Come and hear our branch chair discuss open-ended employment contracts that are… well, not so open-ended!

LSE now says it won’t give enhanced redundancy payments to academic staff at risk. It will give them to professional services staff. Why can’t LSE pay the academic staff it dismisses? Why has this been decided before collective consultation even begins?

TODAY: #UCU Anticasualisation Committee are hosting a 1 hour webinar, 12-1pm, on ‘subject to funding’ open ended contracts. Our very own @highamian.bsky.social will share experiences from LSE, followed by Q&A and discussion. Recording will be made available. More info and reg: www.ucu.org.uk/ACC

‘Chief exec of UUK, which represents 141 unis, said they were "grateful" to the gov for increasing fees in line with inflation.’ ICESCR requires UK to progressively introduce free tuition - which it once had! So employers celebrate breach of int’l human rights law. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Unions fear more than 50 roles are at risk after the London School of Economics began a redundancy process, reports Juliette Rowsell #redundancies #edusky https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucu-accuses-lse-being-evasive-redundancies-planned

President Larry Kramer promised no redundancies in February. Now we have a collective consultation on 52 redundancies. And we are not even being told which roles are in scope.

LSE runs a surplus and boasts of strong finances. Our senior managers are among the highest paid in the UK. Dismissing dozens of academics because of “reduced funding” is a choice, not a necessity. And they can’t even tell us which roles are at risk. www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucu-acc...

In Feb 2025, President Kramer said his “Operations Excellence Programme” would cost £9.7 million. In Feb 2026, he said there are no plans for redundancies. Now we have a collective consultation on 52 redundancies. How many jobs could be saved with that £9.7 million?

LSE runs a surplus and boasts of strong finances. Our senior managers are among the highest paid in the UK. Dismissing dozens of academics because of “reduced funding” is a choice, not a necessity. And they can’t even tell us which roles are at risk. www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucu-acc...

“Whatever the situation at some other UK universities, LSE is in a good financial position. The School does not need to cut costs and has no plans for redundancies.” - LSE Vice Chancellor, 13 February 2026 LSE proposes 52 redundancies in Section 188 notice - 21 April 2026

@ucunorthumbria.bsky.social are grateful and delighted to announce donations from @lseucu.bsky.social, @newcastleucu.bsky.social, @southamptonucu.bsky.social, Huddersfield UCU, and East Midlands Retired Members Branch - generosity and solidarity as we continue the fight for pay and pensions justice!

If you haven’t completed our #workload survey yet, please do NOW! We’ve extended the deadline & need as many responses as possible. More responses = more data = more pressure on managers to reduce workload. Search for link in your inbox or write to the Branch Secretary if you can’t find it!

London Metropolitan University has announced plans to cut more than 100 academic roles, in a move UCU has described as a “reckless assault on inclusive education”. @julietterowsell.bsky.social reports

@qmucu.bsky.social @citystgeorgesucu.bsky.social @goldsmithsucu.bsky.social @kclucu.bsky.social

Our comrades at @ucucapitalcitycoll.bsky.social are on strike this week as part of the nationally coordinated FE action over pay, workloads and national binding bargaining. Get yourselves down to show your support. We are glad to be making a £200 donation to their strike fund.

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!

Victory to @ucu.org.uk members at Sheffield Hallam & University of Sheffield Management must wake up and listen to staff, vanity projects and six figure salaries wont cut it! Our universities are a economic lynchpin for our region, and an engine of social mobility Solidarity to UCU members!

Thank you to @ucu.org.uk members at Sheffield University for welcoming us on their picket lines this morning. Solidarity in their fight against redundancies. Managment meed to stop playing games and make meaningful offers. Victory to UCU members in Sheffield!

Who doesn't love a picket pup!

We can do this together. Post it. Post it. Post it. #wearetheuniversity

🚨 TODAY is the LAST ‼️ day to request a replacement ballot if you have not already done so! Do it NOW if you still need to - at the link! #WeAreTheUniversity yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/wearetheu...

Lancaster University UCU members have beaten back compulsory redundancies. After weeks of pressure management has agreed to halt all forced job cuts until July 2026. This is a victory for jobs and every branch fighting cuts across the sector. We are the university. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Look at those graphs — then get your ballot in ASAP! Next Wednesday is your LAST safe day to post, but don’t wait until then!

🚨 Reminder‼️ If you never received or have lost your ballot, SUNDAY, 23RD NOVEMBER is the LAST day to request a replacement! Here is the link to the ballot replacement form: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/wearetheu... Don’t delay! Get your replacement now & post your ballot immediately! #WeAreTheUniversity

It is Transgender Awareness Week. Trans rights remain under attack in the UK. Our branch believes that trans people are who they say they are, and trans rights are human rights!

We must stick together! Chat to your colleagues and vote YES! Then tell us you’ve voted!

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

🚨 You have 2 weeks from today to request a replacement ballot. 🗳️ Don’t wait - do it now if you still haven’t received yours! If you have but have not returned it, do so now! Last safe day to post is 26th Nov! ✅ To those who’ve already voted - thank you! 🙏🏼 Let’s show managers #WeAreTheUniversity

YES! We love to see the solidarity from our LSE colleagues! Let’s keep those votes pouring in!

🚨 Reminder to post your ballot! Don’t wait - drop it in the postbox today! If you haven’t received yours, request a replacement ballot NOW: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/wearetheu... If you’ve already voted, let UCU know: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/wearetheu... #WeAreTheUniversity

We were glad to welcome Jo Grady to our branch last week to fire up our members and get the vote out! Remember to send your ballot in TODAY — and order a replacement if you haven’t received one yet! #WeAreTheUniversity

🚨 GETTING THE VOTE OUT ACROSS THE UK! 🚨 This Thursday, join us LIVE as branches from every corner of the country share how they’re driving the YES vote home. 💪📮 🗓 Thursday 13 November, 7PM 📺 Watch on UCU X and YouTube VOTE NOW. VOTE YES. #WeAreTheUniversity #UCULive

🚨 Reminder to post your ballot! Don’t wait - drop it in the postbox today! If you haven’t received yours, request a replacement ballot NOW: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/wearetheu... If you’ve already voted, let UCU know: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/wearetheu... #WeAreTheUniversity

Hospital workers to receive thousands of pounds in back pay after strikes www.nottinghampost.com/news/notting...

#UCU2025 congress has passed a motion to prepare to raise a formal dispute with the Education Secretary over the devastating funding crisis in higher education. Our message is clear: if Labour won’t intervene, we will. #UCU2025 #ProtectEducationNow #UnionPower #Post16Crisis #HigherEducation

In £140m cuts, a £90m cut to staff is not only disproportionate, unfair and a failure to uphold the law on preventing redundancies, but could also seriously depress the University's income. Staff are sounding the alarm: We will not stand for this! www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

Post that ballot!

Now, more than ever, it is important to: JOIN A UNION!

📣It is our firm stance that protecting students and staff at UEA requires us to fight compulsory redundancies with every tool we have. 🥰We've had a fantastic turnout on the picket line this week and are so grateful to everyone who has supported us. 🚩Together we can #SaveUEA

The idea you can cut your way to profitability is baffling - says UCU @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social #StopTheCuts #SaveHE www.heraldscotland.com/news/2517000...

There is power in coming together and acting as a collective in moments of crisis, and we need to act together to support all our colleagues who are ‘at risk’ of redundancy. Join us on the picket this Weds 26th. #SaveUEA www.timeshighereducation.com/news/uea-sta... @ucu.org.uk

We are out picketing this week to fight the threat of redundancies. Come find us on the picket line Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

UCU - University of Bradford staff back strike action over 300 job cull www.ucu.org.uk/article/1394...

Up and at it early today! Plan is to be back on the line later this week and next. Strike fund here: www.pcs.org.uk/donate Solidarity! That’ll work 😎✊😎 @tuc.org.uk @muel73.bsky.social @lgsmigrants.bsky.social @protestfamily.com @weshallovercome1.bsky.social

UCU - Industrial action warning over cuts at Edinburgh University www.ucu.org.uk/article/1395...

Kingston University's world-leading philosophy centre faces closure as management announces plans to shut entire humanities department. We stand with our Kingston University branch & condemn the “barrage of closures to courses and entire departments” We must #STOPtheCuts

@ducuuo.bsky.social #SaveDundeeUni

Staff shocked by threat of job cuts at Truro and Penwith College despite having millions in reserve. Management needs to start working protecting jobs and student provision. Regional Support Official Alison Chapman discussed with BBC Cornwall this morning 👇