(.doc)Present: DF, K. Devlin, K.Dickinson, DB, ST, PB, RB, JW, KF, RG, TA Apologies: NF
1. Health and Safety in the Library
ST to email a letter about health and safety issues to Bronwen Bernard and Michael Dick, saying that it is no longer acceptable to expect people to work in conditions where health and safety regulations are being breached.
2. Meetings with Warden and JNCC
-Although there is a projected deficit in 2012 of £7 million (given 3% cuts in funding and 2% increases in pay and non-pay budgets), there is no talk of redundancies or freezing posts though much talk of more efficient use of resources and need to find other revenue streams.
-There were 91 applications for promotion at the end of May, with no problems reported so far. There is, however, a discrepancy between the different routes as the research route requires assessors and the research route doesn't. BL to clarify with Chris Pearson about external referees.
-The VT subgroup was cancelled, with nothing scheduled. BL to send a letter to organise another meeting.
-The nursery working party is set to start.
-CP argued against the UCU proposal for Staff Learning Committee and suggested instead that these issues be taken up on the College’s on Staff Development Committee. DF to follow this up and then RB to propose a college-wide learning needs survey.
3. Recognition agreement
Management have offered 0.5 FTE for general TU duties. Recommend acceptance, on the basis that additional resources for other negotiating forums will be made available as we will need them.
4. New Warden
ads come out on July, interviews in September. JF(NUS) will be on the committee, but there is no formal staff representation.
5. Points Based System for Immigration
The national UCU will issue guidance soon. There is a meeting tonight. We will campaign with NUS over the summer against the rules. Further proposals will put proposals to a branch meeting. KF to speak to SS about UNISON's position.
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6. Presidential Terms
Agreed to shorten the presidential term to 2 years max to avoid burnout and to encourage more people to get involved. KF to check constitution and then bring up at the next branch meeting.
7. Trust Schools
The GC info has on the Goldsmiths Educational Trust has gone out today. There is a community-based campaign against it. Despite management’s assurances, there are many similarities to Academy schools in that there is no democratic accountability, and no assurance that pay and conditions will not be changed in the future, and other issues around the use of resources. A meeting with the union was offered at the JNCC and a meeting of Ed Studies was proposed by the Warden. We need to respond to the GC info and publicise this to our members. RG to draft a A4 info sheet and flyer; KF to publicise. The Exec decided to take a position opposing trust school proposal.
There will be an open public meeting on Monday, 29 of June, 6PM at the Stretch. Suggestions for contacting NUT etc. There will also be leafleting at Deptford Market on the next two Saturdays at 11am to build for the public meeting.
8. Workload Allocations (K. Devlin)
Members in Computing were promised a workload allocation model, but haven't received one so far.. KD to set a formal meeting as UCU rep to discuss this, and also to contact Sue Miller and NF about models in Ed Studies and Media & Comms.
9. PDRs
Dfferent departments are using different forms and there is no consistency across departments or as to whether or not they are voluntary or compulsory.. Send any information to DF. DF to clarify with Steve Collins.
10. London Region Rep
We can't send someone to the meeting on the 20th of June as it conflicts with the Open Day. We need to review this at the next branch meeting. KF to send a report to Sean Wallis.
11. Possible outsourcing of email to Google
RB and DB to keep us informed. We need a motion at the next branch meeting.
12. Wellbeing Surveys
It was agreed to circulate the staff wellbeing survey in IT Services in the next couple of week. DF to circulate via email. This should also be adapted for Computing; K.Devlin to circulate.
12. Restructuring of the Administration
It was agreed to circulate the staff wellbeing survey in IT Services in the next couple of week. DF to circulate via email. This should also be adapted for Computing; K.Devlin to circulate.
For an archive of older meetings, look here.
Any questions? email us at gucu-admin@gold.ac.uk.
