Participants: Thomas G. Jensen; Thomas Juhl Corydon; Sâmia Joca; Bertha P. Beck Mortensen; Steen Vang Petersen; Inger Merete S. Paulsen; Marie Louise Næstholt Dahl; Gitte Fynbo Biller; Agnete Larsen; Erling Melchior Dammand; Esben Thorup Boel; Anne Flensborg
Cancellations from partipants: Morten Schallburg Nielsen; Ina Maria Schiessl; Jani Kær. Minute taker: HR Partner, Pia Lind Lunau Kristensen
- Godkendelse af dagsorden / Approval of agenda - by Head of Department
Agenda approved. - Godkendelse af referat af møde 21. marts 2022/ Approval of minutes from the meeting 21st March 2022 - by Head of Department
Minutes approved.
New rules of procedure for Liaison Committee will be discussed at the next meeting. - Orientering om økonomien / Financial statement - by Head of Department
Head of Department informed about the financial situation. The main message is that the budget is in balance and with a small surplus of DKK 3 mio. (ØR1) for Department of Biomedicine.
When it comes to the economy of Aarhus University there are some concerns since the global situation gives some negative effects on the economy. At our faculty there are challenges due to medical students’ postponing their studies.
The Committee discussed salary expenses and rent reimbursement.
Head of Department informed that next time the financial controller will participate in the meeting and can explain the techniques behind the numbers.
The Committee also discussed that TAP-salaries are increasing – it’s important to remember that the TAP-category is broad and also includes academic staff.
Head of Department informed that external funding is still increasing, from DKK 192 mio. in 2021 to expected DKK 222 mio. in 2022. Overhead is also increasing.
Søren Riis Paludan and co-workers has been granted DKK 60 mio. from The Danish National Research Foundation for a new research Centre, and this grant comes with 44% overhead.
The Committee discussed what the new Centre means in relation to new people/employees, space in the buildings and whether the Centre is temporary or permanent.
Head of Department informed that the terms and conditions are under negotiation. - Status og evaluering af de årlige lønforhandlinger / Status and evaluation of the annual salary negotiations - by Head of Department
Head of Department informed that the annual salary negotiations have been completed. Head of Department and HR participated in all the negotiations. Head of Department thanked all the union representatives for good negotiations. We spent each penny within the frame.
Head of Department added that he is sometimes in the process nervous about whether money stretches, but we succeeded again this year.
HR added that all the negotiation results are now sent to the employees via E-boks. If the Union representatives, contrary to expectations, hear something else, please contact HR.
The Committee had a brief evaluation of the process for the annual salary negotiation 2022. The Committee discussed if the order of the negotiations can differ from year to year – Head of Department is also aware that perhaps the order of the negotiations should be different next year. The Committee also discussed whether salary negotiations are a topic for the Liaison Committee – it has been discussed at the “samarbejdskursus for FSU/Faculty Liaison Committee”.
Head of Department and HR informed that the Committee can inform and discuss for example timeline, frame and criteria. The Committee can’t discuss individual cases or other specific topics where rules and guidelines have been agreed on centrally.
Head of Department added that he is satisfied of how it works and will therefore be sorry if there is a wish to change things that works.
The Union representatives thanked for respectful negotiations – also when the negotiators do not agree. The Union representatives finds that there is respect of the different roles that the management team, Union representatives and HR fill.
The Union representatives praised that all employees who have applied for salary increase receive a response – even if it is a rejection.
Head of Department added that he has experienced that Union representatives from outside the Department, praise the negotiations at Biomedicine. - Kriterier for de årlige lønforhandlinger 2023 / Criteria for the annual salary negotiations 2023 - by Head of Department
LSU has previously approved local criteria used in the annual pay negotiations.
LSU asked HR to update the document at the webpage next year and with the date from today’s meeting.
The Committee want the item to be finally submitted at the meeting in September. The Committee will discuss if the local criteria should also be applied in connection with salary negotiations in 2023, or whether new criteria should be formulated. - MUS 2022 / SDD 2022 - by Head of Department
Head of Department informed that AU get a new HR system – expected at the end of the year. The system should be better at handling MUS/SDD than the current system AUHRA.
Head of Department emphasised that everyone can expect to and will have a MUS/SDD with their immediate manager. At the MUS/SDD you can for example discuss development and make a plan for competence development etc.
The management team, Department of Biomedicine have discussed themes for the coming MUS/SDD round:
As employee, please consider:
What goals do you work towards and how do you experience your function/position in relation to AU's core tasks such as teaching, research and collaboration?
How do you experience being part of a larger community and how do you consider your sense of well-being – e.g. the balance between your available time and your tasks?
(For group leaders): How is your approach to leadership and career development of younger researchers?
As SDD leader, please prepare
relevant follow-up points from last year’s SDD
general feedback to the employee in relation to tasks and responsibilities
forward-looking feedback to the employee
The Committee discussed that career development is an important focus area. Perhaps we need to be clearer of the fact that not all PhD students, postdocs and assistant professors can continue their careers at the Department or the university. Ideally, the focus should be that the individual employee can choose their own career – within or outside the university.
The employee representatives reminded Head of Department of the GRUS/TDD dialogues with the four different research themes.
The Committee agreed that there are limits of how many topics we can include in the MUS/SDD and that the MUS/SDD may not end up being a checklist.
Head of Department added that he will like a better work environment for all employees – that’s the reason for the themes the management group want to focus on at this year’s MUS/SDD.
The Main Liaison Committee (HSU) has discussed MUS/SDD and competence development at their meeting 3rd May 2022 – you can find the minutes from the meeting by the link at the bottom of the minutes from this meeting. - Arbejdsmiljøstatistik for 2021 / Occupational Health and Safety statistics 2019-2021 by Head of Department
Head of Department informed of the figures in the period 2019-2022. The figures seem stable over the years – and not themselves alarming.
The Committee asked how often an employee can use the anonymous psychological counselling.
HR has checked it. The answer is that – as a general rule – that an employee can contact several times and if more than three months have elapsed since the last time and that the reason is something other than in the first/previous case. If an acute incident appears it will be dealt with – no matter whether three months have elapsed. In general, the event is registered at the employees CPR number (of the counselling services) and therefore it counts as one case per event. - Arbejdspladsvurdering (APV), fysisk og psykisk – resultater af undersøgelsen / Workplace Assessment (WPA), Physical and psychological – results of the survey by Head of Department
Head of Department informed that a dialogue meeting for all employees has been planned. At the meeting it is possible to discuss the workplace assessment report. The purpose is – in common – to discuss relevant initiatives to improve the work environment. Head of Department encouraged all to participate. Even though the overall result shows that Department of Biomedicine is a good workplace there is still space for improvement for example coarse speech – we must treat each other with respect. Another topic is stress which can also relate to expectations and communication. Under the MUS/SDD topic we have already talked about the fact that not all employees can see the overall goal for their contribution. Another topic is that some employees feel lonely in the daily work.
WPA also covers the physical issues. Here, there is a particular focus on animal facilities and the fact that some employees develop allergies. In this regard the Department will communicate with specialists from “Arbejdsmedicinsk klinik” to assess the facilities.
The employee side of the Committee encouraged the management team to provide the possibility for written input if you, as employee, can’t attend the meeting.
Head of Department took note of the suggestion. - Seniorbonus - Senior Bonus Agreement - by HR and Head of Department
HR informed that due to the collective agreements the seniorbonus earning has started from the calender year 2022. It means that all employees who from this calendar year or later reach the age of 62 are entitled to an annual senior bonus of 0.8% of the usual annual salary.
The senior bonus can be converted to 2 senior days per year and/or an extraordinary pension contribution corresponding to 0.8% of the usual annual salary.
An employee who chooses to convert the senior bonus must inform HR no later than 1 October, the year before the bonus would be paid. If the employee does not do anything, the bonus will automatically be paid out with the salary in January the year after it has been earned, first time January 2023.
There are about 30 employees at the Department who are entitled to the senior bonus from 2022.
The Committee discussed whether further communication about the senior bonus should be communicated to the employees but agreed instead to bring it to Faculty Liaison Committee (FSU) for further discussion. - Highlights fra LAMU, FAMU samt FSU og HSU / Highlights from LAMU, FAMU and FSU og HSU
The LSU members are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the minutes of the meetings.
Material from meetings can be found:
ocal occupational health and safety committee (LAMU) can be found here.
Faculty occupational health and safety committee (FAMU) can be found here.
Main occupational health and safety committee (HAMU) can be found here.
Faculty Liaison Committee (FSU) can be found here.
Main Liaison Committee (HSU) can be found here. - Eventuelt / AOB
Deputy chair informed about guidelines for working from home discussed at Main Liaison Committee (HSU).
Head of Department rounded the meeting off by thanking:
Union representative Steen Vang Petersen for his effort as Union representative and cooperation – Steen is leaving the Department for at position outside AU. However, Steen will have a smaller affiliation with the department at least the next year.
Union representative Inger Merete Paulsen for her effort and cooperation as well. Inger Merete has decided to stop in her function as Union representative.