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Sep 25, 2020 7 tweets 2 min read Read on X
UCU president Vicky Blake @zenscara said: “It’s a horrible thing to be told, people are terrified. We are operating in the context of redundancy announcements. It makes it feel very difficult to put your head above the parapet."
theguardian.com/education/2020… 1/
One academic at a Russell Group university, who asked not to be named, said her university had dismissed her concerns about infecting her partner, who has type 1 diabetes and is therefore at an increased risk from #coronavirus. 2/
Dr Adam Hansen, senior lecturer in English at Northumbria and chair of its UCU branch, says universities’ risk assessments should take into account any clinically vulnerable people academics are living with or supporting. 3/
A young PhD student at the University of St Andrews, who does not want to be named, said. “We’ve basically been told, if you want one of these tutor groups the teaching will be in person. For me there is a dignity issue here. No one is even asking if we are OK with this.”
He makes £81.75 a week (which includes holiday pay) teaching three undergraduate seminars, putting him below the £120 a week necessary to claim statutory sick pay if he contracts the virus. 5/
At Cambridge University, the branch is concerned that with 45% of undergraduate tutorials or “supervisions” conducted by graduate students, postdoctoral students & freelancers, young casual workers will “be left to bear the costs of face-to-face teaching in a global pandemic” 6/
It says most are far too worried about their careers to risk speaking out about safety. 7/7

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More from @ucu

May 27, 2023
Clips from UCU Congress 2023: UCU general secretary @DrJoGrady kicking off her keynote speech

#ucuTOGETHER
@DrJoGrady UCU general secretary @DrJoGrady on the USS pensions dispute in higher education from her keynote speech at UCU Congress 2023

#ucuTOGETHER
@DrJoGrady UCU general secretary @DrJoGrady on the pay and working conditions dispute in higher education and the ongoing marking and assessment boycott at 145 universities

#ucuTOGETHER #ucuRISING
Read 8 tweets
May 27, 2023
Our General Secretary @DrJoGrady is kicking off her keynote speech to Congress 🧵

"It’s wonderful to be here in Glasgow, a city with such glorious traditions of working class militancy and radical internationalism." ✊

#ucuTOGETHER
"From the Colton Weavers who were murdered fighting against wage cuts in the 18th century to the Women’s Peace Crusade activists who took a stand against the slaughter of WW1.

And, more recently, the heroes who stopped an immigration raid in Pollokshields just two years ago." ✊
Jo turns first to the USS dispute, telling delegates:

"Today, thanks to your bravery and determination, your steadfastness on picket lines, in the face of freezing winds and vindictive employers we are on the verge of seeing our retirement benefits restored, in full."
Read 13 tweets
May 27, 2023
Clips from UCU Congress, opening address from president @janetfarrarUCU #ucuTOGETHER

On her visit to Colombia and UCU's work with @JFColombia
@janetfarrarUCU @JFColombia President @janetfarrarUCU on the Sexual Violence Task Group and the report published in December 2021 ucu.org.uk/article/10812/…

#ucuTOGETHER
Read 4 tweets
May 27, 2023
UCU Congress 2023 is underway with an opening address from our President @janetfarrarUCU:

"It’s been quite a year to be UCU’s first Goth President. The biggest ever FE strikes in England with the prospect of even bigger action to come."
"I have to take the time to say how very proud I am of my own branch at The Manchester College. They have had a renewed energy over the last year or so, a huge upsurge in membership and are fighting back against the terrible pay we have in FE." ✊
Janet now turns to her visit to Colombia last month:

"We went up into the mountains and met with former combatant peasants rebuilding their community brick by brick. It really brought home the huge importance of international solidarity."

🇨🇴🤝 @JFColombia
Read 8 tweets
Mar 29, 2023
31,853 UCU members have voted overwhelmingly across all surveys to have a say on the employers' proposals.

Thank you to everyone who voted, we now move on to the branch delegate meeting today, and higher education committee tomorrow.

The results in full:
🧵

#ucuRISING

1/
Q: Do you support UCU members being formally consulted on the proposals that have been reached with UCEA on pay, ending zero hour contracts, workloads, casualisation and closing equality pay gaps?

Combined result:
Yes: 78%
No: 22%

#ucuRISING

2/ Q: Do you support UCU members being formally consulted on th
Q: Do you support UCU members being formally consulted on the proposals that have been reached with UCEA on pay, ending zero hour contracts, workloads, casualisation and closing equality pay gaps?

Members in both disputes (mostly pre-92 universities):
Yes: 76%
No: 24%

3/ Q: Do you support UCU members being formally consulted on th
Read 7 tweets
Feb 22, 2023
Branches are meeting to discuss Get The Vote Out plans & how to deliver a massive YES vote in the reballot

These are some of the meetings taking place over the next few days 👇

Contact your branch for more info & to get involved ✊

ucu.org.uk/contacts

#ucuRISING

1
Royal Holloway members are meeting online today at 1pm @RH_UCU

#ucuRISING

ucu.org.uk/yourcontacts?a…

2
Swansea members are discussing plans today @SwanseaUcu

Contact the branch for more info

#ucuRISING

ucu.org.uk/yourcontacts?a…

3
Read 9 tweets

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