1) Thank You
Thanks to everyone who participated in our 3-days of strike action last week. It was great to see so many members, students and staff on picket lines, in teach-outs and on demonstrations.
2) Local Hardship Fund and UCU Fighting Fund
Thank you, too, to those who have donated to our Local Hardship Fund. Donations still welcome [link].
An email will be sent to all Bristol members shortly detailing who is eligible to claim, how much can be claimed and how to claim.
Our national UCU Fighting Fund is now open for claims for the second and third days of strike action taken. For more details and to claim, click on the link below:
https://my.ucu.org.uk/app/answers/detail/a_id/539
Our branch Local Hardship Fund will cover the first day of strike action taken by non-HPT/TSA members, and all lost contact delivery hours in the case of HPTs/TSAs.
All claims should be emailed to ucu-hardship@bristol.ac.uk. Please wait until you receive the email mentioned above ⬆️ before submitting your claim
- Applications to our Local Hardship Fund is open to HPT/TSA members, members on Grade J and below, and/or in part-time roles where they earn £30,000 pa or less
- HPT/TSA members will be able to claim for all contact hours lost; other applicants, up to £75 for their first day of action.
- All Local Hardship Fund claims will need supporting information, such as your strike action notification email to HR and bank details for making payment.
Details tbc in the email mentioned above.
3) ASOS
Yesterday was the first day of action short of a strike (ASOS).
As per previous UCU comms, please note that the University has an agreement with UCU that UCU members can be asked but do not need to make up for lost teaching time. Classes or teaching should not be rescheduled.
Bristol UCU members should now be:
- working to contract
- not undertaking any voluntary activities
If your contract stipulates working hours (35 hours if Grade I or below, for example), stick to it. Make sure you take your full lunch break, every day. All staff ‘should take a mid-day break for refreshment, fresh air and/or exercise’, for 30 minutes minimum and ‘ a one-hour break wherever possible.
Do not check or respond to emails outside of working hours. If you have a work phone, leave it at your desk when you leave for the evening. Take the time you need to complete your work during any action short of a strike.
Are you asked to volunteer to attend meetings or events outside of your working hours or during your lunch hour? Please politely decline.
If working to contract, and asked to catch up on work, members should respond by asking what work should be de-prioritized in order to complete the ‘priority’ tasks/activities.
4) Bristol UCU General Meeting, 12th January 2022, 13:00-14:00, via Microsoft Teams
Bristol UCU members are invited to a branch General Meeting early next year.
The meeting has been called so as to be in advance of the UCU UK meetings the following week. These UCU UK meetings will determine the next steps, for example, the timing and extent of any further industrial action.