Thread by @UWankings

Here's our Manifesto to address some of the fundamental problems in UK HE. 🧵

1. PENSIONS
USS gets told in no uncertain terms to sort their shit out, accept a prudent prediction that isn't based on imminent apocalypse, and to pay livable pensions.
1/9
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike

2. GENDER, RACE, AND DISABILITY INEQUALITY

All HEIs to commit to attaining Athena Swan Gold AND the Race Equality Charter as a first step towards deep cultural change. Also to develop and implement an equivalent scheme for disability.
2/9
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike

3. PAY

All staff to get a 5% pay raise, with a further £2K* for all women and an additional £2K* for all people in racial/ethnic minorities. If that pushes them beyond their current pay bracket, promote them.
3/9
(*Or pro Rata Equivalent)
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike

4. PRECARITY

Collate precarious research, teaching, and services jobs into full time (or fuller time) positions wherever possible. Enter negotiations with research funders to enable more stable and sustainable careers for staff.
4/9
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike

5. WORKLOADS

Full review, sector-wide, of how long it really takes to do common tasks in HE, with a transparent model that makes allowances for ECRs and Disability, including a 10% 'air bag' for all rather than assuming work can be optimised.
5/9
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike

6. INVESTMENTS

Stop building things unless you really need them, divest from unsustainable - particularly fossil fuel - funds. Spend money on students and (more) staff while maintaining and improving existing facilities.
6/9
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike

7. COMPETITION

Accept that HEIs are not better or worse, weaker or stronger, but different. State publicly that - and why - rankings are bollocks and reinvest that time and money into actual quality, not the veneer of (relative) quality.
7/9
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike

8. FEES

Lead a public conversation about the public and private, social and economic, value of degrees, with recognition of the social justice damage that fees do. Implement a scheme that incorporates those perspectives based on sensible modelling.
8/9
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike

EPILOGUE

Some people might say this is unaffordable, pie in the sky. BUT these deep fault lines shouldn't be there - that they are is a sign of how broken things are. If we can't afford do this, the model needs to change, supported by policy.
9/END
#OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike