|
|
|
Website URL : http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2487
||
 Campaign update: 4 June 2010UCU: A day in the Life | ignorance accusation | USS ballot | Manchester College | Westminster boycotters | College of North West London | Middlesex philiosophy | two-year degrees | education cuts | Gaza flotilla protest Dear all, In this week's campaign update:
A day in the life: this is what UCU doesUCU Congress saw the launch of our short film 'A day in the life of UCU'. It's a moving account of how the valuable work our members do changes lives and performs a crucial role in society. With contributions from members across the country as well as some of their students the film showcases the fantastic work tertiary education professionals do and shows why UCU plays a vital role in defending and developing learning in Britain. See the film here. United for Education – SIGN THE PETITIONA reminder to every member to sign and circulate the new "United for Education" petition. Bringing together UCU with NUS, EIS, ATL, UNISON, Unite and GMB, "United for Education" aims to be a vehicle for uniting the entire further and higher education sector to call on the new government to stop the cuts. You can find an online petition here. Read more about United for Education unitedforeducation.org.uk. REMINDER: day of Action on 21 June. Contact your branch to find out what they are planning. Congress highlight: UCU accuses government of promoting ignorance over educationUCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, told delegates that the new coalition's appetite for a policy of ignorance over education risks betraying an entire generation and preserving education for the wealthy. In a scathing attack on both components of the new government she said: "It seems that education and learning are out of political fashion. What kind of government would want to cut colleges and universities by £1.5bn while proposing to give £8 billion pounds of tax giveaways to big business?" Sally's defence of further and higher education featured heavily in the media. Sally was interviewed on a number of BBC outlets, including the Today Programme here. Read more here: Government promoting ignorance over education, UCU leader will say and in the Times Higher and on the BBC. Consultative ballot delivers record vote against 'two-tier' pension plansUCU members have voted overwhelmingly against the employers' plans to attack the USS pension scheme. With a turnout of more than 60%, a staggering 96% of voters rejected the employers proposals to implement a two tier pension scheme and shift the weight of contributions more onto employees. 97% of voters also endorsed UCU's alternative proposals for a cost sharing settlement that preserved the final salary benefit structure. In a letter in this week's Times Higher, Sally Hunt called on employers to clear there diaries for urgent talks. Read more here: UCU consultation delivers record vote against 'two-tier' pension plans. You can read Sally Hunt's letter to the Times Higher. UCU head of higher education, Michael MacNeil spoke about the result on BBC Radio 4 news – (22 minutes in) Manchester College accused of bringing 'embarrassment to city' as members ballot for actionWith members voting on whether to take industrial action over the imposition of inferior contracts, UCU accused Manchester College of 'bringing embarrassment to the city'. Congress delegates heard how the college was putting the education of thousands of learners in jeopardy as it looks to make hundreds of job cuts and to force staff on to inferior contracts. UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: "UCU members love Manchester and have been given a very warm welcome as ever. However, the Manchester College has succeeded in bringing embarrassment to a city which has a very proud reputation when it comes to education." Read more here: Manchester College accused of bringing 'embarrassment to city' Dig deep for Westminster boycottersA reminder that UCU members at Westminster University need your solidarity and support. UCU members at the University of Westminster have been observing an assessment boycott since the 21st of May as part of their fight against cuts to over 200 jobs at the institution. Management at the University of Westminster have said that they will dock 50% of members pay for days affected by the boycott, and have been applying pressure on individual members of staff to hand in marks. UCU Congress voted last week to fully support the branch's fight to save jobs and campaign against threats to the national contract (see Congress motion here). **WHAT YOU CAN DO**: Send messages of support to jstephens@ucu.org.uk and donate to the Westminster UCU strike fund: Bank: Unity Trust Bank, Sort code: 08-06-01, Account number: 20131946, Account name: UCU University of Westminster Branch Support College of North West London UCUUCU members at College of North West London are facing a new attack on their terms and conditions as management tries to alter their contracts. With an outstanding dispute over redundancies and contracts, members will be voting at a general meeting on whether to return to strike action. Please send messages of support to indro.sen@cnwl.ac.uk UCU backs campaign to save Philosophy at MiddlesexUCU members at Middlesex have voted to go into dispute with their management following the suspension of three professors in Philosophy and the breakdown of negotiations over the future of the university's Philosophy programmes. The three were suspended as a 'precaution', apparently without specific allegation while the university investigates the recent student occupation. The suspensions prevent the three from talking to staff or students or attending their own branch meeting. The branch won support from UCU Congress for its position and branches are urged to send messages of support to jwhite@ucu.org.uk and we will pass them on. Remember to sign the petition, if you have not already done so. Two-year degrees will lead to 'education on the cheap', says UCUUCU warned on Sunday that plans for two-year 'fast-track' degrees would damage the reputation of UK degrees and would lead to 'education being delivered on the cheap'. Members at UCU's annual congress voted against the introduction of the degrees saying they would massively increase the workload of staff and reduce the amount of time they could spend carrying out research. Read more here: UCU says two-year degrees would lead to 'education on the cheap'. The story was picked up by the BBC and The Telegraph. Education cuts will 'leave behind a generation of learners' warns UCUUCU this week welcomed comments from the business secretary, Vince Cable, about the importance of adult learning but warned that planned cuts to further and higher education would leave behind a 'generation of learners'. In a speech to the Cass Business School, Vince Cable said that his mother had been rescued from a nervous breakdown through taking adult education courses and the union said that unless funding cuts were reversed others would be denied the same chance. Read more here: Education cuts will 'leave behind a generation of learners' warns UCU and on the BBC. Gaza flotilla attack protestA protest over last weekend's attack on the Gaza flotilla, in which at least nine aid activists were killed, will assemble tomorrow (Saturday), at 1:30pm outside Downing Street. The national demonstration which has been called by a range of organisations including Stop The War Coalition and CND, to which UCU is affiliated, will include speakers now returned from the flotilla. A pdf leaflet can be downloaded here. Justine Stephens |
|
|
|
![[image depicting] UCU - University and College Union logo](./images/common/toplogo.gif "UCU - University and College Union's Logo")
