It’s a secret ballot Jo. But this was a helpful guide…

Well I finally got my #ucu voting papers! If you haven’t, get a request in ASAP at yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/UCU-elect... And if you have received yours and haven’t sent them off yet, just do it! You’ve only got a few days left for your vote to count.

The rollback of Tory anti-union legislation, and restoration of workers' rights, is happening incrementally. For #UCU, the really big change is going to be this one in August. That's going to make it even more important for members to engage in internal union democracy!

All my answers are clipped and transcribed over at ucucommons.org/about-mark/ Check out the other candidates and what they have to offer at www.ucu.org.uk/article/1419... Vote for both HE and FE vice president roles (I recommend @suzitoole.bsky.social). And send off your papers by next Thurs!

The final #ucu VP hustings question asks whether we need a national campaign to defend the sector. Of course we do, but it can’t be just tacked onto a pay dispute as HEC voted to do last year, despite the evidence it wouldn’t work. Focus, strategy, creativity and unity. That’s what’s needed.

This week's mailout is an elections special, feat. @markpendleton.bsky.social 's hustings videos (plus transcripts), how to order a replacement ballot, final safe posting days etc. Please vote for Mark, @suzitoole.bsky.social and our amazing slate. #UCU ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

Thank God. As much as I love your postbox selfies, the postal ballot requirement is a real barrier to participation and democracy. Why should the employer have to agree though?

On which note, if you haven't yet voted in this year's NEC election, I recommend @ucucommons.org candidates! ucucommons.org/election26/

3/3 and then we come to @profalexp.bsky.social who came SO CLOSE to election a couple of seasons ago. Really rooting for Alex to bring his insightful radical passion to benefit members across UCU. Interrogating the arguments so we win important advances. 👏🏼

2/3 Next up, the mighty @drgillhistory.bsky.social who I've had the pleasure of being alongside at several Equality conferences seeing her do the good + hard work of being firm about inclusion + support for all our sisters. Gill will bring her wealth of experience at the OU to benefit all ❤️

🧵1/3 Giving a special shout out to our wonderful @ucucommons.org candidates - all people putting in the hard graft for UCU members. Matt joined HEC recently + it would be great to continue having his wisdom contributing to our union strategy. Vote @matthewbarnard.phd (owner of excellent cats)

Please make sure you fill out and post your ballots for the #ucu elections, whoever you choose to vote for. I especially support @markpendleton.bsky.social and @suzitoole.bsky.social for VP for HE and FE respectively, and myself and the other fine people in the flyer.

Yessss Matt voting content has dropped

And, as always, the Royal Society has disgraced itself. If you are a member, this is who you’re lumped with.

So much this. Disagreement has to be worked through to deliver positive action to support member needs. Work with all parties to come together.

This was a smart move from Vivek to keep this alive, after a (too short) debate. On March 6, HEC are due to have a renewed discussion on how to move this forward. I’ll be arguing for a deeper discussion with branches and members, who should be in the driving seat on strategy (unlike last year).

Extra elections mailout! All VP candidate hustings videos are now on the UCU website. I do recommend watching. We've divided Mark's video into shorter ones, plus added transcripts so you can read if you prefer! If you haven't yet, please vote for Mark, Suzi and our amazing slate. #UCU

This week's mailout is an elections special, feat. @markpendleton.bsky.social 's hustings videos (plus transcripts), how to order a replacement ballot, final safe posting days etc. Please vote for Mark, @suzitoole.bsky.social and our amazing slate. #UCU ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

Full 15 minute videos from all candidates are now available on the UCU website at www.ucu.org.uk/article/1419... We also broke up my answers into clips and offered written transcripts, for increased accessibility. You can find these at: ucucommons.org/about-mark/

The penultimate #ucu VP hustings question is about overcoming division. As a political organization, disagreements are inevitable. But we have to disagree better and get on and do the work. It’s the only way we can bring our union together again to be an effective force for change.

Basically yes to Bijan's blog post. If you've doubts about maximalist demands and maximalist recommendations for action as UCU strategies at this time in UK HE, please realize NEC elections are really important to this and please vote for the @ucucommons.org slate and the candidates they endorse.

A UCU NEC rep has written a post with false claims. Let me set the record straight. 1. I am in @ucucommons.org & I've been a strong backer of the Sec of State dispute. I spoke in favour of it at Congress & against UCU Left amendments that would have gutted it. UCUL are ambivalent at best about it.

🔴NEW: The principal of the University of Edinburgh has confirmed he is working a paid second job while overseeing cuts that have seen hundreds of staff leave the institution. Read the full story: https://www.theferret.scot/edinburgh-job-loss-mathieson/

Last year I wrote a paper on some successes our Australia sibling, the NTEU, has been having in bringing attention to governance failures. The UK also needs an inquiry into university governance, rising corporate influence and the erosion of staff/student voice. ucucommons.org/setting-the-...

Day 4 of my responses to #ucu VP hustings. This one speaks to the detachment of senior managers, the collapse of university governance, and the erosion of democracy and our own ability as university workers to influence what happens in our workplaces.

Happy Lunar New Year to all those celebrating. #LunarNewYear #HappyLunarNewYear #YearOfTheHorse

Today’s clip addresses a question on excessive workloads, a problem for #ucu members from further ed to universities. This intersects with health & safety, pay, casualisation, etc. We can and should come at it from all these angles but ultimately need proper jobs. That’s the #1 priority.

I wrote a piece for the CDBU blog with some low or no cost things our employers could do right now if they care about precarious staff as much as they say they do.

I'm voting for Mark and Suzi, as anyone who knows me in UCU will likely have guessed! I really believe that Mark is UCU's best chance to create change in the HE sector and build a union that can make a difference.

Mark is such a natural communicator with a real vision for how we can unite and bring our members with us. So proud of him and this campaign #UCU

good morning, it is day 3 of strikes at the University of Essex to save 400 jobs across all depts & stop the closure of our Southend Campus and our Foundation Year programme. The campus cat Pebbles is in solidarity 💕

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?”

Love this from Nollaig! Thank you for your support! #UCU

And here’s the second part

If you're a UCU member, please vote in the current elections - I've voted for @markpendleton.bsky.social for VP from HE + his videos confirm what a great choice he is 🥰 bsky.app/profile/mark...

Full recordings of the #ucu VP hustings will (I think) be up this week, but with the voting deadline looming I’m going to be posting my clips myself over the next few days. First, some introductory comments in two short clips (2 mins each). More about me also at: ucucommons.org/mark4vp/

Hi everyone. As you know, I am our trans rights lead at Good Law Project. I have been working alongside a fantastic team on our challenge since May last year. But whilst what we have achieved is significant - there is still a lot further to go. If you can, please donate and help us keep fighting.

@ucunorthumbria.bsky.social making some noise in protest against savage plans for pay and pension cuts @northumbriauni.bsky.social - care to share @georgeclarke.bsky.social @labourunionsuk.bsky.social @labourlewis.bsky.social @labouruk.bsky.social @sarahhall-labour.bsky.social @unison.org.uk?

So. Much. NOOOOOOIIIIIISSSSSEEEEEE! (Because so much anger and solidarity.)

Anti-trans campaigners will try to spin the High Court’s decision into an absolute victory. But that’s far from the truth – the findings in this case will require the EHRC’s code of practice to be rewritten. Read our FAQs on where this judgment leaves us: goodlaw.social/ioen

We love to see it!

Mr Goodwin also appeared to agree with the host’s claim that universities have become hotbeds of “politically correct authoritarianism” because they are full of “childless women”. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

I wouldn’t be here without my foundation year. It opened up my world to a career in HE. Essex UCU is fighting for the soul of our sector, and we should give them our unequivocal support.

@ucu.org.uk @georgeclarke.bsky.social @andylong6.bsky.social @ucucommons.org @sheffielducu.bsky.social @ducu.bsky.social @ducuuo.bsky.social @tuc.org.uk @unison.org.uk

Thank you @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social for the lovely warm welcome on your City Campus picket this morning! #UCU

Well I said “this Friday” but there’s still no sign of my #ucu national election ballots yet… if you’re in a similar situation, you should order a replacement at: yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/UCU-elect...

Today’s #ucu VP hustings have been cancelled due to Unite UCU industrial action. Instead, recordings from candidates are being collected and will be made available to members, hopefully soon. In the meantime, you can also get in touch with any questions for me at: ucucommons.org/contact-mark/

Fears for job cuts at Aberdeen University. UCU’s strike ballot in its final days, vote yes to action to oppose cuts #SaveHE #StopTheCuts www.heraldscotland.com/news/2584751...

Huge solidarity with @ucuessex.bsky.social and @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social, both out on strike today over threats to jobs and pensions. Let’s do this #UCU #UKHE

Newsletter #9! #UCU Featuring @markpendleton.bsky.social's VP election campaign updates, news from Essex & Northumbria disputes, @hagenilda.bsky.social on casualisation, @sophisteria.bsky.social on Scotland @davehitchcock.bsky.social on the research/teaching divide! ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...