Arising from the decision by the higher education committee (HEC) meeting on Wednesday 14 January 2015, please find information below on the arrangements for the forthcoming ballot of USS members plus more detail on the proposals which members are asked to consider.

1. Ballot arrangements – please read carefully:
The Electoral Reform Society (ERS) will administer and scrutinise the ballot on UCU’s behalf. The ballot will open on Friday 16 January and close on Monday 26 January at 12 noon. ERS will deliver the emails on a staggered basis over the first couple of days of the ballot so they will arrive at different times for each member. Anyone who has not received an email from ERS inviting them to vote by close of play on Tuesday 20 January should contact Matt Waddup (mwaddup@ucu.org.uk) to arrange for a replacement ballot code to be sent. There are a very small number of members in this ballot for whom the union does not currently hold a valid email address. These members will be sent a postal ballot paper by ERS. Any ballot related queries should go to Matt at the above email address.

2. What is this ballot about?
Detrimental proposals to change USS benefits were made by Universities UK on behalf of the employers in autumn 2014. The proposals were tabled by the employers in response to a (read more ….)