Many postgraduate students and early career academics experience precarious and insecure conditions in their teaching and research work.
QMUCU want to change that.
This page captures ongoing and previous work, resources to share, and how to join in improving conditions for casualised colleagues.
Casualised members
FREE membership of UCU is available to PhD students , although do make sure you join in the right category to ensure you are able to access all the benefits of UCU membership. Joining gives you access to training and support, and you can take action with colleagues on issues that matter to you.
Updates and Info
Hours Slashed and No Pay in September (again) for Teaching Staff
Fixed-term staff in our highly successful School of Business and Management has seen their hours cut and changes to agreements on marking.
Casual Staff Brunch
Brunch on 13 August, 11am-13pm, ArtsTwo SCR to discuss the situation of Post-Graduate Researchers, Teaching Assistants, and Demonstrators
Introduction to supporting members
Members can support each other in meetings. We’re providing the training to be prepared.
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Events
- 10 September 2025, 11am-1pm, ArtsTwo 2:17: casual staff brunch (all welcome, not limited to QMUCU members)
- 13 August 2025, 11am-1pm: casual staff brunch, ArtsTwo SCR (fourth floor)
- 10 March 2025, 1-2:30pm: branch meeting around the fixed-term contracts, and workload issues
- 6 March 2025, 1-2pm: meeting about the misuse of casualised contracts and the action all staff can take. Join the meeting via this link.
- 25 September 2024, 11am-noon: job offers and teacher training. Most schools have now sent out job offers and teacher training is underway, so QMUCU is hosting a follow-up meeting on our August meeting to share information and decide next steps. Check the branch newsletter for the zoom link, or email Cameron & Kester if you don’t have it.
- 7 August 2024, 1-2pm: proposed changes to TATF contracts. Report on that meeting here, and an overview of the history of TATF contracts at QMUL here.
Contact
For more information or to get involved, contact the Anti-Casualisation Reps, Charlie Thomas (Politics & International Relations) and Zak Tobias (Politics & International Relations)
QMUCU has a number of active and past campaigns, including around Demonstrators, Teaching Associates and Associate Lecturers. We were successful in establishing a anti-casualisation working group as part of the Joint Consultative Forum which advocates for casualised colleagues.
Resources
- Presentation explaining the recent history of TATF contracts at QMUL. Read the Presenter Notes for clarifications about the decisions made and what the implications are for TATFs.
- Leaflet about PGRs as workers
qmucu.org 
