News Letter

The University of East London has apparently paid a total of £589,000 in settlement to three senior managers, including its former vice-chancellor, who resigned before news emerged that two overseas ventures had collapsed. Click on the link to see the  TIMES HIGHER article http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/uel-settlement-for-former-leaders-totals-589000/2010317.article

UCU is setting up a working group to look at the new academic framework and the proposals for its implementation in order to collate staff concerns. If you wish to join this group then please contact a branch committee member (see the contact us page for contact details).

 The sector has gone through a difficult time.  Management and the Board of Governors main strategy to deal with these difficulties appears to be to just keep shrinking the university from a staffing perspective whilst spending enormous amount of money on new buildings. Other competitor universities do not seem to have fared so badly. They have strategies that seem to have mitigated the problems that UEL is under. (more…)

Come and hear about the latest discussions with management with regards to a workload allocation model.  Matters took a step backwards with regards to the workload discussions recently and we are reduced to a surreal discussion about 12 hours notional work.  It is unfortunately clear that management are way out of touch with regards to all the duties that an academic member of staff has, how long it takes to complete them or how many hours we work that are sheer goodwill.  (more…)

July resits are back without any discussion with UCU.  This is a breach of good industrial relations and a strong message needs to be sent from the Branch. It is clear that July resits do not work from an academic perspective.  Colleagues talk about the difficulties of finding a time to take off over the year especially with marking coming at the end of semesters.  (more…)

Changes to the academic framework will require masses of extra work from staff to get all of the programmes restructured, redeveloped, and reapproved by the next academic year. Make sure that this shows on any workload allocation you are given.  Changes must not be rushed through too quickly and in particular must not damage the student experience for third year students that could hit the NSS.

Serious questions must now be asked about the governance of the university given the worrying problems UEL has faced recently.  Are they fit for purpose to use their jargon?  The joint unions are going to issue an invitation to the Board of Governors to address a staff meeting; we hope they will honour the staff at UEL and attend.   What other measures should be considered to hold the Board to account?  We (the staff) have to start defending the institution and questions need be asked.

UCU had to recently support staff members through some simply awful disciplinary cases where staff were charged with GROSS misconduct for repeating/recycling questions. We want to remind staff that the new assessment policy states that we are not permitted to repeat/recyle questions.    The new UEL assessment policy has does not permit questions to be reused / recycled but these changes have not been signaled for staff so you may of missed it.

A few key announcements and dates for your diary. Performance Review Scheme – meeting to discuss proposed scheme – Tuesday 26th February Stratford Room RB.1.03 1-2pm. (more…)

 We would like to repeat again advice that any verbal instruction given by a Subject Head/Field Leader or Dean to a staff member should be confirmed back to them by email for the record if you are concerned about what you have been asked to do. This follows Disciplinary Procedures being used in RDBS when staff members were following verbal instructions. (more…)

Now is the time to put the grim 2012 behind us and to consider 2013 as a year of new opportunities. Recent departures from VCG group offer the possibility of a change of direction by management that returns better industrial relations to UEL in general and halts the creeping culture of fear that many staff are voicing concerns about. (more…)

Welcome to the new semester and apologies for the delay in communicating with you. To make up for this please find attached our latest newsletter full of important news and giving dates of meetings for the rest of the year including the AGM.  As you will see from the newsletter you will shortly receive, by email, details of the workload model that has resulted from the lengthy discussions with management.  This will be sent to you by UCU National and you will have an opportunity to accept or reject the model also by email.  (more…)

Dear colleagues

Apologies for the delay in updating members on the current dispute but matters are complicated and there is also an increase in workload for the Officers which is seriously impacting on all aspects of our union work UEL.   We will discuss this at the next Branch meeting. 

There is much to report on and some VERY important issues to bring to your attention such as:  the on-going dispute, new UEL Attendance Policy, verbal Instructions to from Field Leaders or Subject Heads, dismissal and victimisation of Unite Branch Secretary, Tony Britton, student demonstration 21^st November arrangements, farewell and thanks to Peter Mottershead, London Living Wage Report and dates of next branch meetings. (more…)

New guides are available on this site via the HELP page and cover

• Taking out a grievance
• Taking out a grievance for increased workload over 1548
• Using this site

Special joint union meeting on stress and bullying: Tuesday 8 November, 12.00-1.00pm, Room EB 1.07, Docklands*

 Jacqui Mitchell writes – When Vice Chancellor Patrick McGhee addressed staff earlier this semester he reported that UEL was in robust good health. Notwithstanding problems over cuts to Higher Education across the country the institution was fighting fit, he said.

 At meetings on both campuses the VC gave a positive account of UEL’s progress. Why then has management returned for a second round of voluntary redundancies? (more…)

UeL UCU newsletter number 3 published on October 31st 2011 is available on-line on the news and campaigns page. Click here to go direct to the newsletter