Merger update: the VC has confirmed that current Greenwich employees can remain in their current pension schemes (TPS & Local Govt) and the post-92 academic contract. Kent employees will keep their terms & conditions through TUPE: www.acas.org.uk/tupe/advice-...

Get out, get your ballot, get it in and tell your colleagues. We’ve got this. Tomorrow is the last safe day!

Please sign this petition to register opposition to Northumbria University effectively stealing staff pensions by trying to forcibly move them from TPS to USS: this could create a terrible precedent (especially vital for UoG). Pensions are deferred pay & part of your agreement on working conditions!

Good news for our colleagues in Nottingham! A reminder that industrial action can work, and universty management can negotiate with a union that represents their staff.

Today marks #DisabilityPayGapDay, the point in the year when Disabled workers effectively stop being paid. This injustice can’t be ignored. We need action to close the disability pay gap and deliver fair pay for all. ✊

Proposal to change legal name of University of Greenwich to 'London & South East University Group'. For 2026-27 academic year. If you wanted to change the name of a *single degree programme*, the deadline would be coming up soon. Someone in a hurry? www.officeforstudents.org.uk/publications...

Good afternoon, folks! Feeling in need of an afternoon pick-me-up? Why not get out and post your ballot! Nothing energizes quite like knowing you're contributing to the best chance we have to change HE! Celebrate with your choice of snack afterwards! #WeAreTheUniversity

📣 National Get The Vote Out LIVE! Join us next Thursday 6 November at 7PM as we go live from campuses across the UK 💪 Hear from members, branches and organisers as we make the final push to get every ballot posted 🗳️ Watch LIVE on UCU X and YouTube #WeAreTheUniversity

Happy Friday folks! Whatever else you're doing this weekend, if there's a ballot paper sitting around in your house, fill it in (voting YES of course) and post it! Take a photo while you do so, and send it to us so others get inspired ✊

The importance of voting YES in the UCU national ballot. 📢some reasons: The pay offer this year is a mere 1.4% but inflation is 3.8% which means our pay’s gone down since the recession of 2007-9 by 20-30% in real terms, depending on whether you use CPI or RPI measures.

More #UCU branches now added to our starter pack 💞 of formal branch/committee presences we've found (no individuals) Please let us know if yours is missing (and sorry about the delay @ucugreenwich.bsky.social @brunelucu.bsky.social @ysjucu.bsky.social @uhiucu.bsky.social @ucuimperial.bsky.social!)

Don’t just take it from us- Richard Wild, branch co-chair at Greenwich, explains why he’s voting YES to change the future of higher education in the UK. 💌 Why are you voting YES? Let us know in the comments below ⬇️ #WeAreTheUniversity

We know it may feel like you live at work... but you don't! So unless you check your work post daily/can't avoid it, PLEASE don't put your work address as your postal address on MyUCU! If you have, or if you're not sure, change it here: www.ucu.org.uk/myucu .

Have you received your ballot paper? Ballot papers in hot pink envelopes (so you can't miss them) are arriving in the homes of members. Your vote gives your union the power to reopen negotiations & fight for you! www.ucu.org.uk/article/1422...

📣 Every convo counts. Every vote matters. 💥 Join us Thursday 30 Oct, 7PM for UCU LIVE: Winning it in the Workplace 🗣️💪 Let’s talk about how we WIN THIS BALLOT together! 🗳️ 📺 Live on X or YouTube @ucuorguk www.youtube.com/live/NynAXdu... #WeAreTheUniversity #VoteYES

And so much gratitude - of course - to my local unions for helping us make collective noise against proposed redundancies @lancasterucu.bsky.social @unison.org.uk Unite

An inspiring first day of picketing to kick off our 4 weeks of strike action! Faculty, students, AND a dog or two made an appearance.

Solidarity with @uonucu.bsky.social members who are striking against compulsory redundancies and job losses at the University of Nottingham. I urge the university’s leadership to come back to the table and work with staff to reach a fair settlement.

Sending solidarity and wishes for sunshine to our comrades at the University of Nottingham! #StopTheCuts #SaveHE

Joint statement from @ucu.org.uk , @unitetheunion.bsky.social , @unison.org.uk, @gmb.org.uk & @eisunion on @ucea-leadership.bsky.social 's insulting pay offer All staff in HE have had enough of attacks on Pay, Jobs + Terms & Conditions in HE and will be balloting together for Industrial Action.

"Every vote counts. Make sure you send a strong message you aren't having it" - @rmtunion.bsky.social GS Eddie Dempsey UCU stands with the RMT in their dispute on London Underground, and they stand with us 🤝 #WeAreTheUniversity

Thank you!! We appreciate you and support your fight 💪

This isn't my idea it's @alicebennett.bsky.social 's as I recall, but I think it's time for this meme to join our HE binfire pantheon.

Yes exactly. Universities can't afford research but they can spend millions on consultants, who give them the same stock solutions they've given everyone else

Two universities with well-established architecture departments are set to merge, forming the UK’s first ‘super-university’

UCU Greenwich branch co-chair Dr Richard Wild told BBC London this morning that he only learned of the “super-university” via BBC “If nothing’s going to change, what’s the advantage?” Both Greenwich and Kent staff deserve clarity and reassurance, not spin or more job cuts.

At #TUC2025, UCU President Maria Chondragianni challenged Labour on higher education: “The Tories introduced a failed, marketised model across education. This has been disastrous.” ✊ We will keep holding Labour to account. #ucu #WeAreTheUniversity

🚨 Greenwich & Kent staff + students woke up to hear from the news their universities will merge. This isn’t innovation, it’s crisis management. 👉 Members ignored. Students left in the dark. #ucu #WeAreTheUniversity

Our co-chair Ruth Ballardie speaking up for staff! "She said immediate concerns among staff revolved around how the merger could impact job security, pay, and pensions ... Despite the job cuts, Ballardie observed that Greenwich posted a £33 million surplus" - QUITE. #Kentwich

They call it “trailblazing.” We call it financial crisis rebranded. “This isn’t a merger, it’s a takeover by Greenwich.” @drjogrady.bsky.social told the BBC

Kentwich may have come without any (required?) consultation of staff and trade unions, but that isn't stopping branches from getting to work and ensuring staff gets represented and acts together. 🫶 Sending much solidarity to the excellent people @ucugreenwich.bsky.social & @ucukent.bsky.social!

What they said! 👇 We are stronger together (but in a 'solidarity' way, of course) - so have a coffee and a chat with colleagues & invite them to join UCU if they haven't already www.ucu.org.uk/join

For everyone else reading the news this morning about the Kent and Greenwich merger - it's been as big a shock for us too. Rumours always abound with constant cuts and redundancies, but they remained rumours until 7.45am this morning.

Members: your branch committee is about where you are in terms of info so far, but we'll be working hard to get as much as we can and making sure you get as much clarity as possible. We'll have a social Thursday 18th September, 5pm at the Gypsy Moth: non-members welcome www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Want to hear from UCU’s negotiators before you vote? Join the online member briefing: 🗓️ THIS Friday 14:00-15:30 📝 Register by Friday 11am: Ask questions. Get the facts. VOTE. www.ucu.org.uk/HEconsultati...

Calling all members! Briefing on HE pay negotiations - open to all UCU members in HE. ucu.wufoo.com/forms/he-pay...

“Our members have seen pay fall by 25-30% over the last 15 years.” @drjogrady.bsky.social this week on @skynewsrss.bsky.social Drastic change is needed from the @teamlabouruk.bsky.social government to make a more equal society.

*really not funny at all. Those loans these managers are taking on bind universities to a high cash reserve (hundreds of millions) for years, leading to more cutting in running cost just to meet the covenant. This is why we need a governance review alongside a financial structure reform. #UKHE

www.timeshighereducation.com/news/employi... @zoefranklinld.bsky.social ld.bsky.social @theguardian.com @theipaper.com @drjogrady.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk @timeshighered.bsky.social @chondrogianni.bsky.social

Oh look! There's an exhibition at Greenwich's Stephen Lawrence Gallery: "wellness narratives in organisational and work-related contexts" - perhaps a better activity than a corporate 'Sports Day'? 16th July-30th August. Bring a manager... www.greenwichunigalleries.co.uk/harder-bette...

Thanks @ucu.org.uk we had a great turnout ✊🏽✊🏻✊🏿✊

Huge picket at Lincoln💪 Time for management to listen to our members: Stop the cuts!

Here’s our incredible delegation to TUC LGBT+ workers conference. Alongside trade unionists from across the UK, we tackled key issues affecting LGBT+ workers.

Look, ma! We're on the news! Wish it was for a more upbeat reason, though... Ah well, at least we're getting highlighted for our sense of solidarity! #StopTheCuts #SaveHE www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Context for this: @news.architectsjournal.co.uk article explains well www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/greenwi...

Latest on the branch website: a quorate branch meeting passed a vote of no confidence in the leadership of Architecture at the University of Greenwich. Text of the motion here: greenwich.web.ucu.org.uk/motions/

UCU has joined 20+ orgs in signing a letter to Yvette Cooper on the devastating impact of immigration reforms on migrant workers. The new rules bring fear, confusion & danger. We demand answers. The Migrant Workers’ Rights Coalition calls for a meeting & a change in approach.

Breaking news – Redundancy notice (Section 188) removed The University of Dundee has confirmed that the section 188 letter issued in March 2025 has been formally withdrawn! This is a direct result of the industrial action we took and the action we threatened. This is our victory! 1/3

Nothing to see here - 'everything is normal' #UKHE

See also “Compassionate Communication” training given in the same week that redundancy related emails are sent out at 1430 on a Friday afternoon.