1. Academic Contract and Working to Contractby
UCU SHU Branch Committee

2. What does the SHU academic contract consist of?
Nationally agreed terms and conditions;
Locally agreed terms and conditions, which are contractual;
This information is contained in three main sources, the national contract, the local staff handbook (which is contractual) and any further local agreements reached between UCU and SHU (e.g. the Problem Resolution Framework).

3. Summary guide to the contract
Teaching hours
Working week
Working year
Self-managed time
Holidays
Work planning

4. Teaching hours
Maximum of 462 contact hours in year, based on a norm of 14 hours per teaching week
Maximum of 18 contact hours per week
All scheduled teaching counts as class contact time (this includes office hours for seeing students, dissertation supervision etc.).
Distance learning should be included in the 462 hours and in the weekly maximum of 18 hours.

5. Teaching hours
For each hour of teaching time staff should be credited with at least one hour of time for preparation and marking in their overall working week.
Staff with major academic management roles, such as course leader, year tutor etc., should have a reduction in their 462 teaching hours.

6. Working week Normal 37 hour working week Weekend working is voluntary
Maximum of 2 evening sessions per week
Staff are entitled to time off in lieu for evening and weekend working
Staff can decline to work a three session day (morning, afternoon and evening) and a split session day (morning and evening)
Staff should have a one-hour lunch break, excluding travelling time between sites

7. Working year The year is divided into 3 parts:
38 week academic year for teaching and related duties (which is common to the vast majority of staff) with no more than 36 teaching weeks (maximum)
Self-managed time
Holidays/annual leave

8. Defending the academic year
The following events should not be organised outside the 38-week academic year:
Examination boards
Away days
Open days
Committee meetings
Subject group or departmental meetings
Teaching
Placement visits

9. Self-managed time This consists of approximately 4 weeks and 3 days
This is time for research, scholarship and professional development
It is time which is outside the 38 week academic year and holidays
It is principally self-managed and the time should be used for the career development of the individual lecturer
Activities for SMT are for discussion and agreement, not for imposition by managers

10. Holidays 35 days annual leave
Plus public holidays (8) and extra statutory days (4)
Plus days the institution is closed
Holidays should be booked on the holiday form
Up to 3 days annual leave can be carried over to the next year

11. Working to contract
This is being undertaken as a sanction in the 2016 trade dispute over pay.
It is part of a programme of industrial action.
Working to contract makes strike days more effective because work is not made up on other days.

12. How all members can work to contract
Take all your holidays – book them now
Take all your self-managed time – book it now
Do not teach above 462 hours
Make sure you get your allowances for admin roles
Do not work more than 37 hours per week

13. How all members can work to contract
Do not work in the evenings unless evening duties are part of your agreed work plan
Do not work weekends unless it is part of your agreed work plan
Do not reply to work s outside regular office hours
Take a lunch break every day

14. How all members can work to contract
Be aware of health and safety
Give yourself enough travel time between sites and classes/meetings
Avoid multi-tasking, e.g. answering s while in a meeting
Give yourself enough preparation time for teaching and meetings

15. How all members can work to contract
Do not undertake duties which are not part of your work plan
Do not volunteer for additional work
Do not provide teaching cover
If you are on a fractional contract do not work on non-work days
Don’t keep going the extra marathon!

16. How all members can work to contract
If all your allocated work cannot be done in a 37 hour week ask your manager which work you should not do
Check your work plan to see it complies with the contract
Use the UCU workload calculator to check where your time goes

17. Making the work to contract visible and collective
Meet with union members regularly in your subject group to discuss the work to contract
Go out for lunch as a group
Add to your signature:
‘working to contract in support of UCU’s 2016 pay claim’
Raise excess workloads with managers