http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Do we need a UCU strike thread? en Sun, 31 May 2026 07:22:07 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-368835 Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:17:47 +0000 SRD 368835@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good piece ab out the strike/MAB from my colleague Fraser MacDonald:</p> <p><a href="https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v45/n13/fraser-macdonald/short-cuts" rel="nofollow">https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v45/n13/fraser-macdonald/short-cuts</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-366213 Tue, 31 Jan 2023 22:45:19 +0000 SRD 366213@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I’ll be around but heading to an eye appointment after the picket line. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-366212 Tue, 31 Jan 2023 22:23:51 +0000 Frenchy 366212@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Anyone heading to the march at the Mound tomorrow? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-358420 Thu, 10 Feb 2022 16:06:09 +0000 SRD 358420@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>some hope of averting strike due to start on Monday </p> <p>The USS trustee has now confirmed that UCU's pension proposals are viable.</p> <p>Now up to Universities to come back to table. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-351517 Fri, 11 Jun 2021 15:43:00 +0000 gembo 351517@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Good piece in Bella by my mate Prof Big Davie Whyte These sharks at Liverpool are demented </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-351509 Fri, 11 Jun 2021 12:29:54 +0000 jdanielp 351509@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Happening right now! Thanks for the reminder. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-351503 Fri, 11 Jun 2021 11:42:23 +0000 SRD 351503@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>solidarity rally today ? Liverpool and Leicester </p> <p>But not the prisons UCU group who i think are also on action? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-318830 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 14:20:41 +0000 jdanielp 318830@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Was still chilly on the picket line at Heriot-Watt this morning despite the milder weather. One more day... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-318829 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 14:18:35 +0000 gembo 318829@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>also very weird ideas that guy has about when a process is or isn't working?</p> <p>UCU/Lecturers secured an agreement the last time they were out on strike but employers have failed to act upon this as per the agreement. Is my take. He thinks the process is ongoing. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-318823 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 12:59:51 +0000 I were right about that saddle 318823@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The only reason to pay anyone that sort of money is so that they'll do things they know to be wrong. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-318822 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 12:57:31 +0000 Morningsider 318822@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just as well he gets a 5-bedroom "grace and favour" house in central Edinburgh as well then - how would he cope otherwise? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-318820 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 12:20:47 +0000 I were right about that saddle 318820@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That guy has a basic salary of £342,000 so he's laughing. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=4#post-318809 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 09:45:12 +0000 SRD 318809@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>VC/Principal Peter Mathieson: “I think it’s regrettable that our students’ education is being interrupted by ...”</p> <p>Heckler: “working conditions!” </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318808 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 09:44:56 +0000 SRD 318808@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Compared to your staff, “Do you earn too much Vice-Chancellor?” </p> <p>Loud shout of “YES!” from the back </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318806 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 08:19:18 +0000 gembo 318806@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Warm enough for shorts? Picket line early start? For Radio 4? Heard the VC being heckled. Could not make out what the hecklers were saying but they were persistent </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318805 Tue, 03 Dec 2019 05:52:19 +0000 SRD 318805@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Balmy on the picket line this morning. </p> <p>(Cross-post with severe weather) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318466 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 22:47:34 +0000 LaidBack 318466@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Passed Infirmary Street today.<br /> Small picket group warming themselves around a brazier outside Centre for Carbon Technology. I didn't feel I should ask what they were burning...<br /> Know this is serious issue for all involved. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318465 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 22:32:45 +0000 gembo 318465@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I wish however to issue a correction as I see the pickets were out in person at the Xmas tree switch on. Good for them, singing carols and getting the message over </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318458 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 19:58:15 +0000 gembo 318458@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Jeez I thought I was holding my line. </p> <p>However, after crossing the non-existent picket line last night I learnt the BSL for going off at a tangent. It is as good as the other BSL sign I know. Both will be demonstrated at Soderberg this friday </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318454 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 17:53:14 +0000 Baldcyclist 318454@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Isn't the point that if you are voting to go on strike, that you are voting to do so for as long as it takes for the desired aim to be acheived?</p> <p>Think it's easy for institutions to plan for a week, or 3 Tuesdays or whatever if it is a defined length of period. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318453 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 17:43:00 +0000 mcairney 318453@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The strike dates were announced at fairly short notice (&lt;2 weeks) so booking leave during this time would have proved difficult if not impossible unless you were a member of the UCU inner circle.</p> <p>FWIW I might raise this with our UCU reps when I'm back that it would be useful to have an indication of a) how many and b) when strikes are planned at the balloting stage. 8 days before Christmas is a lot and if I'd known they'd intended to strike for that long my choice on the ballot box may well have been different.</p> <p>Mind you I've probably just answered the reason as to why they don't do that! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318452 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 17:33:47 +0000 minus six 318452@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>not wishing to detract from the righteous picket, but the UCU also contains a dodgy old mish-mash of professionals and middle/senior managers many of whom i suspect will have a sneaky weeks leave or hastily scheduled foreign conference to keep themselves well away from the scene this week </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318451 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 17:25:43 +0000 Morningsider 318451@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes! Also - what happens if a seagull swoops slightly too aggressively, or a colleague breaks wind at an unreasonable volume? I imagine such worries were also a major concern at the Oargreave Coking Plant. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318448 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 16:40:54 +0000 Baldcyclist 318448@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>If you are on strike and use the services, are you breaking the picket; and controry to that if you do, and slip and fall are you then not insured as you have no right to be in the building?</p> <p>(not every building is near other facilities, and not everyone is happy to use the bushes...) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318447 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 15:42:22 +0000 SRD 318447@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>on a cheerier note, Birmingham is trying to declare picketers trespassers... <a href="https://birminghamucu.org/2019/11/27/picketing-is-not-trespass/?fbclid=IwAR3rnYKGXpsZyZiN_W_NGqhJstIBx2A5B1tae-lsNpwW-FAs8UIOEuanM-A" rel="nofollow">https://birminghamucu.org/2019/11/27/picketing-is-not-trespass/?fbclid=IwAR3rnYKGXpsZyZiN_W_NGqhJstIBx2A5B1tae-lsNpwW-FAs8UIOEuanM-A</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318442 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 14:33:52 +0000 I were right about that saddle 318442@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Am I crossing a digital picket line by reading this thread? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318439 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 14:28:54 +0000 SRD 318439@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>gembo - you are changing your line and going off on digressions. </p> <p>i'm not claiming that you are on strike. I am also not criticising those who do cross the picket line, whether striking or not, to work, sing carols, whatever. </p> <p>but, the organisers of an event cannot just claim that their event is not subject to a strike because it's 'no teaching'. (translate that to your own job....)</p> <p>nor does it make it any less of a strike just because there is not a person holding a placard in front of you. </p> <p>I just don't think you can say 'i wouldn't cross a picket line, but i did go into a building for an event where people are on strike, but it doesn't count'. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318437 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 14:12:48 +0000 gembo 318437@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@SRD</p> <p>please see my earlier answer.</p> <p>If I was on strike, called out by my union I would be on strike. Not at my place of employment. Indeed I imagine if necessary I would be on the picket line. Though usually we have a demo as everything is shut down.</p> <p>I am not on strike, I am not in the UCU. However, if approached by a member of this union and asked not to cross the picket line I would not do so.</p> <p>You raise some interesting points around actual picket line versus virtual picket line et cetera but my main point is around who is on strike and what the difference is between people in that union and people in other unions. Obviously I am not needing this clarified and you are probably very busy but I also noticed upwards of 200 strike breakers at the turning on of the Xmas tree in Old College. I did not cross that picket line (virtual) I just glanced to my right as I walked by. UCU may or maY NOT have a view on this matter :-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318435 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 13:24:01 +0000 SRD 318435@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gembo by my moral compass, if there's a strike on, ducking in an unpicketed door is the same as crossing a line. </p> <p>and there may be times/reasons why we all cross picket lines. but i don't think we should pretend to ourselves that we're not. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19927&page=3#post-318429 Wed, 27 Nov 2019 12:23:16 +0000 unhurt 318429@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Pinged my bell supportively as I passed the Old Medical School picket. Gey driech. AT least it's mild. </p>