1) Pay
In response to our headline claim for a pay increase of RPI + 3% on all spine points, UCEA has responded with their opening offer: 1.2%.
For further information about national negotiations: http://tinyurl.com/HE20178march17
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2) Job Evaluation Panelists Wanted
The University of Bristol Job Evaluation Scheme (UBJES) is jointly owned and run by the University and the Joint Trade Unions. New and re-evaluated roles are graded by panels comprising both trade union and management reps.
The University is looking for two additional UCU panellists, ideally one academic and one from Professional Services. There will be 2 days initial training within the next 4 months. Human Resources are looking for at least a 2 year commitment from each panellist.
If you are interested in becoming a UCU panelist or require further information, please email Tracey.Hooper@bristol.ac.uk by Thursday, 13th April.
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3) Timetabling and Staff Constraints
As Bristol UCU pointed out its formal response to the new Staff Constraints Guidance, ‘we remain sceptical that these changes will effect much change other than give the green light to those line managers who would interpret the Guidance draconically’ [PDF]
If you have any evidence of what you consider an overly strict interpretation of the Guidance, or of Flexible Work Requests, please let ucu-office@bristol.ac.uk know asap.
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4) Bristol ‘Brexit’ Employment Charter
At Monday’s ‘Suspended Citizenship’ Workshop, part of a series of University of Bristol Brexit-related workshops, one action was an Employment Charter that local employers such as the University could sign up to.
The charter would stress staff diversity, support for all staff experiencing immigration concerns, protections from harassment and discrimination and access to freedom of association and voice.
Feedback from some Bristol UCU members has indicated that they believe the University could be doing more, for example, one member writes ‘the University’s attempts at supporting its many EU / EEA staff has been below par. Apart from the usual nice words of reassurance (on the line of “We value the contribution of our international staff, etc”), there has not been any concrete support’.
The Charter would be one means of generating practical commitments that nail down our stated institutional cosmopolitan values here at Bristol.
Members are also reminded that UCU has teamed up with Bindmans LLP to offer legal advice on Brexit-related immigration matters. Unlike other forms of legal advice, members can go direct to our national legal team; they don’t need to go via the branch.
For more information: https://ucu.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/438/kw/immigration