The #UCU election results are quite good overall. We could use more good people running. The turnout, unsurprisingly was worse than the baseline though I’m gonna have to dig out all the numbers again. However having @markpe as chair of HEC is a relief for me.

Delighted to announce I have been elected UCU Vice President from the FE sector. I am honoured by all those who voted for me and endlessly thankful to everyone who supported my campaign. I pledge to listen to members and fight for our sector with fierce energy and integrity. Let's do this 💪

If you're a USS member of @ucu.org.uk , then you've probably heard some talk of Conditional Indexation. It'll likely be on the agenda at this year's HE Sector Conference, and I've written a very basic primer for anyone that's interested. open.substack.com/pub/dyfrigjo...

What else is there to say but: these people were warned and warned and warned again about this, going back well over ten years and further, and their constant response was: absolutely fuck you, you are all idiots and we are the smart, Sensible people whom understand what the public like and want.

I've voted in #ucu elections, have you? Last chance to post your ballot! If you'd like a better UCU (the one we have is sometimes pretty dreadful), please vote for @markpendleton.bsky.social @suzitoole.bsky.social and the list here: ucucommons.org/who-else-sho...

It’s not all elections at #ucu. This afternoon I’m joining the induction for the new Congress Business Committee, the elected body that determines how our annual congress runs. This year it will be in Harrogate at the end of May. Congress is our peak democratic body, but how democratic is it?

For the Monday morning folk: I’ll be skeeting my answers to the #ucu VP hustings each day this week. Intro comments out yesterday and now the first member-submitted question (and my shortest answer at 42 seconds): “What political parties, if any, are you a member of?”

Darn gwych am gyfieithu ar y pryd

I went along to the Certification Office today, so you didn’t have to. A brief update on McGaughey and Blake vs UCU dyfrigjones.substack.com/p/brief-repo...

I’m really proud of Bangor University students today. Very much in the spirit of Penrhyndeudraeth lad Bertrand Russell, when he said that “nothing fruitful or sincere could ever emerge from an association between us”, when invited to debate Oswald Mosley.

Excellent as always from @markpendleton.bsky.social I just posted my ballot voting for @markpendleton.bsky.social @suzitoole.bsky.social and the entire @ucucommons.org slate!

“ I want to live in Dubai” said nobody ever

Excellent piece on casualisation from @hagenilda.bsky.social cdbu.org.uk/our-employer...

📅 24 February marks 4 years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Four years of resistance. Four years of solidarity. But the fight for justice isn’t over. 🧵⬇️

I really did intend to read all the election addresses, but then decided not to bother and used the @ucucommons.org cheat sheet (below) instead. Apologies to my fellow candidates, and good luck!

A huge turnout of staff, students and community members against the proposed closure of the Uni of Essex campus in Southend. Thanks to @ucuessex.bsky.social for the invitation to speak about what’s happening at Sheffield - your fight is our fight! And solidarity for your picket lines next week!

This is so grim and it happening under a so-called Labour government is unforgivable www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Just published this - UCU belongs to its members - these elections matter! Please use your vote in the upcoming union election. michaelabberton.medium.com/ucu-belongs-...

My ballot papers just arrived for the @ucu.org.uk NEC and VP elections. I’ll be voting for @markpendleton.bsky.social and @suzitoole.bsky.social for the Vice Presidential posts, as well as the candidates on this slate: campaignforucudemocracy.com/2025/11/26/2...

Wedi mwynhau cyfrannu at Y Sgwrs Fawr am ddyfodol darlledu cyhoeddus ar bodlediad Andy Bell. Linc isod:

Today’s start of LGBT+ history month is a great time to focus on and recommit to the important work UCU does to advance LGBTQ+ and wider equality. My contributions to that have led to endorsement from the chairs of all five of UCU’s equality committees. Thank you. ucucommons.org/endorsements/

From this Friday, #ucu members will receive ballot papers for this year’s elections. I am running for election as Vice-President (Higher Education), to become President in 2029–30. Read why below and at ucucommons.org/mark4vp/ I also support @suzitoole.bsky.social for VP (Further Education).

From Friday 30th of Jan, you will receive ballot papers for this year’s UCU elections. I am standing for election as Vice-President (Further Education) of #UCU and am asking for your vote. Find out more about me and the candidates I support at suzitooleforvp.com I hope I can count on your support

📣Education International sends a strong message to #Palestinian educators after a delegation of education leaders from 15 countries was detained and interrogated for hours. ‼️Attempts to intimidate, isolate, or silence educators will only strengthen our collective determination and solidarity.

📅 Holocaust Memorial Day 2026 Join our webinar on Tue 27 Jan, 13:00- 14:00 (Zoom) with Prof Eve Rosenhaft from the University of Liverpool. We will outline what we know about the genocide of Europe’s Roma, the gaps that remain, and its lessons and legacies today. us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

UCU - Write to your MP: Defending university staff pensions www.ucu.org.uk/DefendUniver...

BBC report at a headline level that Grok will now not make sexually exploitative images any more. An actual reporter comes on and explains that it will do no such thing, and will just make the images invisible in the UK. These are two very, very different things.

We've written a motion to open up the nomination process to UCU's advisory equality standing committees, which is long overdue. This would bring it in line with that for our decision-making NEC. More details of the process and our reasons at the link. #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/rule-change-...

UCU members are on strike today in 25 colleges across the UK. Their starting salaries are just above minimum wage and well below their equivalents in schools and 6th form colleges. This has to change. Let our members know you back them.

I love an end-of-year list, so will inflict mine on all of you. Some film, mainly TV, a bit of music and a book that I’ve enjoyed in 2025.

England's Long Reformation finally reaches its end as Paddington becomes its St Peter for all who enter the afterlife.

Me: I don’t see the appeal of boxing TV: OK but what if it’s professional boxers savagely brutalizing influencers Me:

Daniel Gwydion Williams, of Swansea University, has set down some really eloquent thoughts about the marginalisation of critical voices in the humanities, and academia generally. Shared here with his permission. #ukhe #ucu #highereducation #humanities

Some thoughts on today’s Welsh poll results, what they may (or may not) mean for UK Labour.

Worth bearing in mind that under the new electoral system for the Senedd, you need more than 12% or so of the votes to start getting seats. I bet nobody at Labour HQ thought they’d be struggling to make that. Starmer looks set to be the Labour leader that ‘lost Wales’.

NEW on Wonkhe: This week’s card from Hugh Jones’ postbag tells of some entirely Normal episodes buff.ly/dxNbFGs

Initial thoughts on a HE car-crash: first proper post on my Substack. Part 1 of a million, probably, where I get very annoyed about bad decisions taken by UCU.

When I was elected VP of UCU I promised myself I'd do more to communicate with union members. It hasn't worked out so far, but to try and remedy that I've set up a Substack newsletter. First post below: open.substack.com/pub/dyfrigjo...

I’m not a member of UCU Commons, but I agree wholeheartedly with what is said in this blog. Will try and put some of my own thoughts down on paper over the next few days.

Been a while since the pink beanie came out. Sheffield pickets here we come. Our message to management is simple: No redundancies. Stop the incessant restructures. Listen to your staff. There is no University of Sheffield without us.

Wales generally has a left of centre political identity. This is how Caerphilly voted. Reform may win a lot of seats in Wales, but it will be so hard for them to ever form a Government as most ppl don't agree with them. This is why proportional systems are so much better.

Well, that's the lesson for Labour in tonight's Caerphilly by-election: keep obsessing about losing votes on the right, placating Reform voters...and lose votes on to the left. Here, Plaid Cymru benefitted. I wrote about Labour's strategic dilemma here: www.opendemocracy.net/en/labour-st...

Dwi’n argymell cylchlythyr Will Hayward yn gryf iawn. Rhifyn da iawn bora ‘ma, sy’n cynnwys y graffeg pwysig yma. Mae ‘na fwyafrif blaengar yng Nghaerffili, ac mae hynny’n wir am weddill Cymru hefyd, dybia i.

Learn a Welsh word: Gobaith Feeling a lot of joy after the Caerffili by-election result. medium.com/@DyfrigJones...

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Plaid Cymru WIN Caerphilly 💚 Plaid Cymru yn ENNILL Caerffili. Llongyfarchiadau Lindsay Whittle - the new Member of the Senedd for Caerphilly. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

One of the things I love about In Our Time is that I can both listen to it properly, and also use it as sleep ASMR.

This just isn’t true. Not only is refusing to teach a significant disruption, it also has a financial cost. When @newcastleucu.bsky.social took action this year, the university paid out £2.4m in compensation to students.

With just over a week to go until the ballot opens, @dyfrigjones.bsky.social had a message to UCU higher education members at last night’s Live. Speak to as many people as possible, speak to your branch, speak to colleagues, get the message out there. Vote early. Vote YES #WeAreTheUniversity