The College Workload Survey is now live until Easter. You should have received an email with a link to complete the survey – if you didn’t please request a re-send from HR. We encourage all staff to complete this survey which has been drafted jointly by the unions and college so that the issues of excessive workload can be identified and evidenced.
Why a Workload Campaign ?
Staff across post-16 education including CRC are experiencing excessive workloads, long working hours and intensification of work that is causing significant stress and ill-health. The increasing administrative burden, the widening of job roles, the introduction of new IT and online working, increased student numbers and staff cuts are a growing problem.
As part of our successful pay claim CRC SMT also agreed as part of the non-pay related elements of the claim to carry out a collaborative review of workload here at the college including but not limited to –
- A review of maximum teaching hours (per week and globally)
- A review of evening/weekend work requirements leading to a clearly defined process of negotiation and consultation with staff
- A review of class sizes and an agreed procedure for safe maximum class sizes
- Protected PPA time
- Agreement on the definition of a “teaching hour”
- A review of remission time for teaching staff with additional responsibilities and/or training obligations.
These issues will be consulted and negotiated on with the College and UCU via the college Workload Management Group which has started regular meetings from December 2025
Parallel to these talks the branch will also be carrying out a Workload Campaign based on the UCU “It’s Your Time” national workload template. You can read more about this here – UCU – Workload campaign
Workload is a Health & Safety Issue and should be regarded as such. Over the coming months will be using a H&S legislative approach based on HSE (H&S Executive) Standards to investigate workload at the college to better inform your Branch negotiators to argue for improvements on your behalf.
What Can you Do?
All Staff –
Complete the Workload Survey once it goes live. This survey is open to all staff both members and non-members – please complete is asap. The more responses we receive – the more info we have from you on the issues affecting you.
Raising Workload Concerns at CRC – Did you know that UCU have negotiated a formal procedure for raising individual workload concerns?
This procedure has definitive stages to escalate the process if your line manager cannot resolve the issues in the initial stage. You can find the process on the college intranet – Reference NO HR3 – Procedure for Raising Workload Concern.
https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/g-_BCnZrDfGpWRmI9fjHJU8E0?domain=camre.sharepoint.com
If you are UCU member you can get help and advice from the branch reps on using the procedure including union representation at stage 2. Read the procedure and contact ucu@camre.ac.uk for more information.
Not a UCU Member yet ? – you can JOIN straight away via this link – UCU – Join UCU
CRC Cover Policy/Agreement
Cover is one of the main issues that increase workload and the accompanying stress that can go with working excessive contact hours. There is in place agreed limits on cover that staff can be asked to do as part of the 2018 Harmonisation Agreement that UCU negotiated with the College. Full agreement can be found on the UCU Union page on the intranet / virtual staffroom. The agreed policy on cover is as follows –
* Where contact hours exceed 23 per week due to covering absences, a maximum of 25 hours per week will be applied. Staff can be asked to teach up to 25 hours per week for up to 6 weeks and must then have a minimum of 6 weeks at their 23 hours per week before being asked to cover again. If cover is required outside of these guidelines, any such arrangements will be by agreement by the staff member.
If you are having issues with excessive cover as a UCU member please email the branch ucu@camre.ac.uk
UCU Member CPD
UCU has its own CPD program of 90 minute online interactive CPD workshops which are free and open to all UCU members. For full details of all our workshops download the catalogue here: Layout 1 (ucu.org.uk)
There are currently two that relate specifically to excessive workload.
How to Say No with Confidence: Challenging Workload Culture
Tuesday 19 May 10:30am-12:00 noon click here to book
Tuesday 09 June 10:30am-12:00 noon click here to book
Thursday 09 July 2:00pm-3:30pm click here to book
The full aims of the interactive workshop are to:
- Identify assertiveness techniques and strategies for saying “no” at work
- Learn to use Health and Safety legislation to push back in order to protect us against workplace stress and health risks due to excessive workloads.
- Understand the role of collective action in changing workplace culture through union campaigning.
Challenging Excessive Workload in Education
Wednesday 13 May 10:30am-12:00 noon click here to book
Monday 08 June 2:00pm-3:30pm click here to book
Thursday 09 July 10:30am-12:00 noon click here to book
The full aims of the interactive workshop are to:
- Identify why excessive workload is so damaging to education and staff
- Identify collective responses to tackling excessive workloads
- Develop an understanding of workload as a health and safety issue
- Make members aware of the UCU campaign on workload and how they can contribute.
Get Involved as UCU CRC Workload Rep
Become a UCU CRC Workload Rep for your area/dept. Fundamental to a successful workload campaign is the appointment of UCU workload reps. UCU is the first trade union to develop the concept of a workload rep. The role is an amalgam of health and safety (H&S) rep, and workplace rep. Workload reps are essentially health and safety reps with a sole focus on workload and work-related stress issues in their workplace/dept. If you are interested in this role, please contact the branch.
We look forward to hearing from you so that we can tackle excessive Workload at CRC in 2026 and beyond – email ucu@camre.ac.uk
