Being a rep

Information on the various rep roles and the legislation, agreements and practice that empower the rep.

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  UCU Reps Handbook

  UCU has produced a reps handbook to help reps perform their vital role in the workplace
• Being a UCU activist: A brief intro to being a rep

  The purpose of any trade union is to advance the interests of its members. Unions do this by negotiating collective agreements and by lobbying to improve laws that affect the membership.
• Being a UCU activist: The role of the rep

  The main role of the branch/local association (LA) representatives and activists is to sustain the branch/LA. This can be broken down further into five main areas.
• Being a UCU activist: Principles of being a UCU rep

  Being a UCU local representative is a very practical job. It can involve campaigning, negotiating, running meetings, talking to members, working with committees, writing newsletters, recruiting and dealing with various issues. The wide range of activities and differing circumstances ensure that it's often exciting and rarely boring.
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  Being a UCU activist: Advice for new reps

  Being a new rep can seem a bit daunting. Often you are as worried about what you don't know, as what you do! But remember that an old rep is just a new rep who's been doing it for a while. And no rep (in fact nobody!) knows everything.
• Being a UCU activist: Branch officer roles

  Every UCU branch should have a democratically elected branch committee which ordinarily comprises of the following officers.
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  Being a UCU activist: Health and safety rep

  Being a UCU health and safety rep will give you a range of legal rights to monitor health and safety at your institution. Completing a UCU training course on health and safety will give you the knowledge and skills to fulfil the role of an H&S rep effectively.
• Learning representatives

  Union learning representatives (ULRs) are branch based representatives and are similar to health and safety representatives; but while health and safety representatives focus on health and safety issues, Learning reps focus on members' personal and professional learning interests.
• Being a UCU activist: The role of the equality rep

  Information on the role of the UCU equality rep.
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  Being a UCU activist: Workplace environmental reps

  Any UCU member who is enthusiastic enough can be a workplace environmental rep! You may be a UCU health and safety rep, a branch officer or departmental rep, or simply a UCU member keen to promote a green agenda in your workplace
• Being a UCU activist: Facilities and time off for UCU reps

  As a workplace representative you are entitled to reasonable paid time off and facilities to undertake union duties and attend UCU training.
• Being a UCU activist: Understanding the sources of rights

  Our terms and conditions and other trade union rights come from hundreds of years of collective struggle. Each of the rights currently enjoyed have been fought for and defended by either the whole union movement or UCU at national, regional or local level.
• Being a UCU activist: Protection from victimisation for UCU reps

  Members of trade unions have a right not to be victimised for trade union activity.