmed with work I know that you are. We already have one Dean putting School Board on the day of the strike which is very provocative. We must withdraw our labour for this day and come together to feel the strength that comes through unity. Thanks to all who have signed up for picket duty already. Please let Jacqui Mitchell know what time of day you would like to cover, we are asking for a commitment of 3 hours. We will be operating from 8-5pm. More guidance will be issued closer to the day about what to do but be prepared for
cold and rain. (more…)
November, 2011:
Day of Action – 30th November
Joint Union Meeting Tues 8th Nov 12-1pm
We are calling a joint union meeting in Anti-bullying and Stress week to discuss the many issues facing all staff at
UEL. It will be on Tuesday 8th November between 12-1pm, room TBC. (more…)
Hourly Paid Staff
Linked to workloads is another issue that is surfacing in some schools about HPLs. Programme Leaders in ADI have been advised that there are to be no HPLs next semester. Some staff are being asked to teach more or to agree to large group teaching i.e., one staff member with 70-100 students for 3 hours in what is called ‘workshops’. This wrong on so many levels but is perverse when considered in relation to student experience. (more…)
Field Leader role and AWAM
UCU Officers will, of course, make representation about all these issues. We are meeting on Friday to discuss motions passed at the last Branch meeting about AWAM and changes to the Field Leader role. The branch wants action on both these issues. Members will remember that at the end of last year we were almost at the point of declaring a dispute but then sat down with management and produced a joint statement that bound us to better relations
and set out what the issues were and how they were going to be discussed. (more…)
Life on a casual contract
The Times Higher Education has launched a weekly blog detailing the daily struggles, petty indignities and insecurities of academic life on casual contracts. The idea is to start a debate in a similar vein to the one that kicked off with their Bullied Blogger’s weekly posts. The first blog in this new series can be found here.
