We will fund members to go to National Demonstration – Solidarity with Newcastle UCU

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We have agreed funding to send up to 10 members to the National Stop the Cuts! Demonstration in Newcastle called by the Newcastle UCU branch and supported by UCU HQ.

UCU is encouraging all members to attend the demonstration. 

National Stop the Cuts! Demonstration, Newcastle 
Wednesday 11 June, 12.30pm
Assemble at Newcastle Civic Centre, NE1 8QH
Followed by a March to Monument for a rally at 2pm

The demonstration and rally will also be live-streamed by UCU.

Your branch committee has agreed to fund a delegation of members to attend in-person. 

If you are interested in attending:

  • Please check train ticket prices and email ucu@ucl.ac.uk by 5pm on Monday 9 June so we can confirm what we can support, and,
  • If you are working on 11 June you will need to book a day’s annual leave!

Note. Please look at 2 single tickets on booked trains. If more than 10 members want to go we will split the costs. The last train that will arrive in Newcastle in time leaves Kings Cross at 9am.

Background

The latest news from Newcastle is that management are refusing to back down from making compulsory redundancies despite nearly reaching their savings target via voluntary means. The university is not in financial difficulties: having just opened a new medical campus in Malaysia! 

These redundancies are being made by choice.

This playbook – of holding out to make unnecessary compulsory redundancies – echoes the University of Brighton dispute two years ago. It is worth noting that the Newcastle VC, Chris Day, is the Chair of the Russell Group. The MP for Sunderland is Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education. 

With employers threatening widespread redundancies next academic year, Newcastle UCU is on the front line in defence of Higher Education.

The branch has now voted to take 30 more days (6 weeks) of strike action targeted on preventing marking being completed. 

Members are also encouraged to sign this petition to end unnecessary redundancies at Newcastle University.

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