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Third member email: Industrial Strategy and Equality, Health & Safety

Below is the third email I sent to all members of UCU as part of the General Secretary campaign, on the 13th of February. Dear members,Democratise - Organise - Unite In this email I focus on Industrial Strategy and Equality, Health and Safety. My full manifesto is available here: https://vickyblakeucu.uk/manifesto and the official UCU HQ … Continue reading Third member email: Industrial Strategy and Equality, Health & Safety

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Vicky Blake for General Secretary: campaign announcement

For a democratic, united, and organised UCU   I am running as an independent candidate in the upcoming General Secretary election. I have been an active UCU member since joining in 2009, serving in elected roles at every level of the union from casualised branch rep to UK President.  I’ve experienced the highs and lows of … Continue reading Vicky Blake for General Secretary: campaign announcement

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#TUC23 speech for motion C05: A tipping point in the climate emergency – we need to act now

[Time constraints at TUC 2023 meant that it was not possible for the chair to take speeches from several unions, for Composite Motion 5. The full text of the motion is here, and I am pleased to report it carried! Below is the text of the speech I would have given in the three minutes … Continue reading #TUC23 speech for motion C05: A tipping point in the climate emergency – we need to act now

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What next? Lessons from this year’s 4 Fights Campaign

With around six weeks remaining in our current mandate, and following UCEA's refusal to bring anything new to the table, UCU faces another in a long series of crunch points in our industrial dispute over pay and pay-related conditions. The most immediate choice is whether to reballot now, already significantly behind the timeline set by … Continue reading What next? Lessons from this year’s 4 Fights Campaign

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To Note, or Not to Note, What is the Question?

The 30 March special meeting of the UCU Higher Education Committee (HEC) agreed to initiate formal member consultation regarding the two disputes comprising the #ucuRISING campaign: USS and Four Fights (pay and pay related conditions). UCU emails and social media indicate this will begin from Tuesday 4 April (the day after we receive the results … Continue reading To Note, or Not to Note, What is the Question?

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What’s going on, and why did HEC vote against consultation on the disputes?

At the special HEC on Friday 17 March, I voted “against”, in response to the only two questions put to us [HEC results in brackets]: Question 1: Should the proposals agreed with UCEA and UUK relating to the USS and Four Fights disputes be put to UCU HE members in a formal consultation? [For: 19; Against: 22; … Continue reading What’s going on, and why did HEC vote against consultation on the disputes?