Any member who requires assistance from the branch should contact Bernadette Wheeler, Administration Officer, ucu@ox.ac.uk. Simple requests for information may be answered straight away. For anything else, you will be asked to fill in a casework form and make an appointment to talk to caseworkers.
We are normally only able to help UCU members with problems that have arisen after they joined UCU. We may exceptionally be able to help non-members if they have a strong need or if their case has wider implications for our members. This will depend on whether a caseworker is available as we must give priority to helping our members. Please also note that legal advice is only available for members for problems arising after they have joined.
It is important to remember that caseworkers are not lawyers or counsellors, but are ordinary UCU members who volunteer to help out their colleagues.
Oxford UCU takes a collective approach to casework, meaning that caseworkers meet regularly and may seek advice on a case from caseworkers with more experience. We aim to assign two caseworkers to each case where possible.
In the event that there is a conflict between UCU members, for example if one member makes a complaint about another, separate caseworkers will be allocated to help each member and measures put in place to ensure they work independently.
Details of cases are, by default, kept confidential. There may be benefits to sharing information with other caseworkers or union activists, but caseworkers will only share personal details with the permission of the member involved. If members have particular concerns about confidentiality they are encouraged to discuss this with their caseworker.
Caseworkers will offer advice, talk to members about options, and can help members access further assistance. However it is the member who must take decisions about what course of action to take. If a member feels uncomfortable with the way a caseworker is handling a case, they should talk to them, or if they do not wish to do so, to contact Bernadette and ask if another caseworker is available.
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