1) UCU Congress
Bristol UCU delegates – Tracey Hooper, James Thompson and Jamie Melrose – went to UCU Congress in Brighton last weekend.
What did Congress decide? What was discussed? What is now UCU policy as regards pay, union mergers and many other issues?
Please see ‘Brighton Rocks: Bristol UCU Congress Report 2017’ for our summary:
https://bristolucu.wordpress.com/2017/06/07/brighton-rocks-bristol-ucu-congress-report-2017/
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2) Open Letter: Faculty of Arts HPTs
UCU members and Faculty of Arts HPTs have signed an open letter, asking Arts Management to review the payment of Arts HPTs as a matter of urgency.
The letter goes ‘it cannot be right or proper that staff at Bristol are paid less for doing the same work. Such a principle is at the heart of the University’s Reward agenda’.
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3) Promotion and Progression Review – Pathway 1 & 3 Staff
The latest UCU progression and promotion focus groups, this time for P3 and P1 staff, are next week.
For Pathway 3 staff – Tuesday 13 June 2017, 1.00 – 2.00 pm, please register:
For Pathway 1 staff Thursday 15 June 2017, 1.00 – 2.00 pm, please register:
Bristol UCU branch officers have an initial response to the University’s Pathway 1 Review:
http://bristolucu.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/files/2017/05/BristolUCUSubmission-ReviewofPathway1PP-1-1.pdf
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4) Voluntary Severance Scheme – Faculty of Science
Bristol UCU has written to members in Science as regards the VS scheme currently in operation.
We noted:
- the terms of the scheme are based on an offer of only 6 months’ pay, rather than the customary 12 months.
- a similar scheme was offered in Health Sciences and Biomedical Sciences with only a handful of staff putting themselves forward.
- it is essential for staff members to consider their own entitlement to things like redundancy pay and length of notice when weighing up a possible VS application.
- members should not feel pressured. This is a voluntary scheme.
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5) Early Years Project – Bristol Refugee Rights
Bristol Refugee Rights (BRR), a local charity that provides services for refugees and asylum seekers in Bristol, is looking for funding for the Early Years Project creche.
The Project enables refugees and asylum seekers, particularly mothers, to take advantage of BRR services (especially classes) as well as giving young children who have had a very tough start in life a chance to catch up and flourish.
If you would like to make a donation in support of BRR’s current crowdfunding appeal:
https://www.fundsurfer.com/project/bristol-refugee-rights-early-years-project