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Ross Gibson

@rossgibson.bsky.social
253 followers 162 following 400 posts

Social work and trade union stuff. Personal account which certainly does not reflect the views of my employer.

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Reposted by Ross Gibson
UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Day 1 of the strike by the workers of UCU Edinburgh against the manufactured deficit (which is not really a deficit), and against a senior management earning millions while staff disappear and education suffers. Solidarity against this parasitical form of management of our higher education.
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Plashing Vole @plashingvole.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Best of luck to @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social members going on strike for over a month. Nobody does this willingly - it’s a last resort, unlike that enormously rich university’s slash and burn tactics.
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Inequality News @inequalitynews.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
🙄 When is the world going to wake up and kill off this malign technology? What will it take? A small nuclear war? We didn't ask for it. We don't need it. And most sensible people don't want it. #RejectAI #PitchforksAgainstDatacentres🧑‍🌾🧑‍🌾🧑‍🌾 www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
theguardian.com
Albanese says OpenAI agent hacked Australia’s Medicare and took months to disclose breach
Prime minister says he told Sam Altman he was disappointed it had taken OpenAI ‘way too long’ to disclose breach
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Dr Vanessa @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Cannot tell you how much I hate this & how ashamed & angry I am that @ukri.org have taken this step. We KNOW this sort of gAI is socially biased, we KNOW it favours slopAI output over human-written. Our research landscape is falling apart due to underfunding, & they do this? it's *appalling*
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Wages of unionized workers are 13% higher than their nonunion counterparts. But unions also set a higher pay standard that all workers enjoy. In high-union-density states, median household income is $12,000 higher than in low-union-density states. This is why unions are vital.
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Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Link to The Courier article that exposed the University of Dundee being under a level 2 intervention for not complying with Freedom of Information law. www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...
thecourier.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE: Dundee University under watchdog supervision over information failures
The Scottish Information Commissioner has opened an intervention against the crisis-hit institution.
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Ross Gibson @rossgibson.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
We didn’t vote for this @ucu.org.uk
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Reposted by Ross Gibson
Adam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
I had not some across this before, but if you want an example Nathan Cofnas’ scholarship, this is a doozy. Again I say, being sacked is not the problem; being recruited in the first place is what deserves scrutiny.
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Prof. Virginia Braun (she/her they/them) @ginnybraun.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
"the missing middle" - how ai algorithms are erasing scholarship in "literature reviews" (I call them that because I'm gonna say AI generated literature "reviews" are not IMO a literature review! www.chronicle.com/article/ai-i...
chronicle.com
AI Is Ruining Scholarship
When we outsource literature review to algorithms, we lose entire sectors of knowledge.
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Reposted by Ross Gibson
Charlotte Lydia Riley @lottelydia.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Heartened to see that my university is ending its contract with Turnitin before the next academic year, because Turnitin is going to use student submissions to train AI models. Institutions can and should resist this stuff!
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Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 14/08/2026
This is the coverage of Arday **just in the Telegraph** in the UK. This is only the first four pages of results, just in one outlet.
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Jason Arday found dead
2 hours ago — Mr Arday was found •unresponsive• at an address in Battersea. south London. on Froy
afternoon. He was uter pronounced dead at the scene. A Read rnore
Jason Arday says he was an illiterate, mute child. His .
6 hours ago — Jason Arday says he was an i&erate. mute child. Cambridge's youngest-ever black
professor in 2023. Arday attended from the age of four to 11
r— mm-WI 3
A PhD is no longer a sign of brilliance — take it from Dr Arday
1 day aeo — Juon Arday resigns from the Unwersity of Cambrdge after The Telegraph reports he had
falseb• claimed to have pubåshed a book
We are all Jason Arday now
S days ago — Jason Arday resons from the University of Cambridge after The Telegraph reports he had
falsew cGimed to have published a book Aug 7.2028. Read more
Cambridge professor claimed he was on Seven Up..
2 Aug 2026 — He was not bom until 1985. Prof Arday is at the centre of a row about academk
plagiarism after The Tekgragh that he had been accused
The Jason Arday 'memoir' that now appears to be more .
7 days ago — Instead of tales of triumph over adversity. the now-fomer Cambridge professors
autob"qraphy is a case study in self-rnythobgising,
Arday failed to mention 'months-long coma' in autobiography
8 days ago — Jason Arday toz publishers he was k•ft a three-month coma fohwhg a car gash. but
never wrote about the ordeal his memoirs_
Jason Arday is living proof that you reap what you sow
6 Aug 2028 — The Cambridge professor feed plagiarism alegations and made fantastical clä'ns about
his life. so what did he expect woUz happen? Read rmre
ÄIO
Arday 'accused student of Miite privilege' after she
4 days ago — Forrner Cambrdge professor alleged* htplied that Roehamptm student was racist after
cornplaint about essay SOOre.
Jason Arday is rnerely a symptom of the Leffs corruption
Aug 2026 — Lab-curs on school standards is on the same toxic assumptions that created his
academic career.
Cambridge hired Arday after 'listening to black stu…
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Basic Income Action ↗️ @basicincomeaction.org · 14/08/2026
No explanation needed. No thread required. Just say it. Let's flood the feed. BASIC INCOME NOW!!
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Ross Gibson @rossgibson.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
I am deeply, deeply shocked that UKHE SMT would lie to staff.
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Ross Gibson @rossgibson.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
No outrage here???
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Reposted by Ross Gibson
University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 04/08/2026
Spending a reported £4.5m on new land while threatening to cut up to 100 jobs? Make it make sense. Glasgow Caledonian staff are on strike today to defend jobs. Show your support to colleagues! www.ucu.org.uk/article/1459...
ucu.org.uk
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Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 04/08/2026
#OtD 4 Aug 1792 radical Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was born. His most famous poem, penned after the Peterloo massacre, ends: "Rise like Lions after slumber In unvanquishable number! Shake your chains to earth like dew... Ye are many—they are few!" workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e15-...
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David Harvey @davidharvey.org · 29/07/2026
“All forms of technological innovation in the past have been used to diminish the power of labor. So whatever else happens with AI, we are absolutely certain to see the further diminution of the power of labor.” davidharvey.org/2026/07/inte...
davidharvey.org
Interview: David Harvey on Marx and Capitalism
Doomscroll Podcast with Joshua CitarellaWhitney Museum of American ArtJuly 28, 2026 The Story of Capital is available now from Verso Books.
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The Howard League @thehowardleague.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
"More than 3/4 of us believe that sentencing...has become shorter in length, whereas the opposite is true. In other words, we’re not soft on offenders, but the public thinks we are." www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/la…
prospectmagazine.co.uk
We’re addicted to locking people up—but it doesn’t make us safer
Does Andy Burnham have the attention span, the will and the courage to tackle a collapsing justice system?
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Ross Gibson @rossgibson.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Thankfully
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Reposted by Ross Gibson
UCU Newcastle University @newcastleucu.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Many more people in universities will lose their jobs if nothing changes in the way HE is (under) funded. Even more prospective students will not be able to go to university, especially here in the Norheast. @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social @markfergusonmp.bsky.social @chionwurah.bsky.social
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Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
The Scottish Funding Council waved through the University of Dundee's Strategy to Recovery, even though it broke their funding conditions. The Scottish Gov need to ACT NOW and ask the SFC to reverse their decision, and stop the redundancy process TODAY. www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...
thecourier.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE: Funding council waved through Dundee University £20m cuts plan despite own concerns
The strategy is crucial to the university unlocking another £20 million in rescue funds.
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Secret UCU @secretucu.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Sorry to rob my UCU troll of his victory dance, but I’ve gone nowhere. *Someone* got me a short timeout because they don't like me exposing how UCU is being run, including sharing “private chats” where the general secretary tells staff to prioritise her re-election. Why might she want to hide that?
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Ross Gibson @rossgibson.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Another day, another example of why the right of the union should be ashamed of their jettisoning of a national ballot. Now that they have control of NEC/HEC they can fix it now though, yeah?
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Ross Gibson @rossgibson.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
You should read this if you work in a Univeristy, and you should also be very worried.
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Reposted by Ross Gibson
T. Ryan Gregory 🇨🇦 @tryangregory.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
No one could have foreseen this. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
nature.com
Is AI ruining our skills? Early results are in — and they’re not good
Reliance on artificial-intelligence tools degrades the abilities of physicians and software engineers, studies show.
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The Promise Scotland @thepromise.scot · 18/06/2026
David Anderson, Chair of the Oversight Board, explores calls to better understand premature deaths of care experienced people & the important questions raised around if Scotland is gathering, linking, and using information in a way that drives change. Read the blog here: ow.ly/lHvv50Ze8Ka
Graphic of a group of people including a professional and a family with a child and one person with a megaphone speaking into a speech bubble accompanied by a quote emphasising that Scotland still lacks some of the evidence needed to understand outcomes properly and drive the action required to keep the promise for care experienced people.
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Reposted by Ross Gibson
Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
A 5 mins proclamation from the interim Principal of the University of Dundee announcing voluntary redundancy pools. No offers of additional support for staff. No chance for questions. No engagement with staff of students @scotfundcouncil.bsky.social hope you are monitoring this continued failure
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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Concern about wealth inequality is not about jealousy over some guy having a bigger house. It is more about the fact that it may be a problem that one person has more economic power than entire countries.
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Joss @josstified.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Proud of the trade union movement and Scotland for turning out in huge numbers to oppose the far right, to reclaim the streets, and say refugees are welcome here. Nae Pasaran
Buchannan steps, women against far right banner, trade union bannersUnison and EIS bannersHate has no home here, as police corner of a very small puddle of racistsCrowds opposing the far right watched over by Donald Dewar statue
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Hannah Graham @drhannahgraham.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
A wee group of angry balaclava and mask-wearing anti-immigration guys tried to stop the good people of Glasgow showing solidarity with migrants and standing up to racism and fascism. Well, the far right are far outnumbered... #RefugeesWelcome #MigrantsWelcome #NeighboursNotStrangers #Glasgow
Photo of a small group of mostly men wearing black, with masks and balaclavas, surrounded by a Police Scotland cordon in the bottom of the photo, in the foreground. In the background, a very large colourful crowd of people with saltires, trade union banners, and hand-made signs in support of migrants and against racism have turned up to gather to show solidarity, and the far right guys were hoping to thwart that. They didn't.
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Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 10/06/2026
#OtD 10 Jun 1973 a strike of gravediggers at 3 cemeteries in the New York metropolitan area was expanded to include 44 others. Strikers defied a court order, the jailing of their union leader and after 27 days they won a pension scheme and pay increase stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8213...
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martinbarrow.bsky.social @martinbarrow.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Reminder that David Sullivan, who made his fortune from pornography, put up the money for a children’s home owned by his girlfriend and OnlyFans model Ampika Pickston. The home was shut down over safeguarding concerns after its first inspection. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...
bbc.co.uk
David Sullivan steps down as West Ham co-chairman with immediate effect
West Ham United co-owner David Sullivan is stepping down from his position as joint chairman and director of the club with immediate effect "having been made aware of the impending publication of seri...
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CYCJ @cycjscotland.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
There's still time to register for the upcoming webinars in our Summer series 👇 Next week we're hearing from CYCJ Practice Development Advisor, Ross Gibson for an overview of the Secure Care Census. Free tickets here: buff.ly/iS2jrEN?
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Ross Gibson @rossgibson.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
Solidarity to everyone at Nottingham Uni which seems to be run by some of the worst human beings on the planet. Lots of similar folk at pretty much every other uni too though.
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Rosalynd Southern @rosalynd.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
A whole 10 minutes on the @uonucu.bsky.social strikes on C4 news framed (mostly!) as a systemic problem across the sector. Wonder if people in charge will start listening now the extent of the crisis becomes clearer by the day?
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Secret UCU @secretucu.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Seems UCU’s GMB staff (steered by regional officials) threatened a Congress walk out over a motion on how their union is run. After they crossed picket lines, shut UCU meetings & threatened members wanting to talk about the GS bringing UCU into disrepute. Relevant: www.ucu.org.uk/1daycongress...
ucu.org.uk
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martinbarrow.bsky.social @martinbarrow.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Britain is waiting too long to save vulnerable children: The scandal of profit-making residential homes is just the tip of the iceberg, says Camilla Cavendish via Financial Times www.ft.com/content/c646...
ft.com
Britain is waiting too long to save vulnerable children
The scandal of profit-making residential homes is just the tip of the iceberg
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Sol Gamsu @solgamsu.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
People say being on strike all the time is tiring, & it is (esp. for the people organising the IA). But is it actually less tiring than living with the fear of/imminent threat of redundancy, ever expanding workloads for those individuals & uni's that survive & an emboldened boss class?
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Quinn Slobodian @quinnslobodian.com · 27/05/2026
hell freezes over, the FT opens the door to nationalization
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The Promise Scotland @thepromise.scot · 28/05/2026
Throughout this year, Fiona Duncan, the Independent Strategic Advisor – the promise, will visit all local authorities across Scotland, to hear from people about progress to keep the promise. In this blog, she explains why she is heading out on the road. Read more: ow.ly/NIhJ50Z51Kx
Text on a dark blue background reads 'Keeping the promise in local areas' with a subtitle about understanding progress and linking local insights to national change, alongside a stylized map of Scotland with location pins.
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Sol Gamsu @solgamsu.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Bemused by the idea that some members and factions within UCU think we should not have progressive subs. We moved to change this locally at Durham and have been able to re-distribute money in solidarity payments to other branches as a result. Do people think this was not worth doing?
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QM_UCU @qmucu.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Relieved to see more coverage of the grip Nous is getting on #UKHE. Thanks @privateeyenews.bsky.social! A million pound @cardiffucu.bsky.social alone. That’s a lot of money for the very same PowerPoint…
Scrap merchants. Australian management consultancy Nous, which promises to help universities define the pathway forward for budget model change, has been picking up plenty of lucrative work in the struggling UK higher education sector this year. Having been involved in controversial restructurings at Australian and Canadian universities, Eye 1659 notes last year that the company was one of several being paid thousands of pounds for management advice by de Montfort University (which has its own business school chock full of people who teach postgraduate-level management). Since thenNous is known to have advised the university of Edinburgh on academic efficiency opportunities, carried out a portfolio review at QMUL and been involved in the hunt for savings atpartsmoith, Plymouth, and Derby universities. Information released by Cardiff university, in response to a freedom of information request from UCU revealed the university has paid more than £1 million to Nous in the last couple of years much of it for transformationsupport
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Sol Gamsu @solgamsu.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Have just lined up solidarity payments from @ducu.bsky.social to @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social, @uonucu.bsky.social @goldsmithsucu.bsky.social & Heriot Watt UCU. They may be local disputes but you are not alone! Solidarity! We still have some allocated funds for unions in dispute, hmu if this is you.
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Ross Gibson @rossgibson.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
Read this. Peter Mathieson is manufacturing a crisis to impose cuts.
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martinbarrow.bsky.social @martinbarrow.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Why illegal children's homes are being paid up to £2m per child by councils. Outstanding reporting by Noel Titheradge. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Why illegal children's homes are being paid up to £2m per child by councils
A ban was meant to bring an end to the practice - but councils continue to fund illegal placements.
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The Promise Scotland @thepromise.scot · 18/05/2026
The make-up of this Parliament is different to the last, but sustained cross-party support for the promise will help move Scotland closer to ensuring it is kept by 2030. To help with this we have shared a briefing for all new and returning MSPs: ow.ly/5LOp50Z0Zb0
54 organisations urge all parties to work together to fulfill the promise with a child holding balloons including a heart shaped Scotland flag balloon.
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Chris Tregenza @tregenza.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
2,700 staff at the University of Nottingham have received 'at risk' letters from the management. The same management which refused to cut their own pay, and the same management which refused to resign after losing £60 million on a disastrous attempt to build a new campus. #JoinAUnion
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Ed Poole @edpoole1975.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Wes Streeting just gave your address, your ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, if you are cis or trans, if you've ever had an abortion, an addiction, are disabled in anyway and a million other pieces of info about you, to a far right tech company the UK government has no control over.
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David Graeber Institute @davidgraeberinst.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
If privatisation, starving the poor and transferring wealth to the rich worked then the economy would be massively Booming! We've been doing it for 40+ years and all it's done is make everything worse. Only an idiot or Nigel Farage would think more neo-liberalism is the solution.
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Cecile Menard @cecilebm.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
#StopTheFarRight #StandUpToRacism #WomenAgainstTheFarRightScotland
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