Aberystwyth Union’s in solidarity
United – members of the UCU, NEU and PCS unions marched in numbers through Aberystwyth
It was windy. And there were a lot of us.
Covered in full in the Cambrian News here
The rally revealed our shared concerns and hardships over:
- the long term devaluing of our sectors and skills,
- high attrition rates of younger staff from our sectors,
- the struggle felt in encouraging these careers to new entrants,
- institutional reliance on goodwill to deliver our contracts,
- our unsustainable workloads and the increasingly complex demands of our labour,
- and the very real and immediate impact of inflation and precarious employment on less well reimbursed, junior and part-time staff (with associated differential equality impacts)
This is what our fight is about. Solidarity. And pushing for change for the better.
Rollicking Rally
There are seven trades unions taking industrial action across the country on Wednesday 1st Feb.
Many of them will be meeting up at 11.45am at the University entrance and marching to a rally at St. Paul’s Methodist Centre at 12.30.
Whether you are in UCU, another union or just feel a need to show support for public sector workers come and join us.
Statement from Ben Lake MP
Statement of support for Aber UCU action from Ben Lake MP – 31/01/23
I stand in unity with all UCU, NEU and PCS members who are striking today. We know that the disputes that have prompted this industrial action are longstanding.
Long before the current cost-of-living crisis university staff had suffered prolonged degradation of their pay and working conditions, and a decade of austerity has inflicted similar strains on all public services.
We know that pay for those working in higher education has fallen behind inflation by over 25% since 2009, pensions have been slashed, and over the same period workloads have risen. The same is true for those working in education and public services.
I believe UCU’s demands in its dispute are reasonable, realistic, and affordable – they are the least our university staff deserve. Decent pay rises, an end to insecure employment and fair pensions can and should be delivered.
The same is true of the action taken by NEU and PCS members, and with this in mind it is important to note that today’s strike action coincides with the TUC’s ‘protect the right to strike’ day. Union members across the UK are protesting against the UK Government’s plans to introduce strict anti-strike measures through parliament.
The right to strike is a fundamental right, and I strongly oppose the Government’s attempt to curtail the rights of workers. It is preposterous for the Government to talk about minimum service levels when a decade of austerity has undermined our public services terribly, leaving them falling apart at the seams. I will continue to oppose this deeply damaging legislation and will keep standing up for the rights of our keyworkers.
I am proud to show my support today for all workers taking action to defend their pay and conditions; to defend our public services and the higher education sector; and to protect the fundamental right to strike.
Strike Dates Announced
UCU have announced the date for industrial action over February and March 2023.
“70,000 UCU members will walk out.
The full dates of strike action are:
- Week 1 – Wednesday 1 February
- Week 2 – Thursday 9 and Friday 10 February
- Week 3 – Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 February
- Week 4 – Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 February
- Week 5 – Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 March
- [No action week commencing Monday 6 March]
- Week 6 – Thursday 16 and Friday 17 March
- Week 7 – Monday 20, Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 March
If the action goes ahead, it will be the biggest series of strikes ever to hit UK university campuses.”
Note the ‘IF’ in that quote.
Our hope is that action will not be necessary and the UK universities will make some more realistic proposals on pensions, workload, contracts, inequality in the sector and pay.
None of us want to disrupt the education of our students, or our important research and work in our communities. But many of us need to see meaningful change in our working environment if we are to be able to continue providing these things.
It’s not all …
… standing around discussing Marx and the proletarian revolution (or whatever bete noir the Daily Mail have concocted for the day). In fact might have missed that bit. It seemed more a case of standing around waving placards for every car horn blast, having good chats, good fun and (very) good cake!
Aber UCU consultation
Merry New Year. There is a “Branch Delegates Meeting” on 10th Jan to seek views from branches about next steps in the campaign to secure improved working conditions, pay and pensions review for HE staff.
Members will receive a short survey shortly to canvas views on the proposals re: future strike action, marking and assessment boycott and reballoting for industrial action to continue from April.
Keep an eye on your emails!