Bristol’s experience also shows how restructures can centralise power, blur accountability and quietly shift admin work from Professional Services staff onto academics already at capacity. The promised gains in agility and collaboration have largely not materialised in lived experience. 4/4

Thanks to our speakers from the affected areas, Leicester and District Trades Union Council, and the UCU president Maria Chondrogianni and everyone who joined us today at the Festival of Solidarity!

Thank you @chondrogianni.bsky.social for speaking @leicesterucu.bsky.social Festival of Solidarity where we celebrated our unity in fighting job cuts.

Tomorrow!

Huge thanks to @samfr.bsky.social for writing this great piece on the crisis in UK unis. But the process of disintegration is far, far, too advanced for anything other than a salvage job. Even if we slammed the brakes on now it'd take 2-3 years just to stop. (1/4) observer.co.uk/news/columni...

The situation for staff in UK universities has worsened since the 2024/25 data (see @qmucu.bsky.social's List of Dread: qmucu.org/qmul-transfo...), so join the union and look out for each other, because individuals can't address this problem on their own. 3/3 manyheadedmonster.com/2026/04/23/h...

Program is coming together nicely. If you’re in Leicester do come and join us - all supporters of our struggle welcome!

2/5

Reduce Your UCU Subscription Cost by Claiming Tax Relief As we’ve entered a new tax year, it’s a great time to remind #UCU members that you may be able to reduce the cost of your union subscription by claiming tax relief from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). Click the link for more details.

Thanks for this powerful piece. Worth adding that the consultancies' cut-and-paste prescriptions always fall hardest on professional serviced colleagues: www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-un...

Academic staff at Coventry University are being TUPEd into subsidiary People’s Futures Ltd, listed on Companies House as an “employment agency”. This move onto inferior terms & conditions breaches the post-92 National Agreement and raises serious questions about the future of academics in HE.

Well that's it: Film Studies and Modern Languages programmes to close at Leicester Uni. Sad and wrong. Every day, the UK becomes a little less outward looking.

🚨 FIFTH consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨 🔥 Two week ballot window 🔥 75% turnout 🔥 73% YES to strike action 🔥 81% YES to ASOS Our members will not tolerate victimisation and won’t be intimidated. UCU staff are not the enemy. It’s beyond time for the GS to talk to us. #HandsOffMarie

All members are invited to our General Meeting next Wednesday, followed by a protest outside Senate at 1pm; on Wednesday, Senior Management will ask Senate to recommend the closure of Modern Languages and Film Studies.

📣 Unite UCU TU Victimisation Strike Rally ⏰ Weds 18 February @ 7pm 📍 In-person: Mechanics’ Institute, Manchester 💻 Online access: unitetheunion-org.zoom.us/j/9198478678... Everyone welcome ✊✊✊

Will be glued to Keith’s updates for the next few days!

There’s so much at stake right now.

The fact that my trade union is facing allegations of trade union victimisation against its own workers is so deeply sickening that I find it difficult to put into words. Please read and share this excellent thread and support Unite-UCU in their battle for the sort of treatment UCU demands for us.

We did it! It was a challenge to get the vote out while juggling teaching workload and supporting individual and collective consultation meetings.

HE disputes aren’t isolated – they’re everywhere. Right now members are fighting redundancies, pensions attacks and worse at Solent, London Met, Durham, Strathclyde, Aberdeen, Heriot-Watt, Leicester, Stirling and more. Our struggles are linked – and so is our solidarity.

Last few days. Post your ballot before it’s too late.

The HSE has issued the University with an enforcement notice over work-related stress, citing breaches of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The University must now improve its stress policy and risk assessments in consultation with staff and unions.

So very true. Grim times in Higher Education. @leicesterucu.bsky.social is right in the middle of this battle. Currently reballoting to extend our mandate for action because it will not end and we will not give up!

Your vote is important for our fight!

USS has now agreed to adopt UCU’s proposed three‑leg valuation framework for 2026 – putting best‑estimate assumptions centre stage, making prudence more transparent, and prioritising contribution stability. ​ www.ucu.org.uk/artic... 1/3

Staff ,supporters and students gathered outside Firth Court today in solidarity with colleagues locked out and facing withheld pay after lawful strike action at @sheffielducu Punishment is not negotiation. ✊

We’re plenty busy when we’re not fighting redundancies. Never realised how much my union does for the branch until I got more involved.

Solidarity to @sheffielducu.bsky.social whose management are displaying shocking behaviour. Ashamed of my alma mater.

Academic and professional services staff are facing similar pressures: shrinking teams, rising workloads, and stress. Campus unions are united in pushing for real change, not box‑ticking. uobunison.org.uk/wor... #UoBStressBreach

Tomorrow marks Day 28 of @leicesterucu.bsky.social strike in a bitter fight to save academic and professional services jobs. We know that if we don’t succeed, already high workloads will explode. Members post your ballot to extend our mandate!

Ballot’s in the post!

Ballot has opened! And don’t forget to tell us that you have voted by clicking on the link in the email you received ✅

The weather did not stop today's pickets, teach-out on solidarity, and student march! Thanks to our speakers and everyone who joined us. See you all tomorrow at 11!

Leicester UCU is back on the pickets on Thursday, 11-2pm: Join us at 1.30 near the library for a stellar teach-out on solidarity!

New year new redundancy announcements 🤬

Sir Nishan? Many of our members are shocked our VC is to be knighted during a grueling redundancy programme, with more consultations announced today! Only two months ago, 1,022 university members participated in a confidence vote and overwhelmingly voted ‘no confidence’ in him.

Sheffield management have withdrawn their threat of a lockout for w/c 5 Jan to facilitate further discussions with our excellent @sheffielducu.bsky.social negotiators. Massive thanks to the ucu team, and to everyone for having our backs. It’s not over yet, but maybe there’s a path to get there!

Shocking escalation from management. It seems university managers are now in competition to see who can come up with the most punitive action. No consideration of future industrial relations. Solidarity from @leicesterucu.bsky.social Stand firm ✊

VC loses confidence vote:

Indicative ballot will close soon: vote now!

Our vote of no confidence closes TOMORROW. You are still on time to vote here: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/Universit...

We've just voted to support @leicesterucu.bsky.social's Fighting Fund with another almost unanimous vote. #StrongerTogether

Not reposting in agreement with the 10 principles (I disagree strongly on several), but because it's the 1st open, comprehensive agenda responding to post-16 White Paper (and the obvious direction of travel in DSIT/UKRI) I've seen from a sitting VC. Principle 2, subject provision, merits more. 1/6

Remember to vote in the national ballot! If you did not receive it, order your replacement ballot here: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/wearetheu.... The replacement request form closes TOMORROW.

Outrageous!

University of Leicester chemistry department could lose at least nine staff under merger proposals www.chemistryworld.com/university-o...

"[...] the more impossible it becomes to make that kind of choice, the smaller the space for learning for the joy of it becomes … well, then, it will eventually only be for the elite. Modern language degrees will be the domain of the rich." www.theguardian.com/education/20...

What a way to end our fifth strike week of the academic year! Back to the office on Monday but the fight goes on to stop subject closures and job cuts.

I echo this call @leicesterucu.bsky.social members we need you to post your ballot paper as well as voting in our indicative e-ballot for our local dispute. We need to fight on all fronts ✊

Join us on the VICTORIA PARK ENTRANCE picket for the last day of our 5 weeks of strikes. A packed schedule with the chemistry subject showcase at 10.30 and Robyn Orfitelli's solidarity speech at 10.50!