Author Archives: york

New Year Bulletin

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The Pensions Dispute

Your branch executive thought that as members get back into the swing of term they would want to be updated on our dispute and the negotiations about the future of USS.

Firstly we remind colleagues that the Higher Education Committee agreed to SUSPEND our industrial action until 15 January in order to allow a finite period of time for further negotiations with the employers and the trustee board. That action was NOT TERMINATED and this week the union has notified the employers that it would resume on 16 January. This signals that UCU is not walking away from issues underlying the dispute, and that we are determined to use every means to achieve the best possible outcome from the negotiations.

Our suspension of industrial action has been followed by a series of meetings between UCU, the employers, the trustee board and various technical experts. Our negotiators will report on these negotiations to the Higher Education Committee next Wednesday (14 January) so that HEC can assess the position, and determine the best way to handle the next stage of the dispute, including the USS meeting on 15 January at which key decisions may well be made.

Your branch executive urges all members to continue their support for our position and the dispute, and to be ready to resume the industrial action next Friday. Any change in the situation will be reported as soon as possible but in the meantime we need to keep up the pressure.

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The Future of Performance Review

Colleagues may remember that last summer the university management attempted to change various aspects of the performance review process without negotiation with the unions as is provided for in our procedural agreement. Eventually unions and management began proper discussion and negotiation about the revision of the existing performance review process (dating back to 2004) late last term, and agreed to progress this revision in 2015.

It is therefore with surprise and concern that we have learned of a document from HR setting out proposals for a new approach to performance review, a document which has never been discussed, let alone agreed, with the campus unions.

It seems that our management is happy to breach the procedural agreement between themselves and the unions which states clearly that terms and conditions of employment (which include performance review) are matters for negotiation with the unions, and when they do appear to negotiate, to do so in bad faith.

Your branch executive has protested about this behaviour to the Director of HR and to the Registrar and will be raising this breach of the agreement at our JNCC. We urge all members to refuse to engage with the new proposals, whether as reviewers, reviewees, or departmental managers, since they not been through the agreed process of negotiation. We know that senior staff, like the rest of us, value the principles of partnership and trust which have always served industrial relations in this university well, and will share UCU’s wish to defend them against what seems to be the flagrant disregard and disrespect for staff signalled by this breach in our procedures.

 

Bulletin No 5

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YORK UCU   –   DISPUTE BULLETIN No. 5

The UCU mass-petition on USS pensions has finally gathered over 16,000 signatures.

This clearly indicates the extent and strength of feeling among our members on this issue.

The petition will be presented to the employers’ representatives, Universities UK, at the USS institutions meeting today, 4 December 2014, in London.

The petition reads as follows:

 “We the undersigned believe that the USS pension scheme is an important benefit to university staff as well as a significant factor in the recruitment and retention of high quality staff for member institutions.

 We note that the employers’ initial proposals would have meant a reduction in annual pension income of up to 27% for staff. We call upon the USS Board to agree a fair method of valuation which reflects the underlying strength of the USS fund. We call upon university managements to support such an approach and to work with UCU to develop a pension scheme which ensures all eligible existing and future staff, including casualised staff, benefit from a decent guaranteed pension income.”

 Here at York we are looking for our management to indicate publicly that like managements in comparable institutions (Warwick, Oxford, LSE, Imperial College) they support the call to revisit the questionable methodology and approach of USS to the deficit and to the reform of the scheme.

In the local context we still think it is appropriate to ask if the recent actions of the senior managers of this university can be said to conform with the high estimation of the values which inform our life and work here, as praised by our incoming Chancellor, Sir Malcolm Grant:

“… this great university which has always represented a set of unimpeachable values. It has a passionate belief in social justice, freedom of speech, a respect for the individual and, above all, a commitment to the highest academic standards.”

University of York Branch Executive

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Presentation of Petition

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A petition with over 16,000 signatures was delivered to the board of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)at their meeting at the glamorous BAFTA offices by members of the UCU’s negotiating team this morning.

UCU delivers USS petition, 4 Dec 2014 : UCU delivers USS petition, 4 Dec 2014
Each box represents over 2,000 signatures.  Thousands of academics and academic-related staff across the UK have signed the petition calling on the board of the USS pension scheme to agree a fair method of valuation to reflect the underlying strength of USS …….    read more here

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