To contact your picket supervisor, please send a text to +44 7527 703597

Corbett Rd Entrance (SHARE & ENCAP) – Phil Parkes and Andreas Buerky

Queen’s Buildings (PHSYX) – Patrick Sutton and Christopher North

Glamorgan Building (SOCSCI & GEOPL) – Siôn Jones, Finn Bowring, Dean Stroud and Anthony Ince

Park Place outside the School of Psychology (PSYCH) – Marc Buehner and Sofia Gameiro

Park Place outside the Law Building (LAWPL) – Elisa Wynne-Hughes

Front Abacws building (COMSC) – Martin Caminada 

Back Abacws building (MATHS) – Dafydd Evans

Park Place outside the school of Modern Languages – Joey Whitfield

Corner of Park Place with Column Rd (CARBS) – Sarah Jenkins

Allensbank Rd (Heath Campus) – Paul Brennan

Main Building (McKenzie House, BIOSI, CHEMY and ELP, plus extras from other schools) – Rob Thomas 

Central Square (JOMEC) – Carrie Westwater

PGRs: your rights to strike

Cardiff UCU recognises that PGR tutors and demonstrators are often especially exposed to the financial and practical impacts of strike action. We’re fighting for all our futures in this sector, and against deep pay inequalities, impossible workloads, declining pay, and job insecurity.

PGR tutors, demonstrators, and other precarious staff will be prioritised for support from the UCU fighting fund. Cardiff UCU passed a motion in November 2022 to support casualised members, including postgraduate researchers and those employed on variable hours or fixed-term contracts, during industrial action. The goal is that more precariously employed members do not shoulder a disproportionate burden by taking part in industrial action and do receive greater support. (Full text here.)

FAQ

FAQ 1

Why are we striking? What are our demands? 2

When are we striking? 2

Can I strike as a PGR staff member? 3

What if I am not a UCU member? Can I become a UCU member? Can I afford it? 3

What do we do on strike days? 3

How do we access the striking fund and how much can we claim? 4

Do I have to tell my line manager or office that I am taking strike action? 4

What if I am an international student? Will my visa be affected? 4

What if I’m not working on the strike days – what do I do? 5

What if PGRs are penalised or targeted for participating in the strike? 5

What if I’m asked to cover for a striking member of staff? 5

What if I’m asked to reschedule? 5

Should I inform my students?  What if a student asks to come to another seminar? 5

Vote on the Student Union AGM motion on supporting industrial action 6

Why are we striking? What are our demands? 

UCU voted for a national strike over deep cuts to pensions (c. 40% for many members) and over the “Four Fights”: unmanageable workloads, casualisation and job insecurity, a decade of real-terms pay cuts and the gender, ethnic and disability pay gaps. Our demands are set out here. 

PGRs play an important part in this industrial action and your involvement is crucial in order to cause the greatest disruption possible to employers. Casualisation is a central issue in our dispute with our employers. Our demands include eliminating casualised and zero hours contracts from higher education; and converting hourly paid staff onto fractional contracts. UCU is also campaigning for PGRs to be recognised as members of staff. Read more about our demands on casualisation here. 

UCU Cardiff’s intense local campaigning backed by the strikes of 2018-20 has challenged Cardiff University’s 2-hour contracts (which they use under the banner of ‘variable-hour contracts’ for many PGRs). University management is now implementing changes to these variable-hour contracts, moving staff to fractional contracts that guarantee a minimum of 1h/week.  

UCU PGR members in Cardiff have also started grassroots campaigns in recent years that led to Cardiff UCU making it a priority to demand employment contracts for PGRs who teach. As a result of this, including work over several years, the University management is soon to introduce employment contracts for PGR Tutors and Demonstrators. These will be beneficial in terms of sick pay, annual leave, some paid training (though we believe not enough), a low level of minimum guaranteed hours (though, again, not yet enough), greater job security, stronger employment rights legally, better union protection, and other standard employment benefits. The strength of the union, including the strikes of 2018-20, and the direct involvement of UCU PGR members in the negotiations were key to the success of this campaign. 

As we monitor the implementation of contracts and continue to push for fairness, namely for part-time PGRs who are being disadvantaged by the limits on the duration of the contracts, having PGRs on the pickets will be essential. We have specific guidance on striking and action short of a strike for members on casualised contracts here.

When are we striking?

We have a national strike mandate for 6 months from 21 October 2022. UCU’s Higher Executive Committee voted to serve notice on employers of three days of strike action on Thursday 24, Friday 25 and Wednesday 30 November. HEC also voted to trigger a marking and assessment boycott in the new year and to escalate action from February unless employers negotiate a settlement with UCU members.

We are also taking Action Short of a Strike (ASOS) from Wednesday 23 November onwards. This includes working to contract; not covering for absent colleagues; removing uploaded materials related to, and/or not sharing materials related to, lectures or classes that will be or have been cancelled as a result of strike action; not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action; and not undertaking any voluntary activities. This does not as yet include a marking and assessment boycott.

Find out more about Action Short of a Strike here.

Can I strike as a PGR staff member?

Yes!

This action requires every member with any working duties in each institution to participate so that duties cannot simply be passed on to colleagues. Casualisation is one of the key issues in the Four Fights dispute. To achieve maximum leverage it is absolutely crucial that members stand together, which is why hourly paid lecturers and PGR tutors and demonstrators will be prioritised for payments from our Cardiff UCU Hardship Fund.

What if I am not a UCU member? Can I become a UCU member? Can I afford it?

Yes! It is free for postgraduates. Joining UCU gives you access to legal advice and the strike fund, and membership is free for postgraduate researchers.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10509/Future-of-the-profession-free-membership-FAQs

Non-UCU members who take part in legal, official industrial action have the same rights as UCU members not to be dismissed as a result of taking action. However, our strong recommendation is that you join UCU so that you have the protection of a trade union before you take part in industrial action. You have trade union protection from the date of your application to join. You can even join on the picket line.

What do we do on strike days?

Not do any work for all of the days specified by the union. This includes, for instance, time before 9am and after 5pm, and includes any activity which is part of your work such as teaching, administration, meetings, emails related to work, marking, research or conferences where you are directly or indirectly representing your employer. This includes any voluntary work that you do for the university, which falls under Action Short of a Strike (ASOS).

It also means not doing any preparation for work that you are due to do when you return to work after you strike. In a nutshell, if you are employed at one of the institutions on strike, do not do any work at all on strike days.

If your external commitments arise from your employment with the institution where a strike is taking place, whether they are offline or online, then you should not fulfil them. For example, if you were due to attend a conference in your capacity as a lecturer or to give a seminar at a strike-bound university you should not go. All universities in the UK are on strike during this round of action.

This includes the digital picket line, including work-related emails, tweets, or online admin – find out more here.

The best possible thing you can do is contact your UCU branch and volunteer to help at the picket lines! Our email is ucu@cardiff.ac.uk .

How do we access the striking fund and how much can we claim?  

Members can access the National UCU Fighting Fund as well as our local Hardship Fund which will prioritize PGRs and casual staff. Find out more here.

For the Cardiff UCU Hardship Fund, when PGR staff are due to submit their timesheets for payment, the Branch will accept those and make payment for any loss of income on strike days (according to the limits of the strike fund rules) into your bank account. Full details of how this will work are going to follow shortly for all UCU members.

If you have any questions about this just drop us an email at ucu@cardiff.ac.uk .

Do I have to tell my line manager or office that I am taking strike action?

No! You are under no obligation to inform management in advance as to whether you will be taking part in strike action or action short of a strike. UCU will provide your employer with all the information about the action required by law including those categories of members who we are calling on to take action.

Once you are back to work following the strike action, you should respond truthfully to any query from your employer as to whether you have taken or are taking industrial action. You should not, however, respond to any such query while you are on strike.

What if I am an international student? Will my visa be affected?

UCU has made a full briefing on your legal rights here for Tier 2, Tier 5, Global Talent (Tier 1) and Tier 4 student visa holders.

If you are on a Tier 4 visa, there is no specific prohibition on you taking part in industrial action, nor any requirement for a sponsor to withdraw sponsorship on that basis. Where someone on a Tier 4 visa is employed and taking part in lawful strike action that prevents them working as normal, the restrictions on absence that relate to Tier 2 migrants do not apply.

What if I’m not working on the strike days – what do I do?

You can legally take part in industrial action (striking or action short of a strike) for research, teaching, and other paid work that you do outside of being PGRs/PhD students (e.g. if you do paid work as a graduate teaching assistant, research assistant, or professional services at or above grade 6). If you do not undertake such work for your institution, you cannot legally take part in industrial action from your postgraduate research work, however you can and should still support this action, including by not crossing the picket lines. Your SU team have organised PGR work spaces in the Student Union for strike days so you can avoid crossing picket lines on strike days – see the SU website.

UCU believes that postgraduate researchers should be considered as staff for all their work. Please see the PGR as staff campaign.

What if PGRs are penalised or targeted for participating in the strike?

Hourly paid or paid-by-assessment colleagues cannot be penalised more harshly than permanent/salaried colleagues. Aside from pay deductions, it is unlawful to target or penalise any member of staff, including tutors, for taking part in industrial action – Cardiff UCU support any members who face unfair treatment and help can be requested here.

What if I’m asked to cover for a striking member of staff?

You can and should decline.

What if I’m asked to reschedule?

Do not agree to reschedule. Rescheduling undermines our strike action and increases our already too-heavy workloads.

Should I inform my students?  What if a student asks to come to another seminar?

Students are already being informed by the university that their classes may be disrupted by strike action. If you want to, you can tell them in person that a teaching session will be disrupted, or email them to warn them that teaching may be disrupted by strike action. You can remind students of the reasons for the strike, and ask them to direct their complaints to the Head of School.

We suggest saying no to students asking to switch seminars, and telling them that we would appreciate their support for the strike. You can link them to the strike FAQs and ask them to email your Head of School. 

Vote on the Student Union AGM motion on supporting industrial action

On the 24^th November, the Students’ Union (SU) will be hosting one of the biggest democratic events of the year. Similar to last year, a motion has been proposed that resolves to mandate the Students’ Union to support the National UCU Industrial Action taking place during the academic year 2022/2023. All students attending the AGM will have the chance to vote for or against the motion – read it in the agenda here.

It is important that this motion passes to ensure that the SU and Sabbatical Officers can continue to support and protect the PGR community and staff members during any industrial action throughout this (2022/23) academic year.

The motion’s resolutions include items such as: a mandate for the Sabbatical Officer Team to work with UCU and lobby the UEB to meet the demands of university staff and PGRs, raise awareness and share information regarding UCU industrial action, provide wellbeing support for all students affected by the strikes, and allows the VP Postgraduate (Angie Flores Acuña) to encourage students to support and engage with rallies and on picket lines.

AGM event details:

• Time: 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM, 24th November 2022
• Location: Great Hall – 1st Floor, Students’ Union
• Requirements: Student ID

More information regarding the AGM and motion can be found here.

I cannot attend but I would like to vote: what do I do? 

If you can’t attend SU AGM but a friend can, you can register a proxy vote. Click on the link above or Google ‘cardiffstudents AGM’ – click on link to the form for a proxy vote. This must be done ASAP.

This schedule is also available as a PDF.

WEEK 1, 21-25 NOVEMBER – STRIKE DAYS 24 AND 25 NOVEMBER

Information stall:

• What: Pop by to find information, pick up some UCU leaflets, stickers, and posters, and/or ask us any questions about the strikes, including what it is all about. For students and staff.
• When: 11.00am-3.00pm, Tue 22 Nov; 11.00am-1.00pm Wed 23 Nov. If you can spare 30 min to staff the stall in any of these days, please add your name to the spreadsheet we’re keeping.
• Where: Students’ Union, 2^nd floor Main Entrance

Pickets:

• What: A picket line is where workers and union reps (‘picketers’ or ‘pickets’) stand outside a workplace to tell other people why they are striking and encourage them not to cross a picket line in solidarity with striking workers. Bring instruments to make music or some noise and don’t forget to wear pink.
• When: 8.30-11am, Thu 24 Nov and Fri 25 Nov.
• Where: locations around campus, including the Main Building, Queen’s Building, Law Building, Glamorgan Building, Corbett Rd entrance to the John Percival Building, Abacws Building, and Allensbank Rd for the Heath campus. Contact your departmental rep or ucu@cardiff.ac.uk for details. If you are organising a picket in your school, please let us know by completing our webform. If there is no picket organised for your school, please join the picket in the Main Building.

Rallies:

• What: Join our strike rallies to hear solidarity speeches from other unions and organisations, and to share experiences and show our strength. If you would like to speak or do a creative act at the rally, get in touch with Phillip Allsopp (allsoppPJ@cardiff.ac.uk). Details of speakers will be circulated very soon on our social media platforms.
• When: 11.15am-12.00pm, Thu 24 Nov, Fri 25 Nov *Please note: The Friday Rally is now at noon*
• Where: Gather outside the gates of the Main Building, facing Park Place, opposite Centre for Student Life, Students Union, and Greggs. Depending on numbers, we might head to Alexandra Gardens.

Teach-outs & meetings:

• What: Teach-outs are free public events addressing themes and questions raised by the strike. Students, staff and members of the public are welcome.
• When and Where:

Mon 21 Nov

• PGR Tutors: know your rights on strike action. 6pm, Centre for Student Life room 1.26 or on Zoom (hybrid event).

Wed 23 Nov

• Banner Making session. join staff and students making creative banners for our pickets and rallies. 4-6pm in the Students Union ‘Y Plas’ Food Hall (2^nd floor).

Thu 24 Nov

• Tour of picket lines. Meet 9am outside the Centre for Student Life / Student Union steps. Tour ends by joining the rally at 11.00am. For students.
  • Cardiff UCU working groups lunch. 1-2pm. In the Students Union ‘Y Plas’ Food Hall (2^nd floor). Ever been curious about our working groups around Workload, Anti-Casualisation, Equality & Diversity, University Democratisation. Join us for lunch, where we will update and discuss plans. For UCU members.

Fri 25 Nov

• Tour of picket lines. Meet 9am outside the Centre for Student Life / Student Union steps. Meet for rally at 12.00 outside Main Building (Park Place side). For students.
• Teach-outs
  • What and when:
    2.00-2.40pm ‘The Hostile Environment in HE’ (Lizzy Willmington, LAWPL)
    2.40-3.20pm ‘Why We Need More Strikes’ (Steve Davies, WISERD)
    3.20-4.00pm ‘Why and When Social Movements Win’ (Emmy Eklundh, LAWPL)
• Where: Rooms 3C and 3D – 3rd Floor, Students’ Union

Sun 27 Nov

• Book launch: ‘Workers Can Win: A Guide to Organising at Work’ by Ian Allison. 4.30pm in the Cathays Community Centre. This event is not being organised by our branch, but some of our members are involved and it feels very timely for our members. Book your free place through Eventbrite.

Coming up in Week 2:

Wed 30 Nov

• Strike day. Events in Cardiff and London. If you would like to be part of the delegation going to London, please contact Patrick Sutton (suttonpj1@cardiff.ac.uk).

Sat 3 Dec

• Cardiff UCU benefit gig – Shift (basement of Capitol Centre) 1-10pm

Welcome to this November 2022 newsletter.

In this newsletter you can read about:

• Ballot outcomes and next steps in disputes
• Cardiff University Students’ Union vote on support for industrial action
• Branch meetings for ARPS members
• General Members’ Meeting motion on module evaluation scores passed
• University Research Culture Survey and Target Operating Model Feedback
• Mechanical Ventilation of teaching spaces/offices/ meeting rooms

Branch News & Updates

Ballot outcomes and next steps in the dispute

As you will likely have already seen, the aggregated ballots produced a high national turnout (58% for the pay and conditions dispute, 60% for the USS dispute) and strong yes votes for action. UCU is the first education union to win a mandate in a nationally aggregated ballot since the introduction of the anti-trade union turnout threshold introduced in 2016.

We don’t have the disaggregated figures for the turnout at individual branches, but our own record keeping suggests that we very likely exceeded the 50% turnout threshold and made a strong contribution to the national mandate. Thank you to everyone who voted, and everyone who worked so hard knocking on doors, ordering replacement ballots, and checking in with colleagues.

The national Higher Education Committee (HEC) met on Thursday evening (3^rd November) to decide what action should be taken in respect of the ballot mandates obtained. Three days of strikes have been called for this month:

• Thursday 24^th November
• Friday 25^th November
• Wednesday 30^th November

Action short of strike (ASOS) starts from the 23^rd November. As part of ASOS, UCU is asking members to:

• work to contract (meaning that you only fulfil the duties explicitly expressed in your contract)
• not undertake voluntary activities
• not cover for absent colleagues
• refuse to reschedule classes missed due to industrial action
• remove materials for classes that would have taken place on strike days from online learning platforms.

There will be an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) on Thursday 17^th of November at 13:00 so that we can collectively discuss the local character of the action that we will be taking. Please look out for specific communications about the action over the next few weeks.

Cardiff University Students’ Union vote on support for industrial action

The Cardiff University Students’ Union Annual General Meeting (AGM) is on 24th November from 5:30PM to 9PM. There will be a vote on a motion to support UCU’s industrial action. Support from our local students’ union will help our cause as we take action later in the month. We encourage our PGR members to engage with the AGM and to vote on the motion to support our action.

Branch meetings for Academic-Related Professional Services members

To better engage with the things that are important to Academic-Related Professional Services (ARPS) members, the branch is holding a series of one hour lunchtime and late afternoon meetings, two in person and one online. We want to obtain your views on:

• the primary issues facing ARPS staff,
• the priorities Cardiff UCU branch should be focusing on in relation to the university’s Professional Services.
• how UCU locally and nationally can better represent ARPS staff.

The meetings are as follows;

• Wednesday 16^th November 17:00hrs – 18:00hrs – online: https://cardiff.zoom.us/j/83428106620?pwd=elBBUWFWektBeXRzdHRLcjVoSXM5Zz09
• Wednesday 23^rd November 13:10 – 14:00hrs Heath campus: Main Hospital Seminar Room B.
• Wednesday 30^th November 13:10 – 14:00hrs Cathays campus: Glamorgan Building Room 0.81

In the next few years Professional Services staff are highly likely to see changes in many ways we work and are managed, the way our career development is supported and how our performance is evaluated. Cardiff UCU wants to know how you would like us to represent you.

We look forward to seeing you at one of these three events and thank you in advance for giving us your views. This is your opportunity to directly meet members of the branch executive.

General Members’ Meeting motion on module evaluation scores passed

At the recent members’ meeting, a motion on “Numerical targets for student module evaluations” was passed. The full wording of the motion is available on the branch website. The motion notes many of the issues with numerical targets on module evaluations, especially the ways in which responses can be biased against certain members of staff (e.g., women, people of colour). There have to be better, fairer ways for staff to be able to advertise the strengths of their teaching. We will be raising the motion in our next negotiation meeting with senior management. We will let you know what the University’s response is when we have it.

University Research Culture Survey and Target Operating Model Feedback

The University is currently running two sets of consultations. One is about research culture, and one is about a ‘target operating model’ (TOM) for the University (i.e, changes to working practices for professional services). It might seem that the former is targeted at staff in academic roles and the latter targeted at staff in professional services, both are open to all staff and we encourage all members to respond to them. It is easy (and sometimes very much appropriate) to be sceptical of these ‘consultation’ exercises. Nevertheless, if staff don’t tell their stories, then it’s a license to the University to come up with its own.

The Research Culture Survey is an online form that is open until the 30^th of November.

There is one remaining Target Operating Model ‘listening session’ on the 8^th of November, and there still seem to be spaces available. If you’re not able to attend the session, then there is also a webform for you to leave your thoughts.

Sandy Gould, one of the Branch Executive Committee members, attended the ‘listening session’ in Mackenzie house on the 27^th of October and had this to report to members:

“It was an interesting morning. Staff are, as you would expect, extremely knowledgeable about the barriers they face in trying to get their jobs done. All the staff in the sessions I attended spoke with alacrity about their roles and where the University needs to focus its attention. For my part, I thought it was noteworthy that the University had chosen to start this process with senior university managers, and not staff at the sharp end who are often left to carry the can for decisions taken by senior managers. Whether what was said during the listening sessions is actually heard remains to be seen.”

Cardiff UCU has not been consulted on the development of a TOM. On the 26^th of October, we wrote to the University’s Chief Operating Officer to ask when we could expect the University to honour its commitment under the recognition agreement that sets out how the University and campus unions interact with one another. We have not yet received a response.

Mechanical ventilation of teaching spaces/offices/meeting rooms

UCU opposed the recent University proposal to alter the mechanical room ventilation systems across the University to revert back to the pre-Covid pandemic use of a blend of fresh air and recycled air instead of fresh air only until assurance could be given that the change would meet Welsh Government ventilation guidelines on using CO2 levels as an indicator of maintaining good ventilation.

As a consequence of your local branch raising our concerns the systems will continue to use fresh air only until that assurance can be given.

Should members have any concerns over ventilation in any of the rooms that they use then please contact the UCU office.

Events, solidarity and wider campaigns

Cardiff Climate Justice Coalition Protest

Saturday 12 November, 12 noon, Cardiff. More information will be published shortly. Part of global day of action coinciding with the latest round of international climate talks.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/2313916952103584

Global temperatures, rising. Energy bills, rising. Billionaire profits, rising: To stop this crisis we need action that cuts carbon, tackles inequality and ends the injustices baked into our world.

Stonewall record of support on trans rights

Stonewall are running a “handraiser” campaign in support of trans rights. It’s a little bit like a petition, and you can opt-in to receive more updates from Stonewall. You can sign the record of support at Stonewall’s webform.

People and Planet campaign to defund border industry success at CardiffMet

CardiffMet has become the first university in the UK to divest from the border industry. The border industry supplies the tools and means for upholding unjust border policies. CardiffMet’s most recent ethical investment and banking policy promises to “screen out border industry companies”.

UCU Climate and Ecological Emergency

The UCU Climate & Ecological Emergency Annual Meeting will be on Thursday 10 November. Unfortunately, the time to register has now passed, but there is a recent overview of UCU’s work on the climate and ecological emergency is here: https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12554/Climate-and-environment-update-October-2022).

Welcome to this October 2022 newsletter. We will be sending you a newsletter at the start of every month with updates from the branch, with occasional emails in between if we have anything urgent to communicate with members. You can also follow our branch on media platforms (fb and twitter – links).

In this newsletter you can read about:

• Branch president’s message for the new semester
• Industrial action – please vote!
• Correspondence over summer agreement
• Academic Related Professional Services – New Rep
• PrideCymru and the trans* solidary group
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Priorities Survey
• Events, Solidarity and Wider Campaigns

Branch News & Updates

Branch president’s message for the new semester

Fersiwn cymraeg

As we start the 2022-23 academic year, I want to start by thanking everyone for their contributions to the branch last academic year. It was another year full of challenges and I have continued to be impressed at how the branch comes together in the face of these. I think we should all be proud of what we achieved together (see more information about some of these below).

We have an important year ahead with the current ballots, the ongoing work of our anti-casualisation, workload and Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity (EDI) working groups, as well as new initiatives (more information about some of these below). This also looks set to be an important year for the Trade Union movement more broadly, with increased strikes across a number of unions as well as increased cross-union activities, which are vital particularly in the current climate of increased attacks on pay and conditions and the cost of living crisis. As always, please get in touch if you would like to get more involved with our branch activities.

I also wanted to update you that I am due to be on maternity leave from 12th October till 12th April and will therefore have reduced involvement in the branch during this period. Vice Presidents Joey Whitfield and Andy Buerki, along with Renata Medeiros Mirra as branch Chair, will cover my duties in my absence. A full list of the 2022-23 Executive Committee is available on the branch website. I look forward to continuing in my role where possible!

In solidarity,

Lucy Riglin
Cardiff UCU Branch President

Industrial action

Members are currently being balloted for industrial action, including strike action. You should have received your ballot by post. If you have not, please contact your local rep, or email the branch office. A replacement ballot can then be arranged for you.

In this aggregated ballot, UCU is relying on large branches with significant organising capacity to get over the 50% threshold nationally. It’s imperative that as a branch we reach 50% – ideally significantly higher – to help make up for smaller branches with lower density where organising is harder.

So far, we know that 39% of eligible Cardiff UCU members have voted. We’re on track, but still have some way to go. You can help getting us there by reminding your colleagues to vote and adding a banner to your email signature to make the campaign more visible. If you have already voted, please let us know, either by letting your local rep or the branch office know or by filling in the reporting form. Knowing which members have already voted really lets us focus our door knocking and other ‘get the vote out’ activities.

During previous negotiations with university management, we urged the VC to use his position with UUK and UCEA to prevent further action and we hope he will do so, even though we did not receive the unequivocal commitment we hoped for. Members supporting ballots (however they vote) is a strong signal to management that the branch membership is engaged and paying attention.

Earlier this year, we avoided a marking boycott because our strong mandate for action brought our VC to the negotiating table and we were able to secure some important local demands, such as UCU’s involvement in the work for the new workload model.

However, we were very clear to state that we would continue the fight for better working conditions and fair pay. Our pay this year is going to be at least 7% below inflation after already falling 25% behind in real terms over the last decade. Our pensions have been cut tremendously – cuts which have subsequently proved to be unnecessary. Universities are too slow and too slippery when it comes to giving the most precarious staff the stability that they deserve.

Please do vote – if not now, then when?

On Wednesday 12^th October, we have a branch General Meeting, where members can bring any questions about the ballot and the industrial action. Please save the date. Papers for the meeting will be sent very soon.

Correspondence over summer agreement

The branch came very close to launching a marking boycott. After negotiations with management, an agreement was put to members. Members responded favourably to the agreement, and the boycott was called off. The branch wants to make sure that that University is keeping up its end of the agreement, and wrote to the Vice-Chancellor over the summer to find out which actions the University had taken toward fulfilling the agreement. We have received a response from the Vice-Chancellor, which included the University’s letter to UCEA over pay. The branch will continue to seek updates from the University for members on its progress in completing ongoing work in aid of the agreement.

Academic Related Professional Services (ARPS)

Graham Getheridge has recently taken on the role of ARPS rep. Here is Graham’s introduction:

Dear UCU members,

My name is Graham Getheridge and I have taken on the role of Academic Related Professional Services (ARPS) Representative for the Cardiff University Branch.

I am based in the College of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences and am involved with supporting students and staff with matters concerning student employability and work experience.

I have been working at Cardiff University for 10 years and have been serving on the executive committee for over 12 months. During this brief time I have been surprised by the amount of activities at branch and national level that involves roles undertaken by professional services staff.

Additionally, I have become aware of many existing professional services staff who do not engage with the union for one reason or another. I also feel we have the potential to attract new members to the union from the professional services community at Cardiff University.

It has been a difficult few years for many of us due to the pandemic and for many the return to campus can feel very daunting.

It is for this reason that the branch will be putting on a number of remote and face to face discussion events throughout the University during the new academic year. The aim will be to engage with ARPS staff and listen to what they want from their union and how they want their branch to represent them.

If you wish to know more about what UCU is doing nationally for ARPS members, please visit the national website here.

I look forward to meeting existing and new members in the months ahead at one of our ARPS events. Please look out for emails and newsletters for more details.

Wishing everyone well for the new academic year.

Graham Getheridge

UCU Cardiff Branch: ARPS Representative

If you are ARPS staff and have a question for Graham, have something you want to report, or are wondering how you might be able to encourage your colleagues to join the union, please do contact Graham.

Pride Cymru and the trans* solidarity group

Over the 27^th and 28^th of August, several members of Cardiff UCU joined the Pride Cymru march through Cardiff. We were proud to be represented in the march and be able to walk with our branch banner. We hope we can go with even more members next year, when Pride Cymru will move to the 17^th and 18^th of June. Thank you to Matthew Keenan (https://instagram.com/matthewkeenanphotographer) for taking and letting us share this fantastic photos.

It’s also the time of the year when many new staff and students are joining the University. The trans* solidarity group has been working hard on welcome posters, so let folks know that we’re happy they are part of our community. The solidarity group has invited everyone to print off these posters for display; if you’d like to do so, please download the full resolution images so that the print-outs do them justice!

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Priorities Survey

Our EDI working group launched a survey to learn about your experience and needs regarding equality, diversity and inclusion at work, to inform Cardiff UCU’s priorities this academic year and beyond. You can fill the survey here (https://cardiffucu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/cardiff-ucu-edi-survey-v4?fbclid=IwAR3L0mSDe02KhNqsHGp8Tec2m08XSIpSrbvofHzi8Efz6SId4zJU-8BNrOc)

Depending on how much detail you want to provide, the survey should take around 5-10 minutes to fill in. Feel free to share with other colleagues who work for Cardiff University (the survey is open to everyone, not just to UCU members).

Please engage with it so that we can represent you better. If you would like to get involved in our EDI working group, please contact ucu@cardiff.ac.uk and we will get in touch.

Events, solidarity and wider campaigns

Wales Organising Network

The UCU Wales office will begin holding organising network meetings later this year. These meetings will be an opportunity for UCU reps, members with an interest in organising, and members currently running campaigns on their worksites to come together to discuss current campaigns and share best practices.

Organising reps will be invited to these events as a matter of course; if you would like to attend but do not currently hold a position as an organising rep, please email kjacobson@ucu.org.uk to be added to the distribution list.

Support industrial action

Workers in many sectors have already voted to take industrial action. Many others are being balloted. The Communication Workers’ Union, always strong supporters of UCU action, are taking further strike action over the coming weeks. Royal Mail members will strike on the 30^th September and 1^st of October. Perhaps consider putting a post in your window to show support for your postie? CWU members will also be striking for four days during October.

Legal action against strike-breaking legislation

The government will attempt to pass legislation that allows agency workers to break strikes. Eleven unions have launched legal action against this attempt to break legitimate strikes. The right to strike is an fundamental one; unions must resist government attempts to legislate in ways that make it all but impossible to do so.

As we start the 2022-23 academic year, I want to start by thanking everyone for their contributions to the branch last academic year. It was another year full of challenges and I have continued to be impressed at how the branch comes together in the face of these. I think we should all be proud of what we achieved together (see more information about some of these below).

We have an important year ahead with the current ballots, the ongoing work of our anti-casualisation, workload and Equality, Diversity, Inclusivity (EDI) working groups, as well as new initiatives (more information about some of these below). This also looks set to be an important year for the Trade Union movement more broadly, with increased strikes across a number of unions as well as increased cross-union activities, which are vital particularly in the current climate of increased attacks on pay and conditions and the cost of living crisis. As always, please get in touch if you would like to get more involved with our branch activities.

I also wanted to update you that I am due to be on maternity leave from 12th October till 12th April and will therefore have reduced involvement in the branch during this period. Vice Presidents Joey Whitfield and Andy Buerki, along with Renata Medeiros Mirra as branch Chair, will cover my duties in my absence. A full list of the 2022-23 Executive Committee is available on the branch website. I look forward to continuing in my role where possible!

In solidarity,

Lucy Riglin
Cardiff UCU Branch President