I hope you are having a good Summer.
🙂
Just a preliminary update on a range of issues:
General Meetings
I will be writing to you in early September with dates for regular UCU Solent General Meetings over the coming academic year.
Office Hours for Casework and UCU Info.
Once September starts, I will be holding weekly online office hours for UCU members who have casework issues, or who need UCU information.
I will send you details Sept. 1st.
My pledge to you is a 24 hour response time when you need to speak with a UCU Rep. regarding any issue you are having at work.
Visiting your Area
Once September kicks in, I will be contacting each staffing group in each distinct area and arranging to come and visit you as a group where you work and teach. I have already been invited to visit Warsash by UCU members there. It will be an opportunity for me to learn more about your area and meet you in person.
I will create a monthly members’ newsletter which will partly focus on these meetings.
From Head Office and The General Secretary
We expect to have further updated information from Head Office in early Sept. regarding current national patterns of industrial action and negotiations. I will be emailing you early September. The General Secretary is seeking agreement with UCEA (the University & College Employers Group) for a package mitigating any salary deductions experienced by UCU members across the UK during the ongoing MAB.
This is the most recent letter from The General Secretary dated August 1st:
https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/13126/UCEA-talks-break-downJSG
I am on Annual Leave until August 31st, but have been attending Joint Staffing Group at Solent as Chair of UCU, with the Director of P&D, The Regional UCU Official, The Solent Chair of Unison, and The Deputy Vice-Chancellor. This Thursday we are also meeting with the Provost.
There are a range of proposals from the University that we will be bringing to your attention, and putting forward to the Branch membership for your vote.
PRIDE
This year at Solent we are encouraging as many students and staff as possible to participate in the Southampton Pride Parade with the Solent University group. This year the Southampton Pride Parade is the 26th August. I have stepped in for Kayleigh (Chair of the LGBT+ network) while she is away, and this morning P&D asked me to remind everyone about Southampton Pride and the Solent Walking Group. If you are interested in walking with the Solent University group you can sign up through a link on this Solent University Blog Post: https://staff.solent.ac.uk/news/get-involved-with-southampton-pride.
Solent UCU Website:
We have started updating the Solent UCU website:
So, that’s it for now.
Enjoy August!
🙂
In solidarity,
Steve D.
Chair Solent UCU
Health & Safety Rep.
Acting Branch Secretary.
