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An update from UCU Wales Congress 2019

19 March 2019

UCU Wales Congress held in March 2019 included a keynote speech from the Welsh Assembly Minister for Education, a report on the need to supplement the deficit from the national HE negotiating body, and decisions made on further education including pay and workloads.

Keynote speaker, Welsh Assembly minister for education Kirsty Williams, AM, spoke about how high quality education is the driving force for social mobility, national prosperity and an engaged democracy; and how funding reforms will ensure the money available for post-16 education in Wales has the impact it needs to support all learners, regardless of age. You can read her speaking notes here. [511kb]

Higher education delegates at UCU Wales Congress 2019 heard form Greg Barnett, UCU head of nations and regions, about the need to develop bargaining capacity within UCU branches to supplement the deficit from JNCHES (UK negotiations). Officials in Wales will work to move this forward.

Delegates from further education took decisions on the following:

  • all Wales dignity at work policy

  • is the EWC still fit for purpose?

  • mental health in the workplace

  • pay claim 2019-20

  • pay scale parity with schoolteachers 

  • realistic workload demands.

The next meeting of the Wales FE committee in June 2019 will consider how to take these issues forward.

Last updated: 21 March 2019