UCU campaigns update

In this week’s campaigns update:

1. Higher education pay campaign 2016
2. UCU warns on college mergers
3. In the news
4. Undergraduate teaching quality survey – have your say
5. Support colleagues at the University of Nottingham
6. Contact your MP on job security
7. Hull College ballot over lesson observations and pay
8. People’s Assembly march – join the education bloc
9. Hands off Hastings: save University of Brighton campus
10. UCU congress 2016
11. Reimagining further education

1. Higher education (HE) pay campaign 2016
The ‘notice of intention to ballot’ has been served on HE Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) employers in respect of the 2016/17 pay dispute. The ballot will open on 14 April and close on 4 May. You can read and share the general secretary’s all member message here.

2. UCU warns on college mergers
UCU’s general secretary urged caution on mergers in further education (FE) this week, calling on institutions to engage in meaningful consultation with unions, students and the community. Sally Hunt told FE Week that ‘UCU will work hard both to protect our members’ jobs and defend local educational opportunities where mergers put them at risk’ – you can read all about it here.

3. In the news
• College merger ‘rush’ exposed
• Committee report highlights funding gap between further and higher education
• Salford City College to axe 30 jobs in new cuts round
• Prevent duty back in the spotlight
• Racist bullying ‘trivialised’, academics say
Read all about it here.

4. Undergraduate teaching quality survey – have your say
If you teach on an undergraduate higher education course at any UK higher education institution, FE college or private provider please add your voice to the debate about teaching quality by filling in this short survey which you can find here.

5. Support colleagues at the University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is proposing to make 11.5 academic staff redundant whilst embarking on an ambitious £580 million capital investment programme. As part of a vigorous campaign to oppose any compulsory redundancies, the UCU branch havelaunched a petition and ask for your support.

6. Contact your MP on job security
Kelvin Hopkins MP has tabled an early day motion (EDM 1265) highlighting the issue of job insecurity in HE – please take a few minutes to contact your MP and ask for their support for the motion.

7. Hull College ballot over lesson observations and pay
Members at the college are to be balloted for strike action following management refusal to implement an agreed 0.7% pay rise and to address concerns over a new lesson observation system. UCU is calling on the college to pay what was promised and get round the table to discuss outstanding issues.

8. People’s Assembly march – join the education bloc
UCU members will join the anti-austerity march for health, homes, jobs and education in London on Saturday 16 April. Join the education bloc from 12:30 on Gower Street, WC1E.

9. Hands off Hastings: save University of Brighton campus
Students, staff and local people have joined forces to save the Hastings campus at University of Brighton from being closed. Plans to close the campus have been met with anger over the potential damage to the local community, educational opportunities in the area and the threat to staff jobs. See more on the campaign’s Facebook page and then sign the petition.

10. UCU congress 2016
UCU branches that have not yet done so are urged to register their delegates for attendance at UCU congress 2016. Full details including how to register and entitlements can be found here. Any questions email Sue Bajwa at sbajwa@ucu.org.uk.

11. Reimagining further education
UCU, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) and The Education & Training Foundation are co-hosting a conference on 29 June at Birmingham City University bringing together key figures in the sector to cover themes including apprenticeships, work-based learning, accountability and governance. See full programme details here and you can register here.

All the best,

Justine Stephens
UCU head of campaigns