News

Executive Committee

It will soon be time for our annual UCU branch election of officers and executive committee members for 2024-2025, and to prepare for our next Annual General Meeting which will be held on 7th June 2024 at 1pm. 

The result of the General Secretary election has been announced.

Jo Grady has been re-elected as General Secretary of UCU, for a further five-year term from 1 August 2024.

UCU press release

Scrutineer's report and count sheet

The government recently passed the Strike (Minimum Service Levels) Act and are currently consulting on applying these MSLs to schools, further education and universities. This of course would have a severely detrimental impact on our members’ right to strike and as such we are currently formulating a coordinated campaigning response for all levels of the union to fight back.
 

UCU has launched a new campaign called Exposed and there is a new website.

UCU knows that many members are raising concerns about attacks on academic freedom or freedom of speech with their branches, including some migrant members facing additional complications linked to their visa status.

UCU has announced the results of the ballot. UCU members have voted for strike action in their thousands. Returning a huge vote in favour of both strike action and action short of a strike. Sadly, UCU has fallen foul of the anti-union laws and the ballot has not met the required thresholds.

View UCU press release 

The UCU rising ballot closes on 2nd November, please return your ballot papers and tell us that you have voted using this form: 

Tell us you have voted form

The last date to post your ballot paper is Tuesday 31st October. 

UCU wants all members to have their say in the USS consultation, read the guidance about completing the USS consultation on the UCU website. 

Following a vigorous debate at a full branch meeting on 20 September, the branch voted not to stand down strike action next week. We are asking all members to observe the strike action from Monday 25th to Friday 29th September. 

view UCU press release, 6 September

UCU have announced that there will be a new industrial action ballot before the end of September, read the UCU press release. 

UPDATE, August 2023 - the Executive Committee co-opted 2 new members to the Committee at its first meeting of the new UCU year on 4th July.  Valerie Demouy and Marianna Volpi have now joined the Executive Committee as Ordinary members. 

The branch is very pleased to report that we have 6 new members joining our Executive Committee for the next year, the new Exec and AL reps committees come into operation on 28 June 2023. Our annual election results were announced at our AGM on 7 June, see election report files here.

The OU Students Association (OUSA) recently conducted an informal poll of on UCU’s Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB). The leadership has published two statements:  Association Leaders stand against UCU marking and assessment boycott (oustudents.com) (11 May, updated 16 May) and a further statement on 19 May. The UCU branch president received a letter following this announcement.