Teaching Fellows put SMT under pressure - time to get organised

Our strike action over USS pensions was concurrent with strike action over pay, contract insecurity (‘casualisation’), workload and inequality, termed the ‘Four Fights’. Whilst pensions are ‘retirement pay’ (and very important), staff were much exercised by current pay and conditions questions! 

One of those questions concerns the treatment of Teaching Fellows at UCL. 

UCL Teaching Fellows (TFs, lecturers without contractual responsibility for research) have wide-ranging responsibilities. Many are research-active, but not in their paid role. Teaching workloads are often extremely high, but working hours may be underestimated, with the result that staff are not properly paid, or are paid part time for what is in reality a full time job. TFs are definitely not the only staff at UCL with high workloads and insecure contracts – but they came on picket lines in large numbers. 

We have Senior Management’s attention. They woke up with a shock on Day 1 of our strike to see large numbers of TFs on picket lines, talking to students as well as colleagues about the reasons that motivate them to strike. Over the eight days in many departments teaching completely stopped, replaced by teach-outs. 

Not only was the strike itself extremely effective, but members took the opportunity to raise their issues with management. During the strike, SSEES TFs launched an Open Letter to the Provost, spelling out the core issues affecting them. This created a further discussion as colleagues elsewhere in UCL wished to sign. It is this type of self-organisation and network building we want to encourage. 

Senior Management have responded. Before the break, colleagues will have received an email from the new HR Director Matthew Blain, inviting them to participate in a survey. Initial responses that UCU reps have seen, albeit edited by HR, show the scale of the problem, expressed in a robust and forthright way. 

What you can do

• Add your own experiences and comments to the Management Survey.

• Come to the meeting for UCL Teaching Fellows, organised by SSEES TFs, Wednesday 15 January, 4-6pm, B20 Jevons Lecture Theatre, Drayton House, Gower St site. [This is a staff-only meeting, and does not involve HR or UCL management.] 

• Visit our local UCU branch website, especially our TF pages where you can join the Teaching Fellow mailing list and read recent correspondence with the Provost.

• Forward this message to Teaching Fellow colleagues.

Don’t forget our next General Meeting, Thursday 16 January in Cruciform Lecture Theatre 2, Cruciform Building, Gower St site, where we will be discussing next stages in the national campaigns. All members are welcome.

UCL UCU Executive Committee

@ucl_ucu

https://www.facebook.com/universitycollegelondonucu

Not yet a UCU member? You can join the union by going to http://ucu.org.uk/join.