Author Archives: Admin

SHEFFIELD TELEGRAPH: SUPPORT STAFF JOBS TO GO AT SHU

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Article published in Sheffield Telegraph

The Sheffield Telegraph recently published an article about the number of support staff leaving the University following the implementation of the Professional Service Operating Model for Student and Academic Services.  As a major employer in the city, the loss of so many jobs at SHU is clearly significant.

The article prominently carried a quote on the situation from Branch Secretary Dan Bye, referring to the overwhelming support for UNISON’s motion of no-confidence in the implementation process, a motion we believe has been vindicated by events since the new year.

 

 

 

 

2019 NATIONAL YOUNG MEMBERS’ WEEKEND

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UNISON’s 2019 National Young Members’ Weekend will be held at the Hilton Hotel, Belfast.  It starts at 3pm on Friday 10th May and ends 12:30pm on Sunday 12th May.

Who can attend?

Any young member (under the age of 27 on Sunday, 12th May 2019), who is interested in getting actively involved in organising and campaigning in UNISON.

What is on offer?

The weekend includes plenary sessions, education and training, discussions and social activities. It’s a great way to network and find out how to get active.

If you would to get involve and represent our branch please email Dan Bye before 4th February for further details.

 

 

 

 

PSOM: Vote of No Confidence Passed Overwhelmingly

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UNISON members at Sheffield Hallam back no-confidence motion

UNISON’s vote of no confidence in the implementation of the Professional Services Operating Model (Student & Academic Services and Faculty Central Services phase) was launched on 23rd November and concluded at noon on Wednesday 5th December.

Thank you to all our members who participated: each of you helped deliver a credibly big turnout and made our collective voice louder.  

The result:

In total, 240 members took part, with 95% agreeing with the no confidence motion.

As expected, the majority of members who voted identified as part of SAS/Faculty Services .  Again 95% of voters from this area agreed with the no confidence motion.

We believe that this result demonstrates the depth and strength of feeling among members (which we are sure will be shared by non-members too), that the changes are being rushed in for January without adequate preparation, training or communication.     

On Wednesday afternoon, UNISON’s Branch Committee considered the very clear mandate that this vote has given us, and agreed to request an urgent meeting with Richard Calvert, Chief Operating Officer, and senior management in order to raise members’ concerns in detail.   We expect members’ concerns to be listened to and acted upon to restore damaged morale.

We will keep members informed of progress. 

Dan J Bye, UNISON Branch Secretary

Be a workplace contact!

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While the Branch encourages members to become active in the Branch as stewards (alternatively known as workplace representatives) and officers, representing members and helping to run the Union (and there are vacancies!), that’s not the only way to get involved.    

 From time to time we publicise free training events and conferences that members can attend, but there are also UNISON self-organised groups in which women, black members, disabled members, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender members, young members and retired members can get involved (see: https://www.unison.org.uk/about/our-organisation/structure/member-groups/).

 But UNISON also has a role for “workplace contacts”.  

 Workplace contacts can play an important role in helping members organise, by being the eyes and ears of the Branch in a particular team or area, helping communicate the Branch’s messages and sharing information with their colleagues and other members, promoting the Union and supporting and encouraging people who want to join UNISON.  Where members need representation or advice, a workplace contact can refer them to the best source of help.   Unlike officers and stewards, workplace contacts are not elected.

 It’s a good way of getting to know UNISON (and the University) a bit better, and could be a starting point for someone thinking of getting more involved with the Union.    Either way, being a workplace contact could be a great learning opportunity.

 If you are interested in becoming a workplace contact, please let the Branch Secretary, Dan Bye, know.  Alternatively, speak to your local steward or another officer.

Student Loans: are you paying back the right amount?

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Members who are paying back a student loan should check that the correct amounts are being deducted.  

 There is no indication that this is a widespread or systematic problem, but the possibility of error exists and could have significant financial consequences.   We have had some examples over the last year of members who have became aware that they were overpaying on their student loan, and so we thought it was useful to raise awareness of the issue.

 Refunds can be made where mistakes are made, but note that issues need raising with the Student Loan Company.   The University payroll team is instructed by HMRC (who get their information from SLC) of any changes to student loan repayment plans, and are not otherwise able to make any changes.

 First of all, check that you are liable to make repayments. There are tens of thousands of people who are known to have started repaying too early. Liability only starts in the April after you graduate or leave higher education. And you don’t need to repay unless your earnings have reached the necessary threshold in any tax year.   The current threshold for those who started University during or after 2012 (England/Wales) is £25,000.  It’s different in Scotland and Northern Ireland.   

 Secondly, check that repayments have been stopped or started as appropriate if your earnings dropped below the threshold in a month – although the earnings threshold is for a tax year, the calculation will be on a monthly basis.

 Thirdly, check that you are not still paying despite having paid off your loan.   Again, tens of thousands of people have ended up overpaying because of the way in which HMRC annually report earnings to the Student Loans Company – eventually this should be detected and notified to the affected individual, but let them know if you spot it yourself.

 Finally, check that you are paying according the correct repayment plan.  Plan 1 is for those who took out their loan before 1 September 2012.  Plan 2 is for those who took out their loan on or after that date.   Repayment rates are calculated differently for each plan, which is why it matters.

 If you want more information or need to check any details, see the Student Loans Company website:  http://www.studentloanrepayment.co.uk

 If you have overpaid and want to be refunded, call the Student Loan Company on 0300 100 0611.  You might need personal data such as national insurance number, payroll number and PAYE reference.

 Example of newspaper coverage of student loan overpayment, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/student-money/hmrc-blames-student-loans-company-mass-overpayments/

Dan J Bye

 

Voluntary Living Wage – a qualified welcome

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The National Minimum Wage became law in 1998, taking effect the following year.  It introduced different minimum hourly rates according to age bands. In 2015, George Osborne announced that for over-25s, the minimum wage would be renamed the National Living Wage and increased significantly.  This was primarily a way of outflanking the Labour Party, which had proposed a lower rise in the minimum wage.   The change was introduced from 2016.

 Confusingly, a voluntary “living wage” has been in existence since 2011, arising from campaigning going back to the early 2000s.   The Living Wage Foundation sets the level of the voluntary – or as we prefer to call it, Real Living Wage based on the cost of living.  The aim is to provide a worker with the minimum pay rate required to provide their family with the essentials of life, which the statutory so-called National Living Wage does not do.    Employers signing up to the Voluntary Living Wage undertake to maintain the pay of their lowest paid staff at the independently set level, and are recognised for doing so.

 Here at Sheffield Hallam, UNISON first raised the Real Living Wage issue back in 2012.  We therefore welcomed the University’s decision to pay the Voluntary Living Wage to our lowest paid colleagues from August.  

 This takes the form of a Voluntary Living Wage Supplement, paid to staff on Grade 2 (we do not use Grade 1 here) and the first spinal point of Grade 3 whose hourly rate would otherwise fall below that rate.  There are over 100 people impacted by this move.

 The Voluntary Living Wage was adjusted to £9 per hour in November, and affected staff should see that reflected in their pay packets soon.  

 Our welcome for this move is a qualified one, however, because the University has decided not to become an accredited Voluntary Living Wage employer.  Also, the method chosen to pay the Real Living Wage – a supplement on top of basic pay – flattens out the pay levels for staff on Grade 2.  Nor does the supplement apply to contract staff and casual staff who are not counted as employees, although it does apply to placement students and apprentices.

 Nevertheless, the move is a genuinely progressive move that benefits a large number of workers, and we hope that it will be maintained in the years to come.