A General Meeting of the UCU Bradford University Local Association took place at 12 noon. Presentation slides can be viewed here.
Main topics for consideration and motions were:
Questions from the Floor
In addition to the topics covered in the motions, there were some questions from the floor in relation to the recent announcements of further job cuts.
These were addressed under AOB as well as an overview of the Organisational Change process that UCU would be engaged in.
Motions for Debate
The following motions were considered at the meeting which was quorate throughout:
Motion 1 – Protecting Jobs and Terms & Conditions:
The motion was proposed by Zak Hughes and seconded by Steve Hickey.
UCU Bradford LA resolves to call upon management to:
- Make further reductions to the CapEx programmes to meet the budget deficit
- Commit unequivocally to a policy of no compulsory or forced redundancies
- Adopt MARS levels of compensation in any voluntary severance scheme to ensure fairness and equity, in particular for those who had previously shown commitment to their employer despite the opportunities presented through MARS, and those whose applications to MARS had been declined.
In addition, members resolve:
- To endorse the branch committee to launch a formal dispute if the committee believes the actions of the employer warrant such a step.
Motion 1 was carried with no votes against and 2 abstentions.
Motion 2 – Workload
The motion was Proposed by Dawn Clarke and seconded by Barbara McNamara
UCU Bradford LA Resolves:
- To call upon the employer to restate its commitment to the recognition agreement, and give assurance that all matters relating to pay, conditions and working practices are appropriately negotiated in accordance with that agreement.
- To call upon the employer to enter meaningful negotiations over a new and more representative framework.
- To call upon the employer to withdraw any workload models that have been undertaken using the non-negotiated workload handbook.
Motion 2 was carried with no votes against and no abstentions.
Motion 3 – Stress Risk Assessment
The motion was proposed by Sarah George and seconded by Steve Hickey.
UCU Bradford LA resolves that management must:
- Ensure that stress risk assessments are employed proactively and at a departmental / team level
- Ensure that stress risk assessments are not used in a
coercive or bullying manner to those already suffering from stress
- Ensure that regular catch-up meetings with managers are
supportive and, in a format, and frequency that is mutually agreed with the employee
- Provide clarity to employees about who will see stress risk
assessments and include a mandatory requirement for written consent before sharing any part of an assessment.
Motion 3 was carried with no votes against and no abstentions.
Any Other Business
Job Cuts:
Q1 Any thoughts on if we may have compulsory redundancies?
A1 Compulsory redundancy was mentioned as a possible course of action by the CFO at the assembly of 15th October. UCU believes that there is often little if any difference between compulsory and so called ‘voluntary’ severance/redundancy. These are merely legal terms, with management keen to avoid compulsory due to the legal obligations associated with that. In both cases severance is almost inevitably forced. As outlined in motion 1 above the branch position is to oppose any forced redundancies.
Q2 If so, will staff be given warning and told so we can take voluntary redundancies? I guess not, but the VC did say she wanted to be transparent.
A2 At this stage we know very little about the proposals in terms of the planned approach or magnitude of job losses. We would expect that there will be some discussions around local restructuring; the branch would be concerned if losses will be targeted and not through the adoption of an “equal pain across the institution” approach.
Q3 What happens if I don’t take voluntary redundancies then I get compulsory? Can they just restructure and make several people apply for one job?
A3 We hope that redundancies are based on a robust and coherent restructuring plan. If, for example, a team is reduced from 3 to 2 one would expect that there would be an opportunity for redeployment or to volunteer for redundancy to make the reduction. If there is no volunteer then there would be a process of recruitment ringfenced to the individuals, after which the unsuccessful candidate would return to the options of redeployment or redundancy.
There is in addition a process known as ‘matching and slotting’ where candidates may be placed in the new structure when they meet 70% or more of the required attributes for the new role and there is no other candidate.
Q4 Re redundancies, how much will they pay out if I have been here for 19 years 14 of them have been part time?
A4 In the case of a voluntary arrangement the employer has full control of what is being offered, although in past rounds of voluntary redundancies at UoB typically the calculation will mirror the statutory framework set out for compulsory arrangements.
It should be noted however that MARS deviated from this approach with a flat rate compensation payment equal to 6 months’ salary; we call for a similar approach to redundancy.
The compulsory scheme currently allows for 1 week for every year of service (pro-rata for part time working) or 1½ weeks for years of service over the age of 41. You may further be entitled to payment in lieu of notice (PILON) and you should check your contract of employment for that, and payment of any outstanding leave. Note that the employer may require you to work notice and take leave rather than make additional payments.
Q5 Can they change my job (reduce responsibilities and give them to other staff with less experience) then argue I’m not needed?
A5 Technically that is a restructuring. Your role is in effect removed as indeed are the roles of those other staff, and new roles (perhaps fewer of them) created. See answer to Q3 for how that should be managed.
Q6 Is MARS being revisited/re-opened?
A6 We understand that some MARS applications that were declined either by the applicant or management may be revisited on a case-by-case basis. We do not at this stage believe that there is a plan to re-open MARS or launch a new phase of that scheme.
Organisational Change
Under the organisational change policy, management are obliged to properly consult both collectively and individually over any planned restructuring.
Collective Consultation
We would expect to be consulted as a part of that, and we persistently call for early inclusion in the process of developing a plan rather than being presented with a fait accompli. The reality is that the latter is the normal format for consultation.
UCU would expect to be invited to any meetings with teams of staff during the process of consultation.
Individual Consultation
UCU will endeavor to provide support to members if they are called to meet individually with management.
We anticipate significant demand for representation however, which means that the branch may find it challenging to accompany all members to individual consultations. Members are strongly advised to take someone with them (a colleague or friend) who can take notes of the proceedings, and in doing so ensure that nothing is missed.
Members are asked to consider volunteering to accompany colleagues over this demanding period. If you are interested, please email ucusupport@bradford.ac.uk with your name and contact details.