Instead of evidence-based policy, we get ignorance-based policy. Deeply disappointing. We hope Councils follow South Cambs example and ignore Reed’s heavy-handed (but ultimately impotent) rhetoric.

Congratulations to Andrea Egan on her election as the General Secretary of @unison.org.uk! ✊🏾 Looking forward to keeping up our joint fight for workers and quality, accessible public services - together, we're stronger!

We’ve been sat on this for a while but I can confirm that our ballots over the 2025/26 national pay offer at both RNCM and Manchester Met were successful and we now have a mandate to take strike action.

From today's copy of The Times. A gentle reminder that our employer's wanted to offer us a 1% pay rise this year and finally settled on 1.4%

If this was happening in any other sector of the economy there would be uproar (and rightly so). The phrase "managed decline" comes to mind.

Today marks the end of our strike ballot over the 2025/26 pay offer. While we don't know the results yet I'd just like to say thank you to all reps, officers, activists and members of our branch and beyond in making the campaign happen and getting the vote out!

Labour promised us day 1 rights and workers deserve day 1 rights! Support the campaign.

It's not *just* academics and students (two groups that Starmer's Labour despise and see as undesirable) who populate universities. They employ vast work forces! There are administrators, cleaners, cafeteria staff, gardeners, post workers, builders all dependent on their university remaining open.

Obviously this government are wantonly reckless and idiotic and their treatment of universities, and see this as a disciplining of an out of touch elite. But what all of this unwillingness to intervene means is that a critical industry will collapse and a lot of ordinary people will be unemployed.

This is the data that everyone in our sector needs to see. This is what our unions should be shouting from the rooftops. HE workers thousands of pounds worse off than we were 17 years ago.

It’s Financial Wellbeing Week! 💜 UNISON members can join free online sessions to boost confidence with money, pensions, budgeting + more. 🗓️ 10–14 Nov 💻 MS Teams / Zoom 🔗 buff.ly/ZFyH6Vw

The conflation of everything under the meaningless and demeaning banner of "reward" is both deceitful and wrong. No worker should not have to choose between decent pay now or decent pensions later.

We won't back down - we will fight @rockstargames.com & @taketwointeractive.bsky.social for our members' reinstatement. No one should be fired for union activity. You can support our campaign here: actionnetwork.org/fundraising/...

Posting my YES vote for strike action as part of UNISON in Higher Education’s national pay campaign - this year’s dismal 1.4% pay ‘rise’ is the latest in a long line of real terms pay cuts. We deserve so much better. Fund our future! Fund our pay! @unisonmmu.bsky.social @unisoninhe.bsky.social

Never underestimate the length bosses will go to not to treat workers with respect and dignity.

@unison.org.uk and @ucu.org.uk working together to get the vote out! Please share widely.

I’ve got a good feeling about this

Our (slightly droopy) banner at the back there as a delegation from the branch committee visited striking UCU workers at INTO Manchester fighting against a 2% pay offer from their employer, well behind the rate of inflation. INTO are a private education provider who last year made £20million profit

Our chair has posted his ballot have you posted yours? Get it done ASAP and begin the fight back against real terms pay cuts.

A 1.4% pay offer for Higher Education workers is an insult after nearly two decades of below inflation offers. UNISON’s ballot for strike action opened Monday 20 Oct and will run until Friday 28 Nov. We urge all members to vote YES for strike action and to get their ballots returned ASAP!

I've just voted #YES for the #WeAreTheUniversity @ucu.org.uk campaign. In conjunction with @uniteucu.bsky.social, @unison.org.uk, @manmetucu.bsky.social, @unisonmmu.bsky.social for 1. A pay uplift, 2. The protection of #HE national agreements, and 3. To avoid redundancies and cuts. #Solidarity! 🤓🔍📈✊🏾

First general meeting of our members today and some great discussion about our strike ballot that opened yesterday. The ballot has been called in response to a shocking pay offer of 1.4%. It also comes as the government announce higher tuition fees to burden students with even more debt.

Our 2025/26 higher education strike ballot opened TODAY! Ballot papers should be landing on members' doormats within the next few days. We also have general meetings for members on Tuesday and Thursday this week to explain the ballot and how we got here.

We are shocked and appalled by the attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue this morning. Our thoughts go out to the victims, their friends and loved ones and to all of our Jewish friends and neighbours. UNISON stands opposed to all forms of antisemitism, racism and discrimination.

A delegation from our branch also joined the picket last week and today. Watch the video to find out why staff had to take this action.

Right. My students working two part time jobs and/or having an hour and a half commute to uni because they have to live at home due to the cost of student accommodation lack drive and vigour. Sure thing, Peter. The UK Govt still haven't a clue about the realities of universities today.

A reminder that members have until 12 noon TODAY to vote!

Solidarity with the Birmingham bin strikers who have just been told that Birmingham City council are going to make them redundant if they don't take a massive pay cut. @cllrjohncotton.bsky.social where are you??? Shame on you and Labour. This is an essential service and you are leaving it to ruin.

Universities are made up of hard working staff who care about their institutions and in recent years have seen little reward for their efforts. That is why we urge members in vote in the HE pay consultation and to reject the outrageous 1.4% that is being imposed on us. www.unison.org.uk/hepay2526/

The higher education pay consultation closes at 12pm on Friday 11 July - don’t miss the chance to have your say on your pay. Most universities have the money to pay staff more, let's make it happen 💜 www.unison.org.uk/hepay2526 @UNISONinHE

Are you in UNISON, work in HE and want to have your say about our measly 1.4% pay offer? Well, you can! UNISON's consultation on the 25/26 pay offer is open now and we urge all members to not only vote but to reject this derisory real terms pay cut. www.unison.org.uk/hepay2526

A really important email went out to members today with information on strike pay and the 2025/26 pay consultation. Members, check your emails!

1. Starmer was warned and warned that his benefits cuts were not just cruel and unfair, but a political disaster. He dismissed the warnings, even this week, as no more than "noises off". Now, as the disaster materialises, he's desperately backtracking. Here's an idea: how about listening? 🧵

Pickets done and dusted for the week. Thank you to all members who have struck and picketed and to everyone who came down to lend solidarity.

When you’re giving us a real terms pay cut, this is who you’re giving a real terms pay cut to :(

It’s day 1 of the strike at Rainchester Wetropolitan University! Obviously being northern we’re made of sterner stuff so the drizzle won’t put us off in our fight for fair pay!

Picket essentials all packed and ready for tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday including new reversible bucket hats! Perfect for members who got tickets for Oasis next month.

🔍 We're on @strikemap.org ! 🔍 For anyone who wants to come down and lend us some support this coming week. We're taking strike action on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday against low pay. strikemap.org/strikes/396779

Our sector is being failed by poor leaders who make us, the university workers, pay for their failings. Their answer is to cut our services to the bone and impose insulting pay offers that fall far below inflation. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

So we’ve been a bit busy recently and we haven’t had a chance to tell you all…. UNISON at Manchester Met will be on strike next week against low pay from our employers! Tuesday 24 June Wednesday 25 June Thursday 26 June Pickets will run from 6:00 - 10:30 Let’s go!

Our delegation to National Delegate Conference and some other HE delegates got up early to visit and support striking workers at the University of Liverpool. Unite and UCU are taking industrial action over the way their employer has imposed conditions around hybrid working with no consultation

As well as voting on motions at this year’s Conference, yours truly is also writing and laying out the North West region’s news sheet each day! Make sure you give it a read on the conference app.

📢 UNISON’s 2025/26 higher education pay consultation opens today 📢 You should receive an email with the link to participate and have your say on this years pay offer. Check out the campaign page to see how to spread the word and encourage your colleagues to have their say

We’re in Liverpool at UNISON’s National Delegate Conference this week. We will be voting on motions from branches, groups and regions that will shape our policies and the work our union does.

We've had two brilliant general meetings for our members so far this week with one more to come tomorrow on Microsoft Teams. If you work at Manchester Met a link to the meeting will have been sent to the email we have on file for you on Monday.

Union member and long-time school inspector Andy Hewston was sacked by Ofsted for gross misconduct. Over six years, UNISON helped him fight back – and win. magazine.unison.org.uk/2025/06/04/u...

UNISON takes the campaign to save Higher Education to parliament www.unison.org.uk/news/article...

Our Branch Secretary @lykarar.bsky.social met with Salford MP and MMU alum @rebeccalongbailey.com at the @unisoninhe.bsky.social parliamentary lobby yesterday to talk about the crisis enveloping our universities.

I can *just* see our Branch Sec's head poking out at the back but good to see so many made it to the lobby today. We need action to save our sector, a sector that provides so much to society yet has been burdened with a funding model that is inherently unstable.

Higher Education plays a vital role in local, regional & national economies & in people’s lives in ways that cannot be counted or reduced to a narrow financial calculus. But our work is not valued at all. Just another big pay cut for all of us alongside the irreparable damage of cuts & job losses