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Sheffield management have withdrawn their threat of a lockout for w/c 5 Jan to facilitate further discussions with our excellent @sheffielducu.bsky.social negotiators.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!

Week 5 picket activities programme. Picket times: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 9am Tuesday, Thursday: 11am

Fears for future of students and lecturers as Universities make cuts | @itvcentral.bsky.social (East) youtu.be/iJCHq2tRKf4

Industrial action works. Well done colleagues at Nottingham. As for us, we carry on @leicesterucu.bsky.social

University workers stand together for better pay!

No university is immune to the devastating trend sweeping the sector! Return your ballot to show Vice Chancellors that #WeAreTheUniversity!

DMU UCU is proud to stand with our colleagues at @leicesterucu.bsky.social

@leicesterchem.bsky.social dream team taking a stand ✊ Some of these fine minds are directly in the firing line! ☠️ 🪓 saveleicesteruni.com

Please come and march alongside us tomorrow in the national demonstration called by @ucu.org.uk. We will be on the pickets 9-10.30, and assemble for the demonstration in De Montfort Square at 11. All welcome!

Back on the pickets for week 4 of our strike action!

These are *extraordinary*! Amidst the awfulness, your excellence continues to shine.

Exhausted after three days of collective consultation meetings. Hoping lots of people can join us protest school closures and mergers* and centralising professional services which will all result in job losses and a diminished university.

STRIKE RESUMES ON MONDAY!!! On November 10th, we will commence with another 4 weeks of strikes. And we're kicking things off with a picket at the West Entrance of University Park. (Photo by @tregenza.bsky.social).

Next Saturday (8/11) at 9 AM, we will honour our dearly missed colleague Agnes Flues with our annual park run in Wollaton Hall. Arrive in time to volunteer, participate, or spectate, and please wear UCU colours (pink and purple) in remembrance of Agnes! www.parkrun.org.uk/wollatonhall/

UCU (@ucu.org.uk) has called a national demonstration against the planned redundancies at the University of Leicester. Please come and march alongside us in Leicester on 12 November. All welcome!

Today colleagues across 5 academic and 1 Professional Services area were informed that their redundancy consultation process starts next week. Spare a thought for all these people who will spend the next 4 months in limbo. Our fight continues and we will be out on strike again from 10 November

We need to combine our local fight @leicesterucu.bsky.social with our national fight @ucu.org.uk for maximum impact.

"It is in this random way that the universe is returned to its benign and hopeful axis, a reminder that you never know who you will meet on a picket line and how much that will mean. " New blog post from a colleague in the School of Business: www.survivingwork.org/surviving-wo...

Universities would not function without support staff. A 1.4% pay offer is an insult to their hard work and dedication. All staff deserve better than a real-terms pay cut. The UNISON pay ballot for industrial action opens TODAY. VOTE YES for industrial action. #fundourfuture #fundourpay

Very proud of my UCU branch for its 15 days of strike action! We stand firm and are planning for further action to force Leicester University to retreat from job cuts. Watch this space for details of a national demonstration in Leicester on 12 November.

Week 3, day 5: Last day of our three week strike. We were joined by Red Leicester choir and staff and students worked on their percussion skills. Back to the office on Monday but our fight against job cuts and course closures continues.

HR departments are finishing their calculations of the harm done by Clearing, it seems… This is completely unsustainable; we can’t drastically adjust our staffing every single autumn in response to the volatility of the recruitment cycle. #SaveHE #UKHE qmucu.org/qmul-transfo...

Thank you to everyone who came to our vigil. It was an incredible display of support. Thank you also to City of Leicester UNISON and York St John UCU, the latest of many Union branches to donate and send messages of solidarity.