rhifyn 1144 issue 1144
gair rhydd
18 tachwedd 2019 18 november 2019
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Cardiff University’s student paper | Established 1972
Strikes set to hit Cardiff University this term
Siôn Ford Contributor
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embers of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) have voted to once again take industrial action following an on-going dispute with 60 universities across the UK. This latest action comes in the wake of last year’s Spring strikes, which lasted for four weeks. Union members then voted to take action - the largest industrial action in the history of UK universities - following proposed changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), despite the findings of an independent joint-expert panel. UCU announced its members’ decision two weeks ago, confirming that 79% voted in favour of strikes in response to further proposed changes to the USS, while 74% voted in favour of strikes with regard to working conditions, staff wellbeing, and pay. Universities across the UK have been given notice by UCU that the industrial action will take place from Monday, November 25 until Wednesday, December 4, lasting for eight days. The changes would have had a major impact on the pensions of university staff, with staff set to lose tens of thousands of pounds. Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, described the effects of the proposed changes: “A typical USS member will be around £240,000 worse off because of the changes made to the scheme since 2011. The latest round of increased contributions backed by universities represents another pay cut for staff.” Union members fear that the pension scheme is under constant threat and that the proposed changes will lead to a drop in members, eventually leading to an unsustainable deficit. Alongside this, university staff across the UK have seen their pay devalue by approximately 20% since 2009, a result of successive low-inflation pay rises. In spite of the action taken last year, members feel that UK universities have failed to take action on the issues raised previously, and now growing concerns over working conditions and staff wellbeing have led to a mandate for further action. “Pay is a big part of [the dispute] for sure, but there’s all these other things we really need universities to
start talking to us about,” said Andy Williams, Cardiff UCU Spokesperson. He described how the Union wants to ensure that all university staff are employed on secure, fulltime contracts which reflect their positions as recognised employees of universities, something Universities UK has allegedly refused to negotiate on. “Workload and staff mental health, that’s a real problem for us. We see the mental health of our students being prioritised more and more, and that’s a good thing - that’s a necessary thing. But we’re going through similar things. The modern university is an unhealthy place in many ways for students and staff.” Casualisation among the workforce has been cited as a priority issue, given that UK PhD students are required to teach whilst being treated as a student and without being recognised as full employees. While some small measures have been taken to address these imbalances, not enough has been done in the eyes of the Union. PhD students are expected to teach without being given full-time contracts; in some cases outside of Wales, some university staff are being employed on zero-hour contracts.
Election looming: Cardiff residents are preparing to head to the polls next month. Source: Sam Tilley
Cardiff residents prepare to head to the polls for General Election
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s the December 12 general election approaches, Gair Rhydd politics takes a look at two of the University’s local constituencies, Cardiff Central and Cardiff North. Find out how constituents
voted during the 2017 general election, whether the seats are likely to change hands this time around and which candidates will be asking for your vote next month. We also spoke to the presidents of Cardiff University’s po-
litical party societies to find out what each one thinks about their party’s chances of winning the most votes and taking control of the seats in the UK’s first December election since 1923. To read more, turn to page 10.
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We’ve had col- Dementia: Science Warnock yn Mixed netball leagues in the & Society hosted gadael Clwb tournament a university kill at Cardiff Uni Dinas Caerdydd great success themselves beeputy Head of Sport George he School of Biosciences at ae rheolwr Clwb Dinas Willoughby spoke to fundCardiff University hosted five Caerdydd, Neil Warnock, cause of the presraising executives Georgia of Wales’ leading researchers in wedi gadael wedi dros dair Summerill and Briallen Taylor of Dementia and Alzheimers last week. blynedd wrth y llyw. Ein hadran sure of workload. The event highlighted the developCardiff University Netball. The Gymraeg, Taf-od, sy’n adlewyrchu Andy Williams Cardiff UCU Spokesperson
“We’ve had colleagues in the university kill themselves because of the pressure of workload over the last few years. We all know colleagues and friends who’ve left the profession because they feel it’s just not worth the toll on their mental health. This is not good for us, it’s not good for our students, it’s not good for the university as a whole,” said Andy Williams. Story continues on page 3.
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ments the scientific community are making in understanding the condition and the options being investigated for future treatment. 850,000 people in the UK suffer with dementia, equating to 1 in 75 people, and yet it consumes 20% of the annual NHS budget. Leading the work to tackle this problem of gross disparity are speakers Dr Matthew Clement, Dr Tim Hughes, Dr Owen Pete and Lesley Butcher from Cardiff University, alongside Professor Andrea Tales from Swansea Univerity. To find out what they had to say on alzheimers and to learn how their research is transforming the face of the condition, turn to page 22.
ar ei gyfnod fel rheolwr y clwb. Mae nifer yn ystyried ei gyfraniad i’r clwb yn allweddol, gydag uchafbwyntiau’n cynnwys achub ei glwb o syrthio i’r drydedd haen yng nghrynghreiriau Lloegr a sicrhau dyrchafiad i dîm Caerdydd i Uwch Gynghrair Lleogr yn haf 2018. Ond, ers hynny, mae Clwb Dinas Caerdydd wedi dychwelyd i’r Bencampwriaeth dan ei ofal. Cymysg yw’r ymateb iddo ar ddiwedd ei gyfnod fel Rheolwr, ond yn ddi-os mae ei gyfraniad wedi bod yn un pwysig a bydd gwaddol ar ei ôl. Ewch i dudalen 8 i ddarllen rhagor am y sefyllfa. 8
netball team, who raise money on a regular basis for charities, held another event with a focus on raising awareness for meningitis. The club finds an excellent way of being able to combine sport and charity, and this tournament was an example of just that. Their work has not gone unnoticed with other teams wanting to get involved with fundraising initiatives. Read more on page 30 to find out how the mixed tournament was organised, who the chosen charity was, and what events the Cardiff University Netball Club have planned for the future.
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