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UCU Solidarity Movement

@ucu-solidarity.bsky.social
107 followers 89 following 71 posts

Calling for solidarity across UCU branches. We are fighting against cuts, casualisation and marketised education!

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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 15/09/2026
The rain didn’t stop us. Today we stood proud against the University of Brighton’s outrageous threat to derecognise UCU. We will not let our members’ rights be trampled on. Like and share to stand with our members and send management a message: BACK DOWN.
The rain didn’t stop us.

Today we stood proud against the University of Brighton’s outrageous threat to derecognise UCU. 

We will not let our members’ rights be trampled on.

Like and share to stand with our members and send management a message: BACK DOWN. Picture of members on the picket.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
University of Brighton management want the right to be #dictators. To unilaterally impose changes to staff terms and conditions. To do this they have threatened to derecognise UCU and UNISON on campus. They could not be more explicit. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺. 𝘑𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 !
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Daniel C. Blight @danielcblight.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
***URGENT PLEASE SHARE*** University of Brighton management have announced today that they ‘give notice of termination of all collective agreements’. This is a fundamental erasure of workers' rights. Management have announced the termination of all contractual documents, which includes:
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Sean Wallis @seanawallis.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
For all @ucu.org.uk members! Posts providing specialist expertise in Arabic, Chinese and Italian are threatened with redundancy at Birmingham University. Please sign and share this petition! Send solidarity to @birminghamucu.bsky.social @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social www.change.org/p/stop-redun...
change.org
Firma la petizione
Stop redundancies at the University of Birmingham
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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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Martin D.B. Brown @martindbbrown.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Yeah, start with this sentence: "Many European universities charge non-EU citizens well below UK levels, where tuition is often three or more times as high as for domestic students. " www.ft.com/content/9f8a...
ft.com
Mainland Europe seizes edge in global student race
Continental universities gain ground as immigration restrictions and high fees deter students from the UK and the US
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Campaign against Climate Change @campaigncc.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
A momentous day tomorrow as, decades late, Science Museum finally cuts ties with BP. Kudos to the determination of so many campaigners who didn't let this one drop. Now time for them to end Adani sponsorship too - the 'green energy company' section of a multinational whose main business is coal.
theguardian.com
London Science Museum cuts links with BP after decades of partnership
Campaigners say ‘seismic shift’ follows years of pressure to sever ties with oil and gas firm
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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Particularly "fun" is the unfortunate clash with the crocodile on the skull-measurer's (sorry — anthropologist's) difficult journey home
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Yale AAUP @aaupyale.org · 31/08/2026
Democratize Yale! Join students, faculty, alumni, and community members for a teach-in on academic freedom, shared governance, free expression, and Yale’s autonomy from unlawful federal coercion. 📍 Yale Cross Campus 🗓 TOMORROW: Sept. 1 🕜 1:30 PM #AcademicFreedom #DemocracyAtYale #YaleIsNotForSale
Dark blue event poster with a light-blue collage featuring a large lipstick, flowers, Yale architecture, and archival-style images of student and worker demonstrations. Large white text reads “DEMOCRATIZE YALE,” followed by “a faculty & student teach-in.” At the bottom: “SEP. 1, 1:30PM · CROSS CAMPUS.”Dark blue event poster reading, “FOR DIVERSITY, FREE EXPRESSION, SHARED GOVERNANCE, AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM.” Featured speakers are David W. Blight, Sterling Professor of History and Black Studies and 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner for History; Daniel Martinez HoSang, Professor of American Studies and Yale AAUP President; Gregg Gonsalves ’11 ’17 Ph.D., Professor of Epidemiology (Microbial Diseases) and 2018 MacArthur Fellow; Susan Choi ’90, 2019 National Book Award winner; Alex W. Chen ’28, President of the Yale College Council; Isabel Matos ’28, Endowment Justice Collective organizer; and Marah Rigaud ’28, President of the Black Student Alliance at Yale, plus more. The poster also notes an appearance by Sam Waterston ’62, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor. Bottom text reads: “SEP. 1, 1:30PM · CROSS CAMPUS.”
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NTEU @nteunion.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
University of Sydney staff are taking strike action tomorrow for a better future. AI is here to stay, but without safeguards and worker governance, it can be used to cut jobs, intensify workloads, and compromise academic standards. Be part of the change - get involved today: betterworkplaces.nteu.au
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Matthew Boedy @matthewboedy.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
A few days left:
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Democratic Left Scotland @demleftscotland.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Defending higher education jobs: www.democratic-left.scot/post/what-fu... / @ucuscotland.bsky.social @ducuuo.bsky.social @sheffielducu.bsky.social @ducu.bsky.social @vickyblake.bsky.social @ucuglasgow.bsky.social @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social @ucustandrews.bsky.social @ucuaberdeen.bsky.social
democratic-left.scot
What future for the University of Dundee?
Stuart Fairweather sets the latest developments at the University of Dundee in wider context.The end of August saw the publication of a Scottish Government / Universities Scotland report authored by Professor Anton Muscatelli. The Future Framework for Universities is a serious attempt to outline the pressures on - and possibilities for - Scotland’s higher education institutions.The report, the first ‘pillar’ of ongoing work, focusses on diagnosing the financial issues impacting universities. Fur
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Birmingham UCU @birminghamucu.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
There have been 6 rounds of redundancies at UoB since July 2025. There no doubt there will be more. We need to organise to resist. Come to the BUCU meeting at 1:30 on 3rd Sept to get involved.
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Jo Grady @drjogrady.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
We will not stand by as this happens. The Spectator targeted Professor Jason Arday. Now they are repeating the same playbook with another Black academic leader. We are hearing from so many Black UCU members who work in fear. Fear that they will be next. We cannot and will not tolerate this.
Spectator online news story, carrying headline ‘Simon Woolley is not fit to lead a Cambridge college. Written by Andrew Gilligan. The article accompanies a photo of Simon Woolley receiving a knighthood.
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Northumbria UCU Branch @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
@ucunorthumbria.bsky.social members are VOTING NOW to protect pay and conditions - here's a little, daft, poetic reminder in case any have forgotten to do so yet. Pls share! Last chance to request replacement ballot is 2/9; last safe date to post is 8/9; ballot ends 11/9. You know what to do!
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Not wanting to rain on this parade, but do we want science funding decisions to be made at the dispatch box? The Haldane principle may be dead, but is this what we want (and need) instead? Look across the Atlantic to DC (and the CDC) to see what funding by government decree can become. 1/2
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Yale AAUP @aaupyale.org · 01/09/2026
Underway now!
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Plashing Vole @plashingvole.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Reading work email today and all I can say is that it's amazing how flexible course provision can suddenly be when you've fired most of the staff and teaching starts in 2 weeks. Almost as if academic regulations, credit-counts and the Office for Students (ho ho) don't exist.
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Durham UCU @ducu.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Ah yes, the good ol' "You've got things wrong, but we're not going to tell you which things, or why we think they're wrong, so you're just going to have to stop talking about what's going on entirely" approach. A classic.
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Corner @dangerouscorner.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Yeah it took the UCU marking boycott for me to realise that alas! HEI admin don't care about education, merely about credentialisation. Humanities are easy to cut quickly because there are no pesky external awarding bodies asking awkward questions about learning outcomes during 4 years of teach-out.
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Yale AAUP @aaupyale.org · 02/09/2026
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Sean Wallis @seanawallis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
AI is a trade union matter, whether in Hollywood or higher education. Send solidarity to @nteunion.bsky.social! @ucu.org.uk www.fbcnews.com.fj/world/austra...
fbcnews.com.fj
Hundreds of university staff to strike over AI changes
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
'Toby Whelton, author of the analysis for the Intergenerational Foundation, a thinktank, says those in England will face more extreme financial penalties than previous graduates. Whelton said the cost of paying for university education has been shifted almost entirely on to current students'. 1/3
theguardian.com
Students face ‘ticking timebomb’ of debt and higher taxes
Exclusive: Analysis finds cost of higher education ‘falls overwhelmingly on the individual’
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
One in ten university students in England is now taught by a franchise. Galileo (which took over Regents University London in 2020) wants to be a privatisation alternative to that model; its acquisitions team has an eye on English universities in financial distress. Coming to a university near us.
ft.com
European education group eyes takeovers of UK universities
Britain ‘an appealing market’ for long-term investment, says Galileo chief
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Social Media Lab @socialmedialab.ca · 10/08/2026
"...tech companies are increasingly replacing the functions of democratic government. This shift, she (historian Jill Lepore) said, marks “a return to tyranny and mystification in the form of rule by algorithms, corporations, machines.” techcrunch.com/2026/08/09/h...
techcrunch.com
Historian Jill Lepore says Silicon Valley misreads science fiction and undermines democracy | TechCrunch
On the latest episode of Equity, we spoke to Jill Lepore about "government by machines" and why Elon Musk is a bad science fiction reader.
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Yael Schacher @yaelschacher.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
So many immigrants I've interviewed break down about this. "Monsanto Maler was one of several Haitian immigrants who traveled from Springfield for a check in...after an ankle monitor was attached to him, Maler was seen collapsing to the ground and crying." www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/hundre...
springfieldnewssun.com
Hundreds rally at site were Haitians required to check-in, get monitors after end of TPS
Hundreds of people gathered outside a federal immigration office Sunday morning to show support for Haitian immigrants from Springfield who were called to report for immigration check-ins.
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Mar Hicks @histoftech.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
“Students are concerned that we’re going to be closed in two years, three years… They’re worried they’re not going to get courses they need because we don’t have the faculty to teach them.” I’m so sad to hear this about my former institution. But not surprised. chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...
chicago.suntimes.com
Illinois Institute of Technology cuts 160 faculty and staff just before fall semester
University officials say finances have taken a hit from declines in research funding and foreign student enrollment. Faculty say leaders’ slow response and lack of transparency have deepened the crisi...
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Extinction Rebellion London Actions MoM (Movement of Movements) @xrlondonactions.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
NOT GUILTY 💚 Jessica and Alison found NOT GUILTY The judge ruled that their arrests were an unlawful interference with their right to peaceful protest, so there was no need to hear the rest of the defence case. This is a huge win for peaceful protest and for everyone standing up to Rosebank.
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Leicester UCU @leicesterucu.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
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Benjamin Braun @benbraun.social · 10/08/2026
How could things in UK higher ed possibly get worse? Hello for-profit universities run by a firm owned by the Bettencourt family and Canada's biggest pension fund. www.ft.com/content/f094...
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HWUCU @hwucu.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Picketing, with picket pup, the next generation trade unionists, inflatables, and resolve. Reminding Heriot-Watt bosses WE HAD A DEAL and we will fight for every job. #Edinburgh #UCU #HigherEducation @edinburghminute.com @edinreporter.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk
Pickets with placards, banners, a corgi, inflatable frog, cat and bee, in front òg the Heriot-Watt sign.
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Northumbria UCU Branch @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
🗳️VOTE NOW in the @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social local ballot to protect pay and conditions (and stop more beautiful Beach Boys' songs getting redone badly). 🏄‍♂️🏄‍♀️Surf's up dudes! Once more unto the beach dear friends, etc. @ucu.org.uk @uculeft.bsky.social @ucucommons.org @tucneyh.bsky.social
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Northumbria UCU Branch @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
A timely lesson from @hwucu.bsky.social about the risks of making agreements with the employer about withdrawing action/ballots when they claim they will withdraw threats of compulsory redundancy.
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Sean Wallis @seanawallis.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
The FT reports on private companies persuading students without 'A' Levels to "go to university" and take out student loans - and then sending them to a warehouse to prep for a uni external degree. @ucu.org.uk They are copying the US university privatisation model: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULUt...
youtube.com
College, Inc. (full documentary) | FRONTLINE
YouTube video by FRONTLINE PBS | Official
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
So it now falls to branches to start the campaign from the grassroots. Come to this meeting to discuss how! 𝗨𝗖𝗨 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Tuesday 14 July, 6pm 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: bit.ly/UCUSM_org
bit.ly
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: UCU Solidarity Movement - 2nd Open Online Activist Meeting to Save HE. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Our branches are in the frontline of the defence of the HE sector. We have branches engaged in the fight of their lives right now - from Nottingham to Goldsmiths, Edinburgh, London Met to Ulster and...
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
At Sector Conference delegates voted, twice, for such a UK-wide campaign on redundancies. Delegates also voted to support the Secretary of State dispute motion for similar reasons. But so far the Higher Education Committee has declined to take up this campaign from the top.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Already in Scotland branches are meeting to coordinate action in the new term. We have to put the HE crisis on the political map -- something UCU has so far failed to do. 3️⃣To campaign to get back to coordinated UK-wide industrial action in defence of HE.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
We agreed to do three things. 1️⃣To throw everything towards supporting these branches and colleagues. 2️⃣To encourage coordinated action where branches have a mandate.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
At the last Solidarity Movement special meeting before Congress over 50 reps from as many branches attended. www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB-b...
youtube.com
Online Activist Meeting to Save Higher Education - 19 May 2026
YouTube video by UCUSolidarity Movement
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
But we also need an industrial campaign. Our branches are in the frontline of the defence of our sector. We have branches engaged in the fight of their lives right now - from Nottingham to Goldsmiths, Edinburgh, London Met to Ulster and LSBU.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Our members are the custodians and practitioners of UK Higher Education. We are well-placed to advocate for it. We should explore how we can build a wider united front of all those who wish to defend HE, using the model of the 2016-17 HE Conventions.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀. 𝗪𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵. We need a political campaign.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
There is evidence of a potential 30% fall in overseas student visa applications. Meanwhile the NUS is running a campaign arguing UK students have been mis-sold student loans. www.caymancompass.com/2026/05/27/u...
caymancompass.com
UK universities strained as study visa issuance falls 32%
UK universities are facing growing financial pressure as new government data shows study visa issuance fell 32% in the first quarter of 2026.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
The result was market chaos, exploding in 2014 with the removal of recruitment caps. We are in a dire situation. Even before Phillipson's announcement, the Government's Education Select Committee warned in May that 24 universities may go bankrupt next year. committees.parliament.uk/committee/20...
committees.parliament.uk
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
As we know only too well, that Tuition Fee Market Experiment involved the replacement of the majority of direct block grant funding and student fees paid by local authorities, with limited direct funding and a per-student tuition fee of £9K+ and student loan.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
This step removes another underpinning of the HE Market at the very point that the infamous 2010 Tuition Fee Market Experiment is openly failing. Instead of moving to stabilise institutions, staff and students, Phillipson is throwing us onto the market bonfire.
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, told the OfS that funding should no longer be given to support nursing, computing, history, creative arts, performing arts, archaeology and geography courses. This is another body blow to UK Higher Education. www.timeshighereducation.com/news/nursing...
timeshighereducation.com
Nursing and computing courses hit as teaching grant cuts confirmed
Education minister defends reduction in light of tuition fee rises as Strategic Priorities Grant falls to £1.25 billion
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UCU Solidarity Movement @ucu-solidarity.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Next Tuesday, we are organising a Second Open Activist Meeting to Save HE 𝗨𝗖𝗨 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Tuesday 14 July, 6pm 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: bit.ly/UCUSM_org Below you can see the video from the first one👇
bit.ly
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: UCU Solidarity Movement - 2nd Open Online Activist Meeting to Save HE. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Our branches are in the frontline of the defence of the HE sector. We have branches engaged in the fight of their lives right now - from Nottingham to Goldsmiths, Edinburgh, London Met to Ulster and...
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