The success of the branch depends on its members. Committee members volunteer their time to facilitate the activities of the branch but takes its mandate from the members, first and foremost.

There are a number of ways to get involved that will contribute to the life of the branch. Depending on your interests and availability, certain roles and activities will likely suit you better. These are detailed below. Not all roles (see section reps and casework below) require you to be a member of the Committee.

Committee Roles

Single-Seat Officer Roles

These core leadership positions are elected by a simple majority secret ballot if contested.

  • President

    • Acts as the primary leader and public face of the branch.
    • Oversees branch strategy and ensures the committee functions in accordance with the Branch Rules.

  • Deputy President

    • Supports the President in their duties and assumes leadership responsibilities in the President’s absence.

  • Branch Secretary

    • Serves as the official communicator for the Committee.
    • Administers the branch email, calls General and Committee meetings, and acts as the point of contact for the Regional Office and members.

  • Treasurer

    • Responsible for the financial health of the branch, including managing the budget and overseeing membership subscriptions.

Additional Single-Seat Officer Roles

These roles have been established through branch practice to address specific member needs and organisational efficiency.

  • Membership Secretary

    • Manages the recruitment and retention of members and ensures the membership database is accurate for democratic processes.

  • Equalities Officer

    • Promotes equality within the workplace and the union, addressing issues like discriminatory practices, equal pay, and flexible working.
    • Training (from UCU) is available for this vital branch role. What it will involve may depend on developments within the university and what the prospective rep is interested in working on. Black members, women members, LGBT members and members with disabilities are particularly welcome to work on this aspect of branch activity.

  • Health and Safety Officer

    • Monitors workplace safety standards and represents members on institutional Health and Safety committees.

  • Section Representative Coordination Officer

    • Liaises between Section Representatives and the Committee, organising meetings and training for new reps.

  • PGR Representative Officer

    • Advocates specifically for the interests and working conditions of Postgraduate Researchers within the university.

  • Communications Officer

    • Manages the branch’s digital presence, including newsletters and social media, to keep the membership informed.

Ordinary Committee Members

  • Committee Members

    • Contribute to the decision-making process of the branch and support specific projects or campaigns.

Non-Committee Roles and Activities

You may not want to commit to regular Committee meetings but still want to contribute. Here are some of the things that you could do:

Section Representatives

There are still a few areas without a section rep and any area can have more than one. If you’re interested in being a liaison between colleagues in your section and the Committee, get in touch with the Section Representative Coordination Officer via the committee.

Casework Coordinator

This role involves taking calls and/or emails from members about individual cases. You don’t need to be actively involved in casework but an understanding of casework is helpful in terms of answering some questions that members might have and allocating cases to the right caseworker. There would be a hand-over period for this role, with on-going support from (trained members of) the Committee. This role involves:

Responding to member’s inquiries
Allocating cases to caseworkers from the branch
Monitoring the cases (while maintaining member confidentiality)

Caseworker

If you take on casework, you can limit the number of cases you do according to your own availability. You do not need to be on the Committee to be a caseworker. The only requirement for this activity is attendance at the relevant training (we can arrange this). If you’re interested in supporting colleagues with individual cases (grievance, disciplinary), please get in touch with the casework coordinator.