UCL UCU - ACTION REQUIRED: Declaring participation in the MAB on Friday

Dear colleague,

UCL have set a deadline, to declare whether or not you have participated in the MAB - of this Friday, June 9! 

You only have a legal duty to report action you have already taken.

• You can only report any MAB activity that you have already done (e.g. not marking work that is already due). You do not have to say anything about future MAB actions, whether that is PGT marking deadlines coming up in July or August, or Exam Boards that have not yet taken place.

Do not use the HR form. All members should initiate a formal grievance instead.

• The HR form is simply Yes/No for MAB participation and implies that we accept UCL’s draconian plans for a flat rate 35-day pay deduction.

• Instead, please write to Donna Dalrymple (d.dalrymple@ucl.ac.uk) and Michael Spence (michael.spence@ucl.ac.uk) initiating a formal grievance contesting their proposed deductions. You can use this template as a starting point - please copy and edit it to reflect your personal circumstances.

• If you have duties which are not marking, such as organising Academic Misconduct Panels or Chairing a BoE you should include these, but don’t feel the need to estimate exactly how long they might have taken at this point. If there are specific issues which are not covered by the template, please get in touch for more guidance (email ucu@ucl.ac.uk).

Reminders:

1. If you are a member of Academic Board, please make sure you attend the Special Meeting on Friday June 9, 10.30am – 12.00pm. Academic Board will be voting on a motion to stop UCL’s mitigation policies (see also above).

2. UCL students have started a #SettleTheDispute letter calling on the Provost to get back to the negotiating table - please share and circulate among your students.

3. Sign our pledge to donate some of your salary to support those who are joining the MAB. Members face losing up to 35 (70x0.5) days of pay: we are asking colleagues to consider a contribution of up to 7 days of pay (after tax and NICs) to allow us to share the burden. 

We are in the process of triple-checking a calculator but in the meantime hopefully the following will be illustrative. 

Example calculation: Grade 8 point 39 earns £51,247 full-time including full London Weighting. They expect to be deducted £4,511 gross (70 x 0.5 days of pay at 1/365). After tax and NICs, assuming no other source of income and allowing for increments and pay increases in August, this becomes £3,035 net. A full pledge for this person works out at a fifth of this, i.e. £607, or slightly over £60 a week.

This estimate assumes that UCL’s full “70-day at 50%” plan will be implemented.

If you’re unsure of whether or not to participate in the MAB yourself, remember that we are targeting final year undergraduate papers - this is what has got UCL management worried!

4. MAB FAQs:

• Local UCL UCU FAQs

• National UCU MAB guidance

UCL UCU Executive Committee

www.ucl.ac.uk/ucu

@ucl_ucu