We are a grassroots solidarity group of University of Reading staff and supporters, seeking to create clarity on & organise against the spin and misrepresentation that has characterised the debate on proposed cuts at Reading. To join our mailing list, please email: ReadingBTL@protonmail.com
Ensuring full implementation of the collective agreement to move teaching members from grade 6 to grade 7 and acknowledgement of previous work within new contracts
Protecting our pensions in coordination with national UCU strategy and solidarity with other branches
Committee accountability and transparency; regular minuted branch and committee meetings with a focus on inclusion and democratic debate
Respecting democracy and members’ preferences; prioritising accurate, full and timely information that allows for reasonable and sensible decision-making, particularly in relation to phase 2 of cuts and changes and in relation to the university’s strategic programme on portfolio review, expectations and workload, strategic alignment and ways of working.
Ensuring reasonable workloads for all staff
Addressing casualisation and grade drift where those on lower grades are taking on heavy burdens without appropriate resourcing, time or remuneration
Challenging the misuse of Campus Jobs, and similar, to hire researchers or other staff on substandard contracts with fewer protections
Protecting members’ interests through fair approaches to individual casework and proactive negotiations with management on a collective basis
Resisting the introduction of hot-desking and opposing the reduction of office-space
Care of our students and opposing the positioning of students as “customers” from whom we can extract revenues in innovative and unethical ways.