1) Dispute Resolution: In-Person Teaching
Branch Officers had our latest dispute resolution meeting with the University on Monday. Another meeting is scheduled before the end of term to discuss certain proposals and suggested measures around the balance of online teaching for staff, the appropriate level of decision making and institutional risk assessment.
A Joint Branch Executive and Reps session will be held on Tuesday next week to discuss the branch response to these proposals and measures, as well as any further steps we need to take before the end of this term.
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2) Professional Services
Thanks to colleagues across Professional Services for responding to our recent email, asking about your experience at work during the pandemic. There are a few key points we’d like to raise after reviewing this frank and important feedback:
- Remember that you can speak confidentially to one of our branch caseworkers about any workplace issue. Contact ucu-office@bristol.ac.uk for an informal conversation. You can also make use of the University’s Employee Assistance Programme on 0800 015 5630, as well as Education Support, a 24/7 support line affiliated to UCU on 08000 562 561.
- Equipment can be ordered to ensure that you are working from home safely [link]. You can find out more about support for the costs incurred by working from home here [link].
- For staff who are finding working from home challenging, and for reasons of social isolation would welcome some time on campus, desks can be booked via your line manager [link].
- The branch is still to have a dedicated Professional Service term next calendar year
If you have any ideas for how we might mark a Professional Services Term, please contact your branch reps on the new email address for Professional Services: grp-ucu-psreps@groups.bristol.ac.uk
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3) Casework
Branch reps and caseworkers are hard at work, representing members, individually and collectively, across the University.
- Guaranteeing a fair and consistent approach to colleagues’ risk assessment-rooted requests to move their teaching online and to work remotely.
- Making sure CREATE is not seen as a ‘hard condition’ of academic progression.
- Securing furloughing and redeployment for those staff members at risk of redundancy.
- Defending members from disciplinary proceedings.
- Ensuring successful flexible working requests.
- Securing childcare voucher, salary sacrifice refunds.
- Supporting colleagues facing unacceptable behaviour.
Branch reps also continue to represent staff in Professional Services restructurings and collective redundancies, for example, in Finance, Disability Services and Bristol Medical School.
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