Aberdeen Universities UNISON branch, is the officially recognised trade union for professional and support staff at both the Robert Gordon University and the University of Aberdeen.
The branch works to represent and protect your interests in negotiations and consultations with the Universities. We also work in partnership to promote and enhance intiatives which benefit staff members or which further UNISON’s policies.
Our Structure
We are a single UNISON branch for the purposes of branch membership and administration, however we of course deal with two distinct employers. As such our branch is structured with a single overall branch committee, but two seperate “Stewards Committee’s” at each of the Universities.
Stewards Committees
The stewards committees are responsible for dealing with the employers regarding matters of negotiation and consultation, and for providing individual representation when members need us. The stewards committees are chaired by local Conveners.
| Stewards Committee Conveners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Aberdeen | Mr Owen Cox | o.m.cox@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 3327 |
| Robert Gordon University | Mr Colin Jones | c.jones@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 2178 |
Branch Committee
The branch committee is made up of elected stewards and lay officers from both Universities. The branch committee governs the overall branch activity, and meets at various times throughout the year.
| Position | Name | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branch Chair | Owen Cox | o.m.cox@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 3327 |
| Branch Secretary (shared) | William Tocher | william.tocher@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 2515 |
| Niamh Stolvoort | niamh.stolvoort@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 3177 | |
| Branch Treasurer | Colin Jones | c.jones@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 2178 |
| Communications Officer (shared) | Colin Jones | c.jones@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 2178 |
| Frederic Bayer | frederic.bayer@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 3714 | |
| Health & Safety Officers | Shirley Cooper (UoA) | scooper@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 4023 |
| Iain McLenan (RGU) | i.mclenan@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 3999 01224 26 3444 | |
| Membership Officer | Colin Jones | c.jones@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 2178 |
| Welfare Officer | William Tocher | william.tocher@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 2515 |
| Labour Link Officer | MColin Jones | c.jones@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 2178 |
| Environmental Officer | Vacant | ||
| Education Co-ordinator | Vacant | ||
| Lifelong Learning Co-ordinator | Vacant | ||
| Equality Co-ordinator | Abeer Eladany | abeer.eladany@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 4316 |
| Black Members’ Officer | Benedict Nwokedi | b.nwokedi@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 2459 |
| Disabled Members’ Officer | Vacant | ||
| LGBT+ Members’ Officer | Vacant | ||
| Women Members’ Officer | Vacant | ||
| Young Members’ Officer | Niamh Stolvoort | niamh.unison@outlook.com | 01224 27 3177 |
Branch Stewards
| University of Aberdeen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Owen Cox | o.m.cox@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 3327 |
| Frederic Bayer | frederic.bayer@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 3714 |
| Niamh Stolvoort | niamh.stolvoort@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 3177 |
| Shirley Cooper (UoA) | scooper@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 4023 |
| William Tocher | william.tocher@abdn.ac.uk | 01224 27 2515 |
| Steven Kearney | steven.kearney@abdn.ac.uk | |
| Robert Gordon University | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colin Jones | c.jones@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 2178 |
| Iain McLenan (RGU) | i.mclenan@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 3999 01224 26 3444 |
| Anne Campbell | m.a.campbell@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 3675 |
| Jim Florence | j.r.florence@rgu.ac.uk | |
| Rebecca Tait | r.tait@rgu.ac.uk | |
| Benedict Nwokedi | b.nwokedi@rgu.ac.uk | 01224 26 2459 |
Annual General Meeting
In line with UNISON’s rules for branches, we have an annual general meeting at the beginning of each year, where all members are invited to come along and hear what the branch has been doing, to elect the branch committee and stewards, and to put forward any motions.
We hope you’ll come along – these meetings are very important for the running of the branch. Invitations to the AGM are sent out in advance by email or post to all members.
Grampian Resource Centre
We’re fortunate in Aberdeen to have access to the Grampian Resource Centre, which provides the branch with administrative and legal support through the UNISON employed full time officers.
Aberdeen Trades Union Council
The branch is affiliated to the Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC), and is allowed to send nominated delegates to meetings of the ATUC. The ATUC is a body for the coordination of all trade unions in the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire area, and is the group responsible for organising the annual May Day march, International Workers Memorial Day and the St Andrew’s Day march. The ATUC was founded in the 1860s at the behest of the local trade union groups and has an office in Aberdeen.