Thursday, 27 November 2014

Annwyl Aelod
Dydd Llun 1af Rhagfyr, 12-2yp bydd stondin recriwtio ym mynediad Canolfan y Celfyddydau (wrth ymyl y Plaza).
Rydych chi’n croeso os hoffech chi trafod unrhywbeth neu dod â cydweithwr nad ydy aelod.
Bydd Alison a finnau’n hapus i glywed eich achosion neu rhywbeth a hoffech chi codi gyda’r cymdeithas lleol.
Mae diddordeb arbennnig gyda ni mewn annog aelodau newydd, achos bydd mwy o aelodau yn codi ein nerth i fargeinio a chyd-drafod yn lleol.
Dw i’n edrych ymlaen at eich gweld chi yno.
Cofion cynnes

Dear Member

On Monday 1st December 2014 between 12-2p.m. there will be a UCU recruitment stand in the Arts Centre foyer (by the Plaz).  If you would like to
come along to discuss any issues or indeed bring along any non members in your Department you are more than welcome.  Alsion and I will be
there and happy to take forward any concerns or matters you may wish to be raised with the Local Association.  We are particularly interested
in encouraging non members to join, as the more members UCU have the greater our strength in bargaining and negotiations locally.

Look forward to seeing you there.

Best wishes

Mary J Ferrie BSc (Anrhydedd)/(Hons.)
Swyddog Trefnu UCU Organising Officer
Ystafell Room C63 Hugh Owen Building
Prifysgol Aberystwyth University
Ffôn/Tel No: 01970 621519
Oriau swyddfa: dydd Llun a dydd Iau – 9 y.b. tan 4.30 y.h.
Office hours are Mondays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 4.30p.m.

UCU Aberystwyth
Twitter: @aberucu
Facebook: aber ucu
Join/Ymunwch ag UCU @ http://www.ucu.org.uk/join

Want additional support? The College and University Support Network (Recourse) offersUCUmembers a range of services - from factsheets to counselling.

Access these services online http://recourse.org.uk/ or through the 24/7 telephone support line, Freephone 0808 8020304

Bullying in Universities




Mary J Ferrie
UCU Organising Officer
Aberystwyth University

Thursday, 20 November 2014

UPDATE ON USS PENSION DISPUTE

Annwyl Aelod

Byddwch wedi derbyn yr wybodaeth ddiweddaraf gan Sally Hunt yng nghyswllt yr anghydfod pensiwn USS. Mae hwnnw’n dweud i’r gweithredu diwydiannol yng nghyswllt Cynllun Pensiwn y Prifysgolion (USS) gael ei atal dros dro o heddiw (dydd Iau, 20 Tachwedd, 2014), tan ar ôl cyfarfod y Pwyllgor Negodi ddydd Iau, 15 Ionawr, 2015.
Mae UCU ac UUK wedi cytuno i gyfres o gyfarfodydd negodi rhwng nawr a mis Ionawr.
Cytunodd HEC ar y sail uchod y dylai’r boicot asesu presennol, ynghyd ag unrhyw streicio arfaethedig yn ymwneud â thocio tâl cosbol, gael ei atal ar unwaith tan 16 Ionawr 2015.
Cytunodd HEC hefyd petai unrhyw gamau dilynol gan UCU y flwyddyn nesaf yn denu tocio cyflog gosbol, yna byddai yna streic genedlaethol yn dilyn.

Gan hynny, mae’r cyfarfod amserlen Anghydfod, a gynlluniwyd ar gyfer heddiw yn swyddfa’r Undeb ar y cyd, wedi ei ganslo.

Dymuniadau gorau,

Dear Member

You will have received an update from Sally Hunt in connection with the USS pension dispute.  This outlines that the industrial action in relation to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS)
has been suspended as from today (Thursday 20th November 2014), until after the Joint Negotiating committee meeting scheduled for Thursday 15th January 2015.
Both UCU and UUK have agreed to a series of negotiating meetings between now and January. 
HEC agreed on the above basis that the current boycott of assessment and any planned  strike action related to punitive pay docking should be suspended with immediate effect until 16 January 2015.
HEC also agreed that should any subsequent action by UCU next year attract punitive pay docking then national strike action would follow.

The schedule Dispute meeting planned for today in the Joint Union office, is therefore, cancelled.


Mary J Ferrie
UCU Organising Officer
Aberystwyth University

Thursday, 13 November 2014

Annwyl Aelod

Dim ond gair i’ch atgoffa fod y boicot marcio ac asesu USS yn parhau, ac, os oes gennych unrhyw gwestiynau am y peth, cysylltwch â mi neu
ucu-staff@aber.ac.uk, a cheisir arweiniad priodol, os bydd ei angen.
Gallwch gael hyd i atebion i rai cwestiynau yma: http://defenduss.web.ucu.org.uk/assessment-boycott-faqs/.


Dear Member

Just a reminder to advise you that the USS Marking and Assessment boycott is ongoing, and, if you have any queries about it, please contact myself or
ucu-staff@aber.ac.uk and appropriate guidance will be sought, if necessary.

Answers to some questions can be found in FAQ http://defenduss.web.ucu.org.uk/assessment-boycott-faqs/.

Mary J Ferrie BSc (Anrhydedd)/(Hons.)
Swyddog Trefnu UCU Organising Officer
Ystafell Room C63 Hugh Owen Building
Prifysgol Aberystwyth University
Ffôn/Tel No: 01970 621519
Oriau swyddfa: dydd Llun a dydd Iau – 9 y.b. tan 4.30 y.h.
Office hours are Mondays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 4.30p.m

Monday, 3 November 2014


Apologies for the lack of translation, no translator was available.

UCU - ANTI-CASULISATION DAY – WEDNESDAY 5TH NOVEMBER 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

Casualisation - short term contracts - low wages - these are major  issues that the UCU is campaigning on.
If you want to find out more , or if you want to discuss the issue - then please come along to out drop in desk at the main entrance of the Arts Centre.


 If you cannot make it, but want to be involved in the campaign, email: Mary Ferrie, mrf@aber.ac.uk.

Mary J Ferrie
UCU Organising Officer
Aberystwyth University

Thursday, 30 October 2014

USS PENSION DISPUTE



Mae eich pwyllgor lleol yn credu fod y newidiadau a gynigir gan y Fforwm Pensiynau Cyflogwyr (EPF) yn cynrychioli yr ymosodiad mwyaf difrifol ar ein telerau ac amodau ers blynyddoedd lawer.

Os bydd y newidiadau hyn yn mynd drwodd, byddant yn barhaol
Unwaith y bydd eich buddion pensiwn wedi mynd, byddan nhw wedi mynd am byth.
  • Mae’r golled potensial i bensiynau’n enfawr
    Mae aelodau yn sefyll i golli cymaint â 28% o’u budd-daliadau ymddeol – mae hynny’n golygu miloedd o bunnoedd y flwyddyn.
  • Mae hyn yn effeithio ar bawb
    Ar gyfer aelodau hirsefydlog y cynllun pensiwn, mae budd-daliadau cyflog terfynol yn wynebu’r fwyell; mae aelodau mwy diweddar yn wynebu’r posibiliad o gael eu budd-daliadau ymddeol wedi eu torri, gyda’r aelodau mwyaf diweddar yn wynebu’r pensiynau gwaethaf o bawb.
  • Mae angen llaw gref ar ein negodwyr
    Ni fydd y cyflogwyr yn gwybod pa mor ddifrifol yr ydym yn cymryd y mater hwn oni bai ein bod yn anfon ein negodwyr i drafodaethau â mandad cryf o blaid gweithredu diwydiannol.

    Rydym yn credu fod y newidiadau hyn yn ymosodiad diangen ar ein pensiynau – a’ch ffyniant yn y dyfodol.

    Mae’r USS yn ddiddyled. Bydd y cynigion presennol yn taro staff yn galed.

Your local committee believes that the changes proposed by the Employers Pensions Forum (EPF) represent the gravest attack on our terms and conditions for many years.
·         If these changes go through, they will be permanent
Once your pension benefits are gone, they’re gone forever
·         The potential loss of pensions is huge
Members stand to lose as much as 28% of their retirement benefits – that’s thousands of pounds a year
  • This affects everyone
    For longer-standing members of the pension scheme, final salary benefits are facing the axe; newer members face the prospect of their retirement benefits being slashed, with the newest facing the worst pensions of all
  • Our negotiators need a strong hand
    The employers will only know how seriously we take this issue if we send our negotiators to talks with a strong mandate for industrial action


We believe that these changes are an unnecessary assault on our pensions – and your future prosperity. 

USS is solvent. The current proposals will hit staff hard.

Mary J Ferrie
UCU Organising Officer
Aberystwyth University
01970 621519