Despite repeated claims about the central importance that the University of Essex places on providing academic skills support that will enable growing numbers of Essex students to achieve a truly transformational education, one of the key tools by which this aim might be achieved – the tailored academic skills support provided by professional educators in the Talent Development Centre – is in the process of being radically changed in ways that will undermine its capacity…
Open petitions & letters
University of York staff and the gender pay gap
Last November the University of York UCU branch submitted to the university management a detailed claim regarding the ending of the gender pay gap at York (which was 19.3% in 2017 – worse than the average in UK universities). It proposed a partnership between unions and management to tackle this serious injustice, and seeks to negotiate on appropriate and realisable actions to close that gap within a defined timeline. UCU’s claim, which is supported by…
Improve the terms and conditions of teachers at Nottingham
We, the undersigned, call on University of Nottingham to make clear its commitment to providing high quality education for students by taking immediate and decisive action to improve the terms and conditions of teachers. For teachers, unfair and inequitable working conditions cause real hardship and distress. At the University of Nottingham, this is compounded by paying teaching affiliates in some departments fewer hours for the same work, and by the farming out of teaching by…
Leeds Beckett University UCU: hourly paid lecturers petition
Hourly paid lecturers (HPLs) play a crucial role at Leeds Beckett University yet work on contracts that are precarious with no security of income or employment from one year to the next. Figures supplied to UCU show that in 2017/18, 370 HPLs taught a total of over 31,000 hours. Without them the university simply could not function and many courses would cease to run. A survey carried out last year by UCU at the university…
Improve the terms and conditions of teaching assistants at Manchester
We, the undersigned, call on University of Manchester to make clear its commitment to providing high quality education for students by taking decisive action to improve the terms and conditions of teaching assistants. Unfair and inequitable working conditions blight people’s lives and destroy their careers, causing real hardship and distress. They also disrupt educational relationships, stifle the development of teaching staff and often put them under unbearable pressure to cut corners by employing them on…
Stop the ‘Fresh Start’ proposals at Hull College Group
We the undersigned are deeply concerned about the ‘Fresh Start’ restructure proposals put forward by the Hull College Group, which include plans to cut 231 full-time equivalent posts. We believe the plans will have a negative impact on local people in Hull, Harrogate and Goole by reducing the availability of learning opportunities. We are further concerned that major decisions are being made with little transparency and accountability to staff and students, informed by external consultants…
Call on the University of Surrey to drop 25% deduction for action short of a strike
UCU is calling on the University of Surrey senior management to drop their punitive plan to deduct 100% from wages for refusing to reschedule lectures or classes, or to cover the work of absent colleagues as industrial action short of a strike (ASOS).
University of Essex UCU petition: guarantee our working conditions
University of Essex UCU petition: guarantee our working conditions This petition was developed by members of academic departments and UCU local branch. It seeks support from all members of academic staff (whether permanent or fixed-term, senior or probationary, union members or not). Dear Vice-Chancellor, In September 2017, approximately one-eighth of the research-active staff were sent letters warning that their positions might be in danger, including the invocation of Capability proceedings to remove them from their…
University of Leeds statutes: no sackers’ charter
Management at the University of Leeds want to change the university’s statutes (which set the terms and conditions for academic and related staff) to worsen the protections for staff.
People Plus pay petition
In September 2016 People Plus management gave a presentation to all staff informing them they would receive a 2% pay rise in January 2017. In January 2017, managers have been instructed to tell staff that they will no longer be getting this pay award. Management have not had the courtesy to inform all staff of this officially in writing. We, the undersigned, are members of prison education staff for People Plus and call on the…
Closed
Stop the anti-union dirty tricks in the Coventry University Group
We the undersigned condemn the management of the CU Group, a subsidiary company of Coventry University, who have sought to block UCU from applying for recognition by setting up a company union and recognising it. Members and staff are clear that they want UCU to speak for them. We call on the CU Group to…
Call for deadline extensions from research funding bodies
Sign the open letter to UK research councils calling for an extension to current deadlines in light of UCU’s action over changes to the USS pension scheme.
Leeds Beckett University – cuts to Health Promotion
The Leeds Beckett University petition against the closure of the Centre for Men’s Health has now closed.
University of Leicester: Staffing Crisis in Human Geography
The Human Geography group at the University of Leicester would like to thank everyone who showed their support for our recent open letter to the University’s Leadership Team about the long-term under-staffing of our group. Within days of issuing this letter, and after years of inaction, the University of Leicester has moved to replace some…
No compulsory redundancies at Manchester Metropolitan University
We are no longer collecting signatures for this petition.
Call for greater investment in FE
Join our call for greater investment in FE by signing our letter to Robert Halfon, the Conservative minister for Apprenticeships and Skills in England