UCU campaign update:

Dear colleague

In this week's campaign update:

Update on higher education pay negotiations 
The second of three pay negotiations meetings took place on Tuesday through the new joint negotiating committee for higher education staff (JNCHES):

·  Pay: the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) marginally improved their opening offer to 1.5%.

·  Gender pay gap: UCEA has offered to develop some further joint work with the unions.

·  Precarious employment: UCEA want to wait for the outcome of the joint working group that already is considering fixed term and variable hours contracts.

·  Workload and stress: UCEA do not want JNCHES to progress this issue at a UK level.

The union’s higher education committee (HEC) meets on 21 April to consider the progress of negotiations.

Further education conference: empowering teachers, learners and communities
As part of UCU’s campaign to showcase the huge contribution further education colleges and their staff make to communities we are pleased to sponsor the one day ‘Reimagining further education’ conference in Birmingham on 21 June 2017 and you can find details and registration information here.

Former England footballer Rio Ferdinand talks here about the power of further and adult education to transform lives and enable social mobility.

See here for full update including: 

·  In the news

·  Staff speak out against redundancies at Manchester Metropolitan University

·  Your union needs you: don’t let anti-trade union law silence our voice

·  Defend jobs at University of Bradford

·  Postgraduates who teach – our campaign for a fair deal

·  Tolpuddle Festival, 14-16 July 2017

Best wishes

Ed Bailey
UCU acting head of campaigns