Loughborough UCU

Tag: Workload Rep

  • Workload Reps: Could Your Area Be Next?

    Last year, we put out a call for members interested in becoming local workload reps. We’re delighted that two members have since stepped forward and taken on the role, giving us workload representation in the Business School and the School of Design and Creative Arts.

    Their involvement means we now have colleagues who can help identify workload concerns, gather evidence from members, and work with the branch to raise issues locally. As workload pressures continue to be a major concern across the university, having representatives embedded within different areas is an important part of ensuring staff voices are heard.

    However, many schools, departments and professional service areas still do not have a workload rep.

    If you’ve been concerned about growing workloads, unrealistic expectations, or the impact of workload on colleagues’ wellbeing, becoming a workload rep is a practical way to make a difference. You don’t need to be an expert in workload allocation models or university policy. Training and support are provided by UCU, and the role can be shaped around the circumstances of your area.

    UCU has recently announced a further round of Workload Rep Training on 23rd October, running online from 9.30am to 12.30pm. The course is open to members who would like to find out more about the role and consider becoming a workload rep.

    Further details and booking information are available here: https://my.ucu.org.uk/app/courses/course_booking/CourseID/2038

    If your area doesn’t yet have a workload rep, please consider whether you could help fill that gap. Even a small number of local representatives can make a significant difference to how workload issues are identified, evidenced and challenged across the university.

  • Reps Team Update – New Workload Rep in SDCA

    We are very pleased to welcome Jennifer Dranttel as our new Workload Rep for the School of Design & Creative Arts. This role focusses specifically on monitoring and addressing workload issues within departments, supporting colleagues, gathering evidence, and contributing to branch-wide efforts to promote fair and sustainable working practices.

    Jennifer Dranttel, LUCU Workload Rep for SDCA introduces herself below:

    “My name is Jennifer Dranttel and I am a University Teacher in Textile Design at Loughborough University where my role is teaching-focussed, alongside a personal research practice. My work sits at the intersection of textile design, BioDesign, climate justice, and sustainability, with a particular interest in material innovation and culturally situated design methodologies.
    I have been a member of UCU since I joined Loughborough in 2023, and this role is an opportunity to more actively contribute to the collective voice of staff within the university. I have volunteered to focus on workload because of my own experience of feeling not always empowered in conversations around role expectations, capacity, and responsibilities. I am particularly interested in advocating for greater transparency, fairness, and consistency in how workload is allocated and recognised, especially within teaching-intensive roles and practice-based disciplines.
    I am keen to work with colleagues to ensure that workload processes are not only equitable on paper, but meaningful in practice, and that staff feel confident and supported in raising concerns. I look forward to contributing to a stronger, more collective approach to improving working conditions across the university.”

    We are encouraging members across all Schools and Professional Services areas to consider becoming a Workload Rep. If you are interested in taking on this role or would like to find out more, please see here or contact our Branch Organiser, Callum Salfield, for an informal discussion.

    Department Reps

    Department Reps are at the heart of how our branch supports members. They play a vital role in helping to resolve local issues, build community, and ensure that members’ voices are heard across the University. Whether representing a department or focusing on specific issues like workload, Reps strengthen our collective ability to make Loughborough a fairer and more supportive workplace.

    We currently have vacancies for Department Reps in Chemistry (School of Science) & Loughborough Sport. In addition, Student Services and Estates and Facilities Management are being covered by a temporary Rep while we seek volunteers from within those areas to take on the roles permanently.

    Members in any of these areas who are interested in becoming a Department Rep, or would like to find out more about what’s involved, are encouraged to contact Callum Salfield for an informal chat.

  • Reps Team & Committee Update – New Committee Member and New Rep in Wolfson

    We are very pleased to welcome Richard Blanchard as our new Department Rep for the Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering. Richard has stepped forward to take on the role after a period without a rep in this area.

    We are also very pleased to announce that Jonathan Causton has been co-opted onto the LUCU committee as an “ordinary committee member”. Jonathan will help the committee continue to build its capacity whilst learning the ropes. We encourage anyone else interested in getting more involved in the branch to get in touch with our Branch Organiser, Callum Salfield, to discuss what opportunities exist.

    Richard and Jonathan introduce themselves below:

    Richard Blanchard, LUCU Department Rep for Wolfson

    “Hi, I am Richard Blanchard, Reader in Renewable Energy based in CREST.  I’ve been at the university for 23 years and am passionate about teaching and researching how renewable energy can open energy access to people in less developed countries to improve social and ecological resilience. I am the new rep for Wolfson.”

    Jonathan Causton, LUCU Ordinary Committee Member

    “Hello everyone. I am Jonathan Causton, Centre Manager in the Department of Mathematics Education within the School of Science. I have been at the University since 2019 and have been a member of UNISON during my local government career prior to moving to the Higher Education sector and I joined LUCU in 2024. I joined the LUCU committee in February 2026 and I hope I can contribute to the excellent work the committee does in supporting UCU members at the University and working with university senior management to make Loughborough University one of the best places to work at! By profession I am an accountant with significant finance experience of how the HE sector works but also bring a broad range of experience ranging from Research Management, HR, Health and Safety and events management knowledge to the LUCU committee. I am genuinely very excited about being involved with LUCU and to make a difference.”

    Reps and committee members are at the heart of how our branch supports members. Reps play a vital role in helping to resolve local issues, build community, and ensure that members’ voices are heard across the University. Whether representing a department or focusing on specific issues like workload, Reps strengthen our collective ability to make Loughborough a fairer and more supportive workplace.

    We currently have vacancies for Department Reps in:

    • Chemistry (School of Science)
    • Loughborough Sport

    In addition, Student Services and Estates and Facilities Management are currently covered by a temporary Rep while we seek volunteers from within those areas to take on the roles permanently.

    Members in any of these areas who are interested in becoming a Department Rep, or would like to find out more about what’s involved, are also encouraged to contact Callum Salfield for an informal chat.

    We are also encouraging members across all Schools and Professional Services areas to consider becoming a Workload Rep. If you are interested in taking on this role or would like to find out more, please contact our Branch Organiser, Callum Salfield, for an informal discussion.

  • Reps Team Update – New Reps in Comms & Media and Geography

    We are very pleased to welcome Azmeary Ferdoush as our new Department Rep for Geography & Environment in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Azmeary takes over from Sarah Mills, who has recently stepped down from the role. We extend our sincere thanks to Sarah for her time representing members in Geography.

    We are also very pleased to announce that, after a short period without a Department Rep, we now welcome two new Reps in Comms & Media in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Lise Jaillant and Jessica Robles have now taken on this role.

    Our new reps introduce themselves below.

    Jessica Robles, LUCU Department Rep for Comms & Media – SSH

    “My name is Jessica Robles and I started working at Loughborough ten years ago. I participated in union events long before officially joining and some of you may have seen me hanging out in meetings. My research is on morality in social interactions and recently I’ve been focusing on mental health.”

    Lise Jaillant, LUCU Department Rep for Comms & Media – SSH

    “My name is Lise Jaillant, and I joined Loughborough ten years ago, in February 2016. My research is broadly in the area of Digital Humanities and Digital Heritage. I have been a UCU member for many years. I am the rep for Communication and Media, sharing the role with Jessica Robles. ”

    Azmeary Ferdoush, LUCU Department Rep for Geography & Environment – SSH

    “Hi, I am Azmeary. I am fairly new to Loughborough University but have been a UCU member since the first day. As a political geographer, I am particularly interested in questions related to state, sovereignty, borders, migration, and (non)citizenship. I look forward to supporting others in my role as a GYE representative and working collectively with the rest of the team.”

    Reps are at the heart of how our branch supports members. They play a vital role in helping to resolve local issues, build community, and ensure that members’ voices are heard across the University. Whether representing a department or focusing on specific issues like workload, Reps strengthen our collective ability to make Loughborough a fairer and more supportive workplace.

    We currently have vacancies for Department Reps in:

    • Chemistry (School of Science)
    • Loughborough Sport

    In addition, Student Services and Estates and Facilities Management are currently covered by a temporary Rep while we seek volunteers from within those areas to take on the roles permanently.

    Members in any of these areas who are interested in becoming a Department Rep—or would like to find out more about what’s involved—are also encouraged to contact Callum Salfield for an informal chat.

    We are also encouraging members across all Schools and Professional Services areas to consider becoming a Workload Rep. If you are interested in taking on this role or would like to find out more, please contact our Branch Organiser, Callum Salfield, for an informal discussion.

  • New Geography Rep and Our First Workload Rep

    We are very pleased to welcome Sarah Mills as our new Department Rep for Geography in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Sarah takes over from Sophie Cranston, who has recently stepped down from the role. We extend our sincere thanks to Sophie for her time and commitment in representing members in Geography.

    We would also like to thank Magnus Hamann, who has stepped down as Department Rep for Communication and Media, for his valuable contributions to the Reps Team and the branch.

    Alongside our regular Department and School Reps, we are delighted to introduce a new branch initiative: the creation of Workload Reps. These roles focus specifically on monitoring and addressing workload issues within departments—supporting colleagues, gathering evidence, and contributing to branch-wide efforts to promote fair and sustainable working practices.

    Our first Workload Rep is Nikos Argyris, based in Loughborough Business School.

    Nikos Argyris, LUCU Workload Rep for Loughborough Business School

    “My name is Nikos Argyris and I am a Senior Lecturer in Operational Research at Loughborough Business School, which I joined in 2015. My research is broadly in the area of Decision Analysis with a particular interest in accounting for the social good and incorporating distributional fairness in both public and private sector decision making. Although I have been a member of UCU since my first academic post, this is my first union role. I have volunteered to be a workload rep to help promote fair and sustainable workload practices in my school and to contribute to the union’s broader efforts across the university. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues to support positive change and strengthen our collective voice.”

    We are now encouraging members across all Schools and Professional Services areas to consider becoming a Workload Rep. If you are interested in taking on this role or would like to find out more, please contact our Branch Organiser, Callum Salfield, for an informal discussion.

    Reps are at the heart of how our branch supports members. They play a vital role in helping to resolve local issues, build community, and ensure that members’ voices are heard across the University. Whether representing a department or focusing on specific issues like workload, Reps strengthen our collective ability to make Loughborough a fairer and more supportive workplace.

    We currently have vacancies for Department Reps in:

    • Chemistry (School of Science)
    • Communication and Media (School of Social Sciences and Humanities)
    • Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
    • Loughborough Sport

    In addition, Student Services and Estates and Facilities Management are currently covered by a temporary Rep while we seek volunteers from within those areas to take on the role permanently.

    Members in any of these areas who are interested in becoming a Department Rep—or would like to find out more about what’s involved—are also encouraged to contact Callum Salfield for an informal chat.

  • Fighting Workload Issues: Could You Be a Workload Rep?

    Following attendance at a recent UCU training, LUCU is seeking to recruit a number of workload representatives. These are essentially health and safety reps, with the statutory rights that this entails, but with a special focus on workload, one of the biggest issues facing members.

    Workload reps are department representatives who can:

    • Talk to members about workload as a health and safety issue
    • Plan surveys and analyse data on working conditions
    • Negotiate workload formulas and policies with management
    • Write newsletter articles, grow visibility, and develop campaigns
    • Work with EDI, H&S, and negotiating committees

    During the training, a number of potential challenges to organising to lower workload were discussed, such as management withholding information, staff being afraid to speak up, workloads too high to take on union work, and not enough reps.

    But ways forward were identified: boosting union visibility with badges, posters and lanyards, starting with smaller departmental meetings to talk about workload and build trust, training members as reps and making sure they get the time allocation to which they are entitled, writing anonymous pieces about workload impact for future newsletters, discuss issues on personal emails and chat platforms rather than university systems, and making business-case arguments about reducing workload to management (like reducing sickness absence levels).

    While it may seem that ever increasing workload is an insurmountable problem, we learned that if warranted, workload complaints can even be taken to the HSE if needed.

    The training centred on evidence gathering as a starting point in any workload campaign. This could be from multiple sources: UCU surveys, absence figures, member discussions, and our own LUCU workload survey. Key questions might include:

    • What are work-related stress levels like?
    • How much unpaid overtime are staff doing?
    • Are workload model allocations realistic?
    • How much presenteeism (working when unwell) is happening?

    LUCU is currently taking steps to help tackle high workloads through our Workload Project Group, which incoming workload reps would be invited to join. If you’re interested in becoming a Workload Rep, have questions, want to get more involved, or simply share your workload experiences to help us create change, please contact us.