Message from Andrew Harden, UCU Head of Further Education

UCU has many members in Further Education colleges that are a part of the teaching and assessing team, vital to the delivery of curriculum to students but who are not lecturers. There are a growing proliferation of names and titles for these staff such as instructor, tutor, facilitator, progression coach, trainer, assessor, learning support assistant, teaching assistant to name but a few. These staff may be either college based or in workplace based learning environments, their roles vary considerably as do their terms and conditions of employment. What these staff do have in common is that they have student facing roles that are part of the curriculum delivery of a college.

UCU has developed bargaining and negotiations guidance for branches to develop a branch level bargaining agenda to improve the terms and conditions for these staff which can be found here: ucu.org.uk/non-lecturers.

UCU’s FE National Negotiators want to include an element in the FE England 2017/18 Joint Trade Unions Pay and Conditions Claim that seeks to improve the terms and conditions for non-lecturer members. The UCU national negotiators have agreed to consider advice regarding what that claim might look like from a reference group made up of non-lecturer members to assist in formulating this element of the national claim.

Branches are invited to send a representative member to a national reference group meeting who are not in lecturer roles or who have bargained on behalf of members in these roles to help with the formulation of the national claim for these staff. The meeting will be held:

2pm – 4pm, Friday 17 February either at UCU’s London offices (Carlow Street, London NW1 7LH). There will by the option for joining the meeting remotely via Skype or telephone conference.

Please indicate your attendance to David Bussell dbussell@ucu.org.uk. If attending remotely via skype please arrange a test run with David prior to the meeting day and allow to join the meeting up to 45 minutes early so we can resolve any technical glitches on the day.

Regional Office video conferencing facility

A reminder that the Regional Office has a video conference room which allows up to 12 people to attend online meetings via Skype. If using the Regional Office facility you will not need to do any setting up or do a test call to Head Office. Emma Alexander will set up the conference call and provide technical assistance on the day.

UCU Regional Official Iain Owens will be attending the meeting via Skype from the Regional Office. If you would like to join Iain please contact Emma Alexander.

A reminder that visitor car parking is located at the side of the office block. Directions and full details of visitor car parking at ucunorthern.org.uk/map