Thanks to those of you that were able to attend our informal meeting in response to the survey circulated to staff on 16 Jun 2020, asking people to volunteer to defer increments and/or donate up to 10% gross salary to the University between Aug-Nov 2020. We had 25% of current membership attend the meeting, which was fantastic.

Following the meeting, we want to make several points absolutely clear.

1. The University has not provided us with enough financial information to make us confident that the planned measures will fill the identified financial gap.
2. An online ‘survey’ is not an appropriate way to conduct conversations about temporary variations to contracts. 
3. Please understand that there is no guarantee that we will not end up in a situation where there are either voluntary or compulsory redundancies. Also there is no link between any voluntary options individuals choose to make and whether their posts will be at risk of redundancy in the future.

Whilst ultimately individual members must make their own choice about whether to complete the survey, members at the meeting yesterday were clear in their request that the Branch provide guidance on how to respond to the survey. Therefore, the Branch Exec is suggesting the following:

• Do not answer any questions in Part A – if you do, there is an impact on your contract with the University.  Please note – the survey is in two parts, Part A and Part B.  It is possible to respond to one and not the other.  We suggest you skip Part A.
• Use the expression of interest section in Part B to indicate whether you want to take up some of the other voluntary measures being considered (flexible working, purchasing additional annual leave, etc) that may benefit you and also provide cost savings to the University. HR will then follow up with you and your line manager. Please be aware, before making a final decision, that any permanent changes to terms & conditions will have an impact on redundancy, pensions and retirement, and you should take this into consideration.

The strength of a union is in its membership: that is you. Please continue to engage with UNISON, and please ask your friends to join a union!  Also, please do let us know if you would like to take on a role on the branch executive committee.

We also heard your request for more opportunities to engage informally with the Branch, and we’ll update you on plans for this very soon.

Lancaster University staff received an email yesterday afternoon from the Vice Chancellor laying out the financial outlook for the University. As a Branch Exec we’re deeply saddened to be in this position, and understand that you will all be feeling upset by this news as well.

Campus Trade Unions have been informed about a survey that will be circulated in the next week or so that will ask people to sign up to a range of voluntary options that the University hopes will save it enough money to fend off future ‘compulsory measures’. UNISON does not feel that the University has carried out adequate modelling of the various financial scenarios, and we believe that the cost saving measures being proposed might not prevent the University from taking further measures in the future – we’ve pushed really hard and we haven’t been shown details that the scheme will save the amount of money required.

Please engage with UNISON, and encourage your friends to join a union. You can join UNISON easily at join.unison.org.uk

We are calling an informal members meeting to discuss this further on Tues 16th Jun at 15:00, and further meetings will be scheduled for those that can’t make this one. An invite to the Teams meeting will be circulated to all members, please contact us if you haven’t received it.

If you feel that you currently need support from UNISON because of your financial situation, please take a look at the Welfare section of our website or email us.

Other updates

Health & Safety

The University is developing plans to bring more people back to work on campus. All unions have been shocked by the lack of meaningful consultation about these proposals. We therefore called an Emergency Health & Safety Consultative Committee meeting which took place yesterday. This was largely a constructive meeting and we now have the outline of a process for managers within the University to consult with unions on plans to ‘re-open’ various areas of campus.

Fixed Term Contracts and Casual Working Policy

This policy was approved back in November 2019, and was even mentioned in Parliament as a good example! Since then the implementation of the policy has been delayed by changes in personnel within HR, and more recently by the Covid-19 crisis. UNISON, alongside the other unions, have pushed to have a clearer understanding of how the policy will be rolled out. We met with HR earlier this week to discuss the implementation of the policy, and to express our dismay that the implementation plans are not true to the spirit of the policy. Further discussions are to come, and we will keep you updated.

UNISON continue to press for the University to fully adopt its ‘flagship’ policy on Fixed Term Contracts and Casual Working (staffwall), despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Until this happens, fixed term contracts still exist at the University, and continue to come to an end. Under the current procedures for ending of fixed-term-contracts, the opportunity to go on the redeployment register is only available from three months before the end of contract. In recognition of the huge reduction in redeployment opportunities at the University during the pandemic, the University has agreed to extend the redeployment period to six months before the end of contract.

We don’t want contracts to end, we don’t want fixed term contracts at all, but this is a positive step. The suggestion came directly from a member and we, as a union, took it to the University. Please continue to come to us with your suggestions and issues, we will act on them.

Branch meeting reminder

Our next branch meeting is this Thursday 7th May 2020, 12:00-13:00.

The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams (an online platform). Many of you will be familiar with Teams from your work, but you do not need a Teams account to participate, as you can join via your web browser.

All members are welcome, and we can confirm that if you are on furlough, you can participate in union meetings.

The theme for the meeting will be: Q&A on Covid-19 measures, incl furlough.

Papers for the meeting and the link for joining have been emailed to all members – please check your spam/junk folder, and contact the branch if you still can’t find it.

You can send questions in advance of the meeting (although we will take them on the day) to unison@lancaster.ac.uk

EDI Consultation

The University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team is starting two major consultations on development of a trans-inclusion policy, and work to understand the University’s readiness to submit an application for a Race Equality Charter. The EDI team is keen to involve trade unions in these conversations, as key partners in the broader equality, diversity and inclusion agenda.

Currently Desna & Katie from the Branch Exec are formally representing UNISON in these conversations, HOWEVER, if any of our members with lived experience of these issues would like to be involved in a formal capacity please contact us and let us know (unison@lancaster.ac.uk). We encourage all members to be involved in the ongoing consultation around the development of these areas of work (you can do this without revealing your union membership). More information and contact details are below:

• Trans Inclusion: Work to develop a policy and guidance to support trans inclusion for staff and students is progressing. The EDI Team is currently working to a deadline of end June 2020 for approval and working to develop online solutions to minimise any delays due to COVID-19. We are really keen for all those with experience of trans inclusion at LU, whether personally or in delivering a service, to feed into the conversations and consultations on this. If you would like to get involved, please visit https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/edi/diversity-groups/lgbt/ or email edi@lancaster.ac.uk
• Race Equality: To understand more about what is needed to advance race equality at LU, the EDI Team are mapping what is already taking place against the requirements of the Race Equality Charter (a Higher Education chartermark on race equality). If you have been involved with work to advance race equality at LU or know of good practice elsewhere, please contact Charlotte Delaney (EDI Manager) on edi@lancaster.ac.uk

Following the email to members last week, UNISON have been involved in ongoing conversations with Lancaster University, Unite and UCU in order to reassure staff that their health and safety is being prioritised, and that they won’t be out of pocket during the current pandemic. 

This has resulted in the joint statement below being issued, today, 27 Mar 2020. We are also encouraged that the University is supporting those staff who are able, and want to, to volunteer to support the remaining students on campus, and also initiatives in the wider community. 

Our work responding to Covid-19 continues – we are responding to members’ queries and issues in regard to the new working arrangements. Please continue to keep us up to date with any issues you might be experiencing at: unison@lancaster.ac.uk.  

A massive thank you to those of our members who are still on the ‘frontline’ on campus, doing highly risky work and in regular contact with students and others.  

Joint Management/Union Statement on Coronavirus (Covid-19)  

In such unprecedented times the University Leadership Team and Trade Unions acknowledge the importance of working together to support the working environment and conditions of all staff members.   

Throughout this period of immense disruption, University management and the three recognised Trade Unions – UCU, UNISON and Unite – are meeting regularly, prioritising your welfare and aiming to ensure that staff do not suffer financially as a result of the current Covid-19 pandemic.  

We have jointly agreed the following:  

• The University has approved an extended period of paid leave for all staff when they cannot work due to circumstances relating to Covid-19. This extension will continue until further notice and will be kept under review by management and the Unions as this situation evolves.   
• We are committed to exploring how best to apply the Government’s new  “Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme” announced by the Chancellor this week to help support casual workers and those on fixed term contracts impacted during the coronavirus outbreak. Lancaster University will aim to ensure that staff are able to retain 100% of their contractual pay. 
• Additionally, the University is developing/establishing a Staff Hardship scheme for staff members facing financial hardship due to the impact of Covid-19. We jointly agree to ensure that this hardship scheme will support staff experiencing hardship who may not be covered by the Government scheme. Further details will be announced shortly. 
• Where there is a need for additional staffing to deliver essential services, this will be achieved through redeployment of existing staff, including those on fixed-term contracts that are due to come to an end during the pandemic period. This situation will be reviewed when the pandemic is over.   
• Discussions between the Trade Unions, HR and University Leadership are being scheduled to discuss whether any ongoing or planned restructures need pausing.  

Please note that sickness absence should continue to be reported in line with normal provisions, particularly as the University needs to keep a record of all absences related to Covid-19 for reporting purposes. However, absences related to the virus will not be counted when considering absence management or sick pay entitlement in the future.  

The health, safety and wellbeing of staff is paramount to us, and it is important that we all take time out from work, especially given the pressures caused by the current situation. Please therefore continue to take and book leave as normal. We are conscious that many individuals’ travel plans will have been disrupted, should you need to cancel or rearrange your annual leave, please discuss this as normal with your line manager.  

Please be assured that we are closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and its impact and working in partnership to do all we can to protect the health and wellbeing of our University community and reassure our staff. Further information on all of the above, along with regular updates to reflect the latest advice is available on the staff Intranet under FAQs. Those staff who are delivering essential on- campus services should also expect direct communication from the University shortly to provide guidance and support relating to their personal health, safety and welfare.  

We appreciate that these are extremely difficult and uncertain times for you and your families and thank you for your understanding at this challenging time.  

University Leadership Team, UCU, UNISON and Unite 

27 March 2020 

This email was sent to all current members of Lancaster University UNISON branch – 19 Mar 2020

19 March 2020 

Dear member

I’m writing to you to update you on the work UNISON are doing at Lancaster Universi`ty with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic. A lot of it has been going on behind the scenes over the last week, but as the University is providing more guidance for staff, I wanted to let you know what we have been doing: 

• We have been in regular contact with UCU and Unite to ensure that all three campus unions are collaborating to address the issues that are arising across the workforce.  
• We have challenged University management on some of the content and timings of communications to staff, and we are now able to feed into this process.  
• We have been working on getting access for the unions to decision making processes around the University response to Covid-19.  
• We are aware that certain of our members are vulnerable at the moment: ‘high risk’ individuals and those with families who have high-risk individuals, those with caring responsibilities, University ‘front line’ staff, and casual workers, and we have been focussing attention on these groups.  
• We are asking the University to ensure that the financial impact on staff of taking sick leave or leave for caring duties during this time will be minimised – we don’t want anyone to be out-of-pocket.  

National guidance from UNISON can be found here: https://www.unison.org.uk/coronavirus-rights-work?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DP_COVID19_17032020&utm_source=Communications&utm_content=You%20can%20find%20our%20latest%20guidance%20on%20our%20website. 

UNISON is in frequent contact with HR, and we understand that the University decision-making structure is – like we all are – trying to keep up with a rapidly developing situation. 

We want you – our members – to stay as safe as possible. Please let us know if you are experiencing any issues at the University with relation to Covid-19. Please contact us at unison@lancaster.ac.uk if you want to speak to us. 

We will be aiming to post regular updates on our website, at: www.lancaster.ac.uk/users/unison 

Updates from our AGM in February, and our newsletter, to follow in due course. 

Stay safe, and best wishes. 

Desna 

— 

Desna Mackenzie

UNISON Branch Secretary – Lancaster University  

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