A statement of solidarity with marginalised communities by Aberystwyth UCU branch

Posted on by marcw

The motion titled: “A statement of solidarity with marginalised communities” was adopted by a quorate branch meeting on 16th September 2025

 

In the context of:

  • anti-immigrant and far-right mobilisation in the UK,
  • the demonisation of marginalised communities in public discourse,
  • the normalisation and promotion of populist ideas and policies that camouflage their xenophobic, racial, gender and sex based, identitarian, ethno-nationalist, conspiracy-laden origins and fundamentally regressive politics, narratives and values.

Aberystwyth UCU branch:

  • stand in solidarity with union members and other victims of such political rhetoric, structural and material violence that causes harm to others,
  • support the rights of freedom of expression and speech within the legal constraints designed to prevent harm to others,
  • believe encouraging others to commit acts of violence against individual human beings is incitement, not free speech,
  • acknowledge and support the efforts of multiple organisations, social movements and trade unions mobilising to freely express their own opposition to attempts to normalise and give political capital to the values and policies outlined above,
  • stand in opposition to the exclusionary Islamophobic and racist nationalism exemplified by “Unite the Kingdom” rally held on 13th September 2025.

Notice: Consultation responses to business cases

Posted on by marcw

Aberystwyth University trade unions have entered a period of ‘collective consultation’ and negotiation with the employer.

 

As part of the process unions will have access to responses to the consultation submitted by individual staff. This will be with personal information (e.g. names, or a comment based on someone’s personal circumstance, like a health issue) redacted. Union representatives only have access on the basis of maintaining confidentiality.

 

This will help unions to better understand the issues raised by staff, and ideas they may have proposed to address problems resulting from the proposals to restructure.

 

This post is also to notify members of UCU that as representatives of staff in the collective consultation individuals are welcome to send us direct a copy of their responses to or thoughts on a specific consultation. Please email ucustaff@aber.ac.uk if you wish to do this.

 

The more information we have the better placed we are to engage meaningfully in this collective consultation, to understand staff concerns and to negotiate on behalf of staff with the employer.

 

A Decade of Crisis – Dave Hitchcock

Posted on by marcw

This longer read will chime with many working in academia. It outlines how we have got here and how it feels to have worked in academia for the past decade.

It is also a useful insight for those outside it into why so many universities are in trouble right now and why, dear reader, you should care.

 

Dave Hitchcock is a Senior Lecturer in early modern British history at Canterbury Christ Church University and wrote this for History Workshop.

 

A Decade of Crisis

Solidarity to branches fighting for jobs

Posted on by marcw

Thousands of staff at campuses across the country are either in dispute and taking industrial action already or balloting to do so as a result of major cuts announced to staffing across the higher education sector over the last three or four months.

 

The Welsh and Scottish governments have announced modest support measures in recent weeks, but fundamentally the model for funding the training needs and research of the UK is broken. Government needs to act to Stop the Cuts.

 

Members can sign the UCU petition and find out more about the Stop the Cuts campaign here .

 

HE in Crisis

Posted on by marcw

Aberystwyth UCU Branch notes with dismay, but not surprise, the recent news from Bangor University and the University of South Wales regarding proposed redundancies. This follows news of course closures and job cuts at Cardiff University, the closure of the Lampeter campus of UWTSD, and job cuts to Swansea University and Cardiff Metropolitan announced last year.What Crisis?

 

There is a crisis in higher education funding in Wales and the UK more widely. Everyone recognises the funding model is simply broken, and has been for a long time. Yet a sector that generates billions of pounds in value to Wales (through research, direct spend locally, and the higher average salaries of graduate students) also has institution after institution announcing financial deficits, job cuts and need for making savings. Each institution is different but all are embedded in a system that is just not working as it should. … …

 

Click here to read the full statement 

 

 

@ucuaber.bsky.social – come on over

Posted on by marcw

 

“This account doesn’t exist“. That’s what you will find if you go to our Twitter page.

 

It’s a pain, but we could not in good conscience continue to provide revenue support for the owners and abusers of the social media platform.

 

We are merrily locatable on BlueSky – @ucuaber.bsky.social – which is smaller but actually seems to have greater reach amongst the academic community, just without the extreme levels of racist, misogynist, homophobic, transphobic and generally shouty rhetoric that has come to characterise Twitter in its billionaire playground phase.