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Campaigns

LUCU Statement on Voluntary Severance Scheme

Published: 26th November, 2024

VSS, the University’s Financial Crisis and our Workload Crisis Leicester University and College Union (UCU) are deeply concerned by the University of Leicester’s decision to open a voluntary severance scheme (VSS). VSS will permanently reduce staff numbers, resulting in increased stresses and strains on the whole university community. The university claims to have launched VSS…

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Day One #ucuRISING Strike Action

Published: 24th November, 2022

Thank you to everyone who joined our picket lines today. We even had a visit from Nishan Canagarajah and Henrietta O’Connor. Here are a selection of pictures of our action. Please do join us if you can. Full strike schedule here.

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Why Every Vote Counts

Published: 2nd September, 2022

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What is Happening to Your USS Pension?

Published: 8th September, 2021

Summary of USS pension issues  The scheme *appears* to have a big deficit – mainly because the last valuation was done when the stock market was at a deep low because of the COVID pandemic. The market has rebounded, so an updated valuation would show that USS is a healthy scheme. But the USS trustees…

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Phase 2: How Many Redundancies is Seven?

Published: 20th August, 2021

On 3 August Nishan Canagajarah announced phase 2 of ‘shaping for excellence’. In an email to all University staff, he stated: ‘The exact net reduction will depend on the outcome of the selection and consultation processes that will take place over the next few months. However, we know that this will not be more than…

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Dispute Alleviation Offer, 9 August 2021

Published: 11th August, 2021

This is the text of the dispute “alleviation” offer debated by members at Leicester UCU’s EGM on 9 August 2021. 58.5% of members in attendance voted to accept this offer, a decision communicated to the Executive Board before 4pm on 9 August 2021, and acknowledged and accepted by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in writing on 10…

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Thank You Dear Colleagues, 11 August

Published: 11th August, 2021

This is the most painful post I’ve had to write. Please take the time to read this, sincerely Alex Patel (acting Chair). Today, Wednesday 11th August, the executive board make a further twenty-one staff redundant. We continue to call for their reinstatement. They have done so much for our branch over the years, many as…

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The marking boycott is biting

Published: 28th July, 2021

Email sent to all members of Leicester UCU, 26 July 2021 If YOU were targeted for compulsory redundancy due to executives’ financial mismanagement of our University, would you want colleagues to fight  for your jobs – even at great  personal, emotional and financial cost?   We would like to pay tribute to those Leicester UCU members…

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Open Letter to Nishan Canagarajah, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Leicester

Published: 14th July, 2021

14 July 2021 Dear Professor Canagarajah We are deeply disappointed that having attended one dispute resolution meeting – on 20 May 2021 at our express invitation – you have elected to stay away from subsequent meetings. Nevertheless, we assume that the deputy vice-chancellor is keeping you fully briefed. At the most recent such meeting, on…

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