Bath Spa University

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Facilities for Recognised Trade Unions

Introduction

Bath Spa University is committed to providing facilities for recognised trade unions so as:

• to discharge its statutory responsibilities, and
• to further the objective of good corporate relations at the University.

Facilities extended to the unions are described in separate sections as follows:

• Time off (members)
• Time off (officials)
• Facilities
• Provision of information
• Provision for ballots

This Facilities statement seeks to meet the context and spirit of ACAS Code of Practice No 2 (Disclosure of information to trade unions for collective bargaining purposes) and ACAS Code of Practice No 3 (Time off for trade union duties and activities).

Time off - members

The University will make every effort to enable all staff to attend Branch Meetings, particularly the Annual General Meeting. Reasonable time off with pay during working hours will be allowed for attendance at Branch Meetings and meetings with Branch officials.

• In order to make this possible, services may be closed for up to 11/2 hours on a maximum of two occasions annually. For some essential services (essential services to be defined by Management) a skeleton staff will be maintained, in agreement with the line manager.
• To enable teaching staff to get to two meetings a year, teaching may be re-scheduled or, where there is no alternative, cancelled, in agreement with the line manager.
• The timing of such closures or cancellations to be approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor responsible for Employee Relations. To facilitate consideration of closures or cancellations, the Trade Unions will give at least six months notice of such meetings wherever practicable.

Exceptionally and by prior agreement time off without pay may be negotiated, with the line manager and Director of HR.

Time off - officials

Staff who are officials of recognised trade unions are permitted to take time off work with pay. This permission relates to all accredited representatives (however designated at BSU). The time off is limited to matters in relation to which the union is recognised. These are:

• terms and conditions of employment
• recruitment, dismissal and suspension of workers
• allocation of work
• matters of discipline and grievance
• membership or non-membership of a union
• machinery for negotiation and consultation
• health and safety matters
• other matters of representation of members not covered above

The employees referred to above are also allowed reasonable time off for training in relevant aspects of industrial relations. Such training activities must be TUC or specific Trade Union approved.

Trade Union Branch Officials may also have time off to attend their trade union annual conference and/or the TUC AGM, and the appropriate Regional meetings.

The time off described above is an entitlement but the scheduling (ie, the timing) of it is subject to the approval of the line manager and Director of HR; such approval will not be unreasonably withheld.

Rooms for meetings

The proposed schedule of Union Meetings requiring the booking of rooms should be submitted to the appropriate Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for Employee Relations for authorisation well in advance. If extended meetings are necessary which require the cancellation or re-scheduling of services, this should be indicated when authorisation is sought. If, in exceptional cases, emergency meetings are required, authorisation should be sought giving as much notice as is practicable.

Space for Union Meetings authorised above will be provided. Once authorisation is received, rooms should be booked through the University booking service in the usual way.

Facilities for Trade Union Officials

Facilities will be granted to the officials of the recognised trade unions as follows:

• time off with pay for activities indicated above
• copies of papers for Board of Governors meetings will be made available
• use of internal distribution/mail systems
• 'check-off' of trade union subscriptions
• use of a room, with telephone and filing cabinet for official business
• reasonable use of 'phones
• use of notice boards or dedicated space on notice boards
• use of printing facilities at current University charges
• use of photocopier with account card
• use of external post and facsimile facilities at current University charges
• use of University equipment for typing (but not staff time)
• notification of vacancies
• notification of new appointments
• 50 hours a year for UCU to distribute to its accredited representatives as it deems fit
• facilities for conducting secret ballots

Provision of information

The University is committed to openness and the dissemination of information. In particular, the employer will disclose information in the following areas:

• pay and benefits
• condition of service
• numbers and categories of employees
• performance
• finance
• starters and leavers once a semester
• notification of vacancies at least once a month

Trade Union Responsibilities

The recognised trade unions undertake to fulfil the following:

• to notify the University of its accredited representation
• to provide the University with a full list of members on the request of the Director of HR
• to notify the Director of HR of on-site visits by Regional Officers.