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Trade Unions

UCU

Why join the University and College Union?

UCU is the trade union that is officially recognised by Leeds University to negotiate on behalf of academic and academic-related (professional and managerial) staff. By joining you will be able to:

  • Benefit from advice and support (including, if necessary, legal advice) on difficulties that arise in the workplace after you have joined the Union.
  • Have your say in shaping UCU's position in negotiations with Leeds University about our terms and conditions.
  • Be part of the organisation that negotiates at national level on the pay, pensions, and working conditions of academic and academic-related staff.

The Leeds UCU branch is one of the largest in the country and we have taken a lead role both locally and in terms of national policy in combating casualisation and improving migrant workers' rights.

Our size puts us in a strong position when negotiating to improve the working conditions of our members at Leeds, but this will only remain the case if new staff join!

Join UCU

Find out more about the UCU Leeds Branch

Unison

Unison is the trade union that is officially recognised by Leeds University to negotiate on behalf of support staff and support-related (professional and managerial) staff.

What is the role of a union?

Unions negotiate on behalf of their members for better pay and conditions, help individuals in trouble, and campaign for a safer, fairer University and society. As a member of a union you are also entitled to an array of discounts and benefits.

Why join UNISON?

By joining the University of Leeds Unison Branch, you will be joining over 1,200 colleagues who are members of Unison. Each of these members have their own reasons for joining UNISON and you can see just a few of them on our website.

As a member you will be able to access the following benefits:

  • Unrivalled protection and representation at work
  • Help with your pay and conditions of service
  • Health and safety guidance and support
  • Confidential welfare services for you and your dependents in difficult times
  • Education and training advice and courses
  • Special deals on a range of things from computers, holidays, mortgages, insurance, and car breakdown services to tax returns and credit cards.

As a Branch, we also run regular socials for our members; prize draws; free days out to the seaside and the Durham Miners’ Gala in summer and a free trip to a Christmas market in December.

Our Education Fund offers members one part-time, non-work-related course per academic year, part or fully-funded by the Branch, we send out emails on how to participate throughout the year but we regularly share news updates and information on what is happening around campus on our social media.

Our website provides more information about joining Unison and the costs associated and if you do decide to join, you can join Unison via our website.

If you have any questions about joining, you can contact our membership officer at l.j.bowler@leeds.ac.uk or contact our branch office directly at unison@leeds.ac.uk.

Unite

The University of Leeds Unite Branch is very active both locally and nationally supporting individual members and national initiatives allowing for a greater understanding of technicians’ issues. Nationally, it has 1.42 million members making it the largest union in the UK and Ireland. The role of Unite, with the other two recognised unions at the university (Unison and UCU), is to negotiate and consult with management on behalf of all staff but individually it represents its members.

The University of Leeds branch of Unite holds meetings on a monthly basis to allow members to find out and discuss general university issues with officers and representatives. Anyone with a personal issue can contact a rep separately, who’ll involve one of the officers, if necessary. These monthly meetings allow the Union’s branch officers to communicate issues affecting its members during regular meetings with management. At the heart of the Unite, the Union’s branch at the University is a need to ensure that its members’ voices, most of whom are technicians, are heard within the university.

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