Loughborough UCU

Tag: Unison

  • We Are The University Ballot

    Have you noticed how much smaller your slice of the wealth pie is, despite the pie growing?  In 2005, UK GDP was just over 2 trillion.  The latest figure, for 2023, was over 2 and a half trillion.  That is an extra five hundred billion pounds every year generated in the UK every year. An extra seven thousand pounds per year for every adult and child in the UK. And yet we’ve been told for so many years “there’s no money”.

    We were told that the financial crisis wasn’t the right time to ask for more.

    We were told that austerity wasn’t the right time to ask for more.

    We were told that the pandemic wasn’t the right time to ask for more.

    We’ve been waiting for the right time for the best part of 20 years.  We’ve been waiting for the good times to return, so that we can finally be allowed to ask for more.

    “The good times” aren’t coming back, because the good times never went away.  Many people have been getting richer and richer through that whole period.  But we haven’t.

    There’s no lack of money.  There’s a lack of fairness.

    Our work has been growing the pie this whole time.  But even though the pie has been growing, you’ve been given less pie.  Not just a smaller share of the bigger pie but less actual pie.

    Many of us probably hoped that an incoming Labour government would end the decline in the sector and begin the restoration of our pay.  It’s clear that this is not their intention.  But unless we’re holding out hope that a Reform government will be more generous, then the time to act is now. 

    The money is there.  Vote YES for action.

    If you’ve already voted but haven’t yet let UCU know, please complete this short form to do so.

    Please note that text messages you may have received from UCU about the ballot are genuine and not junk.

    Key Dates

    •             Sunday 23 November 2025 (23:59): replacement ballot request form closes

    •             Wednesday 26 November 2025: last ‘safe’ date to post the ballot

    •             Friday 28 November 2025 (17:00): ballot closes.

    UCU, Unite and Unison members at LU are balloting over pay at the same time.

  • Joint Campus Unions Photo

    Joint Campus Unions Photo

    Members of UCU, Unite, and Unison at Loughborough University are all balloting for industrial action — and we’re coming together to show our unity and strength.

    Join members and committee reps from all three unions for a joint gathering and photo to promote the ballots:

    Monday 27 October
    12:30pm
    Hazelrigg–Rutland Fountain, Loughborough East Midlands campus

    Bring your banners, colleagues, and solidarity! Everyone welcome!

    Let’s make a visible show of support for fair pay, fair conditions, and respect at work. Even if you can only drop by for a few minutes, your presence will make a real difference.

  • Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Mornings – Ballot Drop-in Sessions

    We’re holding a series of informal Friday morning drop-in sessions for members of all three unions to chat about the ballots, ask questions, and connect with colleagues across campus.

    ️ Fridays, 9:30–11:30am

    • 24 October – Village Hub
    • 31 October – Edward Herbert Building
    • 7 November – Martin Hall
    • 14 November – West Park Teaching Hub
    • 21 November – Edward Herbert Building

    Come along for a coffee, a chat, and a chance to share thoughts on why this ballot matters. Everyone is welcome — the more conversations we have, the stronger our collective voice will be.

  • Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Mornings – Ballot Drop-in Sessions

    We’re holding a series of informal Friday morning drop-in sessions for members of all three unions to chat about the ballots, ask questions, and connect with colleagues across campus.

    ️ Fridays, 9:30–11:30am

    • 24 October – Village Hub
    • 31 October – Edward Herbert Building
    • 7 November – Martin Hall
    • 14 November – West Park Teaching Hub
    • 21 November – Edward Herbert Building

    Come along for a coffee, a chat, and a chance to share thoughts on why this ballot matters. Everyone is welcome — the more conversations we have, the stronger our collective voice will be.

  • Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Mornings – Ballot Drop-in Sessions

    We’re holding a series of informal Friday morning drop-in sessions for members of all three unions to chat about the ballots, ask questions, and connect with colleagues across campus.

    ️ Fridays, 9:30–11:30am

    • 24 October – Village Hub
    • 31 October – Edward Herbert Building
    • 7 November – Martin Hall
    • 14 November – West Park Teaching Hub
    • 21 November – Edward Herbert Building

    Come along for a coffee, a chat, and a chance to share thoughts on why this ballot matters. Everyone is welcome — the more conversations we have, the stronger our collective voice will be.

  • Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Mornings – Ballot Drop-in Sessions

    We’re holding a series of informal Friday morning drop-in sessions for members of all three unions to chat about the ballots, ask questions, and connect with colleagues across campus.

    ️ Fridays, 9:30–11:30am

    • 24 October – Village Hub
    • 31 October – Edward Herbert Building
    • 7 November – Martin Hall
    • 14 November – West Park Teaching Hub
    • 21 November – Edward Herbert Building

    Come along for a coffee, a chat, and a chance to share thoughts on why this ballot matters. Everyone is welcome — the more conversations we have, the stronger our collective voice will be.

  • Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Morning – Ballot Drop-in Session

    Friday Coffee & Chat Mornings – Ballot Drop-in Sessions

    We’re holding a series of informal Friday morning drop-in sessions for members of all three unions to chat about the ballots, ask questions, and connect with colleagues across campus.

    ️ Fridays, 9:30–11:30am

    • 24 October – Village Hub
    • 31 October – Edward Herbert Building
    • 7 November – Martin Hall
    • 14 November – West Park Teaching Hub
    • 21 November – Edward Herbert Building

    Come along for a coffee, a chat, and a chance to share thoughts on why this ballot matters. Everyone is welcome — the more conversations we have, the stronger our collective voice will be.

  • Staff Summer Picnic

    Join your LUCU colleagues to celebrate the end of the academic year at the Staff Summer Picnic

    The University and Staff Trade Unions are jointly hosting a Staff Summer Picnic on 1st July from 12-2pm at the EHB Pavilion on the Loughborough campus. This will be a special event to celebrate your achievements and take some time to relax and unwind.

    Organised in partnership with Unite, Unison and the University, colleagues can look forward to music and garden games like Jenga, cornhole, hoopla and more, plus the chance to meet with Staff Networks, Trade Unions, University Senior Leaders and teams from across the University. 

    And if you’re one of the first 150 guests to arrive, you’ll receive a free hot dog (vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free options will be available)!

    This is a great opportunity to meet new faces, find out what’s happening across the University, and recognise each other’s hard work throughout the 2024-25 academic year in a relaxed and informal setting. 

    There’s no need to book – just come along, bring a friend or a teammate, and enjoy the afternoon.

    Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Jennings and UNISON Branch Secretary Irvin Hendrickson commented: “We’re really proud this event is hosted in partnership between the University and our recognised Trade Unions. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to continue building a positive, inclusive and respectful working culture for all staff, and we’re looking forward to celebrating our progress with staff from across the University on the day.”

    We hope to see you (and some sunshine!) there.

  • Meeting: Anticasualisation at Loughborough

    You are invited to attend an open meeting on the topic of anticasualisation hosted by Loughborough UCU on Thursday 30th September at 1-2pm. The meeting will be held on Microsoft Teams.

    What: This meeting will discuss UCU’s campaign against casualisation at Loughborough, and provide updates on agreements made through the Casualisation Task and Finish Group. It will explore how to ensure gains made are properly implemented, and discuss where the campaign against casualisation at Loughborough and Loughborough London might go next. It will also be a chance for those concerned about casualisation to ask questions, offer suggestions and meet others. 

    Who for: Anyone concerned about casualisation in higher education, whether or not they are a member of UCU. You don’t need to be an experienced campaigner or knowledgeable about casual employment.

    This might include:

    ·       Hourly paid workers

    ·       Employees on fixed-term contracts

    ·       Those who have previously undertaken, or would like to undertake work at Loughborough

    ·       PhD students concerned about employment during and after their PhD

    Staff on open-ended contracts are also encouraged to attend to hear about why casualisation affects all staff, and how they can support anticasualisation efforts.

    Link to join the meeting on Thursday 30th September: Click here to join the meeting.

    LUCU Committee

  • UCU, Unite and UNISON: Professional Services Workload Survey Results

    Please see below for the results summary for the UCU, Unite and UNISON Professional Services Workload Survey conducted in March.

    We thank those of  you who took the time to complete the survey and assure you that the results will be extremely valuable in providing direction for the Professional Services Workload Task and Finish Group. To drill deeper into the workload issues raised in the survey, the Task and Finish Group will set up staff focus groups.  These groups will be open for all Professional Services staff to join (union members and non-members), and a communication will be sent out shortly to invite participation.

    Unite, UNISON and UCU Professional Services Workload Survey – Results

    Respondents are Professional Services staff who are union members (UNISON, Unite, UCU), 55% of whom worked from home.

    In the year January 2020-Jaunary 2021, 81% of participants experienced an increase in their workload. Some participants are able to complete this additional work within their working hours, whereas others are unable to.

    Working hours
    32% are able to complete their work in their normal working hours.
    30% are able to complete their work about 50% of the time in their normal working hours.
    38% are rarely or never able to complete their work in their normal working hours.

    Impact of additional workload on hours worked
    In addition to their normal weekly working hours:
    31% are working 9 or more hours.
    44% are working between 3 and 9 hours.
    18% are working between 1 and 3 hours.
    7% are not working any additional hours.

    Tasks left uncompleted to avoid excessive working hours
    54% are leaving tasks uncompleted because they are unable to find the time to do them.
    Potential Causes for increased workload

    Impact of Technology & Processes
    51% respondents’ workload has been impacted by the University’s technological systems and/or processes.
    49% of respondents’ workload has not been impacted by the University’s technological systems and/or processes.

    Impact of the Severance Scheme
    40% of respondents’ workload has been impacted by the Severance Scheme
    60% of respondents’ workload has not been impacted by the Severance Scheme

    Impact of restructure in the last 12 months
    49% experienced increased workload
    51% did not experience a workload impact

    Impact of workload on stress over the past 12 months
    96% have experienced increased stress due to workload over the past year, with 19% reporting consistently feeling stressed.

    Impact of workload on morale over the past 12 months
    91% have felt demoralised, with 23% reporting feeling consistently demoralised.

    Impact of workload on quality of service
    78% reported an impact the quality of service delivered.

    Workload management
    9% reported regular workload reviews with their manager.
    19% reported frequent workload reviews with their manager.
    50% reported occasional workload reviews with their manager.
    22% reported no workload reviews with their manager.

    Summary of Discursive Comments

    TECHNOLOGY

    • Inadequate IT training for new tasks
    • Lack of MS Teams training
    • Wide range of systems and processes not linked, hence additional work required
    • New technological systems have increased workload
    • Learning to use and then find work arounds for functionality limitations

    SEVERANCE

    • Unachievable increased workload requiring work over contract hours
    • Completing tasks above pay scale
    • Driven to seek alternative employment
    • Demotivated
    • Increased workload, but supported by manager
    • Loss of expertise and ability to provide a quality service
    • Programme at crisis point – lack of planning for the future
    • Loss of vital experience and expertise with no plan to replace
    • Work-life balance seriously impacted

    OTHER REASONS FOR WORKING OVER CONTRACTED HOURS

    • Working from home
    • Recruitment freeze/non replacement of leavers
    • Additional responsibility, tasks or duties due to loss of expertise
    • COVID-related University initiative
    • Staff absence and/or furlough

    NON-COST SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING WORKLOAD

    People Management

    • Improve leadership and strategic task prioritisation: sharing tasks equitably; avoiding favouritism; ‘just do what you can manage’ isn’t helpful
    • Greater consultation on new activities
    • Streamline activity to focus on ‘need to do’ tasks all the way down from top to bottom
    • Reduce last minute decision making through improved planning and notice for changes to complex systems
    • Lower expectations from senior management
    • Call on alumni to help out as the NHS have done with retired staff
    • Review and update job descriptions – greater transparency over role expectations
    • Distribute workload from those heavily impacted by Covid to those with no/limited additional workload
    • Increase online meetings
    • Introduce a culture of administration that consistently tests each procedure for the burdens it places on staff and continually aim for redesign to reduce burden
    • Better communication between admin and teaching staff
    • Better communication between management, team leaders and staff
    • Flexible working

    Processes

    • Reduce the amount of assessments and move more online
    • Reduce bureaucracy around PDR
    • Reduce bureaucracy around form filling
    • Better Agresso reporting
    • Spread online labs over more days
    • Remove the need for manual workarounds for dysfunctional online systems

    Training

    • Better training
    • Increase staff confidence and proactivity to take on responsibilities

    Other suggestions

    • Cut the services we offer to students and better manage their expectations
    • Change student menus to make them less labour intensive

    Thanks

    LUCU Committee