SWANSEA AUT NEWS
Newsletter of the Association of University Teachers, UWS
5 May 2006
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SWANSEA AUT
(followed by General Meeting –agenda to be announced)
Wednesday31 May 2006, Lecture Theatre K, Faraday, 1.00-2.00pm
AGENDA
- Minutes of the last AGM
- Matters arising
- President’s report
- Treasurer’s report
- Election of officers and committee 2006/07
- Any other business
Pay Dispute
As you read this (8 May), formal pay talks between AUT and UCEA are taking place for the first time. After ACAS mediation, UCEA agreed that a suspension of the AUT boycott of appraisal activities would allow this to happen. The other elements of the industrial action, including the assessment boycott, still stand until an agreement is reached. Members should not relax this, since its continued application is an essential part of the best deal possible being achieved. This is effectively what is making the employer consider a serious deal.
Swansea AUT is anxious to see this dispute resolved as speedily as possible, as we know management here are too. Though we have the support of the students, we are aware that they are already beginning to feel the brunt and we share their concern and frustration that the dispute is being dragged out. AUT has wanted formal talks for a long time and only now, through the ACAS intervention, is that happening. We are, however, hopeful that an agreement can be reached quickly. But for that to
happen a decent and credible pay offer has to be made by the employer.
Natural Sciences Library
AUT has harshly condemned the Senior management’s failure to conduct wide, effective and appropriate consultation before approving plans to close the NSL and move its contents to the central library of the University campus.Together with the other campus unions we have had close and detailed discussions with the University about this and about the establishment of procedures to ensure timely and effective consultation.We have also discussed the matterwith Student Union representatives but the possibility of an active campaign in cohort with the students as instructed by the last AUT General meeting fell to the fact that they told us they had reached an understanding with the University authorities about the closure. AUT remains concerned about this development and is taking advice from our members in the affected departments regarding appropriate action and with a view to ensuring that any
changes do not undermine educational activity or research in those areas.
Job Evaluation and Framework Agreement
The University is continuing with the job evaluation process which will result in all staff being assimilated to the new pay spine agreed two years ago between unions and employer under the Framework Agreement. The latest date for implementation was September 2006. Unfortunately the University have now told us that they do not expect to complete the process before June 2007. This is a matter for concern, especially as they are not guaranteeing a backdating of any pay improvements it brings. We will be talking further to them about this, especially in view of the fact that some institutions have already completed the process and others have given or have committed to giving backdated pay to staff.
On the positive side, management has agreed an outline grading policy with AUT. This has allayed fears that, if a grading policy had waited until job evaluation was complete, the benefits of the Framework Agreement in terms of pay enhancement and increased career earnings might not have been delivered at Swansea and entire groups of jobs could have ended up being paid at lower levels.
Sickness Absence
AUT has agreed a new Sickness Absence policy with the University. There is more of a focus than before on return-to-work review for staff who have been absent, but we are pleased to report that, importantly,the University’s previous practice of docking pay from staff taking more than 7 days uncertificated sickness absence in any period of 12 months is abolished. The policy document will soon be available on the Personnel web site and from AUT.
Occupational Stress
A new code of practice on Occupational Stress has been agreed with the University. This replaces the previous stress policy and is more comprehensive. Among its provisions are the placing of a responsibility on University management ‘to create an environment that minimises exposure to unnecessary stress’ and the assurance, in the event of absence of a staff member for stress-related reasons, that ‘there is no further stigma placed on the employee. We welcome this policy document which will soon be available in full on the Personnel web site and from AUT.
Swansea AUT website
The Local Association website has been revamped ( It tells you who to contact in your local AUT and provides news and other information for members, as well as useful links to national AUT, USS, etc. Any comments or suggestions are welcome and should go to the web manager, Dave Dunbar(email: d.c.dunbar; ext.5014).
Election of AUT Officers and Committee, 2006/07
Nominations are invited for the posts of :
President
Vice-President
Secretary
Membership Secretary
Treasurer
9 Committee members.
Allnominations should be received in writing by the Returning Officer, Chris Smith (Biological Sciences), not less than 14 days before the Annual General Meeting, i.e. by 17 May 2006. Nominations must be accompanied by the written consent of the nominee and supported by the identifiable signatures of 2 members of the Local Association. A list of all nominations will be circulated to members of the Local Association by the Secretary not less than 7 days before the meeting.
All members are encouraged to consider nomination. A healthy AUT needs participation by its members. This need not be time-consuming. The policy of the Committee is for its members to contribute according to the time at their disposal and no more. If you would like more details, please contact Andrew Morgan, Ann Lyon or Howard Moss (details below) - or simply ask a colleague to nominate you.
Enquiries
Any enquiries about this Newsletter or about Swansea AUT should go to Andrew Morgan (President; email:a.j.morgan; ext.5962), Ann Lyon (Secretary; email:a.e.lyon; ext.3585), Howard Moss (Treasurer; email: h.moss; ext.5094), or Chiara Ariotti (Membership Secretary; email: c.ariotti; ext.2245).