VOTE YES on Monday 17 October

See our flyer here

All members of UoL staff will be asked whether they wish to accept the proposals that the University is proposing following negotiations with the employer around information and consultation (ICE) arrangement for all employees of the University. Your ICE reps worked hard to pull together proposals and put forward arguments that meant we got the best deal for all UoL staff. UCU and UNISON recommends that you support the proposal by voting YES.

We will be able to act as a conduit for all members of staff who wish to be a part of the information and consultation process. Would you like to know more about the University’s financial situation? Would you like to see changes to the flexible working policy? There will be regular open meetings as well as and an online forum where all staff can submit questions and receive a response. We are looking forward to our new role as an opportunity to continue to hold the University to account and ensure that everyone can be involved in the process.

UCU and UNISON welcome the opportunity to enhance our ability to represent all staff and are delighted that the University has agreed to our proposals to set up an online forum and hold regular open meetings with all staff.

If you are a union member it obviously makes sense to vote YES, but if you are not, here’s what UCU and UNSION has already done for you on your behalf recently.

1. Increasing in London Weighting, which will be fully implemented by 2018 at £3,500

2. Increasing in leave for L01-L06 from 25 and 27 days, with a further push to make it equal for all staff in the future.

3. Locally representing staff on the following general issues

  a. Health and Safety

  b. Information and Consultation, which we already undertake

  c. Restructuring and redundancy

  d. Staff policies (e.g. compassionate leave policy, leave carry over policy)

4. Negotiating nationally on pay and pension issues. This is a purely national issue. We do not negotiate the annual uplift locally

5. Supporting HEE employees on UoL contracts during a major department restructure, negotiating successfully with senior managers to avoid compulsory redundancies

Our work on the above issues have benefitted you, whether or not you are a member of the union. It is true that members of the union do get more enhanced support from the unions in the form of trained representatives, such as Angela, Sam and myself - and get a say of the decision making process within the unions locally, regionally and nationally.

However that does not detract from the fact that we treat all members of staff equally when discussing collective matters with the University. The new arrangements simply formalise and facilitate our existing role.

So, we ask you to support us and vote YES on Monday 17^th.

PGMDE Integration, Management Response to Unison’s Proposals

Following close of consultation on 7 September, HEE management, after negotiations with the Branch,  provided their response  to the consultation included an amended set of proposals, yesterday, 29 September, which we set out below.

Please note, these proposals are subject to certain assumptions about VR rates which cannot be guaranteed (as VR applications are a matter for individual employees, which they are free to withdraw should they so wish) and therefore we cannot provide an absolute guarantee that provisions below will take place. However, given the current number of VR applications (75) and resignations (15), we are optimistic that we can achieve the following key outcomes:

• No compulsory redundancies will be made
• No selection process will be required for the vast majority of staff. Most staff will be slotted into the new structure.

In addition the following provisions have been made:

• The revised proposal will be subjected to an externally conducted Equality Impact Assessment
• Current part-time and flexible working arrangements have been guaranteed
• The timeline for implementation has been extended until September 2017
• Secondments will be reviewed and evaluated as whether they can be considered as a ‘permanent’ positions for the purposes of post-matching
• Technology solutions will be subjected to rigorous testing, and an evaluation of their capacity to provide efficiency savings will be undertaken. This will take place prior to the reduction in staffing which will be achieved through VR
• A stakeholder engagement exercise will be undertaken

Given the above, we believe that we have secured the majority of provisions which we sought as part of our response to the consultation.

The exceptions to the ‘no selection’ provisions are likely to be staff being considered for posts at Level 8a, who will be required to demonstrate competency tests. We have secured assurance from senior management that affected employees will be supported through training and development should these not be met, and will be provided with in-job training and trailing. We therefore believe that ultimately all those affected wishing to continue at this level will be able to do so.

There is also a possibility that a very small handful of staff currently employed between levels 5 and 7 may have to be subjected to a selection process. This will be purely for the purposes of determining post allocation. Ultimately we hope that this does not need to take place. 

Finally we wanted to speak about VR. The current number of applications is 75, which exceeds the numbers of WTE post reductions. This number is in addition to a number of resignations and it will therefore not be possible for the organisation to approve all of the applications that have been made.

We are aware that some members had queries surrounding their VR applications following the HET bulletin which was circulated recently. To clarify: if you have special extenuating circumstances pertinent to your VR application which you have either not detailed on your application, or which have arisen since you made your application, then you will be afforded an opportunity to do this following the release of the management response to consultation. You are welcome to do this immediately, if you so wish, by contacting HR. If you would prefer it if we did this on your behalf then we are happy to.

We believe that the undertakings that we have secured from senior management provides an acceptable way forward that means that no-one will be made compulsorily redundant and that most members will not be subjected to a selection process. Our requests for additional measures around the timeline, technology reviews, equality impact assessment and protection of part-time and flexible working have also been incorporated. 

The deadline for us to provide any additional comments to management is next Thursday (6 October) and so we would welcome any thoughts that you may have on this which we may be able to pass on.

We also understand that members may have queries about their individual circumstances given the information we have provided in this correspondence. We are, of course, more than happy to answer any such questions you may have. Please email us on unison@london.ac.uk

Uplift of annual leave for grades 1-6

Following the conclusion of negotiations in June 2016, the University has announced an uplift of 2 days for grades 1-6s’ annual leave allowance. This falls short of our original demand for 30 days parity across all grades. Nonetheless, the offer was the best that could be achieved by negotiation, and was supported by members in our consultative ballot.

We reserve our right to revisit the issue in the future, and have not abandoned our longer term goal of parity between the grades.

UNISON’s Higher Education Pay

UNISON’s HE pay ballot closed on 19 September and UNISON’s Higher Education Service Group Executive (HESGE) met on 20 September to consider the outcome. The ballot result was: 

3,381 (54.9%) voted in favour of industrial action 

2,782 (45.1%) voted against industrial action

After the meeting it issued the following statement:

  

“The HESGE took into account the close vote in the ballot, a disappointing turnout and the knowledge that it was likely that if UNISON did take strike action it would not be with all other unions (due to notable differences in positions and timetables). Joint union action has been key to previous successful action.

Taking this into account it was reluctantly agreed that UNISON would not take industrial action on this occasion. The HESGE felt that the ballot results and views from regions meant that the union could not deliver a sufficiently strong strike to force the employers to improve their derisory pay offer. 

UNISON is committed to national pay bargaining and will continue to campaign to improve members pay, terms and conditions in higher education.   Further discussions will take place at UNISON’s forthcoming HE branch seminar, which will also focus on the need to build membership and engage members in future industrial action ballots.”

We recognise that many members will be disappointed by this outcome given that the Branch voted by a clear majority in a consultative ballot to support industrial action. However, given the direction issued by the HESGE, we regret to say that we are not able to proceed to industrial action. 

PGMDE Consultation - UNISON's Second Response

Consultation on the proposed cuts and restructure within the Healthcare Education Team for the London & South East Local Education and Training Board of Health Education England (HEE) closed on 7 September 2016.

Prior to this, UNISON Senate House Branch submitted a second response to the consultation which you can read here.

The branch is now entering a process of negotiations with senior management in which we will be seeking the best possible deal for our members and will be seeking to avoid the need to make staff compulsorily redundant. We will also be discussing the timeline for the proposed changes and will be seeking to extend this for the reasons outlined in our responses.

If members have any queries then please contact the branch via unison@london.ac.uk

UNISON statement on the proposed 1.1% pay offer

UNISON members will be receiving their ballot paper to vote on whether to take industrial action on the current pay offer over the next few days. The ballot period runs from 30 August to 19 September 2016. The ballot helpline opens 5 September 2016 and the number is 0800 0857 857.

The higher education service group executive is recommending members vote ‘YES’ for strike action in response to the employer’s miserly 1.1% pay offer for the majority of staff.

You may be aware that last week the employers' produced an expanded 'draft offer' ahead of UNISON’s industrial action ballot. This was published via the employer’s website following a UCEA Board meeting. No discussion took place with any of the trade unions ahead of the announcement.

However, despite the sector facing the potential for escalating strike action in the autumn the revised draft had very little change in the detail, and no movement on the main sticking point: the 1.1% pay offer. It also appears that the national employers ‎negotiating body (UCEA) has recommended to Universities that they should implement the draft offer to staff, in effect imposing the current offer, even before the outcome of industrial action ballots are known.

UNISON sees this move as provocative and unnecessary given the employers stated commitment to keep channels open for dialogue. As yet the employers  have made no attempt to approach the unions in dispute for further talks.

UNISON members  who will receive ballot papers in the coming days will see through this attempt to influence the vote for in the industrial action on this miserly offer. In fact, by imposing this offer it  once more highlights just how little the offer is worth for the majority of staff.

UNISON has outlined the growing pay inequality in higher education and has produced  a salary calculator that clearly shows how far behind wages have fallen behind the cost of living. Full details can be found here: https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2016/08/he-pay-calculator/

PGMDE Consultation - UNISON's First Response

The branch has submitted its first response in relation to the integration of postgraduate medical and dental education support function across London and the South East (LaSE).

Please find a copy of the response available to review here.

In summary, the branch was profoundly disappointed by the lack of detail surrounding the proposal which was provided as part of the consultation paperwork. The branch has specifically highlighted the lack of detail around proposed technological introduction as a means of labour-saving in addition to concerns around matrix working. A number of other concerns were also raised, in addition to a proposed alternative timetable.

We will be responding to additional aspects of the proposals in due course.

PGMDE Integration – Consultation on proposed structure

Members working for Health Education England (HEE) on University of London contracts will be aware that staff working in the PGMDE function (commonly referred to as ‘Operations’) are being consulted on proposals that, if introduced, would lead to a 41% reduction in the number of posts. The branch is incredibly disappointed that the proposal is very much a worst-case scenario in terms of proposed reductions

Clearly this is having a devastating effect on members employed in this department and we want to encourage staff to contact us with any comments they have on the consultation documentation (unison@london.ac.uk). We will also be available to support members for any individual concerns or needs that they might have, including representation for individual consultation meetings.

The branch is actively organising around a robust response to these measures and will be regularly updating affected members. We remain resolutely opposed to compulsory redundancies.

Annual Leave Claim – Member consultation on employers offer

Members are now being sent invitations to respond to the consultation online. The consultation will run for one week until 28 June 2016.

The branch has now concluded negotiations with the University in relation to our claim, which was for an uplift in annual leave for staff on CTS terms (grades 1 – 6) in order to bring this in line with the allowance afforded to staff on AMP terms (grades 7+).

The University’s initial offer was to increase annual leave by two days, subject to service. The branch rejected this offer on the grounds of equality. Higher grades do not have to have earn additional leave based on service, therefore neither should 1-6s.

Following further negotiations, the University conceded an immediate uplift (subject to agreement being reached prior to the end of July) from 25 days to 27 days for staff employed on grades 1-6 irrespective of service length.

Included in this agreement is a clause accommodating a change in the way that annual leave is calculated. Should members agree to this offer, leave will be calculated on pro-rated basis according to each day worked (with leave allowances being rounded up to the nearest half-day). Full details of the offer can be found here.

The University have informed us that they are not willing to offer the full uplift to 30 days due to financial considerations.

We are disappointed that the University has not been able to meet our claim in full but the Branch remains committed to the longer-term goal of equality in annual leave provision across all grades. We wil revisit this matter with the University in the future.

At this present time, we  believe that this offer is the best that can be secured by negotiation. We believe that only a period of sustained industrial action would potentially lead to an improvement in the offer.

Given the above, the branch is not making a recommendation to either accept or reject the offer. We ask all members to respond to the consultation.

Student Central – Proposed Restructure

As affected members and staff will be aware, the University is proposing a significant restructure at Student Central. If implemented this would involve a significant reduction in staff in addition to the outsourcing of Student Central’s front-of-house and bar/catering operations.

The branch was profoundly disappointed that it was only notified of these changes one hour before these were communicated to staff. We do not believe that the University followed best practice in this regard.

Following this announcement the branch submitted a response to the University challenging the proposed timetable. We subsequently submitted an additional response challenging many aspects of the proposed changes. We are still awaiting for the University to respond to the points we have raised.

The branch views the current proposals as short sighted and counter-productive to the stated aim of achieving a balanced budget, and the branch remains opposed to the outsourcing of services.

Higher Education Pay 2016-17 Consultative Ballot

UNISON Senate House & Edexcel branch will be conducting a consultative ballot in relation to the employers 1.1% pay offer for 2016-17.

Affected members should expect to receive an invitation to respond to the consultation via email.

The branch committee is recommending that members reject the offer.

We have prepared a comprehensive briefing pack explaining this recommendation here.

Angela Jelfs - ICE Statement

Please vote for Angela in the upcoming ICE ballot, and see the attached statement for more information.

Angela Jelfs ICE Statement

Letter to CoSector

Sally Townsend

CoSector

University of London

Dear Sally

We are writing to you to express our members’ deep reservations on the future direction of CoSector.

Since the change of management took place last year, we have been broadly supportive of your efforts to restructure the business in order for it to grow. We welcomed your apparent abandonment of the proposals to alter terms and conditions for new and existing staff; and in return we accepted the argument that the new senior management team would remain in place for the purposes of growing CoSector’s business.

However, developments in the past week, which seem to be widely known within all parts of CoSector, have cause great concern, not just for those directly affected, but other members who now fear for their futures’ within the organisation.

To be clear, we refer to the proposed changes to TCG Central Services team and Online Services team. If these proposals are implemented, it will lead to the compulsory redundancy of four staff, with the implication that future downsizing will occur once changes take place.

We were lead to believe that no redundancies would take place in the short term and certainly not before the publication of the long awaited business plan, which you have not provided to neither the Board of Trustees nor unions as of this date.  We appreciate that these matters should not be rushed into and consequently we strongly urge you to postpone these proposals for the time being.

You should note that UCU and UNISON have a policy of opposing all compulsory redundancies and we oppose these proposals now. We will be seeking to involve our respective national unions, via the London regional offices.

We find it very unfortunate that many of the concerned members believe that the faults of the business lie with the management that was imposed last year. In particular, the high cost base that is being shared amongst budgets, causing once surplus deriving teams to fall into a loss.  As we have said, we recognise that in order to grow and be successful CoSector needs good and effective management in place. This is not necessarily cheap.  However, your latest round of proposals implies that the business is trying to cut costs and downsize. This is not the strategy of a business trying to grow. Members can see this quite clearly and are dismayed.

We look forward to your response on this urgent matter.

Best

Jon Bitmead

On behalf of the Senate House UCU branch

  

Sam Ferman

On behalf of the Senate House UNISON branch

ICE Vote

The Information and Consultation Elections ballot opens on 7th March 2016. Please take a look at our ICE Vote page for more information.

ICE Vote Page

UNISON Annual Leave Claim

Today (28 January 2016), UNISON – Senate House and EdExcel branch submitted the following claim to the University of London on behalf of University of London members working in grades 1 – 6.

UNISON Annual Leave Claim  Bands 1-6 University of London

  

In line with clause 1.1 and 3.3 of the Recognition and Procedure Agreement between the University of London (“the central University) and UNISON we wish to table the following claim on behalf of all UNISON members employed in grades 1-6.

UNISON wish to open immediate negotiations with the University to secure parity across all grades in respect of annual leave entitlement as set out within the University Annual Leave Policy that currently facilitates for:

1.2    Employees on Academic or Administrative, Management and Professional (AMP) terms of conditions of employment with the Central University receive 6 weeks leave. Employees in other grades receive 5 weeks.

UNISON firmly believe that this policy contradicts one of the founding  principles of the University namely equality “that remains a commitment today in respect of all staff employed by the University”

We further believe the current clause 1.2 brings into question clause 3.2 of the University Single Equality Scheme.

The Claim

All employees, regardless of grade, employed by the University of London will receive 6 weeks annual leave.

We seek to open negotiations around this claim as a matter of urgency and at your earliest opportunity and further  seek to have the claim met in full and at no cost to our members.