Our eight days of strike action last term revealed a level of frustration among many groups of staff about their own conditions at work. Colleagues shared experiences on the picket line and discovered they were not alone. Our strike action over USS pensions was concurrent with strike action over pay, contract insecurity (‘casualisation’), workload and…
This is a formal calling notice for an Extraordinary General Meeting of UCL UCU which will be held on Thursday 16 January from 13:00-14:00 at Cruciform LT2, Gower Street which is an accessible venue. In addition to matters of local concern the meeting will be an opportunity to discuss our on-going disputes around the USS and pay, casualisation,…
Seasonal greetings from your Executive Committee! The national strike action over pensions, pay, casualisation, workload and pay inequality dominated the term. Following the announcement of the vote, over 120 members attended a general meeting to organise for the strike. We saw hundreds more on picket lines, at meetings, teach-outs and demonstrations throughout the eight strike…
Campus was once again very quiet until picketing concluded at 10:30 in time for a protest at the main entrance to UCL. We were joined by striking cleaners, porters and security staff organised by the IWGB. A joint protest march of over 500 staff took us to the HQ of UCEA and UUK (Woburn Place)…
It falls to me to relay the sad news that Dave Guppy, past Vice President of UCL AUT* and a current UCU-appointed trustee of USS, has died suddenly of a suspected heart attack. Dave was a member of IT support before it became known as “ISD” (a label he despised), a forthright member of academic…
Day 7 Brief Report: Members braved the continuing cold weather again today. There was determined picketing across the majority of central UCL sites. Again, several departments closed due to staff staying at home to strike. Since the beginning of our action, on top of the 30,000 leaflets plus mentioned yesterday, we have distributed around 15,000…
Day 6 Brief Report: Picketing continued across the majority of central UCL sites. Since the beginning of our action we have distributed ~30,000 leaflets to staff and students across the UCL campus, including a locally-designed leaflet to encourage student support. Campus was extremely quiet yesterday morning. Thanks to the many members who are striking at…
Day 5: brief report Picketing continued across the majority of central UCL sites, including some new sites where colleagues raised the profile of our campaigns very effectively. Indeed, we would observe that more pickets were out on Friday than previous days. The prospect of the demonstration on Friday, which was open to students to participate…
Day 4: brief report Picketing continued across the majority of central UCL sites and campus was noticeably quiet. Many departments are organising Teach-Outs that are proving popular with staff and students. Day 5: Friday 29 November March for Pensions, Pay & PlanetAssemble 11am at Malet PlaceMarch at 12 noon to WestminsterRally at 2pm in Westminster Central…
Dear UCL-UCU colleague Day 3: brief report Despite forecasts of heavy rain, day 3 of the national HE strike saw solid pickets around UCL on many entrances. The Gower St site was extremely quiet. Students are increasingly staying away realising that there are no lectures taking place. Elsewhere, there were large pickets at Malet Place….
