Motion for Branch 23 September 2011
Hourly Paid loss of work
discrimination: redundancy: unfair selection criteria – or all three?
This branch notes that a number of Hourly Paid Lecturers have either not been offered work at all this academic year or have been timetabled for considerably fewer hours than they have worked in previous years.
This branch also notes that none of these HPLs have received official communication from the Human Resources department notifying them of this loss of work.
This branch asserts that the treatment for loss of work should be the same for HPLs as it is for Main Grade Staff. Accordingly, this branch believes that these HPLs have been treated less favourably than their Main Grade Staff fractional and full-time colleagues for the following reasons:
- Statutory procedures have not been followed in respect to these HPLs’ loss of work in that they have received no notice of redundancy.
- College policies have not been followed with regard to loss of work. For example, no attempt has been made by the college to find alternative and reasonable employment for these members of staff.
- The employer has not communicated its selection criteria for these HPLs’ loss of work. UCU would assert unfairness if selection criteria for redundancy appeared to be based on their type of contract. (see below for description of statute)
- UCU has not been consulted on these ‘apparent’ redundancies and as such has been unable to represent its members’ interests to the employer.
UCU is implacably opposed to compulsory redundancies with regard to ALL members of staff, regardless of their contract type. This branch demands equality for all members of teaching staff and will not rule out collective action both in pursuit of this aim and in defence of our HPL colleagues who are facing ostensible compulsory redundancy.
This branch would like our concerns to be addressed. We would appreciate a response from the employer within five working days.
