Hello all on bsky 👋 As with so many of our @ucu.org.uk sister branches, here @brunelucu.bsky.social we are again this year fighting compulsory redundancies. Please circulate and sign: Stop compulsory redundancies at Brunel University of London 👇 speakout.web.ucu.org.uk/stop-brunel-...

“We’re here to talk about A levels” “Free Palestine the BBC is complicit” 💀💀

The Reform-led council in Durham have withdrawn funding for the annual Durham Pride march. The TUC and Miners Association are organising a fundraising event in September: redhillsdurham.org/event/we-are...

Name a TV show you are positive nobody remembers but you

Removing departments is about removing academic nodes of power and autonomy (and plenty of attendant responsibility by the way) and it is being done practically everywhere outside of college system unis. It always leads to consolidation of power and budget lines in fewer hands. Always.

Gaza Soup Kitchen w mult locations across Gaza, they also provide medical aid through visiting physicians+ supplying food to the infirm. On the ground op w vast experience in the humanitarian sector. Things are still available to purchase but prices are exorbitant www.gofundme.com/f/Hot-meals-...

I’m done

The realest of the real ones ❤️

Shaimaa’s PhD will be funded by @sgsah.bsky.social (supervised by @hannahkateboast.bsky.social Will Tattersdill & me, in partnership with @commapress.bsky.social) - but she is currently trapped in Gaza unless the UK Gov relaxes its requirement for biometric data bsky.app/profile/comm...

There was a time when Masterchef judges upheld the highest standards of ethics.

Really cool image of women's football, dating back to 1923

In all this Bob Vylan pearl clutching some are conveniently forgetting the IDF is committing genocide.

I have had death threats for my work on trans rights. I have been stalked. I have had people try and have me thrown out of my University. I am by no means alone, and lots of trans-inclusive academics have spoken publicly about the violence and harassment they face. But no mention of that here.

I'm struck by how the major political theorist Giles of Rome (c.1278) described the ways tyrants cling to power, including: –prohibiting study –impoverishing the people –promoting discord –monitoring citizens –restricting gatherings –fomenting war But that list was a bit hard to fit on a placard...

I once got hammered in a pub in Darlington with Chico (as in, It's Chico Time!) after a panto he had acted in with one of my friends. There was also a performing chicken from the panto running round in the pub. Chico and I were speaking French. I know this sounds like a dream, but it's honestly true

🧵NOT BY ME, this is a post from someone who wants to remain anonymous but works extensively with trans people pre-transition. They were asked by someone “why do you think that’s so much [coverage of trans people] in the news at the moment?” This was their response:

Feisty one you are

Management's threat to make £140million of cuts at the University of Edinburgh is shocking. Yesterday, we heard from branch president, Sophia, on the questions this announcement has raised. The Scottish govt must call on university management to halt these devastating cuts.

In events that seem to have seeped in from an alternative timeline where everything in universities ISN'T terrible, medieval and early modern studies at Durham have just had a large injection of funding! www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

Found this old key in the woods around Shincliffe Hall in Durham. Anyone know what period it’s from? It seems to be made of iron and is very fragile. Dating objects isn’t my forte, so would be interested to hear what anyone with an Archaeological or museum background thinks!

I signed this open letter calling for UCU HEC to call off the ballot for industrial action on pay and to refocus on the urgent reform needed to stop the sector collapsing entirely. Much as I'd like a nicer deckchair, I'm increasingly worried about that iceberg we nudged a little while back.

Totally agree with this. Calling members "right wing" if they support anything other than immediate industrial action right now all the time is incredibly alienating and just puts members off.

Check out the fantastic @venetiabridges.bsky.social talking about Penthesilea in the War of Troy tapestry! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Modern languages has been under threat in British HE for some time — really not helped by the policy change, in 2004, when the requirement for all pupils to take a language to GCSE was dropped. Fewer GCSEs: fewer A levels: far fewer students who want study at degree level, even as a minor.

And, for the record? PS staff are who actually make the university run. First person to say "oh well at least they're mostly sparing academics at Durham" is getting yeeted into space: those academics are going to have some of the worst working conditions in the sector.

Durham University has just announced intention to save £20m over the next two years, including through staff costs. Reminder that it has never been a better time to join a union - not only to defend yours and your colleagues' jobs, but to rethink HE for the future: www.ucu.org.uk/join

I found this discussion paper from Bijan so helpful and clarifying in thinking about the next steps for managing our pay and conditions dispute. This is being submitted for discussion at the special HEC on Friday. Please share widely.

🚨new blog 🚨HEC member Bijan Parsia submitted a discussion paper, 'A New Strategic Approach' to the special HEC on 15th Dec. It explores some general principles for managing our pay and conditions dispute. Please have a read 👇 @bparsia.bsky.social ucucommons.org/2023/12/13/a...

Hello! Got high hopes for this place not being a complete horror show like its evil twin