Bristol UCU Newsflash, 15th July 2020

1) Extra-ordinary General Meeting, Wednesday, 22nd July, 12:30-14:00 via Microsoft Teams

A branch Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM) will be held a week today on Wednesday, 22nd July, 12:30-14:00 via Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting next week, please click on the link below:

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MGE4MTMwZmYtOTMzMi00MTBiLTg5YTYtYjc2ZGVlMDUyNWQ4%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22b2e47f30-cd7d-4a4e-a5da-b18cf1a4151b%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22808b1cd4-a148-40b5-9088-03701d876c24%22%7d

The EGM was called following a requisition signed by at least 25 University of Bristol UCU members ‘to discuss the branch’s political strategy for dealing with the University’s response to the Coronavirus situation’. The following motion ‘MOTION FOR CONSIDERATION—EGM 22 JULY 2020’ has also been submitted for debate:

https://tinyurl.com/ucuMotionEGM22july

Amendments to the motion and further motions for debate should be sent to the Branch Secretary Jamie Melrose (Jamie.Melrose@bristol.ac.uk) by 17:00, Monday, 20th July. Please note that any votes taken at branch online meetings are indicative only.

—

2) Stretchy Campus and Extending the Teaching Day

Last week Reps from our three campus unions (UCU, Unite and Unison) reiterated in discussion with the University that we see no case for extending the teaching day in TB1 20/21.

Such a move would further erode Bristol UCU members’ terms and conditions and would contribute deleteriously to already soaring staff workloads.

—

3) Vote in the 4 Fights Ballot

UCU is now consulting members on the employers’ (UCEA) final offer made in connection with the JNCHES UK negotiations for 2019/20; the ‘Four Fights’ dispute.

The consultative e-ballot opened Friday last week and will close Wednesday 29th July.

Members should have received an email entitled ‘UCU – University College Union – Consultative ballot’.

If you have not yet received this email, please check your spam/junk folder and if you still cannot find it you can request a replacement by clicking on this link:

https://yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/Replacement-eballot-request-HE-consultation-July-2020

—

4) Welcome our Sanctuary Scholars

‘Every year, just after welcome week, the University hosts a welcome event for our Sanctuary Scholars, an incredible group of students who all come from asylum-seeking or refugee communities.

The welcome event is always a really special day, where the newest cohort of scholars get to meet each other, as well as staff and students from the University’.

For more on welcoming our Sanctuary Scholars, by making a welcome sign, see:

https://alumni.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/2020/07/03/help-to-welcome-our-sanctuary-scholars/

—