Unite the Union – Sheffield University Branch Meeting

14/02/24

1pm – 2pm

Arts Tower 410 and online via Google Meets

Present:

Martin Bentley - Chair

Claire Healey - Secretary

Garry Turner - Treasurer

Jack Watson – Workplace

Members online

Minutes

1. Minutes of Last Meeting

No objections or corrections to the minutes from the last meeting.

2. Updates

Updated on actions from the disability networks committee resigning. Having Meeting with UCU to figure out how we can help staff networks. Writing a joint union statement. Will press the matter at JUCC.

Update about unions having access to new started. On our agenda. Will started fighting it again at JUCC.

3. School Restructure

Not much to update – it is going ahead – they are first looking to restructure departmental managers – no info about anyone else – trying to set terms of engagement with the uni about how we deal with them on this topic – we are nervous about getting railroaded and the uni claiming the unions support things it doesn’t – asking for time scales (they have released a chart but not sure if it is in depth enough)

MC: USS update. 6th Feb announced that on 01st April there will be changes to USS, going back to old rates -a good things but abatements changing. This is based actuarial information - we don’t negotiate about it - urge staff to write to USS - UCU writing to ask to push back to September to allow people to take advice on this.

Amount of restructuring we are taking on top of biggest restructure is very difficult to keep on of it, don’t have the people the facilities time to deal with everything going off - way trying to protect PAs

Member question – Has VSS been announced?

MS: No - expectation jobs of correct grade for people at that grade

CH – No talk of VSS so far

MB: if people not happy about proposal when come out, come and speak to us  - can speak to us individually -possibility  of VSS? - not sure it exists in this case, speak to us as individuals.

Obviously uni doesn't want people here that don’t' want to be here - we've always said that keeping people here who don't want to be hear a recipe for disaster - possibly there will be hundreds of people following this that don't want to be here, that re going to be here for various  reasons - worry for the commitment that people will be expected to show - incapable showing that commitment because of how they are feeling - worry uni at some stage ask how did we get here when everything is falling apart

CH: Heads up that the membership subscription will be going up- going up soon. 15p per week for low pay rate, 17p per week for part-time rate, 22p per week for full time rate. Going up in April. First time raised in a while. It is well beneath inflation. Unfortunately, sometimes it has to increase. You will be written to by central Unite.

CH: We have nice feedback from Christmas donations – Snowdrop and Children’s Hospital.

MB: Anyone who caught up in restructures - particularly if you have 121 and if want someone in with you, we advise to take someone in, if not us, take a colleague in just for confirmation to be sure you have verification of what had been said – when you are in the meeting sometimes your brain doesn't focus properly - obviously be in a different place to where would be normally - having someone corroborate very useful

In discussion about this year’s pay award - not made any conclusive submission to UCEA – soon as know anything - we will get back to you.

4. Issues from Staff

No issues raised.

Next meeting Thursday 14^th March, 1pm, Arts Tower 4.10 and online.