In response to the slow progress on pay Forum issues concerning, in
particular, promotions and conditions for hourly-paid staff, members asked
at last week's general meeting for a draft email that could be adapted by
individual members and sent on to the Warden. Please find it below and
make sure that you do email the Warden with your concerns.
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DRAFT EMAIL
Dear Geoff,
I am writing to you to express my dismay at the slow progress on key
issues discussed at the Pay Forum. I am particularly concerned at the lack
of progress on the development of new equality-proofed policy on promotion
criteria and procedures to fulfill the requirements of the Framework
Agreement. This has resulted in the delay of this year's promotion round
(following on from no promotion-round for academic-related staff last
year).
New promotion criteria and procedures that are transparent and objective
are critical to the delivery of equality within the College. This was
fully acknowledged in the Framework Agreement and it is shocking that
these are now so delayed that they are throwing the entire promotion round
into jeopardy. If no immediate progress is made on this issue, there will
not be adequate time for consultation with staff and unions leading to the
possibility that Goldsmiths will not be able to fulfill its contractual
obligation to hold an annual promotion round this year. This would be
simply unacceptable.
Similarly, progress on issues relating to hourly paid staff, a group of
workers that Goldsmiths relies heavily upon, is also way behind schedule.
I voted in favour of the Framework Agreement last April in good faith that
the outstanding issues noted above would be addressed within the time
scales stated in the document. In the case of promotions, this is stated
as being by the start of the academic year 2008/9; for hourly-paid staff,
June 2008. These deadlines have not been met. I would like your
reassurance that these issues will be dealt with substantively at the next
meeting of the pay forum.
best wishes
GUCU member
Any questions? email us at gucu-admin@gold.ac.uk.