University Finances
Please see the response from the joint unions to the University in relation to the University Finances at University Finances.doc
Hourly paid teachers
New policy
A new policy has just been implemented after extensive consultation with UCU. All new contracts which will start after 1st July 2009 will be issued in line with this new policy.
Role descriptors have been drafted and evaluated and your contract will be matched to one of these descriptors (see http://www.bris.ac.uk/personnel/pt-teachers/pthpt-policy.html#role-descriptors)
Your hourly rate of pay will correspond to the role descriptor and the equivalent grade for the work you do.
Other issues will continue to be discussed during 2009/10. In particular, it is proposed that from August 2010, individuals who are contracted for more than 20% of time per year, at a particular level, will be offered a fractional contract. This proposal, and others, have yet to be discussed in detail and agreed.
Defining your contractual hours
Although the hourly rates look to be a lot less than the current rates, you will be contracted and paid for ALL the work you do under the new arrangements and most people should earn either the same or better than their current contracts allow. When this is not the case and the new arrangements result in a lower remuneration, some 'smoothing' arrangements are in place until July 2010.The total hours contracted will be determined by the number of hours necessary for you to do the job. The total number of hours that you are contracted for will include preparation, delivery, assessment time and time for all other activities, which will be defined and specified in your contract. All hours will be paid at the rate relating to the grade of the work you will undertake (see table below).
Your annual leave (pro rata of 28 days per annum) will be taken at the end of your contract.
Hourly paid teacher pay rates
(excluding annual leave entitlement)
| Role descriptor | Grade equivalent | Hourly rate of pay |
| Demonstrator | Grade F | £11.45 |
| Teaching support assistant | Grade G | £13.67 |
Language tutor | Grade G | £13.67 |
| Assistant teacher | Grade H | £15.38 |
| Teacher | Grade I | £17.31 |
| Associate teacher | Grade J | £19.49 |
| Senior Associate teacher | Grade K | £22.59 |
| Teaching Unit Organiser | Grade K | £22.59 |
| Teaching Unit Developer | Grade K | £22.59 |
Transitional arrangements
If you are likely to receive less than you received in previous years for the same duties, responsibilities and hours of work, there will be scope for departments to ‘smooth’ implementation of the correct rate over the course of a further one year.
Individual or group help from UCU
Please contact us if you need any help, either individually or as a group.
Pay bargaining 2009/10
Please see a letter from Bristol UCU President to the Vice Chancellor regarding national pay bargaining at VC Letter (Dec 08).doc
Tax matters
The income tax document regarding the use of a room at home and tax relief on subscriptions has been revised and can be found at TAXMATT revised 2009.doc
Sally Hunt briefed members at the General Meeting on Wednesday 21st January 2009
This was a very well attended meeting. Sally outlined the thinking behind UCU's approach to the current pay claim, strategy and likely tactics and it was the opportunity for members to ask questions from our national leadership and ensured that Sally heard the views of her rank and file members here.
All General meetings are held at 1pm in LTI English 3 - 5 Woodland Road unless specified otherwise. See number 66 on the university precinct map at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/university/maps/precinct-big.html
Pensions briefing
Please see the recent pensions briefing sent out to members: Pensions email to members 101208.doc
Other NEWS
We have now moved into our new offices at 1d Priory Road and are now fully operational. Our new contact details are at Bristol University UCU: Contact Us
We are now able to see people in our new offices. Our new building is No 53 on the Precinct map and we are in the basement. Directions to the office are on the University Precinct map at http//www.bristol.ac.uk/university/maps/precinct.html
Tax matters
On-call agreement
The university has for some time wanted to introduce a new local condition of service covering on-call arrangments to replace and standardise a range of ad hoc practices currently operating for different groups of staff.
We have identified only one formal on-call rota operating at the moment in the university where senior staff in the Animal Services Unit have to provide out-of-hours cover to meet animal welfare requirements. An agreement has been negotiated which improves the arrangements for that group of staff considerably. It also improves on the last offer discussed in our General Meeting, though not in all the areas where we sought improvements. The ASU agreement will form a minimum for any other agreements but the university has accepted that on-call arrangements should only operate in exceptional circumstances and should then be individually negotiated to meet the particular requirements of such circumstances.
Ballot on the proposed changes to the negotiating structure of UCU
Closing date today
Members should now be receiving their ballot papers from UCU, which have a closing date of Wednesday 27th February 2008.
HEC members were divided on whether the new structures should be adopted and therefore decided to ballot members. The decision that is made by members is very important because the negotiating structures of the union affect the ways that your pay and conditions can be negotiated nationally.
The majority of members of the Committee at Bristol UCU believe that we should vote 'Yes' in the ballot and Bill Beaumont presents his arguments for this vote at:
The arguments for a 'No' vote are also presented at because they represent the views of a minority of the committee.
Bevis Miller (our representative on the NEC) has also provided some information for you here:
Stress in the workplace
The Health and Safety Executive have also identified stress as an issue that needs to be addressed in workplaces and the university has recently launched a departmental on-line stress survey as part of its Staff Well-being policy. This survey will be administered within Departments and analysed by the Health and Safety Office before plans are made to address any identified issues within Departments. The Health and Safety Executive will be monitoring the implementation of this policy. You can find the details about how the survey will operate on the University PWE website and a copy of the questionnaire to look at.
In addition, the TUC submitted an evidence paper to the Dame Carol Black review of the health of Britain's working age population is available from the TUC website. It makes interesting reading.
The following motion was passed unanimously at the General meeting on 5th December 2007:
‘Bristol UCU notes that a recent survey of members identified two priority issues as concerns about excessive workloads and the prevalence of workload stress. This local association instructs its committee to campaign and press for action by the university on both these issues and to start that campaign by:
1. raising its concerns with the other campus unions and seeking their involvement in a joint campaign
2. raising its concerns with the university through the Joint Negotiating Committee
3. seeking improvements in the current workloads agreement for staff in Grade J and above
4. seeking a commitment to fill vacancies more promptly
5. encouraging members to press for their HoD to use the university’s on-line stress audit in their department without delay
6. seeking a commitment from the university to take effective action where stress ‘hot spots’ are identified by the PWE survey or by stress audits
7. pressing the university to negotiate an improved set of policies and procedures to deal with bullying and harassment.’
Member survey report
Despite the small return to the survey, the main issues for many of those responding to the questionnaire were stress and workload. Read the full report at:
On call proposals
The university has for some time wanted to introduce a new local condition of service covering on-call arrangments to replace and standardise a range of ad hoc practices currently operating for different groups of staff. After some discussion with the Joint Trades Unions, the university has now made a proposal which is broadly acceptable to the other trades unions locally. However, this may be more controversial with some UCU members and we need to consult fully with our members.
A General meeting is planned for the 10th October at 1pm in LT1 3-5 Woodland Road (behind the English Department) to discuss this issue. The relevant document is at:
Local Association Rules
The Committee has re-written the local rules of Bristol University UCU since the merger of AUT and NATFHE last year and a draft paper copy will be sent to all members for comment and feedback. A General Meeting is planned for the 24th October 2007 and this item will be on the Agenda. In the meantime, if anyone would like to read the new rules and send us feedback, they are at: