Derek works in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Kent. Among his key responsibilities is managing the School's web resources, managing the School's hardware inventory, and being the first-responder when any hardware/software issues occur.
Author's posts
Oct 04 2013
1% pay increase… “fait accompli”?
Stewards have heard concerns from members regarding the University’s decision to pay the 1% increase in wages in September (backdated by a month) rather than wait for the outcome of the current pay dispute. Some members feel that this looks like a “fait accompli” and that accepting this increase may somehow weaken our case. “Why …
Sep 25 2013
Ballot of members underway
The UNISON ballot of higher education members is underway. The union is urging members to vote for strike action in response to the 1% pay offer. The ballot opened 18 September 2013 and a ballot paper should be arriving at your home address shortly (if it has not done so already). All ballot forms need …
Sep 04 2013
Recruiting on campus – 19 September 2013
The UNISON Marquee will be outside the Cornwallis Building on Thursday 19 September from 10:30 – 4:00. Please come along and meet Branch reps and Stewards, our Regional Officer and a National Higher Education Officer who will all be available to answer any questions you might have, take note of ideas, and hopefully enlist some …
Sep 02 2013
Why pay matters
UNISON is urging members to vote ‘YES’ to industrial action in this month’s ballot which would mean members taking strike action in the autumn. We believe it is time to make a stand and show the employers that 1% is simply not enough. The following leaflet (PDF) explains why pay matters.
Aug 07 2013
Numbers that don’t add up?
See what you think…. If it wasn’t for UNISON and the other HE unions (see reports below) employers would have probably tried offering no increase at all…. While not implying for a second that 1% is enough consider this: UKC Grade 2 posts start at £14520 p.a. so a 1% increase is £145.20 per year …
Aug 05 2013
Hot and bothered…?
The University branch of UNISON has been contacted by a representative for a group of staff who were apparently advised that if they wish to have water to drink at work – hardly unreasonable, and particularly in the current very warm spell of weather – they should bring in bottled water of their own. An …
Jul 24 2013
Pay ballot – update
Members on campus will have noted from our recent Newsletter the narrow majority (about 52%) backing the possibility of industrial action. Both regionally and nationally there were majorities, although by no means large ones, also backing industrial action. UNISON has decided to ballot members later this summer, as explained in the latest HE bulletin HE-Pay-Matters-Members-Bulletin-3. …
Jun 27 2013
Branch newsletter summer 2013
Our branch newsletter for summer 2013 should be distributed to members next week but you can read it online now via the link below. Among the articles is the (very close) result of our consultation on pay. 52% of members have voted to reject the offer. Regional/national figures will start to emerge in another few …
Jun 24 2013
UNISON in HE newsletter summer 2013
The summer newsletter for UNISON in Higher Education has been published and, unsurprisingly, focuses on pay matters in particular. Meanwhile our Branch newsletter for the summer is nearing completion and should be circulated to members by early July. A PDF version will be made available here.
Jun 13 2013
Unsocial hours
In 2009 management notified UNISON that they were going to discontinue unsocial hours payments. A protection arrangement for existing staff was negotiated which took into account the situation at that time, locally and nationally, in terms of pay. The expectation was that during the transitional period pay would eventually have risen by around 10% which …
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