MMU UCU Branch and Committee meetings 2019-2020: rooms from October tbc.  Branch meeting venues from October may change.  Look out for all-member emails advertising meeting venues and for any emergency additional meetings.

UCU MMU congratulates those finalists for the Social Worker of the Year Awards, including those shortlisted for the Social Work Student of the Year Award. However, we support the ethical position taken by Social Workers Without Borders, one of the judges Nick Berbiers, and others, to withdraw from the awards due to Capita’s involvement as a sponsor.
Capita has been criticised for their gruelling and distressing medical assessments for disability benefits, for their practices in carrying out deportations, including deporting Windrush citizens, and for using “excessive restraint” on detainees flown out of the country.
UCU MMU notes reports critical of Capita’s use of cruel and unethical methods in implementing deportations, including of members of the Windrush generation, and in their administration of social care. We call on Social Worker of the Year Awards to end their relationship with Capita and to implement an ethical framework for sponsorship in future years.

MMU UCU Branch Committee: 23/10/18

Please note a change of date for our next Manchester full branch meeting to

Wednesday 17th October 2-3.30pm GM328

with visiting speaker President-elect of UCU Douglas Chalmers of Glasgow Caledonian University and UCU Scotland.

The Crewe branch meeting will go ahead as advertised on Thursday 11th October 10 – 11.30pm.

UCU’s national pay and equality ballot opened on 30 August 2018.  The ballot runs until 19 October.

Manchester Metropolitan UCU Branch Committee recommends that you vote YES to strike action and YES to action short of a strike (ASOS). Employers must meaningfully address the key elements of the dispute, including:

• loss in the value of your pay,
• shameful pay inequality,
• the scandal of casualisation,
• workload and stress.

If you have not received a ballot paper by Monday 10 September, please email your full details to our office immediately at ucu@mmu.ac.uk and we will do everything possible to ensure that you get a replacement paper.

Our ‘get the vote out’ campaign will be in touch via email, in person, on the phone, via email and social media and at your branch meetings (10 October Manchester and 11 October Crewe).  If you would like to volunteer to help please contact Branch Chair or Secretary at ucu@mmu.ac.uk.

Pay and equality matters – vote YES to strike action and vote YES to action short of a strike.

MMUUCUMembersSchedulemeetings1819

Manchester Metropolitan University Branch:

Dates of meetings 2018-19 Venues tbc

MMU UCU sends our support and solidarity to our colleagues on strike over threats to the USS pension scheme. Lots of our members also have USS pensions, although we are not striking because our employers operate the Teacher’s Pension Scheme instead. We urge Universities UK to negotiate to protect the value and security of pensions for all academic staff.

Picture:  Thursday February 22nd 2018:  UCU Vice President elect Vicky Knight visits University of Manchester picket lines.

“I share your alarm at the threat of compulsory redundancies arising from MMU’s announcement that they will close their Crewe campus.
“All redundancies of university staff are to be regretted, but this case is particularly concerning, as it appears management have failed to enter into any meaningful negotiations to see what alternative options were available. I urge them to meaningfully negotiate and address these concerns by finding an alternative to compulsory redundancies.
“The fact that this dispute arose from the decision to close the Crewe campus is also especially disappointing. Campuses such as Crewe can play a key role in providing education, and helping students from all backgrounds to access it, as well as supporting the local economy.
“I understand the pressures facing vice-chancellors but, they must, at all times, consider the welfare of their students and their staff to make their university a success. As a former trade unionist myself, I know the decision to start industrial action has not been taken lightly, and I send my solidarity and support along with newly elected Labour MP, Laura Smith.”

Thanks to MMU Cheshire graduate Laura Smith MP, newly elected in Crewe, for her support for our action to protest against compulsory redundancies.