In response to the discussion at last Friday’s Branch Meeting and other section meetings in the last three weeks, below are our information requests about UEB’s austerity package.

I know this is impacting many members through loss of work, uncertainty, increased workload, career development. The effects reinforce wider inequalities and injustices.  Let’s have each other’s backs. (Our Equality Officer is challenging management over equality impact assessment.)

The 1 November additional information request.

1. The latest definition(s) of business critical in university communications and within UEB and Council.
2. travel expenditure from members of UEB since the travel ban.
3. The number of Fixed Term Contracts coming to an end in the months of October, November, December, January, February.
4. Numbers currently applying for VS and modelling of savings, with subsequent plans for further cost-cutting, including Compulsory Redundancies.

The previous request put on 25 October (some of this we had requested prior to our July meeting with the Chief Financial Officer).

1. We would like a copy for the minutes/decisions of the last two Council meetings in June and October, and sub-committees meetings (notably finance committee and remuneration committee) and the documentation that was provided to them. That would include the full budget.
2. We would like a copy of any consultancy documentation used regarding international student recruitment or how to make savings.
3. We would like any latest revised budget projections for this year.
4. All three unions are concerned about the equality and health impacts on our members. We would like to see the latest data on sickness absence.
5. We would like any data from Principal Budget Holders about approvals/rejections and savings so that we can ensure that austerity is being conducted on fair and equitable principles.

After the Head of HR claimed to be under no obligation to share this information being ‘not currently in a collective bargaining situation’, we have quoted the relevant parts of the ACAS Employer Code of Practice to demonstrate that they are. We await their response.

The branch has declared a failure to agree/ a dispute with the VC following the decision at the Branch Meeting on 25 October. UEB were unable to field a team last week with several being away. We will no doubt hear from them soon. We will keep you up-to-date with developments.

Senate, Council and Governance.

Any member planning to stand for Senate or Council and/or would like to be involved in a meeting about university governance please get in touch with me.