Thread by @zenscara

Been thinking about a conversation last night at a dear friend’s birthday party with several academics in attendance, wrt GTVO, the current ballot for #securework #equalpay #fairpayinhe+ fair #workload & #defendUSS: important messages we need to get out there before too late! /1

Fundamentally we all need to understand *any* ballot result we get on any issue affects our bargaining power in *all* other areas. I don’t think this point can’t be hammered home enough. Casualised colleagues who don’t yet qualify for #USS came out in number bc they got this /2

Pre-Trade Union Act 2016 we’d have been dancing on tables celebrating our last ballot result bc we got to about 42% turnout taken on aggregate + HUGE vote for action. The threshold provides a “fake news” cover for employers to pretend turnout <50% means no strength of feeling /3

Ofc that’s completely bollocks nonsense (technical term)-the result was our highest turnout on pay&pay/contract related matters at a UK level. That‘s scant comfort to the lowest paid & most precariously employed in our sector who need action now to strengthen our negotiations /4

There is money in our sector. Spending % on staff has been in decline while capital expenditure on #shinybuildings + expensive consultancy (where it’d be better to *meaningfully* consult TUs,staff,students) has gone up. Senior management pay has 📈 while ours 📉 in real terms /5

Prioritisation of buildings, senior management in increasingly sealed bubbles, ££consultancy (often looking at ways to ✂️staff) is a CHOICE: a Strategy. The extent of #casualisation = another choice. So is faffing round the edges of gaping intersecting pay gaps&piling workload /6

If you or any other colleague you can think of is wavering about whether or how to vote in the current ballot:
•This is about our collective strength
•It’s about our collective responsibility
•A <50% turnout now plays into employers’ hands on EVERYTHING including pensions
/7

Ballot closes Fri 22 Feb. To be sure of vote getting there, needs to be sent off Wed 20th - though any remaining on Thur 21st should still be posted!! *ANY UNPOSTED VOTE CONTRIBUTES TO THE POTENTIAL SILENCING OF EVERYONE IN @UCU* /8

We’re doing well, but unposted votes remain!! Quick way to be a @UCU superhero (cape optional) = TALK TO COLLEAGUES and make sure they’ve posted that ballot off. Ideally for #VoteYESYES but at the very least posted. Bet you can think of several ppl to check in with - do it! /9

(Of COURSE there’s a typo in tweet 2 I saw AFTER checking 5 times and pressing go... the point that *any* ballot result we get on any issue affects our bargaining power in *all* other areas *can’t be hammered home enough*) 🤦🏻‍♀️

@threadreaderapp please unroll