UCU Left is committed to building a democratic, accountable campaigning union which aims to mobilise and involve members in defending and improving our pay and conditions and defending progressive principles of education.
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- Building a national UCU HE campaign in 2024The UCU’s Higher Education Committee met on Friday 27 September to decide on next steps in the 2024 national pay and related claim. We have reached the end of a series of formal negotiations over pay and pay-related elements. Most employers are already moving to impose the offer on pay in members’ pay, but some — perhaps …
Continue reading “Building a national UCU HE campaign in 2024”
- Report from FEC 26th September 2024The FEC met for the first time this academic year. The FEC considered how to advance the New Deal for FE as part of our England pay claim. This follows the election of a Labour government in the General Election and the decision not to extend the 5.5% pay award for teachers to FE workers. Staff …
- Organising to win under a Labour government
Although the General Election was less than two months ago, it feels much longer since the Tories were decimated and Labour won a landslide election victory, albeit on a lower turnout than in 2019. Within that period, we have seen a fascist and far right resurgence on our streets, the continuing slaughter of Palestinians and an …Continue reading “Organising to win under a Labour government”
- How we beat the fascists and the far right
After last night’s amazing counter protests by anti racists across the UK, Sean Vernell argues we need to continue the fight. The scenes of fascist and far-right thugs attempting to burn down hotels that accommodate refugees and attacking anyone with a black or brown skin who happened to be walking by has horrified the majority of …Continue reading “How we beat the fascists and the far right”
- Warning from France: How do we defeat the far right?
Thursday 11th July 6.30pm on ZoomRegister here: https://rb.gy/ta54h8 Yesterday in France, Marine Le Pen’s fascist party were beaten back into third place. This is brilliant news, and millions will be relieved. However, the fascist RN still gained 142 seats (up from 88 seats), which is a warning for all anti-racists and anti-fascists. In the UK, Reform gained …Continue reading “Warning from France: How do we defeat the far right?”
- UCU Left report on Friday’s NECUNITE dispute means NEC is paralysed by its inability to instruct the General Secretary to settle the dispute and fails to look outwards. Unlike the first meeting of the HEC which dealt with all business, the first meeting of the NEC has been paralysed by its inability to hold the General Secretary to account. Unfortunately it …
- Report of UCU Congress 2024
UCU Congress met in the context of a snap General Election having just been called. Many are desperate to see the back of the Conservatives, as 14 years of Tory governments has been marked by austerity, increased marketisation and a failure to see education as public good. But expectations seemed to be limited across delegates. Moreover, the … - UCU NEC Report March 2024
National, not local, strategies are needed to win better pay and conditions Friday’s NEC showed that far from strengthening her position at the top of UCU after her re-election, Jo Grady will find it increasingly difficult. There will be no honeymoon period for the General Secretary as the strategy she is pushing will not help members. … - UCU elections: A Pyrrhic victory for Jo Grady as left gains majority of seats
The fourth UCU GS election is over, and Jo Grady is the victor. Grady argues that she now has a mandate to carry out the policies she campaigned over. The reality, though, is rather different. The GS presides over a more divided union compared to the one before the election started and an NEC which is …Continue reading “UCU elections: A Pyrrhic victory for Jo Grady as left gains majority of seats”
- Britain, Ireland and Palestine in the Wake of the First World War
Professor Rashid Khalidi – Colombia University NY6pm 7 March 2024Register: https://bit.ly/BricupS6 British Committee for the Universities of PalestineSeminar Series 2023-4Palestine: Memory, Identity, Resistance All seminars are on-line events, and take place at 18.00-19.30 London time. They consist of a presentation by the guest lecturer, an exchange with a discussant, and then questions and contributions. Two years …Continue reading “Britain, Ireland and Palestine in the Wake of the First World War“