Cofely Update

UNISON is working with Cofely to arrange free English language courses. If you would like to improve your English then please speak to your supervisor to let them know that you are interested.

Following the success of the UNISON and UCU London weighting campaign last year, UNISON has lodged a London weighting claim for the workers who were TUPE’d from University of London to BBW (now Cofely). Cofely has confirmed that this will be discussed at the meeting in
July 2015.

Following a recent case in the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) there are changes in the ways in which holiday pay should be calculated which should give an increased holiday pay to those working overtime. UNISON has been discussing this with Cofely who are working on a new national policy. Once we have information we will send this out to members.

UNISON is asking both the University of London and Cofely about who will be running the contract from November 2015 when the contract is due for renewal. We haven’t been given an update yet but watch this space.

If you have any questions, would like to get more involved, would like to go on a training course or talk to a union representative please call Dario Lopez on 07904 342453 or email d.lopez@unison.co.uk.

SAUL Pension Scheme Update

Both UNISON and Unite have consulted members regarding the proposed changes of the SAUL pension scheme. The changes are to bring in a new CARE scheme from April 2016 and a majority of members voted to accept the revised pension scheme. Unite members also voted to accept the pension scheme changes.

The SAUL employers need to undertake a statutory 60 day consultation with regard to any pension scheme changes. It is anticipated that this will start in mid-July and employers will provide more information on the scheme. At this point a pensions calculator as well as FAQs should be available on the SAUL website. If you are in the SAUL scheme your employer should provide you with further information in July or August.

If you would like to speak to anyone at UNISON about the SAUL changes then please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

Endorse Your Reps - Vote YES on February 2nd

The University received a request by staff under the Information and Consultation Regulations 2004 to establish Information and Consultation arrangements; you may have signed the petition yourself a few months ago.

UNISON and UCU, want to ensure that staff do feel fully informed and consulted with on a regular basis. Three years ago, the two unions renegotiated our recognition agreement with the University to ensure that we are informed and consulted about matters that affect all staff and can represent staff interests effectively on all matters from small policy changes to large restructures.

We welcome this opportunity to extend our current arrangements and protect what we have already achieved. The unions have agreed that in order to comply with the legislation, the staff side team that will discuss these changes should be nominated from our pool of union reps by the two union committees.  The reps then simply need to be endorsed by all staff at the University through a simple majority vote.

The ballot for endorsing the reps opens on the 2^nd February and closes on the 6^th. It is vital that members of UNISON and UCU take the time to click ‘Yes’. We want committed and experienced representatives making these decisions that will affect our ability to represent your interests, from simple updates on Programme Beveridge to protecting jobs in restructures.

UNISON  has nominated Sam Ferman, our new steward in Stewart House at HEE and Angela Jelfs, our stalwart treasurer and steward in Student Central. UCU has nominated Jon Bitmead and Angela Ireland, two reps we have worked closely with for many years, both at the JNC (Joint Negotiating Committee between the two unions and the management) as well as during campaigns and consultations.

There will be many opportunities for you to discuss this with both unions over the next few days, look out for details on stalls, drop ins and members meetings. We urge you to talk to your colleagues and encourage them to Vote Yes.

What is Programme Beveridge?

Most University of London employees will be aware of the new project announced by the University, Programme Beveridge. The aims of the project have been stated as:

• Provide an effective workplace for staff

• Enable staff to work in a way that meets their own needs as well as the needs of the organisation

• Encourage staff to work together by breaking down physical barriers

• Increase the amount of space for academic and commercial events

• Provide efficient and effective storage facilities

Each aim is geared towards supporting the University’s overall strategy. But what will this actually mean?

UNISON and UCU reps have been briefed on the project in order to ensure that we can help members should any problems or concerns arise. At this stage, few concrete plans have been put in place although HR have already moved offices to Stewart House. There are many positives that staff can look forward to, such as improved technology and new workspaces. However it is unclear which staff will be affected and which may miss out on this flexible approach to working. UNISON will work to ensure that the approach taken will be fair and consistent for all our members. If you have concerns regarding the programme, don’t hesitate to contact the branch.

London Weighting Freeze Unfrozen

At the University of London, London Weighting had been frozen at £2134 for the past 22 years. With the increasing costs of living and working in London, staff at the University of London have seen housing, transport and other costs rise whilst the allowance that is meant to offset this issue has remained at the same levels as in 1992.

The branch committee and members of the branch, as well as the UCU branch, took the decision to launch a joint-campaign aimed at increasing London Weighting for all staff. The branch held information stalls and produced posters on the increasing costs of livings in London, in 1992 the cost of a weekly 1-6 travel card was £23.70, now it is £57.20. The average house price in London was £70,000, whilst now it is £375,795. The issue was important to staff and was reflected in the level of engagement of members and non-members alike. After the first negotiation meeting with the University, the UNISON and UCU negotiating team produced an online survey where they asked members of staff to tell their stories about how the rising costs of working in London were affecting their lives and standard of living. The response rate was high, a summary of the survey as well as statics and quotes were used in the second round of negotiation meetings to illustrate arguments and the importance of the issue to staff. 

The final offer from the University was to raise London Weighting to £3500 by 2018. This would mean a 64% increase in London Weighting. Although it fell short of the original claim of an uplift to £4000, the branch consulted with members through an e-ballot and 74% of votes were to accept the offer. Without the engagement of members and non-members with the campaign, success would not have been possible and London Weighting would still be frozen.

On hearing the news, one member thanked the branch “Wow,  we have waited a very long time for this, 23 years if I'm correct, as someone who voted to accept the offer, thanks Unison for all your help in securing us a better deal for future years.”

UNISON and UCU Kick off our London Weighting Claim

The two unions at the University of London met with representatives from UoL to discuss the claim that we submitted last month. In the claim we asked for an immediate uplift in London Weighting to £4000, a mechanism to ensure continued increases in London weighting and a response to our claim by the end of July. Both unions were disappointed that the University  could not give a firm response within the requested timeframe. but have committed to meet with both unions in September to receive a detailed answer to the UCU and UNISON claim.

At the meeting, the University made it clear that despite a large budget surplus this year, there will be a significant drop over the next few years due to commitments and investments in the estates, so they do not believe that they will be able to meet our claim in full. They will be able to give us more details and a breakdown of costs as well as a concrete offer at our next meeting in September

In the meantime, we need your help. We want to know the impact that the freeze in London Weighting has had on you. Have you been priced out of London? How much has your travel card increased over the years of working for London? Does it have an effect on staff morale and retention? We need your comments, opinions and stories in order to fully explain why this issue is so important and must be addressed. Follow this link to a short three minute survey and help us win this campaign

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VG2XYDB

Let the University know that investing in staff is at least as important as investing in buildings

Please forward this to friends and colleagues at the University so we can gather as much information and possible. Remind them to join their respective unions in order to help not only themselves but also you and our other members campaign and succeed on this and other issues.

To join UNISON go to http://www.joinunison.org or talk to your local reps.

To join UCU go to http://www.ucu.org.uk/join or talk to your local reps.

We are stronger, together.

London Weighting Claim

Following our successful joint union meeting with UCU on Wednesday 2nd July, we revised our London Weighting claim and submitted it on Thursday 3rd July to the Vice Chancellor on behalf of our members.

The key elements of the claim are:

• London Weighting at the University of London has been frozen at £2,134 since 1992 and is the lowest of the London higher education institutes.
• If this figure were to have been uprated solely by the annual average RPI figure over this period it would be £3,968.
• Meanwhile living costs in London, including rent and travel costs, have increased significantly and remain significantly higher than the rest of the UK.
• London Metropolitan University’s London Weighting is £4,437, University of East London’s London Weighting is £3,360, British Gas’s London Weighting is £5,461, and the Royal Mail’s London Weighting is £4,654.

We have asked for:

• An immediate uplift in London Weighting to £4000 for the current pay year 2013/2014.

• An agreed method of annually uprating the London Weighting supplement. As a minimum this should increase by the higher figure of either the nationally agreed annual percentage pay rise or the annual average RPI figure (as calculated from August to July of the preceding year). The uprated amount would be payable from 1 August annually.

We have asked for a considered response to this claim by 31st July 2014. Once the University have responded with an offer, we will contact members to ask how they would like us to proceed.

After talking to members at the meeting, we believe that this is an issue that concerns everyone; it affects morale and retention levels and staff at the university struggle to work in London due to increasing costs. We need your support to convince the University of London that our London Weighting needs to be increased immediately.