Strike Bulletin #14

Picket - Hadyn Ellis - 16th March

Picket – Hadyn Ellis – 16th March

Well done, everyone! We’ve completed fourteen days of striking over four weeks, and we have reached the end in a much stronger position than when we started. Clearly, we’re not out of the woods yet, but UUK has learned that we are not to be coaxed back to work by a modest improvement on the position they gave us back in January. Continue reading

Strike Bulletin #13

Ides of March

Beware the Ides of March! It’s a fateful day for our employers. Faced with such unity from UCU members here in Cardiff and across the country, as well as a substantial list of student occupations on campuses from Aberdeen to Exeter, we’re hearing VCs climb back on the removal of Defined Benefits and the undermining of strike activity, as with Cambridge. Others, such as Glasgow, say their position is ‘essentially the same as that of UCU’. Others still, such as Queen’s Belfast, state a commitment to independent valuation of the USS. Here in Cardiff, we received the welcome news through Twitter that Cardiff University will spread deductions over three months. Furthermore, they ‘do not envisage circumstances where colleagues [that’s us] will have pay withheld for action short of a strike.’ This is the effect our collective action has taken – the commitment to 14 days of strikes and the courage to say no to a bad deal offered this week. Continue reading

Strike Bulletin #12

Pickets outside Law

Pickets outside Law & Politics

Referring to Wednesday as “hump day” is a fairly modern tradition in American English. The term represents the idea that a week can be visualized as a mound or hill that a person climbs, with Wednesday typically being the middle or peak of the week. more… [external link]

Wednesday in the US and Canada1 is traditionally known in 9-5 office parlance as ‘hump day’. This is our only full week of striking in this set of actions, and now we’re over the hump. We felt what was, for many, confusion and despair on Monday night, followed by the collective resolve of Tuesday morning and the sunny, buoyant high of our political lobby. Continue reading

Strike bulletin #11

Today was an important day – probably the most crucial day of our strike action so far. As probably all of you know, UCU and UUK reached a proposed agreement that went out yesterday evening. Response on Twitter was strong and consistent, but many of us were worried and confused. Was this really the deal we took such unprecedented action over? And what were the implications for us, our students, our employers, and the public by rejecting such a deal? Continue reading

Strike bulletin #10

Welcome back for a full five days of picketing. What can we say? We’re sad to be out here but glad to be out with so many great people, fighting to protect the university we want and the values that it stands for. We were really heartened to hear at today’s mid-morning rally that Physics has grown from a picket of one to a gathering of 16 outside. JOMEC reports two new UCU members on the line today plus four members making their debut at a picket. Staff have not been scared away by the length of this strike and its costliness; in fact, it has demonstrated our commitment and inspired numbers to grow.

“Backbeat, the word is on the street that the USS numbers are wrong…”

Today’s rally was also a chance to show our creativity. Various members have been adapting song lyrics to suit our purposes, and we’re happy to showcase that talent. Nicky Priaulx and Steve Davies gave their treatment to “Wonderwall”, and as an added bonus, they came to the rally prepared with photocopies, so everyone can join in. Carina Girvan from SocSci gave us a version of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”, penning a plaintive tune to Colin to keep his hands off our pensions. And Michael Munnik somehow managed to play a disco classic on the ukulele, getting the crowd to sing out that “It’s like thunder, lightning – the way you treat us is frightening!” Plenty of messages to those making the decisions that are keeping us out on the street.

Rob Smith, Carina Girvan and Steve Davies singing

“I’m beggin’ of you, please don’t take our pension…”

Following the rally, many staff and students met in the Bingo Hall at Cathays Community Centre for an open meeting – a chance to check in with each other, update on where we are and what strategies we need to win this struggle. We have plans for further engagement with students, asking each other for concrete ways to reach out and also dealing with the clashes that may come for many of us when we’re asked to reschedule work we’ve missed on strike days. This will be a challenge for many in the next few weeks, so keep in touch with each other and with UCU reps: we’re here to support each other when things get difficult! We also took the opportunity to update members on our joint statement from last week with the Vice-Chancellor and reiterate our campaign goals. Here’s what we still want, to ensure best protection for staff and for students. (Full statement is here.)

Teach-outs took place at Cathays Methodist Church, on the theme of Crime and Justice. This included a look at the fascinating work of the Cardiff University Innocence Project (you can find out more about their work in this great, slightly dated article in the Guardian).

“It’s no secret about it – we’re experts at this stuff, so see to it that we retire with enough…”

Tomorrow is a great opportunity to present our case to the political powers here in Wales. We’ve organised a lobby at the Senedd at noon. Cardiff UCU has laid out for a coach to take some of us down to the Bay after the rally at Main Building. Hop on or make your own way down. We want a good, strong showing, and you can meet your AM and talk with them directly about why this is important. We’ve gotten great support already from politicians, but this takes things up a notch.

Our main aim is to build on that impressive political support and encourage the Welsh Labour government to intervene with Universities UK and back the UCU’s objective: to keep our direct benefit pensions. If you haven’t already told us you’re coming, sign up here. If interest is high, we can put on a second coach, so click now and join us at the Senedd tomorrow. Don’t worry about limits on who can come into the building – it’s also really important that we get a contingent outside, bringing our usual energetic rally to a very public and powerful place. AMs will come out to address us, and we’re getting a strong indication that a contingent will be able to meet directly with the Education Minister to discuss our case.

We will be back in central Cardiff in time for the teach-outs, again at Cathays Methodist Church. Tomorrow’s theme is everybody’s favourite – neoliberalism! If you aren’t getting enough active political chat, here’s your chance for some good discussion.

Best,
Cardiff UCU Strike Communications Team

Strike bulletin #9

But picket, 8 March
Well, folks, we’ve come to the end of Week Three. We wish we didn’t have to be out here still, and we hope for goodness at the national level in talks between UCU and UUK. Locally, though, we’ve seen a lot of progress with a joint statement released today between our local UCU strike committee and university management. In it, “the Vice-Chancellor and Cardiff UCU have agreed to call on both UCU and UUK to work with USS to challenge the Pension Regulator to accept an academically robust, new and independent actuarial valuation.” Furthermore, “the Vice-Chancellor reiterated his support for working towards a solution that works for employee and employer alike.” You can read the whole thing here.

That’s not enough to pull us off the picket lines, but it certainly gives us something to talk about with our colleagues when we’re back in the office tomorrow (barring any freak snowstorms…) We are the union, and it is our strength and resolve that has gotten us as far as we are.

Fab rally

March panorama

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves – today was also great because of the mighty rally (thanks Jonathan Ablitt for the mind-bending panoramic photo). It’s been our custom to gather outside the gates of Main Building at 11 o’clock, but today, we put on extra numbers and were joined by students, unionists from other sectors, and a healthy clutch of politicians. We had drums, dogs, and determination, and we marched down Park Place, past the museum and City Hall, then up past Registry (where some of us got a few thumbs-up from the window!) and into Alexandra Gardens. It was inspiring to see so many of us out there, smiling, marching, and making noise. The police figure there were 600, and since police numbers work the opposite of UUK pension maths, we can be certain we had a thousand out.

We had rousing speeches, including a fiery, bilingual, and on-point address from Plaid Cymru AM Adam Price. We had strong women from politics and union activity speaking to us here on International Women’s Day, including Labour MPs Anna McMorrin and Carolyn Harris, Beth Webster from the Royal College of Nursing, and Claudia Boes linking our struggle to the International Women’s Day Strike held this afternoon. Finally, Adam Johannes gave a passionate speech that put our struggle in the wider context. What will people say about those academics who stood up in 2018? How will we be remembered? I hope they will say more than, “Well, they sure did protect their pensions.”

More political pressure

So let’s keep the heat on. Though we have a positive statement from university management, we will continue to press them on retaining the defined benefits and removing the threat of deducted wages for action short of a strike. Though the vice-chancellor seemed unaware of any such threats during his Question Time appearance on Monday, Cardiff University still sits on the Academic Boycott list for excessive punitive action on non-strike days. We’d also like a commitment from the university *not* to deduct our pay, given the opaque conditions through which Cardiff’s reply to UUK on the valuation risk was made. And we will continue to press for clarity on that decision making process, to protect us in the future.

We’d like to be back to work next week, but that requires a resolution that satisfies our demands. Until that happens, we keep pushing. Cardiff UCU members met this afternoon with Stephen Doughty, MP for Cardiff South and Penarth. He is fully supportive of our cause and says he’s keen to meet the V-C to advocate for us.

Stephen Doughty with UCU members

We have organised a lobby at the National Assembly for Tuesday 13 March. Between 1 and 2, we will be hosted by Julie Morgan and Jenny Rathbone, and we need a great and diverse turnout. Let us know you want to come down, and then let your own representative AM know you’ll be there. The more people we have and from more constituencies, the more effective this lobby will be. Cardiff UCU will put on transport to get us down there, so register your interest now!

Share the word

Meanwhile, we’re back to work tomorrow. Keep strong, keep motivated, and keep talking to your colleagues about the positive spirit we’ve experienced on the lines and the positive results we’ve secured – locally and nationally. UCU membership has been climbing: we’ve had 300 new joins since February. Everybody’s affected by the success or failure of the pension scheme; we improve the changes of success if everybody takes the burden of risk and the decision to fight – to down tools, get to the picket lines, and press for the pension we need.

Inca the Dog looks determined

Inca the Dog looks determined: match her determination. Unless you hear otherwise, we’ll see everyone Monday for Day Ten of the strike.

Best,
Cardiff UCU Strike Communications Team

Strike bulletin #8

Pickets

It was another busy day today. Pickets were established from 8am onwards at Heath Park, Newport Road, Hadyn Ellis, Colum Road, AHSS, Modern Languages, Law, Careers, Psychology, Biosciences, Main Gate, Bute, Glamorgan. The CARBS was the biggest yet (see photo below).

11 o’clock rally

As usual, staff from the picket lines throughout the University gathered at the Main Building for a rally at 11 o’clock. Sara Whittam, a member of PSS staff from MEDIC, addressed the rally in Welsh (and translated it into English for non-Welsh speakers), speaking about the solidarity she had found on the picket lines, from colleagues and students. The rally also heard from Mary Heimann, a Professor in SHARE, who noted that support from Cardiff University students continued to grow, and over 6,100 signatures were now recorded on the students’ petition to the Vice Chancellor. Paul Brennan, Vice Chair of Cardiff UCU, noted that the Vice Chancellor said that he was pleased with how Monday’s meeting with staff had progressed and that he valued hearing from members of staff. Paul also remarked on his feelings about going back to work Friday, unsure what he can accomplish in a day. But saying that he knows how much he could accomplish if he was back to work all of next week. Thanasi Hassoulas from MEDIC, compared his experiences of industrial action in Greece to the current UCU strikes.

Tomorrow’s (Thursday 8th March) march and rally

Tomorrow’s rally is due to be the biggest rally yet, with more and more people coming out to support the action. Speakers at the rally include, among others, Anna McMorrin MP and Adam Price AM. Please do encourage colleagues who have not yet come out on strike to strike tomorrow and attend the rally. Also, bring placards with your messages on them, and whistles, drums and other things that can be used to make noise.
In more practical matters, Phil Parkes will be coordinating the march and rally tomorrow. The route is not yet confirmed, but we will meet at the front of Main Building for 11 o’clock. Phil is looking for at least one more first-aider for the march; please email Phil if you can help out on Phillip.Parkes@sky.com.

An important date for your diaries: Lobby at the Welsh Assembly on Tuesday 13th March – link to sign up below

Cardiff UCU has arranged a lobby of the National Assembly for Wales for Tuesday 13th March between 1pm and 2pm.

The Welsh Government is an important source of funding and support for Welsh universities and particularly Cardiff University. It is vital that Ministers, especially the First Minister Carwyn Jones and the Education Minister Kirsty Williams are made aware of the impact of the proposed changes to our pensions, the strength of feeling of staff and the damaging affects that these changes will have on our university. Our aim is to speak to AMs and urge the Welsh Government to make a public statement calling on Universities UK to accept a new evaluation of the pension scheme and to negotiate in good faith with a view to retaining a Defined Benefit scheme.

Two of our local Assembly Members, Julie Morgan for Cardiff North and Jenny Rathbone for Cardiff Central, have agreed to host our lobby.

We need as many people as possible to commit to coming to the lobby next Tuesday. There will be transport provided by Cardiff UCU.

If you would like to attend the lobby and help to persuade the Welsh Government to support our case, click here and fill in the form

https://cardiffucu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/lobby-of-national-assembly-of-wales

Further political support

In addition to support from Jo Stevens MP (Cardiff Central), Julie Morgan AM (Cardiff North), Jenny Rathbone AM (Cardiff Central), Leanne Wood AM (Leader of Plaid Cymru), Kevin Brennan MP (Cardiff West), Anna McMorrin MP (Cardiff North), Stephen Doughty MP (Cardiff South and Penarth), Mick Antoniw AM (Pontypridd) and Neil McEvoy AM (South Wales Central region), we have also received a statement from David Melding AM (also South Wales Central region) expressing concern ‘that UUK’s pension cuts have been made without proper engagement with the university sector and the affected employees’.

Yesterday’s teach out: Mental Health Matters

The teach out, led by Prof Ben Hannigan, HCARE, involved a range of talks focused on mental health services and the University’s legal obligations in relation to mental health, mental health concerns by students and University staff. More details can be found here: Mental Health teach-out

Yesterday’s activity: Flash Mob

Led by Steven Stanley, a silent flash mob assembled on the stairs in front of the Cardiff University Union. See a short video here:

Do you have an hour spare to help out?

The various strike committees have been working hard over the past three weeks, and are looking for people who would like to volunteer to contribute an hour or two over the next week. If you are able to help out, please speak to your UCU department rep.

Next week’s teach outs

It looks as though we will be on strike again next week. We have talks all week on subjects such as Crime and Justice (12th March), Making sense of Neoliberalism (13th March), Community Values (14th March), Archaeology and History (14th March evening), Creativity and Resistance to Oppressive Institutions (15th March), Climate Change and Divestment (15th March) and Wales and Strikes (16th March). All events will take place between 1-4 PM except for the Archaeology and History event which will take place between 5-7 PM. The venue for all of the events is Cathays Methodist Church, Crwys Road, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 2NE (at the corner of Crwys Road and Fanny Street). They are open to everyone – students, staff and the public, so please do publicise these.

See you tomorrow at the rally and march! Come down and bring a friend.

Best,

Cardiff UCU Strike Communications Team


Further images from today:

Strike Bulletin #7 (updated)

Lack of PensionsIt has been a busy day today. Pickets were established from 8am onwards and by mid-morning we had pickets at Heath Park, Newport Road, Hadyn Ellis, Colum Road, AHSS, Modern Languages, Law, Careers, Psychology, Biosciences, Main Gate, Bute, Glamorgan.

We had a visit from another part of the the galaxy – namely Darth Vader who finds our “lack of pensions disturbing”. This was Patrick Sutton from Physics with colleague who managed to tour most of the picket lines this morning.

At 11am we held our daily rally (see gallery below) with input from Michelle Huws-Thomas, Heiko Feldner, Patrick Sutton, Steven Stanley and music from Michael Munn. At least half of the crowd assembled had not been at the rally the previous day, which means that if everyone on strike came to the rally we would have more than we saw at the final rally last week before the snow came. It will be important that we have a large turnout for our big march and rally this Thursday (8th).

At 11:30pm Steven Stanley introduced “Standing in silence – a meditation flash mob” and then invited all to join him in the entrance areas of the students union. Following the flash mob all those who participated spent some time in twos and threes reflecting on the experience. A number of students joined us for the exercise.

Following this a “University Matters” teach-out event on the theme of Mental Health, was held at the Cathays Community Centre. We expect to have more feedback from that event tomorrow and will post it on the web version of this bulletin.

Feedback from Monday’s Question Time
Much discussion and reflection has resulted from Monday’s Question Time with Colin Riordan and Rob Williams. [Full transcript]


We were therefore very encouraged to see that the Vice-Chancellor entered into a public email exchange with Jo Stevens, MP for Cardiff Central. Jo Stevens stated she was encouraged to see that Colin Riordan had agreed to attend the question time event organised by Cardiff UCU and understood that he had accepted at the event that the methodology used in the scheme valuation should be revisited. Colin Riordan wrote to assure Jo Stevens that he mean what he said regarding talking to UUK about the possibility of a new valuation … which he hoped would be today, Tuesday. He also said that he had talked with Chair of Council, Prof Stuart Palmer who is a USS trustee. and had enlisted his help in the matter.

You can read the full exchange at http://www.jostevens.co.uk/ucu_strike_action_my_exchange_of_correspondence_with_cardiff_university_vice_chancellor_prof_colin_riordan

We have confidence that the Vice-Chancellor will follow through on the commitments he has made – and conversations on Tuesday indicate that this is happening.

Lobby your Assembly Member Tuesday 13 March – book a place now!
Cardiff UCU has arranged a lobby of the National Assembly for Wales for Tuesday 13 March between 13.00 and 14.00.

The Welsh Government is an important source of funding and support for Welsh universities and particularly Cardiff University. It is vital that Ministers, especially the First Minister Carwyn Jones and the Education Minister Kirsty Williams are made aware of the impact of the proposed changes to our pensions, the strength of feeling of staff and the damaging affects that these changes will have on our university. Our aim is to speak to AMs and urge the Welsh Government to make a public statement calling on Universities UK to accept a new evaluation of the pension scheme and to negotiate in good faith with a view to retaining a Defined Benefit scheme

Two of our local Assembly Members, Julie Morgan for Cardiff North and Jenny Rathbone for Cardiff Central, have agreed to host our lobby.

We need as many people as possible to commit to coming to the lobby next Tuesday. There will be transport provided by Cardiff UCU.

If you would like to attend the lobby and help us persuade the Welsh Government to support our case, click here and fill in the form

Wednesday’s activity

  • 8am – Pickets – various school/dept locations and university main building
  • 11am – Rally – in front of the main university building
  • 1 pm – 3 pm – Workshop: Civil Rights and Liberties – Dr. Lydia Hayes – Where? Cathays Methodist Church

Best,
Cardiff UCU Strike Communications Team


Gallery of today’s activity at Main College:

Banners and placards - Main Gate

Banners and placards – Main Gate

Crowds Main Gate

Crowds Main Gate

Crowds Main Gate

Crowds Main Gate

Crowds Main Gate

Crowds Main Gate

Crowds Main Gate

Crowds Main Gate

Pickets - Main Gate

Pickets – Main Gate

Flying Picket - Main Gate

Flying Picket – Main Gate

Steve Stanley

Steve Stanley

Michael Munn

Michael Munn

Steve Stanley

Steve Stanley

Steve Stanley

Steve Stanley

Standing in silence – a meditation flash mob

Standing in silence – a meditation flash mob

Standing in silence – a meditation flash mob

Crowds at Main Gate

Strike Bulletin #6

Week Three begins with much milder temperatures but the same fire in the belly of UCU picketers. As Sally Hunt, UCU Secretary General, put in her e-mail this morning, “For the avoidance of doubt, this week’s strikes continue.” Here in Cardiff, we saw some strong turnout, no doubt in preparation for the big meeting with our vice-chancellor. But a nice showing for Mick Antoniw AM for Pontypridd who came to visit many of the school pickets. He will ask for a statement on our predicament from the Welsh Government this week in the National Assembly.

Mick Antoniw AM for Pontypridd who came to visit many of the school pickets

Mick Antoniw AM for Pontypridd who came to visit many of the school pickets

Rally at Main Gate
We had a good turnout again for the 11am rally with speeches from Kerry Hood and Mary Heimann, and a reminder of the arrangements for Question Time by Marc Beuhner

Rally - Main Gate - 5th March

Rally – Main Gate – 5th March

Rally - Main Gate - 5th March

Rally – Main Gate – 5th March

Question Time
The main event for the day was an hour’s session with Vice-Chancellor Colin Riordan and chief financial officer Rob Williams, chaired by Cardiff UCU’s own Paul Brennan and Nicky Priaulx. We were at capacity in the main hall of Cathays Community Centre with 200 present – at least 60 were turned away, but we were able to record it. That recording is now available.

The tone was deliberate but respectful, and we appreciate the Vice-Chancellor meeting us face to face and hearing our concerns. Certainly, there was a lot of expertise in the room on these issues, and I think we made it clear that we see alternatives to this pension valuation. Remember this great video, with a choice analogy from Biz School’s Woon Wong. Always worth watching and definitely good for sharing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PY84vOnFSk&feature=youtu.be

The VC was repeatedly urged to add his name to those of other UK Vice Chancellors willing to come out publicly in support of university staff and join UCU in pressing UUK/USS for a better pension deal. The VC repeatedly expressed the view that he would favour an alternative solution to the pension problem, could a practical alternative proposal be found.

In a statement on Twitter, Colin Riordan called the meeting constructive and highlighted the forthcoming work of a group of experts including UCU members and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Karen Holford. This group was, in fact, formed before the strike began and hasn’t yet met. Snow prevented their first scheduled meeting last Friday, but we hope that today’s session will provide significant impetus to make meaningful progress. Colin Riordan promises to bring the results of that group’s work to USS and UUK. It is essential now that everyone (especially the University’s senior management team) moves quickly to make this a reality.

Question Time Colin Riordan & Rob Williams - 5th March

Question Time Colin Riordan & Rob Williams – 5th March

Following the meeting, we sent this text, intended as a joint statement, to the Vice-Chancellor:

Today the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer of Cardiff University accepted an invitation from Cardiff University College Union (UCU) to meet with staff and students of the university to account for the Cardiff University position in the current USS pensions dispute. Following discussions at the meeting, the Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University joins with the Cardiff Branch of UCU in calling upon UUK to ask USS to commission immediately a new and independent valuation of the USS pension scheme to inform current negotiations.

By end of day, we had not heard back from his office. We do hope that the vice-chancellor’s comments to us today were more than just warm words before a frustrated crowd. Agreeing to this statement would be a reasonable, concrete first step, and we hope we get his written agreement soon.

Thanks to everyone for a strong presence and questions!

Question Time Audience - 5th March

Question Time Audience – 5th March

The Work Continues
Meantime, we’re not out of the woods. We love the continuing presence on the lines at individual schools and sites. If you haven’t been down, now is a great time to start. The spirit is good, and you’re likely to get someone’s home baking to keep you going. Check with your school picket supervisors: some people are putting rotations through so we don’t exhaust everyone but keep a steady presence at the doors.

Teach-outs continue this week, which is another way to take part. It keeps the enthusiasm going, builds more bridges between staff and students, and shares ideas that will sustain us as we take this fight past the state of our pension fund and right to the heart of what it means to be a university.

  • Tomorrow’s theme is mental health. Join Ben Hannigan, Lucy Series, Steven Stanley, Michelle Huws-Thomas, Thanasi Hassoulas, and Kerry Hood to look at the issue from a variety of angles. If you’re nursing private worries amidst all this public enthusiasm, please consider taking part. 1-4 at Cathays Community Centre on 6 March.
  • Wednesday, Lydia Hayes leads a workshop on the powerful and relevant theme of Civil Rights and Liberties. That’s at Cathays Methodist Church on Crwys Road, 1-3 on 7 March.

As always, we’ll meet at the gates of Main Building at 11 for a group rally, and as always, we’ll make the last one for the week of strike action a big one. So be sure to join us Thursday for the rally. We already have some strong speakers lined up, including Anna McMorrin, Labour MP for Cardiff North, and Adam Price, Plaid Cymru AM for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr.

Best,
Cardiff UCU Strike Communications Team


Further images from today:

Queen's Buildings - 5th March

Queen’s Buildings – 5th March

Newport Road - 5th March

Newport Road – 5th March

Glamorgan Building - 5th March

Glamorgan Building – 5th March

Glamorgan Building - 5th March

Glamorgan Building – 5th March

Bute - 5th March

Bute – 5th March

Bute - 5th March

Bute – 5th March

Birthday on the Picket Line - 5th March

Birthday on the Picket Line – 5th March

Law - 5th March

Law – 5th March

Psychology - 5th March

Psychology – 5th March

Heath Park - 5th March

Heath Park – 5th March

Heath Park - 5th March

Heath Park – 5th March

Heath Park - 5th March

Heath Park – 5th March

AHSS - 5th March

AHSS – 5th March

AHSS - 5th March

AHSS – 5th March

Colum Road - 5th March

Colum Road – 5th March

Colum Road - 5th March

Colum Road – 5th March

Banners at Cardiff UCU Pickets

Banners at Cardiff UCU Pickets

Law - 28th February

Law – 28th February

Question Time - 5th March

Question Time – 5th March

Question Time - 5th March

Question Time – 5th March

Strike Bulletin #5

Well done, everyone, for making it through five very chilly days of striking! As Karin Wahl-Jorgensen from JOMEC noted, “the colder it gets, the more people turn up.” Standing in the beautiful sunshine does make a difference, and so a special shout-out to those picketing outside Psychology who kind of lost the sweepstakes for weather: dark and shady with a funnel of wind blowing at you up Park Place. However, you’re tops in spirit. Here’s a look at some of you:

Picket Psychology 28th Feb

Picket Psychology 28th Feb

Solidarity
As usual, we gathered at Main Building for 11am, and we wanted a big push for two reasons: it’s the last day before we head back into our offices, and we’ve got so much to celebrate.

Just think of where we were the day before this strike began: UUK said there was no room for negotiation and no time to change – their hands were tied by the pension regulator. Only a handful of vice-chancellors suggesting any kind of compromise. Now, we’re strong. UUK met yesterday with UCU, and the talks were apparently good enough that UCU didn’t just walk away from the table. More talks, with Acas as conciliator, are coming.

The students are behind us: 5,600 signatures and more on the local petition. The trade unions and many politicians are with us. All this meant a big, bouncy rally. Our thanks to Shavanah Taj from PCS, Ross Saunders from UNISON and Cardiff Trades Council, and Isaac Kneebone-Hopkins and Paulina Backs on behalf of the student resistance. Thanks also to Marc Buehner, Issac Kneebone-Hopkins and Nick Russell who spoke as members of Cardiff University

Marc informed us of an invitation which is being made to Colin Riordan, to attend a Q&A session on Monday 5th March at 12noon in the Cathays Community Centre to answer questions on our University’s position regarding USS (details to follow).  We are certainly looking forward to saying #HelloColin in the flesh!

The media are noticing: we’ve had positive press from the Guardianthe BBCTimes Higher Ed, and others.

Many cheers as well to the musical support, including Cosmo’s anarchist singalongs and the open mic performances.

Cosmo’s anarchist singalongs

Cosmo’s anarchist singalongs

Back to work
The next couple of days will be a bit odd. Back inside, out of the cold and snow and away from the warmth of the picket line. We want to keep the momentum going, so here are three things to consider:

  • Send an e-mail to your head of school letting them know you’ve been out on strike. It’s professional and a courtesy. We’re not obliged to tell them what we’re up to before we go, but we should let them know after it’s happened. There’s been discussion about a form to fill in, but that form commits you to declaring your entire strike attendance. If you want to make contributions to your pension for the strike days, we recommend saying so in the e-mail. More details are on the Cardiff Uni website.
  • Speaking of e-mails, you’ll have a mountain to catch up on. It’s like coming back from holidays or being off sick. Think ahead, make some priorities, and stick to it. You may be asked to do a week’s worth of work in the next two days: remember that you’re working to contract, so think of what can happen and needs to happen over two seven-hour work days.
  • We have a simple Excel sheet which allows people to track working hours to facilitate working to contract.  It is pretty self-explanatory, except that “leave time” suggests when you can leave (i.e. 7 hours after start, minus any lunch break)
  • Finally, talk about what’s been happening with your co-workers. There is so much to be positive about. Talk about the resilient spirit of the people on the lines. Some people in your department may be members who just haven’t turned up – embolden them to come out. Some people haven’t even joined – tell them it’s not too late. Our memberships are climbing since the strike, and they are protected as members from the moment they complete the online form. We’ve done a lot in five days – remind them of that. Think together of what could be achieved if our union was even bigger!
Rally Cardiff University Main Building 28th Feb

Rally Cardiff University Main Building 28th Feb

Take care of yourselves and keep an eye on our website and our social media accounts. And we’ll see you back next Monday.

Best,
Cardiff UCU Strike Communications Committee


Further images from today:

Heath Park 28th February

Heath Park 28th February

Heath Park Campus 28th February

Heath Park Campus 28th February

Heath Park 28th February

Heath Park 28th February

AHSS 28th February

AHSS 28th February

Bute Building 28th February

Bute Building 28th February

Bute Building 28th February

Bute Building 28th February

Glamorgan Building 28th February

Glamorgan Building 28th February

Law School - 28th Feb

Law School – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally - Cardiff University Main Gate - 28th Feb

Cardiff UCU USS Pensions Strike Rally – Cardiff University Main Gate – 28th Feb