Category: Uncategorized

Curious About Casework? Taster sessions (posted 2 May 2018)

Casework Crisis!

Ok, I don’t mean to panic you but as anybody who has contacted Essex UCU of late to get assistance with an individual problem will have noted, our caseteam are stretched to capacity. We are down to just 3 caseworkers in the branch. Ideally we would have at least double that number. The numbers of members coming to us with issues are not decreasing either!

We had to postpone our Casework Taster session back in March due to the strikes. However we will hold two of these now to try and encourage you to take a peek at what casework may involve and decide if it could be something you might want to do. Give a little something back to your union branch?

Curious About Casework?: Taster session

  • Wed 9 May 11am-1pm, room tbc, Colchester campus

Or

  • Mon 11 June 12pm -2pm, 2N2.4.16 SSRC, Colchester campus

Our caseworkers are voluntary members of this union branch who support colleagues (UCU members) with individual work problems. This taster session will give you a flavour of what casework is about and answer any questions.

This is open to any UCU member. A chance to find out more with no obligation. We need to expand the team.

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Should you decide it could be for you, we would book you on a  training course (these are often in London or Cambridge with other UCU members from other branches –also a good way to network. If numbers allowed we could run a local course here at Essex ). These are free and travelling expenses are covered. Then we would get you shadowing a  current caseteam member (with the permission of whomever you’d be observing meeting/chats with) so you can see what happens in practice. The caseteam here would be with you every step of the way with back up & advice.

Please contact us as soon as possible if you are interested in attending one of the above dates (especially since the first is next week).

UCU members have voted to accept the UUK offer – 13 April 2014

In line with the decision of members following the closure today of the consultative ballot, UCU will suspend its immediate industrial action plans but keep our legal strike mandate live until the agreement between UCU and UUK is noted by USS.

Full statement from Sally Hunt:

“The USS consultation closed at 2pm today. The result was as follows:

Total balloted: 53,415
Total votes cast: 33,973
Total number valid votes: 33,913
Turnout: 63.5%

Yes to accept the UUK offer 21,683 (64%)
No to reject the UUK offer 12,230 (36%)

‘This represents the highest turnout in any national ballot or consultation of any kind in UCU’s history.

‘My thanks go to all the branches and UCU staff who did so much to encourage members to participate in such enormous numbers as well as to the thousands of members who contacted me direct to discuss and debate our next steps during the consultation.

‘In line with the decision of members the union will suspend its immediate industrial action plans but keep our legal strike mandate live until the agreement between UCU and UUK is noted by USS.

We will now get on with the job of making the joint expert panel work for you and your pension.

‘For the avoidance of doubt, all currently planned industrial action – including that scheduled for next week – is suspended and members should work normally.

‘However you voted, thank you so much for participating in this record breaking consultation and for all of your support for the union throughout this historic dispute”

 

Nominations OPEN for committee & other branch roles, closing 24 April 2018

Essex UCU will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Tues 22 May 2018 at 13.00 (room tba) at the Colchester Campus. The AGM will include the election of the following branch positions:

  • 7 Officers:

-President

-Vice-president

-Secretary

-Treasurer

-Membership Officer

-Equality Officer

-Anti-casualisation Officer

  • 20 ordinary members of the branch Committee
  • 2 National UCU Congress/Conference representatives
  • Regional committee rep

 

Nomination process: These nominations are now open and the closing date for these nominations is 17.00 on Tuesday 24 April (day after term starts) A copy of the nomination form can be downloaded from http://essex.web.ucu.org.uk/branch-meetings/

Please print off and complete this form manually which includes the name, signature, department and work email of the person being nominated, the position for which s/he is being nominated, plus requires the names, signatures and departments of two other Essex UCU members in support of this/your nomination. Then send this completed form via the internal post to our Returning Officer – Tom Cornford, School of Law. The Returning Officer will acknowledge receipt of nominations via email. These nominations will be announced at the AGM. (See the rules on our website http://essex.web.ucu.org.uk/elected-members-of-ucu/ )

Please get involved and consider taking up a role in your branch. Having a committee made up of members from across our branch is essential for our democracy and efficacy and the role is rewarding in its own right. If you require more information please contact ucu@essex.ac.uk or a member of our current committee

See current committee and dep rep names