UCU: Stress/workload

Motion

Motion text: Sector Conference notes that the Waddington Report identified workloads and stress as a major concern for UCU members in Further Education colleges.
Sector Conference also notes surveys carried out by UCU suggest that 82% of staff report rising workloads & stress.
Sector Conference also notes the use of the Health & Safety Executive's Management Standards for Work-related Stress surveys in a number of workplaces.
Sector Conference believes that using the HSE survey can be useful in identifying and highlighting particular areas and practices within our workplaces that generate stress.
Sector Conference instructs the FEC to look into encouraging branches to support the use of the HSE stress survey in highlighting stress issues in our workplaces. The FEC should also monitor the impact of the HSE stress survey in branches, to ensure that outcomes lead to meaningful reductions in causes of workplace stress.

Sector Conference notes that lesson observation schemes are a source of both increased workloads and stress among lecturers (Guardian 30/10/07). Yet national guidelines on lesson observation schemes have still to be issued despite a resolution at 2007 Congress.
We call on the FEC to ensure that
a) These national guidelines appear asap
b) Such schemes are included in stress surveys.
c) Disputes in which members have voted for boycotts of lesson observation schemes receive national support.