In this Bulletin:
AGM Reminder
AGM Provisional Agenda
Nominations to the Branch Committee
Local Subscriptions 2025-26
University of the Future
L-SL Progression
Harmful Gambling Training
Check Your Details
Branch AGM Reminder
Members are notified that the UCLan UCU Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 23 April, from 13.30 – 15.00 on Teams. Members for whom we have a UCLan email address have already been sent a calendar appointment. Anyone else will need to join via the link we have emailed.
AGM Provisional Agenda
Election of the Branch Committee (see below for details of the nomination process)
Branch Secretary’s report
Treasurer’s report
Equality Officer’s report
Membership Secretary’s report
Health and Safety report
Motions
- Local Subscriptions 2025-26 (see below for further information)
Any Other Business (AOB)
Nominations to the Branch Committee
Nominations for election to the Branch Committee should be submitted by e-mail to the Branch Secretary, And Rosta (and.rosta@gmail.com) by 18.00 on Tuesday 15 April. Each nomination must be supported by separate emails from two members (one nominating, the other seconding) and an email from the nominee accepting the nomination.
Local Subscriptions 2025-26
The AGM will be asked to set the Local Subscription levels for the next academic year. Last year’s rates were set at a deliberately high level, in order to quickly build up a significant fighting fund. This has been successful, and we are on track to raise £60k in the current academic year. Assuming hardship payments of approx £60 per day of salary lost (eg due to strike action or pay docking during an assessment boycott) this could represent 1,000 person-days of industrial action. An extremely potent weapon! The Branch can therefore now consider reducing the local subs. The AGM will be offered three choices: low, medium and high. If all three options are rejected, there will be no local subscription next year.
Low Option
Salary £60k+ £1.50 Salary £40k+ £1.00 Salary £30k+ £0.50 Salary £22k+ £0.30 Salary £15k+ £0.20 Salary £ 5k+ £0.10 Salary below £5k, retired members & attached members (not employed by UCLan) £0.00. This option would add approx £7,200 to the fighting fund over the course of the year.
Medium Option
Salary £60k+ £10.00 Salary £40k+ £5.00 Salary £30k+ £3.00 Salary £22k+ £1.70 Salary £15k+ £0.80 Salary £ 5k+ £0.20 Salary below £5k, retired members & attached members (not employed by UCLan) £0.00. This option would add approx £36,000 to the fighting fund over the course of the year.
High Option (current subscription levels)
Salary £60k+ £15.00 Salary £40k+ £10.00 Salary £30k+ £7.50 Salary £22k+ £5.50 Salary £15k+ £3.755 Salary £ 5k+ £1.25 Salary below £5k, retired members & attached members (not employed by UCLan) £0.00. This option would add approx £70,000 to the fighting fund over the course of the year.
University of the Future
As you will know from previous discussion of this topic, management have agreed with UCU that for each course where a move to block teaching is being considered, there will be direct unmediated discussion between management and the course team to determine whether the move to block delivery is suitable for the course. Members across the University report that this has not been happening: instead, course teams are being told there is no choice, and block delivery is being steamrollered through without discussion. Accordingly, UCU have requested resolution via the new Resolution Procedure, and met with senior management representatives on 19 March to present examples from Psychology & Humanities, Sport, Business, and Arts & Media. We were hoping to provide an update in this Bulletin, but, regrettably, management have still not responded to this request. We will update further at the AGM and discuss next steps.
L-SL Progression
Similarly, we were hoping to be able to report on our attempts to get management to confirm that L-SL progression will resume this year. Unfortunately, management have still not confirmed this, and we are still waiting to hear. Meanwhile, we are pressing managers to confirm, at least, that eligible members have met the criteria to progress, so that they are not suddenly presented with extra hurdles when it does resume. If you were held up last year, or are due to progress this year, and have not already given UCU your details, please email us on ucu@uclan.ac.uk
Harmful Gambling Training
You may remember in 2023, UCLan was the first University in the country to sign up to the Harmful Gambling Charter which offers practical ways in which employers and trade unions can commit to promoting the health and wellbeing of colleagues and students who may be at risk due to gambling related harms. We continue to work with Beacon Counselling Trust, who specialise in supporting individuals experiencing Gambling Related Harms as well as offering support to organisations to raise awareness on gambling related harms in the workplace.
People Team have arranged 2 webinars in 2025 with Beacon Counselling Trust, titled ‘Harmful Gambling Awareness – Bet you can help now!’. The key learning outcomes for participants attending the course are highlighted below:
- Learners will develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes concerning gambling related harms (GRH).
- Learners will explore and better understand the nature of gambling and gambling related harms and their impact on health and wellbeing.
- Learners will develop confidence in providing help and support to an individual at risk of, or experiencing, gambling related harms and how to signpost to specialist support services.
Dates, booking links and further information for booking can be found below:
Harmful Gambling Awareness – Bet you can help now! Monday 28 April from 14:00 – 15:30
Harmful Gambling Awareness – Bet you can help now! Thursday 12 June from 10:00 – 11:30
Check Your Details
All members should have received an email in the last month or so, asking you to check that your details on the UCU membership database are accurate. Please do this, as it is extremely important that information such as school name, building name, salary band etc are correct. Errors could, for example, lead to a ballot for industrial action being ruled invalid.
Please log on to MyUCU at https://www.ucu.org.uk/myucu, check the “Employment” tab and update as necessary. If your particular school name/building name combination is not available in the drop-down list, email Membership Secretary Cath Sullivan on csullivan@uclan.ac.uk
UCLan UCU Branch Committee
