UCL-UCU Meeting: Alterations to Timetables and Working Hours

This notice is about a meeting next Wednesday 24 August, the first in a series in the build-up to the ballot period in September.

The meeting is on UCL’s proposed changes to the timetable policy and their consequences for workload and will be on Zoom next Weds, 24 August, at 13.00 (a sign-up form will go out soon)

This will be an opportunity for general discussion, reporting back, raising issues, and sharing thoughts on changes to the UCL timetable and what this means for colleagues’ workload, such as UCL’s proposal to expand the “working day” and the pressures to do so.

Please bring your experiences, questions, views, and reflections to this meeting, and we will facilitate an open discussion. The meeting will discuss how we should respond to the proposals, and seek your thoughts on what you would like from the branch. 

Below is some interim advice to our members on how to address any proposed changes to your working patterns. 

UCL UCU Executive Committee

Interim advice for engaging with line managers on changes to timetables and workload

Contractual rights (links are to our interim advice doc) 

• Changes can only be made by agreement - and you have the right to say No!
• We would advise that agreements are explicitly stated as temporary. 
• Workload management obligations remain. 

Equality and H&S rights

There are additional Equality Act and Health and Safety implications of changes in working hours. 

• Staff with caring responsibilities and with long term conditions. 
• Otherwise all staff in the same position should be treated equally. 
• Colleagues’ overall contractual position protects other areas too. 

For your diary: UCL UCU meetings coming up

1. Tuesday 30 August, 1-2pm: Departmental Reps Discussion meeting on where we are with the two disputes. Open discussion and feedback from reps.

2. Thursday 1st September, 1-2pm: All-members discussion meeting/town hall. Open discussion meeting for members to ask questions, raise any issue, and comment on the ballot and possible approaches to industrial action.

3. Week of Monday 5 September: Departmental meetings on the ballot.

4. Wednesday 14 September or Thursday 22 September (tbc): Extraordinary General Meeting on the ballot.

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