Anyone else not striking?

[goingpearshaped]

I am not in UCU so not striking. Anyone else? I can sense the divide already between those striking and those not in our dept, I really hate this. Agh, what a mess all round.

[SchnitzelVonCrummsTum]

Any guesses on the likely outcome of the strike / ASOS re-ballot? I'm assuming it will be yes.

[Looksgood]

No mandate?

They need 50 per cent to vote. They got 58 last time. The yes vote was high - in the 80s? So I can't see it switching to no. But will so many people vote?

May I vent about two things?

Recommended tweet from UCU: "I'm supporting my union. I voted yes".

"My" union isn't a bloody political cause. It's meant to represent me. I support it by voting either way, and indeed by paying my subs.

Ballot wording:

Something like
"I am willing to strike / take action short of a strike - yes or no"

Well yes, I'm willing if the majority of union members want to. But I don't want to. So that's a no. Except it's a yes. I would. But my vote is no.

Every communication they send is driving me mad - it's like the end of a bad marriage.

[SchnitzelVonCrummsTum]

@Looksgood

No mandate?

They need 50 per cent to vote. They got 58 last time. The yes vote was high - in the 80s? So I can't see it switching to no. But will so many people vote?

May I vent about two things?

Recommended tweet from UCU: "I'm supporting my union. I voted yes".

"My" union isn't a bloody political cause. It's meant to represent me. I support it by voting either way, and indeed by paying my subs.

Ballot wording:

Something like
"I am willing to strike / take action short of a strike - yes or no"

Well yes, I'm willing if the majority of union members want to. But I don't want to. So that's a no. Except it's a yes. I would. But my vote is no.

Every communication they send is driving me mad - it's like the end of a bad marriage.

Perfectly put on so many levels and a vent to which you're v much entitled. So many of my union-member colleagues have popped into my office to have similar rants about the union leadership / communications over the last few months.

Surely they should strive to have the leadership / committees actually reflect the characteristics and priorities of the membership? It sometimes seems like the two are light-years apart (when one looks beyond the echo chamber of twitter).

[LaChanticleer]

I re-watched that classic of student life, The Young Ones, over the Christmas break. It seems most of the UCU activists have understood Rik as a how-to manual.

[jeanc]

Great to read this thread. Agree strike pointless just benefits the universities.

[jeanc]

Thank you for posting the info about where to find out about the views of candidates on free speech, really helpful- just filled it all in and still dithering about leaving UCU.

[worstofbothworlds]

My ballot is in the recycling

[KStockHERO]

@jeanc

Thank you for posting the info about where to find out about the views of candidates on free speech, really helpful- just filled it all in and still dithering about leaving UCU.

Just leave. What are you actually getting from UCU for your ££ every month? If you want to be in a union for personal protection, there are others you could join.

[Looksgood]

@KStockHERO

Just leave. What are you actually getting from UCU for your ££ every month? If you want to be in a union for personal protection, there are others you could join.

I stay because our local rep is excellent, on university committees, brilliant at finding solutions, sane, sensible, supportive.

I left the political arm of the union (can't remember what it's called but I don't pay an element of the sub).

I don't believe the various alternatives could help with collective bargaining locally, and that's something I value.

If our local representation was poor I'd have had to try to find another union, but I'm not going to get inside knowledge and an ear to the ground from them, and I need that.

[KStockHERO]

@Looksgood That makes sense
So many people stay in the union uncritically because its just something that you do and UCU is the union for academics. But if you can point to actual things that you're getting and that you value in your membership then it's worth staying for you. But I think a lot of people don't ask the question - what am I actually getting here?

[MotherofPearl]

@KStockHERO your comments upthread about UCU and the strike capture my feelings exactly.

I feel like I'd die of embarrassment standing on a picket line pretending to be some exploited, oppressed worker. Though I'm sure I'd welcome a pay rise - who wouldn't? - I feel so lucky to work in academia.

[MotherofPearl]

Plus I see that UCU now have a section on their website devoted to combating GC feminism. Why on earth would I want to join a union that wants to combat my views?

[ExUCU]

Do you have a link?

[MotherofPearl]

I see it's not a part of their website but an event they promoted - sorry to have mischaracterised that. The event was:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/katy-montgomerie-on-combating-online-hate-and-the-gender-critical-movement-tickets-513963076397

[ExUCU]

Gah, they promoted Montgomerie. In my view, this person is a rather unpleasant troll but it wouldn’t be the first time that UCU have shown poor judgment in this area …

[KStockHERO]

My friend has just sent me this

Agree with my or I won't collaborate with you, and I'll ask you to pay me back the difference in pay and pensions, and I'll send a nasty-worded email.

Absolutely zero capacity for critical thinking or willingness to engage with different perspectives. The irony is that this kind of thing (basically senior academics with large followings threatening to bully and ostracise people who don't agree with them) is exactly part of the reason why I want as little to do with UCU as physically possible.

[GCandproud]

That’s ridiculous. Nice for this Durham prof probably on around 80k in an area of the country where cost of living is low to dictate that people on much less should sacrifice weeks of salary for a dispute that appears hopeless due to its uncertain aims. I wonder if she has ever used fixed term workers to buy out her teaching when she is working on a funded project. Wonder if she has used precarious RAs. With regard to pay, my understanding is that the strike has achieved sweet fa on this and that we are getting the 5% we were offered a couple of months ago.
The inner clique of UCU really is a collection of unpleasant school bullies.

[ExUCU]

They are just realising that the strike is failing and now they need a punch bag. I used to be in UCU and I used to join in industrial action (when I was on a very low salary) but I could no longer pay my subs in good conscience. Also, UCU leaders made it very clear that they do not welcome members with my views, so what am I supposed to do?

This Durham prof doesn’t even get that she is putting pressure on those on the lowest salaries.

I did say, this could get nasty …

[ghislaine]

All those lazy people on benefits who don't pay tax should also pay me for the NHS and other services I provide to them through my tax. I'm going to write them a letter!

[KStockHERO]

@ghislaine

All those lazy people on benefits who don't pay tax should also pay me for the NHS and other services I provide to them through my tax. I'm going to write them a letter!

You should also refuse to ever be friends with them. And if they try to befriend you, make sure that you "call it out"

That'll teach the duplicitous, non-solidarity, dissenting little bastards.

[aridapricot]

I think, although I am not sure, that in the US the benefits and concessions earned by a union apply only to their members.
I actually wouldn't be opposed to this in this scenario - it would mean UCU would actually have to deliver something, and not rely on people just keeping their membership "because it's good to be in the union" or some such.

[SchnitzelVonCrummsTum]

Anyone else think that the addition of the 15th to the strike day list (and the way it was leaked, and by whom) was intended as a big FU to Grady?

[worstofbothworlds]

I was wondering if parents had asked for it as it's the only teacher strike day that wasn't also a UCU strike day.

[ghislaine]

I'd assumed it was chosen as it's also budget day and lots of other unions are striking that day = lots of publicity and solidarity feelz.

How was it leaked? I'm not plugged in to UCU sources so the first I saw of it was the video announcement.

[SchnitzelVonCrummsTum]

It was first mentioned on Twitter by people linked to UCU left as a HEC decision and Jo Edge didn't seem pleased it had happened (the leak, not the day which I also agree makes sense in terms of solidarity as well as childcare!). Or at least that's what I understand of it - I'm only just getting to grips with who's in each respective faction still.