Glasgow School of Art - UCU

Almost half of our members joined the picket line Today! Today we picketed outside the Reid, Stow and Haldane, distributing hundreds of flyers and stickers, listening to staff and students, and discussing our action with many. Banners were waved, discussions were had, our message was clear. Well Done! Today some ideas for the rest of the week were proposed: 1. A ‘teach out’ in the students association building. 2. A full day picket on Wednesday the 4th December. 3. A collective picket line – all members picketing at each site in turn. If you’re interested let members of the committee know what you’re up for, and how you might help. @ucu @GSAUCU @UCUScotland   Tuesday and the following days of Strike Action For all the following days please meet at the union at 8.30 am. From there we will distribute armbands, materials, and info needed to participate in the picket. Your participation on the Picket Line is much appreciated and sends a clear message to all. If you can’t be there in person please help amplify the UCU position by re-tweeting @GSAUCU and @UCUScotland and @ucu tweets. If you are unable to join on the picket do hold to the strike, our collective effort is what makes us strong! UCU asks all members to take 8 days Strike Action    Reminder: Other Activity Friday 29th November Global Climate Strike Glasgow, George Square, 11 am – 2 pm Monday 2nd December Rally in Glasgow, at the Buchanan Street steps, 12.30 pm Tuesday 3rd December General Election Hustings, STUC 333 Woodlands Road, 12 noon   ASOS Action Short of a Strike kicks in on Monday the 25th November, check out the guidance from UCU on how to participate in ASOS. www.ucu.org.uk/working-to-contract

Monday 25th

Monday morning meet outside the Vic Bar/union at 8 am. From there we will distribute materials and info needed to participate in the picket.
 

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The Following Days of Strike Action

For all the following days please meet at the union at 8.30 am. From there we will distribute armbands, materials, and info needed to participate in the picket.

Your participation on the Picket Line is much appreciated and sends a clear message to all.

If you are unable to join on the picket do hold to the strike, our collective effort is what makes us strong!

UCU asks all members to take 8 days Strike Action 
 

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Other Activity

Monday 25th November
UCU Scotland Rally at Bristo Square, Edinburgh, 1 pm

Friday 29th November
Global Climate Strike Glasgow, George Square, 11 am – 2 pm

Monday 2nd December
Rally in Glasgow, at the Buchanan Street steps, 12.30 pm

Tuesday 3rd December
General Election Hustings, STUC 333 Woodlands Road, 12 noon

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ASOS

Action Short of a Strike kicks in on Monday the 25th November, check out the guidance from UCU on how to participate in ASOS.
www.ucu.org.uk/working-to-contract

Help Make It Stick

An opportunity to talk to students about the action; GSASA have offered to help make placards

Upstairs in the Vic – The Assembly Hall

Friday /  Tomorrow / 22nd November 

4pm – 8pm

The student’s support is invaluable

Let’s be there to talk and listen

As you will be aware from the management email – any deductions of pay will be phased over three months.

” In order to minimise the impact of reduced pay on staff GSA has agreed to phase these deductions over a three-month period, as follows:
December 2019 Payroll Maximum of two days pay (pro rata)
January 2020 Payroll Maximum of three days pay (pro rata)
February 2020 Payroll Maximum of three days pay (pro rata) “

UCU have set out guidance on how to access the Fighting Fund.

Payment is made:

• in the sum of up to £50 for the third and subsequent days of strike action for members earning £30,000 or more gross per annum (this may be subject to a cap), and 
• in the sum of up to £75 for the second and subsequent days of strike action for members earning less than £30,000 gross per annum (this may be subject to a cap).

If you wish to access this fund, please go to: https://ucu.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/429/

Wednesday 1 pm – Reid Lecture Theatre.
Forthcoming 8 days Strike Action
Light lunch provided.

Join members to discuss:
• Why we are taking the strike action
• What does the strike mean to us
• How to prepare for the strike action

• We will update members on current GSA – UCU activity

• Address questions members may have.

Mary Senior from UCU Scotland is joining us and will be able to answer questions and update members on the wider Scottish action.

A date for your diary

Join us, Reid Lecture Theatre, Wednesday 20th at 1pm for an all members meeting to discuss the upcoming industrial action.
Mary Senior UCU Scotland Official will be joining us.

Pay and Equality dispute

Thanks to all members who voted, GSA-UCU had a 69% turnout.

UCU has called for 8 days of strike action, starting on Monday 25th November and finishing on Wednesday 4th December, followed by a period of action short of a strike (ASOS). Further action is being considered for the new year.

The following message from UCU:

“Employers have just under two weeks to meet us and find a solution to our disputes over USS pensions and pay and equality. UCU negotiators have already contacted the employers’ representative bodies for each dispute – Universities UK (UUK) in the case of USS, and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) in the case of the pay and equality dispute.

Employers will also be making their plans. Don’t forget: if your manager asks you if you intend to take strike action, you don’t have to answer them. You are not obliged to notify anyone that you are taking strike action before you do so. Nor are you obliged to tell your manager that you are a member of UCU. If you do notify your manager of your intentions in advance, they will be able to plan to minimise the disruption and render your action less effective.”

What strike means to me?

UCU Strike Fund
“If members vote to take action:

those of you earning £30,000 or more will be able to claim up to £50 from the third day onwards
those of you earning below £30,000 will be able to claim up to £75 per day from the second day onwards.”
https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10333/Strike-fund-support

GSA-UCU are able to refund appropriate travel and sustenance with recipes for participating in strike activities.

At the members meeting next week, we will discuss the planned action.

What next?

“UCU is preparing detailed guidance for you on a range of other issues, including:

information to give your students about the strike action
information tailored for migrant members holding different types of visa
information about taking action short of a strike (ASOS) after the eight-day strike period is over
updated information about applying for strike pay from the Fighting Fund.

All of this guidance will be available before the action starts on Monday 25 November. Keep checking the UCU website and look out for email updates from me and from your branch.”

We look forward to seeing you at the members meeting.
Shortly after the members meeting, we will be in touch again by email.

As many of our members may already know, the UCU Ballot results are in. Here at GSA UCU we achieved over the threshold for voting. Well done all.

Last Friday the elected reps of UCU’s higher education committee decided to call eight days of strike action at 60 universities starting on Monday 25 November and finishing on Wednesday 4 December, followed by a period of action short of a strike (ASOS). This means GSA UCU will be joining the UCU 8 days of strikes and the action short of a strike.

There is a branch committee meeting this tuesday – 12th November, and we will be calling a general meeting to organise the branch.

UCU Scotland will have an FAQ for the strike presently and we will mirror that here.

Any questions please email the committee – committee@gsa-ucu.org.uk

GSA UCU announces the results from the Call for Nominees:

Nicholas Oddy for President

Thomas Greenough for Branch Secretary with strict conditions: covering only the Trade Union Forum as UCU Rep and (after Inductions) as Academic TU Rep Attendee/Observer on the Board of Governors; a shadowing period with the previous Branch Secretary.

Digger Nutter for Membership/Communications Officer

Jenny Brownrigg for UCU Representative at Occupational Health & Safety Committee and for membership of the UCU Committee

Hugh Pizey (Design School) for membership of the UCU Committee

In accordance with UCU regulations – where only one eligible candidate for any officer vacancy is received, that candidate will be declared elected. Therefore, the above candidates are elected.

Nicky Bird stands down to become a lay member of the UCU Committee in the capacity of Mentor/Advisor.

The branch received no resignations from existing GSA UCU Committee members.

Personal Caseworkers – four members awaiting UCU Training, and GSA UCU hopes that by February 2020 we will have increased capacity for personal casework.

This is a significant step towards the GSA UCU Committee structure voted for by members in June. It reflects a spread of duties, and a set of priorities that includes Heath & Safety. As a union with 127 members, we are being realistic in terms of workloads, TU duties and in relation to GSA’s current Facility Time arrangements.