Some random thoughts on strategy re #USSstrike We've all been blown away by the experience of solidarity and common purpose and analysis especially here on Twitter. But let's remember GE2015 1/n m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/21/soc…
Twitter is a peculiar echo chamber. It feels like a victory - and in one sense it is - to have got to week 4 with students inside, with analysis underway, with funds raised for lawyers @ForPension , critique from all sides, letters from principals of Cambridge colleges 2/n
But we know that most VCs, Deans, politicians, policymakers, colleagues who are not striking and probably most students and almost ALL of the press and public are *NOT* here reading the collective strike hive mind... 3/n
.. We're now pretty sure that @ucu leadership are well behind the Twitter curve too. So when we go back next week the first thing is that it will probably feel and be deflating, as the collective confirmation we've felt in solidarity dissipates, as the arguments get harder... 4/n
Students, in particular, will turn their gaze on our decision not to accept the deal as their assessment looms. So we have to now act on STRATEGY not just on solidarity. I think that is emerging as active non @ucu campaigning kicks in... 5/n
But I think we will need to a. get more involved in UCU locally and nationally to shape that strategy. And we need a clear set of winnable targets... The ECU has now, for example, published a brief response on the idea of an EIA for the proposals: how do we see that through? 6/n
The Pension Regulator is clearly crucial in the debate about moving forward. Addressing their principles is a huge task of political importance. Lots of pensions, finance and actuarial practitioners are in a completely different echo chamber to us. They don't think we can win 7/n
Actuaries are some of the cleverest people anywhere, though they're not obvious immune from bias. But we should be seriously engaging with the questions they raise on financial modelling. We *can't* just go 'we don't like capitalism, let's smash it'. 8/n
Well we can, but saying it will not do anything and anyway IT FIGHTS BACK. so more careful strategic thinking is needed. @Dennis_Leech latest blog on @ucu tactics is salutary. 9/n
And we want to #democratisetheuniversity We're 50 years post 1968 this year where that was also the call. And financialisation/marketisation of the university is well bedded in, and we have a govt that is determined to destroy the notion of public good. 10/n
Our trained academic scepticism needs to kick in now, so we're thinking more about counter positions, strategy and tactics. Not just solidarity. 11/n
So I'd really like to hear from political and industrial relations experts on What Successful Strategies Succeed. Feeling good and knowing we're right is not enough, especially if the only people who we're talking to is people who agree with us. 12/ends
