4 July 2024
The Central Works Council (COR) consists of members delegated by the faculty works councils and the Joint Works Council (GOR). Their interlocutor is the Executive Board (BoE). In the past six months, the COR has worked on the following issues for the benefit of employees:
In the COR's opinion, the current house rules are not satisfactory, and the COR is in discussion with the Executive Board on the development of new house rules.
The COR believes that in crisis situations use should be made of the expertise the UvA has in-house. In addition, the COR is critical of the procedure following the rector's article in Trouw, prior to round table discussions on the desirability of severing ties with universities in war zones, more specifically in Israel. Moreover, the COR believes it has the right to advise on policy arising from this discussion. This right has since been granted.
The COR, together with the Central Student Council (CSR), is critical of the budget. After extensive discussion with the director, the budget was approved at the end of February 2024.
The COR closely follows the peaceful demonstrations, occupations and evictions. In addition, the COR asks critical questions of the Board about the deployment of police, the destruction and intimidation taking place during the occupations. The starting point is the right to demonstrate. The starting point is the right to demonstrate.
Since 1 January 2024, the UvA has had a new health and safety service, Zorg van de Zaak. In the first months of this year, the COR inventoried start-up problems among employees and discussed these with the Board and the health and safety service. The COR remains involved in monitoring.
The BoE has developed an HR manifesto to strengthen the position of HR within the organisation, and ensure more help for the employee. There is a continuous discussion with the director to strengthen the position of the employee in the HR chain.
The COR formulated Recognition and Appreciation as a spearhead in spring 2024. Unfortunately, the BoE has not yet been willing to formulate a timeline or policy. With other universities already evaluating their policies, the COR wants policy as soon as possible, to be picked up within the faculties.
With the increased opportunities and risks of AI in education, such as ChatGPT, the COR continues to call attention to not only explore the opportunities and risks, but to properly communicate about them with employees.
The COR initiated the need for a better teachers' policy at the beginning of its term. From this emerged the new teacher policy. Within the Education and Research Committee, the COR continues to monitor this policy.
In the run-up to the Works Council elections, the COR pushed for a system in which more PhD students are represented in the faculty Works Council. This resulted in more PhD students on the election lists.
The square metres of working space per employee has been adjusted downwards. The COR has worked to ensure that this does not result in the Health and Safety standard being violated. The COR looks into proposed renovations such as at the REC. In addition, air quality and heat regulation in buildings such as the REC is a recurring theme.