Minutes UCU Committee Meeting Wed 6 May 2015 1pm
Present: Andrew Mackillop (chair), Andrew Fraser ( minutes), Mufeedh Choudhury, Alan Fenwick, Fiona Stewart, Isobel Ford, Andrew MacGregor, Peter Jeffels, Christine Sands.
1) Minutes of previous meeting: deferred for Action nextcommittee meeting to consider.
2) Minute Taker: appointed Andrew Fraser.
3) Partnership and Recognition Agreement :Action Rachel Shanks to chase up minutes from e.g. Director of HR.
We still want new staff list and facilities time.
4) Branch organisation for current dispute: Fiona Stewart to be lead rep for communication with University and for attendance at JCCRA and requests for information for VSS update meetings.
All three of Christine Sands, Miep Helfrich, Fiona Stewart, to attend coming Friday JCCRA.
Later in summer, Fiona Stewart and Mike McConnell may be taking JCCRA more.
All requests for info from committee to go via Fiona Stewart only.
Fiona Stewart requests committee members to contact her by phone for quick queriesinstead of email trails back and forth.
5) Letter for JCCRA: approved with amendments: a 4th bullet point, 'staff cuts' in place of 'voluntary severance followed by compulsory redundancies', addition of a comma. Action Fiona Stewart to send letter (with amendments) to JCCRA/other unions.
6) VSS: 198 expressions interest, 71 formal applications - 13 from academics.
University is continuing to hire replacements for vacancies.
Action Andrew Mackillop to check with UCU office for what union position should be on this.
Pre JCCRA Christine Sands told there was a moratorium on new adverts, but that is not the case according to Director HR, recruitment is actually ongoing, with all cases being considered by the same restructuring committee as the VS scheme.
8) Branch communication policy: email to all members amended (at end of this document).
7) Campaign: headline is we want to remove the threat of compulsory redundancies.
Proposal by AM seconded PJ unanimously approved: 'Agreed to uphold the motion to remove the threat of compulsory redundancies, and only that motion.'
Our secondary aim is to continue questioning whether there is really a need for the University to save money, and what contingency plans were put in place?
Suggest that at next GM explicitly consult the membership on a number of options that may have to be considered should management move towards compulsory redundancies, because otherwise University will say UCU sanctioned a pay freeze etc.
So view of committee was not to advocate those alternative options until GM approval.
Want to ask University how much saved by this year’s retrenchments. [Action Fiona Stewart]
Want to urge them that consultation is about income generation as well as cost reduction [Action Fiona
Stewart].
Want to ask that University commit itself to a specific fundraising figure for next 3 years [Action Andrew Mackillop]
Want to suggest University freezes all bonuses for 3 years and JCCRA puts that forward to remuneration committee and how much that would save [Action Fiona Stewart]
Andrew Mackillop has met a number of Dep Reps already. Fiona is meeting with Foresterhill Dep Reps on Friday 8th May.
Appendix – (8) email to all members
Subject: VOTE YESYES before 8th June
As you will be aware, Aberdeen UCU is currently in dispute with the University of Aberdeen over its refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. You should have received a ballot asking you to vote for or against taking industrial action.
It is crucial that you take part in this ballot to protect your job in Aberdeen. Jobs are under threat in Aberdeen across all areas. A low turnout weakens your position and will be perceived by the employer as indifference. A high turnout gives UCU a meaningful mandate to negotiate on behalf of its members.
Don’t rely on others to defend your job for you – use your vote.