1. Report from Annual Meeting for Part-Time and Fixed-Term Staff
A delegation of four people attended the meeting for part-time and fixed-term staff at HQ. There were a variety of motions passed on working conditions for part-time/fixed-term staff. JR and PK attended a workshop on collective grievances, and KF attended a workshop on the Part-Time Legislation and how it is being implemented at Russell Group and 1994 Group universities (a report on this is forthcoming). The Anti-Casualisation Committee nominations went well. The only issue was that was little representation from postgraduate employees (a recruitment and organising issue).
2. Report on negotiations on in relation to pay and conditions for VTs
The Framework Agreement was agreed in 2008 (backdated to 2006). The way this works is that all Goldsmiths staff are placed on a single pay spine. UCU members are placed on Grades 6-9, with increments representing a yearly rise in pay, until the top of the grade. Grades are assigned according to nationally agreed role profiles (such as Lecturer A, B, Senior Lecturer etc) and /or Role Analysis. Hourly paid jobs are part of the Framework Agreement, and current negotiations are to do with how the hourly paid will be assimilated into the pay structure. We recommend looking at the role profiles here:
http://www.gold.ac.uk/media/ACADEMIC%20ROLE%20PROFILES.pdf http://www.gold.ac.uk/media/RESEARCH%20ROLE%20PROFILES.pdf
Pay discrepancies across departments result in a lack of equality across the institution, putting it in contravention of Employment law (one reason for the backdating to 2006). The principle UCU is seeking to have applied is that people should be paid a minimum of 2.5 hours pay for every hour spent teaching; marking should be paid by the hour. The College is resisting this simple 'multiplier', and our concern is that the College's calculations are too open to subjective interpretations. BL will make a proposal on this over the next 2 weeks.
3. A variety of points were made in discussion on pay and conditions:
That criteria for promotion present difficulties to fixed-term/hourly-paid staff, as accumulated experience is expected to take place during the current position at Goldsmiths (difficult as many people work at more than one institution), and fixed-term/hourly-paid staff are unlikely to be asked to take part in committees etc.
That there is a need for a culture change at Goldsmiths; the problem is that part-time/fixed-term staff are seen as peripheral. This is especially urgent given the HE cuts; we need to make sure VTs aren't made redundant because they are not seen as playing a central role.
That it is against employment law to make someone redundant purely because of their employment status, and employers can be taken to employment tribunals for this. If the work is still available, employers need to prove that you weren't available or weren't doing a good job and that reasonable efforts were made to keep you. HR is clear on this; it's discriminatory to target one group of employees.
People need to understand that they are employed by Goldsmiths, not individual departments.
That postgraduate students are in an ambiguous position: as a student and an employee. This makes the roles confusing and the power relations can also make people reluctant to speak out.
In some departments, VTs are paid through bursaries in exchange for tuition fees. In some departments, VT work is being framed as 'training' (and is restricted to postgraduate students). In other departments (i.e. Music, Drama), most VTs are practitioners and not students.
The question was raised as to whether fixed-term posts can be justified in certain circumstances (in the case of postgraduate employment – where making posts attached to short-lived graduate status permanent could prevent new graduate students from working)?
The Part-Time legislation means that employees are entitled to be made permanent after four years of continuous service.
4. Discussion on recruiting and organising part-time/fixed-term staff
Many people feel little attachment to Goldsmiths and are not on campus often; there's an overall situation of fragmentation/isolation. People feel peripheral and some may not be aware of their rights (which is why there is a need for a culture change at Goldsmiths).
Issues with communication - many VTs use non-College emails addresses (which can't be forwarded by DAs due to the Data Protection Act).
Why are there not more GUCU exec members at the meeting?
Proposals (discussion to continue over email): Organise a social event in the fall so that staff can meet each other. Ensure that UCU materials are sent out to all new postgraduate students. KF has emailed the SU Postgraduate Student Officer.
Any questions? email us at gucu-admin@gold.ac.uk.