UCU UK elections 2024-25

The annual round of UCU UK Elections is underway, including for Vice President, Hon Treasurer, Trustees, regional and a number UK elected seats. Many will sit on Higher Education Committee which determines the decisions and actions taken by the union.

 

You will have had ballots through your post-boxes, along with election statements by each candidate.

 

More info >> here <<

Hustings event for Vice President* and Treasurer is on Wednesday 5th February – online – 4.30pm – 6pm.

 

* serves as chair of the Higher Education Committee and sector conference for two years, then becomes the union President and chair of the NEC.

 

The ballot closes on 3rd March, but why wait?

Cuts, cuts, cuts. Action needed urgently.

Aberystwyth UCU are shocked at the news of major cuts at Cardiff University and the impact on staff and students in Cardiff and more widely in Wales.

Marc Welsh, Acting President of Aberystwyth UCU said:

 

“Our branch sends full solidarity with colleagues and students affected by this decision by Cardiff University.

 

Universities are facing unprecedented financial challenges, with Cardiff the most recent example of what is happening across the country. Government intervention across the sector is urgently needed.

 

This is not just about the jobs of UCU members, the closure of courses (such as nursing) and the restriction of student opportunities, it is part of a bigger concern about the future of education, research and the skills that sustain Wales.”

/ends

The times they are a-changing’

For us

Gwaetha’r modd, mae ein Llywydd, John Gough, yn rhoi’r gorau i’r swydd honno, gan ildio’r awenau ar unwaith. Y newyddion da yw ei fod yn gwneud hynny am resymau personol cadarnhaol, ac fe ddymunwn bob hwyl iddo wrth iddo gychwyn ar ei rôl newydd. John Gough, has stepped down with immediate effect. The good news is John is stepping down as President for positive personal reasons and we wish him well as he navigates his new role.

 

Gyda John wrth y llyw, mae’r gangen a’i gweithgareddau wedi ffynnu dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf, ac mae ef wedi ein hebrwng drwy’r Cofid a thrwy gyfnod estynedig o weithredu diwydiannol. Mae hefyd wedi hwyluso cytundeb partneriaeth gymdeithasol llwyddiannus â’r rheolwyr.

 

Fel unigolyn, mae John hefyd wedi cefnogi (ac fe fydd yn dal i gefnogi) aelodau niferus fel gweithiwr achos, gan gynrychioli buddiannau aelodau mewn sawl fforwm, drwy’r Cynllun Cynaliadwyedd, achosion cwynion cyflogaeth, a’r tu hwnt. Mae bob amser wedi bod yn barod i sefyll yn ddi-ofn a di-dderbyn-wyneb wrth wasanaethu’r gangen.

 

Hoffem gymryd amser i ddiolch i John am ei gyfraniad enfawr i gangen Aberystwyth dros flynyddoedd lawer..

Er y bydd yn gollwng rhai o’r elfennau beunyddiol, fe fydd yn dal ati i wneud cyfraniad hanfodol a gwerthfawr i’r gangen yn y dyfodol.

 

Ar gyfer staff y brifysgol

Gwnaeth y neges ddiweddar i’r staff oddi wrth yr Is-Ganghellor amlinellu sefyllfa ariannol heriol o hyd yn y Brifysgol, lle bydd ‘newidiadau’ pellach i staffio, strwythurau a buddsoddi yn cael eu cyhoeddi ac yn destun ymgynghori yn y misoedd nesaf.

 

Fydd hynny ddim yn synnu’r rhan fwyaf o staff, ond bydd llawer ohonom yn teimlo’n ansicr ac yn poeni am:

  • • eu cydweithwyr

  • • rheoli eu llwyth gwaith a chadw cydbwysedd iach rhwng gwaith a bywyd drwy gyfnod cyfnewidiol

  • • sicrhau bod pawb yn cael eu trin yn gyfartal a theg.

 

Mae negodwyr UCU yn parhau â’u trafodaethau â’r uwch reolwyr ac ar y cyfan maent yn cydnabod bod y berthynas honno’n dangos awydd – ac ymdrech – i fod yn agored ac i weithio mewn partneriaeth. Ond efallai y bydd y flwyddyn nesaf yn fwy heriol.

 

Wrth i ni wynebu 2025 fe fydd angen cefnogaeth a chyfraniadau ein haelodau er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn gofyn y cwestiynau iawn, yn gweld y problemau iawn, yn gwneud y tybiaethau iawn, ac yn cymryd y camau iawn.

Os nad oes gan eich adran gynrychiolydd, meddyliwch am wirfoddoli! use your departmental reps as a conduit for doing this. If your department does not have one – consider volunteering!

Marc Welsh

Aberystwyth UCU Vice President

Updates from UCU HQ on consulting members over national pay award

The electronic ballot to consult UCU higher education members on the offer will be administered by the independent election scrutineer Civica Election Services and we are in the process of finalising the timetable.

UCU’s higher education committee (HEC) met on 27 September to consider UCEA’s final offer and voted to reject the pay element of the offer and to accept the terms of reference relating to the pay spine review, workload, casualisation, and equality pay gaps. HEC also voted to launch a consultative ballot on the offer and further details about this will be made available in due course.

Keep up to date here

Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Eithriadol

Dyddiad ac Amser: Dydd Iau 12 Medi, 13:00

Lleoliad: D5, Hugh Owen

 

Diben: Safbwyntiau a chwestiynau gan aelodau'r UCU sy'n codi o gyfarfodydd HOFF STAFF gyda'r VC ddydd Mercher 11 Medi.

 

Bydd cynrychiolwyr UCU yn cymryd rhan mewn 'Gweithgor ar y Cyd' (cyfarfod rheolaidd o undebau llafur ac aelodau uwch dîm rheoli) sydd wedi'i drefnu ar gyfer dydd Gwener 13 Medi.

 

Mae'r CCE hwn ar 12 Medi i gasglu meddyliau a barn safbwyntiau ar unwaith o unrhyw gyhoeddiadau sy'n dod o gyfarfodydd y VC. Bydd hyn yn llywio cyfraniad y cynrychiolwyr i'r uwch dîm rheoli.

 

Gall Cyfarfodydd Brys neu Gyffredinol pellach ddilyn yn yr wythnosau canlynol wrth i bethau ddatblygu.

VC staff meeting Wednes

On Wednesday 11th September the Vice-Chancellor is holding a staff meeting at 1pm in William Davies Suite, Gogerddan, and 2.30pm in A12, Hugh Owen.

 

Staff can also view the meeting online – see AU emails for links and details.

 

OU UCU wider members redundancy survey

Open University UCU have pulled together a survey they are making available to all members to complete. The results will be shared with UCU members and used to provide data to underpin how UCU nationally responds to current events.

It’s a bit convoluted (trying to cover past and present experience in same questions) but you don’t need to answer all the questions. You will need to include an email address to complete it.

 

Aberystwyth branch members can complete it at the link here: OU UCU survey

The survey is open until mid-September.