HE strikes / Day of action for disability equality/Pregnancyand maternity rights for members in casualised work

Extracts from UCU branch officers' update: 29 November 2019

. HE strikes continue next week
A round-up of the handy links for branches as strikes enter week 2.

·  The FAQs and legal advice for the industrial action. This should be the first port-of-call for any queries. The FAQs have been prepared in collaboration with expert employment lawyers. If you are still unclear or you need to add to this list please contact Matt Waddup directly here. New questions will be added as they arise, so if your query is not covered please do send them through.

·  Additional guidance on working to contract and a briefing aimed specifically at migrant staff, again produced for UCU in cooperation with our legal advisors.

·  The library of advice for both HE disputes is on the UCU website here.

·  An index of the rallies, marches and other events being organised at each branch during the strike period.

·  Suggested out of office text for strike action and action short of a strike.

·  UCU general secretary Jo Grady hosted a live Q&A session last Friday - if you missed it, the video is available here.

·  Here is the video message to students from UCU and NUS

·  There is also a master list of the institutions taking action.

·  There is a call to support striking colleagues by donating to the fighting fund. To make a donation, click here. The larger the fund is, the stronger the message we send to our employers that we will not capitulate.

2. Day of action for disability equality: Wednesday 4 December 2019
Members are encouraged to campaign and raise awareness of the inequality around disabled workers in education. Branches taking part in the higher education strikes can request materials to campaign on the disability pay gap at their institution.
UCU977.html | UCU977.rtf

·  Request deliveries of leaflets and posters by email here. In order to deliver these in time orders must be received by 12pm on Monday 2 December at the latest.

·  Materials are also available for download on the day of action page here.

6. Pregnancy and maternity rights for members in casualised work
UCU is working with UK charity Maternity Action on a project to raise awareness of the impact of casualisation on pregnant workers and new mothers and are asking reps to complete a short online survey.
UCU985.html | UCU985.rtf

Green Party Trade Union Group sends a message of solidarity to UCU members in Universities

Green Party Trade Union Group sends a message of solidarity to UCU members in Universities who are taking strike action over pay, pensions, casualisation and workloads. If we are to have the green New Deal that we need to combat climate change and build a low carbon economy, Higher Education has a vital role to pay and its workforce must be properly treated and rewarded by their employers.

  Details of the strikes below and at https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10453/University-strikes-ON-after-universities-refuse-to-deal-with-pensions-pay-and-working-conditions

University strikes ON after universities refuse to deal with pensions, pay and working conditions

21 November 2019 | last updated: 22 November 2019

Eight days of strike action at 60 UK universities will begin on Monday as UCU accused universities of being 'all spin and no substance' in their response to disputes over pensions, pay and working conditions.

Earlier this week, UCU accused universities of playing games after their representatives refused to even discuss pay. The union said things were no better at talks yesterday  over changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), where their representatives failed to make a serious offer.

UCU said it feared that universities had learnt nothing from last year's dispute, when campuses were brought to a standstill by unprecedented levels of strike action.

Last month, UCU members backed strike action in two disputes, one on changes to the USS pension scheme and one on universities' failure to make improvements on pay, equality, casualisation and workloads. Overall, 79% of UCU members who voted backed strike action in the ballot over changes to pensions. In the ballot on pay, equality, casualisation and workloads, 74% of members polled backed strike action. 

The union called on other vice-chancellors to follow the example of Professor Anthony Forster at the University of Essex, who recently acknowledged employers can afford to pay more for USS and should be doing more to avoid widespread disruption.

The union warned that if universities failed to make improved offers then further waves of strike action could follow in the new year, with even more staff taking part. UCU has said it is currently consulting with its branches at other universities about being balloted again to join further action.

As well as eight strike days from 25 November to Wednesday 4 December, UCU members will begin 'action short of a strike'. This involves things like working strictly to contract, not covering for absent colleagues and refusing to reschedule lectures lost to strike action.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'It is quite staggering that the employers have allowed things to get to this stage and done so little to avoid the upcoming disruption. Instead of engaging seriously with us over the various elements of the disputes, they have been all spin and no substance.

'Universities appear to have learnt nothing from last year's USS dispute, and are once again showing a dangerous level of complacency that completely underestimates the scale of anger amongst staff. Instead of wasting time playing games, they would do well to listen to people like Anthony Forster who have acknowledged that universities can afford to pay more to address these issues. It is time for university leaders to show some actual leadership.

'Students should be asking serious questions of their vice-chancellors and putting pressure on them to get their representatives back to the negotiating table with serious offers that address all the issues at stake. If universities don't change their tune, then next week's action could just be the start with further waves of strikes involving more staff in the new year.'

---

* UK universities affected by strike action from Monday 25 November

Both disputes (42):
1.     Aston University
2.     Bangor University
3.     Cardiff University
4.     University of Durham
5.     Heriot-Watt University
6.     Loughborough University
7.     Newcastle University
8.     The Open University
9.    The University of Bath
10.  The University of Dundee
11.  The University of Leeds
12.  The University of Manchester
13.  The University of Sheffield
14.  University of Nottingham
15.  The University of Stirling
16.  University College London
17.  The University of Birmingham
18.  The University of Bradford
29.  The University of Bristol
20.  The University of Cambridge
21.  The University of Edinburgh
22.  The University of Exeter
23.  The University of Essex
24.  The University of Glasgow
25.  The University of Lancaster
26.  The University of Leicester
27.  City University
28.  Goldsmiths College
39.  Queen Mary University of London
30.  Royal Holloway
31.  The University of Reading
32.  The University of Southampton
33.  The University of St Andrews
34.  Courtauld Institute of Art
35.  The University of Strathclyde
36.  The University of Wales
37.  The University of Warwick
38.  The University of York
49.  The University of Liverpool
40.  The University of Sussex
41.  The University of Ulster
42.  Queen's University Belfast
Pay and conditions dispute only (14):
1.     Bishop Grosseteste University
2.     Bournemouth University
3.     Edge Hill University
4.     Glasgow Caledonian University
5.     Glasgow School of Art
6.     Liverpool Hope University
7.     Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts
8.     Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
9.     St Mary's University College, Belfast
10.  Roehampton University
11.  The University of Oxford
12.  Sheffield Hallam University
13.  The University of Brighton
14.  The University of Kent
USS pensions dispute only (4):
1.       Scottish Association of Marine Science
2.       The University of Aberdeen
3.       The University of East Anglia
4.       Institute for Development Studies

Disappointing to see bias in the latest Greener Jobs Alliance newsletter

Disappointing to see bias in the latest newsletter ( see 

http://www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/news/), towards Labour Green New Deal and not a comparison to how it compares with the Green New Deal

Normally I tweet the link to the Green Jobs Alliance, but won't be this time as I am disappointed that there is a clear bias towards the Labour Party policies relating to the environment, and you have not set out the Green Party's commitments to the environment alongside this.

 I am surprised that you didn't see fit to present a more balanced view by comparing Labour's Green commitments with those of the  Green Party.

Especially as the Labour Party are not showing their commitment to becoming Green through recent actions in Parliament:

119 Labour MP's voted to expand Heathrow Airport with a 3rd runway.

Labour Shadow Cabinet members have backed Nuclear - Sepember 2019

& a new coal mine in April 2019

Also Labour in their manifesto have not committed to zero carbon by 2030 and are not putting in enough funded infrastructure, compared to the Green Party's commitment of spending Overall.

The green party propose investing around £93 billion per year in our Green New Deal, with a further £80or so billion being spend on Universal Basic Income which will form part of the New Deal (empowering people to seize the opportunities created by the new green economy)

This combined Green New Deal investment, over ten years, will represent an investment of nearly £2 trillion in fighting the climate emergency.

So perhaps in order for people to understand the differences between these two Green Deals and not have one presented as being the solution - i.e. Labour's green new deal you should have given a more objective summary and outline of both parties' commitments to the environment in full!

Regards,

Andrea Carey Fuller

Green Party Candidate for Lewisham Deptford

IMPORTANT REGION DEMONSTRATION 29 NOVEMBER PENSIONS, PAY & PLANET

IMPORTANT REGION DEMONSTRATION 29 NOVEMBER PENSIONS, PAY & PLANET

GPTU minutes of 5.10.19, update 07/09/2019, MINUTES 16th May 2019

Draft MINUTES GREEN PARTY TRADE UNION GROUP AGM 5/10/2019 at Green Party Conference, Newport

1) Introduction to GPTU by P.Murry, (summarised in London Trade Union Liaison Officer report below).

2) Election of Committee 2019/20

Co-chairs: Noel Lynch and Adam Clarke

Secretary: Peter Murry

Treasurer: Sue Tibbles

Membership Secretary: Noel Lynch

Equalities Officer: Beccy Sawbridge

Media Officer: Martin Francis

Committee Member: Paul Valentine

3) Tolpuddle: PM reported that Derek Hardman had successfully campaigned to get the Green Party to finance its stall at the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ festival, rely on an individual member to do so. Thanks also to the work of Paul Valentine who worked for this in his role as Trade Union Liaison Officer on the Green Party Executive.

4) BEIS strike: This was a strike of   cleaners and catering staff at BEIS supported by PCS, who have been on indefinite strike action since the 15 July. “We have also called out receptionists, porters, post room and security workers and from w/c 30 September they will be on rolling one week on strike one week off. They are fighting for a Living Wage and proper terms and conditions. 

These are the biggest strikes Whitehall has ever seen and the whole support staff team has been out.” Beccy Sawbridge reported on solidarity contributions from SE Kent TUC. The strikers had asked to visit the Green Party Conference but had been directed to the GPTU meeting rather than a plenary, however they decided not to visit because they were about to get a settlement. (“We also salute the win by catering workers, working for Aramark at BEIS who have finally won the London Living Wage after two months of indefinite strike action. The union is still fighting for it to be awarded to their members in ISS at the same government department. http://shopstewards.net/2019/10/nssn-455-victories-at-harland-wolff-hull-and-beis-show-that-workers-action-can-win/?fbclid=IwAR1CqkeRHoDCpU3p7U0xW6h2qKzs6MMrPNQ57xoY2xS0bFel0kqWA1syCng)

5) Ruskin College: Sue Tibbles that this college, originally founded by and for Trade Unions, had been in disputes involving UCU which had led to the vicitimisation of a lecturer, Lee Humber, and solidarity resignations and recently attempts had been made to place responsibility for the death of a student on security staff. ( see: https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10200/Ruskin-College-under-fire-for-trade-union-victimisation and

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10215/Union-leaders-call-for-Ruskin-College-to-withdraw-threats-of-staff-dismissal-and-drop-charges-against-UCU-reps).

Sue Tibbles to write to Unison and Oxford TUC.

6) 20.9.19 Global Climate Strike: Over 7 m worldwide reported to have participated. In UK, the TUC passed a motion call for solidarity but stopped short of calling for strikes or even stoppages. Several Union branches were able to take solidarity actions usually with the agreement of employers. Caroline Lucas, & Jeremy Corbyn (among others) spoke at the London demo. It was felt that Caroline could have voiced criticism of the Anti-Union laws which prevent TU’s from legally taking solidarity actions. Peter Murry to write to Caroline Lucas.

7) NEU H&S reps

8) Two Green Party councillors had recently been elected in Ashford. It was noted that advice for Green Party councillors on liaison with their local TUCs was needed.

9) Date of next meeting: PM to circulate a doodle poll for an early December date, Zoom or Skype to be used to increase participation.

APPENDIX

Trade union liaison officer (Pete Murry)

I have been building links with the trade union movement and have worked with the Green Party Trade Union Group (GPTU). I am Co-Secretary of GPTU and have attended its meetings. I have regularly attended London Green Party meetings and submitted written reports on trade union matters I have supplemented these with verbal contributions when appropriate.

I blog at http://greentulondon.blogspot.co.uk/ carrying reports of disputes, trade union news, solidarity actions and demos etc, I attend meetings of the Campaign Against Climate Change TU group, the Greener Jobs Alliance, the Lucas Plan Just Transition working group. I have recently become a member of the newly established TUC, (Trade Union Congress), London, East and South East Region Environmental Sustainability and Just Transition Network.

I am an active member of the University and College Union (UCU) London Retired Members’ Branch. I have drafted motions on climate change for the UCU annual conference, most recently attempting to challenge the attempt by some unions to restrict union discussion of Just Transition only to their memberships.

I have also been active in encouraging TU support for the recent school/students’ strikes to call for effective action on climate change.

GPTU Update 07/09/2019

It seems unlikely to be able organise a GPTU meeting before Conference (Autumn Conference 2019 - 4-6 October, in Newport at International Convention Centre, Wales ).

GPTU  CONFERENCE MEETING

A GPTU  Conference meeting is booked for 13.30-14.45 on Saturday 5 October, this will be the AGM. Nominations/expressions of interest are invited for the following committee posts:

Chair

Secretary

Treasurer

Membership Secretary

Media Officer

Equalities Officer

Nominees must be members of the Green Party of England and Wales. All posts may be job shares. It is not necessary to attend the AGM to put forward a nomination which should be sent to Peter Murry (GPTU Secretary) at yrrumuk@googlemail.com.

We hope there will be time to discuss the future of GPTU at the AGM.

TUC congress

There will be several fringe meetings on Climate Change at the TUC congress at The Brighton Centre, 8 - 11 September. The Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group fringe will concentrate on building support for the Climate strike 20 September (details at https://www.cacctu.org.uk/climate_strike_20_september), this is also the focus of a UCU (University and College Union) motion to congress. The Greener Jobs Alliance which has just produced an excellent “Trade Union Guide to Just Transition” available FREE at http://www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/courses/

Is also running a fringe about this and wider issues around just transition. Full details of the congress can be found at https://www.tuc.org.uk/congress2019 .

Disputes etc

There are currently Major disputes around redundancies at Tata steel works in Newport where GPEW conference is taking place ( see “Tata Steel to close Newport factory, putting 400 jobs at risk : https://www.theguardian.com  @ByRobDavies Mon 2 Sep 2019) and at The Harland and Wolf shipyard where like the Lucas aerospace workers in the 1970’s , workers want to put their skills to better use (see https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/harland-and-wolff-belfast-occupation-nationalisation-labour-john-mcdonnell-a9071536.html

Even as heavy industry is being battered to bits outsourced workers in service industries are being squeezed down to poverty wages like the striking Medirest staff at Northwick Park Hospital. To whom gptu has sent a message of support (https://greentulondon.blogspot.com/2019/09/hospitals-and-nhs-depend-on-porters.html)

Minutes of 16th May 2019 Zoom meeting

1.   Apologies: , Paul Valentine, Beccy Sawbridge, Martin Childs, Noel Lynch

Present: Sue Tibbles  Martin Francis, Peter Murry

2.   Minutes of Previous Meeting 21 st February 2019

Matters Arising

a)    Martin Francis to investigate GPTU mission statement for social media sites. (Martin thought current statement on GPTU webpage ok)

b)    Martin Francis to contact Conferences Committee re adequate space for stalls at conference and encouraging more TU stalls. (Contacted Louisa Greenbaum but no response)

c)    Use of Glyphosate weedkillers, cancer death reported (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45155788). (See recent US award of damages for Roundup cancer)

4.   a) Membership, 

·       around 200 members. Any members wishing to join GPTU email list, contact Noel Lynch as Paul Valentine currently on tour so might not have time to do this. Noel Lynch to update on numbers.

·       There are still two membership lists

5)    Finances: £1358.04 less a further £25 to Beccy Sawbridge for travelling, paid by Peter Murry. £ 17.04 mistakenly paid from the account should be repaid. (Sue has repaid Pete. Previous error paid back-(refreshments for Trades Council event )no change

6)  Regional Organising:

·       Beccy Sawbridge contacted Roy Sandison to ascertain where there were TULO’s and to increase them if possible….. No reply

·       Beccy Sawbridge to contact GPHQ to get list of party contacts. May be able to start with Kent and London (

·         Beccy congratulated on her election to Dover Town council and Dave Plummer on election to Waltham Forest Council )

7)   General Updates, Solidarity and Outreach Work

a)    Oxford City Council Climate Emergency passed after Labour watering down amendment. Council considering setting up citizens’ assembly

b) UPDATES FROM UCU May 2019

 No sexual harassment week: 10 - 15 June 2019
Further information on a week of focusing on challenging sexual harassment in the workplace, which will take place from 10 to 15 June.
UCU956.html | UCU956.rtf [97kb]

FE fights back: latest wave of action
Further education (FE) members in London took strike action at Lambeth College, New City College, Poplar & Arbour Square this week, and industrial action ballots opened at New City College, Hackney and Croydon College as part of our fight for fair pay. Photos and messages in solidarity with striking members can be viewed at our online wall of support here. Branches and activists are asked to keep tagging their Facebook and Twitter posts with the hashtags #FEFightsBack and #FEpay.

 

c) CACC Trade Union solidarity day with Student Climate Strikes, Friday 24 May, 11 am, Parliament Square.

8.   Trade Union And Workers’ Rights Committee (update on where the Transition Team are up to and a report on the current thinking of Green Left.):

Pete Murry proposing an amendment on this. Members advised to email SOC to support PM’s amendment before 16/05/19 midnight deadline.

9.   GP conference:

As there is a clash with the Green New Deal Panel, look into possible change of GPTU meeting Sunday 9.30 am to 10.30 am or use special interest group vacancy Sunday 18:15-19:30.

Martin Francis to manage text service at Conference.

8.   Updates from Officers:

a)   GPEX: PV has secured an assurance that Brian Heatley will be reimbursed for his expenses for running the Tolpuddle Festival stall. Other helpers always welcome.

b)   London Fed: Meeting on 20 May cancelled because of doing work around European elections.

   9 AOB:

Levellers Day: Sue gave a summary of this year’s event. See Facebook Levellers’ Day.

Oxford Levellers’ Day event,

Trade Union Clean Air Network (TUCAN) meeting 20 June UCU HQ, Carlow Street, Camden, NW1 7LH.

PM emailed info to the lists. Anyone interested in attending to contact UCU Secretary, Janet,

janet@gmhazards.org.uk

Greener Jobs Alliance (GJA) latest newsletter. PM circulated to the list.

LESE Environmental Sustainability and Just transition Network:

Sue to check details.   Encourage GPTU members to put names forward.

   10. Date of next meeting:6^th June Zoom discussion if necessary pre Conference on last minute items.