We are receiving reports from members about the impact of the assessment boycott which started today. Let us know what you are boycotting and its impact ? Please send reports to ucu-sec@bath.ac.uk

Letting students know why we are taking action

Our action has already had some coverage in the student paper Impact.  Students are showing their support for our action where they have been given the information they need to understand why we are taking the action.

Replying to HR

Yesterday’s message from HR asking us to let them know if we are taking part in the boycott asks us to reply by November 12th. There is guidance on this at the FAQs but we are asking members not to respond before the date requested, so that we can discuss at the branch meeting on Monday.

Progress of negotiations

Our national Head of Bargaining and Negotiations Michael MacNeil has written to employers about the announcement of pay docking, and with details of a set of negotiating proposals from UCU.

There is a significant amount of complex information in this document which members will clearly want to consider. We have organised an

Emergency Branch Meeting for Monday 10th November 1.15 pm in 3E2.1

to discuss

1 The impact of the assessment boycott
2 Our response to the letter from HR about docking 25% of the pay of those who participate in the assessment boycott
3 Our views of the negotiating proposals from UCU

UCU has submitted a Freedom of Information request for the University of Bath’s official response to Universities UK about the proposed changes to USS but the Vice Chancellor has refused to disclose it.  The University’s response to the FOI request claims that  “the likely harm to the University’s ability to exchange views and provide advice for the purposes of deliberation and consultation in a free and frank fashion and the likely resulting prejudice to the effective conduct of public affairs would not be in the public interest and outweighs public interest factors militating in favour of disclosure. This information is therefore exempt from disclosure.”

UCU will call for a review of this unwarranted secrecy on the grounds that members of USS have the right to know what representations have been made in their name.