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  11. Reflecting on two-hour strikes ...and planning the next

Reflecting on two-hour strikes ...and planning the next

4 February 2014

UCU's short-duration strikes gave our branches invaluable experience in adapting ideas and seeing what works for their own membership and their own institutions. It's not always an easy form of action to take and it might be less comfortable and straightforward than one-day strikes, but the fact that it elicited a punitive response from a group of universities demonstrates that the employers can see its impact.

Many branches have really got behind this action with imaginative, high profile and morale boosting actions.  We've gathered together some of the positive actions and events that branches have told us about so that other branches and members can see what's going on around the country.

Protests:

At the University of Bath, on the day before the first two-hour strike, the branch plastered their corridors with posters and then on the morning of the strike a message went round calling members to a 'flash protest' outside a building where there have been staff cuts. On the second strike, the branch organised a general meeting and then led members to a protest in the senior management building and outside the vice chancellor's office.

Teach-ins and events:

At Southampton university, during the second two-hour strike, the branch organised a teach-in on a huge range of subjects, from industrial relations and unions, to management, equality and how running can help your state of mind. They also had musical interludes led by a ukelele player and printed out the words to Pete Seeger songs for a final singalong. Glasgow University UCU similarly organised a musical event for their second two-hour strike, Glasgow Caledonian University UCU organised a stand-up comedian to entertain strikers, while Sussex University UCU organised an outdoor film showing for their second two-hour strike.

Goldsmiths UCU organised a hugely successful teach-in that was aimed at building greater campaigning unity between students. The branch reported more than 200 staff and students in the teach-in. Keele University branch organised a teach-in which discussed the living wage and the impact of casualisation and the use of fixed-term contracts. Successful teach-ins/outs were also held at Birmingham university and at Kingston university.

Bigger picket lines:

Another very common and, for many, unexpected result of the switch to two-hour strikes was that many branches have seen more members on their picket lines than during one-day strikes. Cardiff University UCU organised picket lines for both days of the strike and reported more than usual on their picket lines. Northumbria University UCU similarly reported having 'many more' pickets on their lines than before. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine reported that their first strike saw 'record numbers' of UCU members on the picket lines and 'unprecedented levels' of student and external support. 

Strathclyde University UCU also reported 'more new faces' on their picket lines than they'd seen previously, while Middlesex University UCU also reported that their picket lines were better supported than usual and that there was support for the two-hour strike tactic from those present.

As we've reported here before, the move to two-hour strikes prompted one group of managements to take an extremely aggressive stance, attempting to bully the strikes out of existence by threatening to deduct a full day's pay. Under the threat of escalating action, a few of these employers changed their position, but at many more, our branches reported that their management's punitive response was helping to build support for the two-hour strikes.

Aberdeen University UCU reported that their management's punitive approach in attempting to deduct a day's pay resulted in their picket lines swelling for both days, and De Montfort and Nottingham Trent branches similarly reported that their management's approach had helped boost their picketing, which was solid over both days.

Inevitably, the national picture is highly varied but the two-hour strikes have really taken off in many places. We wanted to share these reports with our members and our branches so that wherever you are, you know the kind of things that are going on around the country the next time you walk out for a two-hour strike.

 

Last updated: 9 January 2018