September, 2023:

RUCU Build the Union Programme 2023

Reading UCU is very excited to present the following programme for BTU month this October.

3rd October 2023: 13:00 – 14:00
Pensions Briefing with Dooley Harte, UCU National Pensions Officer (In Person Only)
A FREE USS Pensions seminar and Q&A for Members & non members.
Room: Edith Morley 126. Whiteknights Campus.

5th October 2023: 13:00 – 13:50
Drop-In hosted by Hattie Robinson, RUCU Membership Secretary (Online only)
Come and have a chat, bring your issues, feedback, knitting or crafting and catch up with new and old RUCU colleagues. Non members welcome.

Click here to join the meeting on UCU Teams
Meeting ID: 386 493 394 038
Passcode: u3Hyey

12th October 2023: 13:00 – 13:50
Disabled Members Coffee Pot hosted by Ellen Owens, RUCU Treasurer
(Online only) Non members welcome

Click here to join the meeting on UCU Teams
Meeting ID: 371 789 771 917
Passcode: cPUuds

17th October 2023: 14:00-15:00
President Inaugural Lecture – With Dr Deepa Driver, RUCU President. Online.

Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 363 255 728 663
Passcode: Ac4Ti5

19th October 2023: 12.00 – 13.00
RUCU October OGM & Build the Union
Guest speakers from HEI & FE (HEI speaker from a MABBING Branch Brighton (Online only)

Tuesday 24th October 2023: 14:00-15:00
Anti-Casualisation Agreement & Successes with Rita Balestrini, Anti Casualisation Officer
Room Carrington 201, Whiteknights (Hybrid).

Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 322 573 681 813
Passcode: YoAvcz

Tuesday 31st October 2023: 13:00-14:00
Introduction to UCU National Workload Campaign with RUCU AntiCasualisation Officer
Room Carrington 101, Whiteknights Campus (Hybrid)

Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 323 495 621 314
Passcode: WU49XG

[Programme Subject to Change, please check the RUCU website.]

At the RUCU AGM in June, a motion to build regional solidarity in the UCU Southern region and to support UCU branches participating in the a Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) as part of Industrial Action over pay and pay-related conditions was proposed.

Unfortunately, the motion could not be heard as we ran out of time. We brought it to the next OGM in July, but it could not be passed then as the meeting did not reach quorum. However, there followed a lively discussion about the impact of the cost of living crisis and RUCU members were unanimous in wanting to show regional solidarity and make small donations of £100 to each Southern region branch needing it (permitted under the RUCU local rule book when members voting can’t be achieved).

In a subsequent committee meeting, committee members also voted to send solidarity donations to a few other branches facing excessive deductions.

Payments have now been made to the following branches:

Winchester – MAB
Southampton – MAB
Bournemouth – MAB

Others voted on by the committee:

York St John – MAB
Kingston – MAB
Brighton – Redundancies

RUCU is proud to show solidarity with regional UCU Southern and other branches in need of solidarity.

UCU will carry on fighting to defend pay and workers conditions in Higher Education, amidst one of the most severe cost-of-living crises faced in recent decades by education staff and the broader collective of workers.

During the June AGM a motion was passed to top the local hardship account back up to £5,000. A bank transfer of £3,050.61 has now been made. This covers hardship applications that have mainly been made by Reading members over the past year, though also includes some smaller amounts from previous years.

Solidarity!

RUCU Committee