1) Reminder: Annual General Meeting, Wednesday Next Week
Bristol UCU has its AGM next week, Wednesday, 9th May, 13:00-14:00, Arts Complex LT3, Woodland Road.
Sally Hunt, UCU General Secretary, is our guest speaker. We will also be electing Branch Officers and Branch Executive members, as well as approving the annual accounts.
For a copy of the agenda (including Branch Officer and Executive candidates):
https://bristolucu.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/files/2018/04/Agenda-AGM-9-May-2018.pdf
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2) Term Dates – 2018/19
Joint Trade Union reps meet tomorrow with University managers and Senators to discuss term dates for 2018/19.
This follows the serious concerns that Bristol UCU and others have raised regarding the ‘clash’ between local school holidays and the end of TB2 next year.
Bristol UCU is pleased to report a willingness to relook at the term dates passed at Senate, and to consider any mitigation arising from changing dates.
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3) USS Update
Defined Contribution is off the table! The main reason we took strike action is no longer UUK policy. The proposal to turn USS into a 100% DC scheme has been formally rescinded.
UCU and UUK are currently thrashing out the details of the Joint Expert Panel, the terms of reference having been agreed at UCU Higher Education Committee on Friday last week [PDF].
UCU members who wish to be considered for one of the three UCU nominated places on the JEP are invited to submit an application:
https://tinyurl.com/JEPapp2018Ucu
Closing date is 14th May.
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4) HPT? Grade I or below? – Local Hardship Fund Claim
If you are an Hourly-Paid Teacher (HPT) or on Grade I or below (a Teaching Associate or Language Tutor, for example), and took USS strike action, then you can still claim from our Local Hardship Fund.
HPTs can claim now. Those with regular payments will need to wait until May payroll when UoB makes its first deductions:
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5) Report – Commission for Effective Industrial Action
A number of recommendations have been made by the Commision (our own Jamie Melrose is a Commissioner), reporting to this year’s Manchester UCU Congress, on how best to pursue effective industrial action: