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3RD STRIKE DAY CALLED

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branch in action 22 Jan

 

 

 

 

UNISON along with UCU and EIS have announced a further 1 day national strike for the 6 February 2014 in response to the HE employers refusal to improve their inadequate 1% pay offer. Unite are currently undertaking further consultation. The growing inequality in pay in higher education between senior managers and the workforce as a whole has been under the spotlight in the run-up to further strike action.

Universities are refusing to make a decent pay offer, despite holding huge cash reserves, which are predicted to continue for the next few years by the Higher Education Funding Council, which describes university finances as being “sound overall”.

UNISON Branches up and down the country will be protesting next week to highlight the inequality within the sector, as well as the added value that employees contribute to the student experience.

UNISON’s National Secretary Jon Richards said “ Universities are keen to proclaim their success and line the pockets of Vice Chancellors and their cronies with inflation busting rises as a reward. Yet thousands of HE staff earn below the Living Wage. Workers who even the Chancellor of the Exchequer acknowledges are the “working poor”.

“The money is there to pay more. Staff who have managed to hang onto their jobs through significant changes have seen their workload increase dramatically, yet their incomes have been squeezed to breaking point”.

More than 4,000 staff currently earn less than the living wage despite another year of projected surplus. Pay is being squeezed following five years of pay rises below the cost of living and salaries for staff have fallen in real terms by more than13% over the last five years. Staff have lost between £666 and £3,574 that they would have had if salaries had kept pace with the cost of living. UNISON’s low-paid members are already at the sharp end of the coalition government’s welfare reforms such as the bedroom tax.

What you can do:-

  • Support the strike
  • Join/support our picket lines at Sheffield Hallam University (email Dan Bye your availability)
  • Join the rally called by Higher Educations UNISON, Unite and UCU  at 12pm on 6th February 2014 outside City Hall, Sheffield
  • Sign the online petition calling for Fair Pay in HE: http://www.fairpayinhe.org.uk/

Further information on the pay campaign can be found at:-

https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/education-services/key-issues/he-pay-dispute/home/

UNISON MEMBERSHIP OFFER

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Despite quite a few of our members having left SHU over the past few years  we have managed to maintain membership levels through recruitment campaigns. So please could you pass this latest offer on to anyone you think maybe interested in joining.  We need to continue to have a strong membership to remain to have an influence within the University.

NUS card refund if you join UNISON

Join UNISON at SHU and we will cover the cost of NUS extra card*. With this card you get hundreds of discounts including 10% off most things at the Co-op and discounts at many clothing and restaurant chains. To qualify you need to be new to UNISON or not to have been a member for a least one year. UNISON represents admin and technical staff at the University and campaigns on pay and conditions. It also provides help relating to non work issues such as debt and legal advice.  For an application form please contact Ian Chesters I.Chesters@shu.ac.uk or x6060.

*On joining UNISON we will refund the equivalent cost of the card for 1 year. The NUS Extra card is available to all SHU staff. The offer to new members stands whilst this card remains available to SHU staff or until 31 March 2014, whichever comes first.”

 

 

TIME TO VOTE ON HIGHER EDUCATION PAY

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UNISON’s members in higher education are being balloted for industrial action over the employer’s final pay offer of 1% across all pay points.

The vote opened on 18 September, with ballot papers being sent to members’ homes.

The national higher education service group executive is urging a vote for strike action, demanding an improved offer from the employers.

The pay claim is affordable, and the need to address the loss of income over the last five years for those in the sector is urgent. Living costs have increased by over 15% over the past five years. In that same period, pay increases for most staff have been worth around 2.2%.

This represents a shortfall in pay of around 13% for higher education staff. For someone on point 16 of the pay scale, this would represent a loss of over £1,600 per year.

Over 4,000 workers in the sector are paid less than the living wage of £7.45 per hour (£8.55 in London). This means their income is below that needed for a basic standard of living.

The money is available for an improved offer. The Higher Education Funding Council for England, which funds higher education, produced a report in March, showing that the sector posted record surpluses of over £1 billion.

Members need to use their vote in the ballot.

UNISON is officially urging members to vote for industrial action, sending a clear message to their employers that they are worth more than 1%.

Up-to-date information on the ballot can be found on the higher education pay pages

UNISON NATIONAL HE BRANCH SEMINAR

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The Higher Education branch seminar is an annual event which looks at issues of relevance to activists in the higher education sector.

There will be workshops and keynote speakers on challenging privatisation/shared services, community organising, the living wage campaign.

If you are interested in attending this event further details are available at http://www.unison.org.uk/about/events-and-conferences/upcoming/higher-education-seminar-2013

INDUSTRIAL ACTION BALLOT

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UNISON wants fair pay for all higher education staff and the Higher Education Service Group Executive is recommending that members vote yes for strike action in the forthcoming ballot to be conducted during September. Please can all members ensure that your contact details are up to date (name, address etc), so that you don’t miss out on your ballot papers.

You can manage your own membership details here:

http://www.unison.org.uk/my-unison/welcome

If you haven’t used the site before, you will need to register using your membership number. Once you have access to the “Welcome to MY UNISON” page,  click onto “mydetails” in the bottom left hand corner. Go to “check and update details” or “Edit my details” (Bottom right hand corner of the screen)

If you have any problems accessing MY UNISON please ring 0845 355 0845, not the Branch.

Role of the UNISON steward

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We’re also always looking for new UNISON stewards, particularly in areas where we currently have no representation.  Key elements of the role are:

  • Organising – talking to, recruiting and organising members around workplace issues, publicising campaigns and keeping members informed about and involved in local negotiations.
  • Advising – giving advice or acting as a sounding board to members with workplace issues, referring members for assistance where appropriate, or helping them to find out the information they need.
  • Representing – after training, accompanying members in meetings and formal processes, or helping them to raise problems with managers before they get out of hand.  Ensuring that members’ views are represented to the wider union branch.

Stewards are entitled to facility time and undertake training to carry out this role.  They may also act as local Health and Safety representatives.

If you’d like to find out more, contact Dan Bye, Branch Secretary, or you could consider becoming a workplace contact.  Workplace contacts have a more informal role and can act as part of a network supporting elected stewards.