Please find attached here a joint statement from the LGBTQ* staff Network at Northumbria University, Northumbria UNISON Branch Committee, UCU Branch Executive & Northumbria Students’ Union Sabbaticals in reaction to transphobic comments made by the prime Minister.
Please click here to find what we can do about workloads.
Everyone recognises the challenges the marking and assessment boycott has posed for individuals and institutions, staff and students, and the local and national context for the boycott is changing rapidly. Having consulted senior management to find ways to resolve matters, and with resits and level 7 work coming in, your UCU Northumbria officers advise you to now ‘Mark and Park’: that is, mark all resit and incoming L7 scripts as usual but withhold the marks in preparation to release them as soon as we are advised it is UCU policy to do so, which we anticipate being likely in early September. On the basis that we aim to release marks in time for the PABs to engage in their business prior to the commencement of semester 1, we understand that there will be no further deductions of pay.
You should also have received a survey from UCU national, covering MAB participation – please complete ASAP.
Northumbria University currently offers academics 4 weeks full pay maternity leave (1 week paternity). Senior managers in the university will only improve this if staff accept detriments to sick leave, sick pay and probation, as part of what they call 'give and take'. A letter signed by politicians, women's groups, maternity campaigners, prominent researchers, and faith leaders says this is a bad idea. Here's the letter:
FAO:
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson (Chancellor, Northumbria University)
Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods (Chair of Board of Governors, Northumbria University)
Professor Tom Lawson (Acting Vice-Chancellor, Northumbria University)
Jane Embley (Director of HR, Northumbria University)