Monday 28th is your last chance to vote in the two active ballots:

There are only a few days left to have your say in the higher education ballots so please post your ballot paper by Monday 28 October at the very latest.

Voting now will improve the union’s bargaining position and empowers your negotiators. If we beat the 50% threshold for strike action we anticipate that the employers will seriously consider making us an offer before any action happens, because they will remember how effective last year’s strikes were. If we don’t, there is no realistic chance of us improving our lots in relation to pensions, pay, workload, casualisation, or equality. It really is that stark.

A strong turn-out in Cardiff specifically will also help the local branch in its on-going negotiations for improvements with Cardiff University. A weak one will have the opposite effect.

We as a union have democratically decided to encourage members to vote “Yes“ to strike action and ASOS in both ballots, but whatever you think about pay, pensions, job security or equality: please don’t leave it to others to speak for you. Please vote, and also remind your colleagues to vote by sharing this short video clip or by sharing this Facebook event

Could you be a UCU workplace rep?

Your local UCU branch relies on the work of its Departmental Representatives (Dep Reps) who play an essential role in raising awareness of the union and supporting members. We need more.

If you are interested in becoming a Dep Rep, please get in touch with Sally in the branch office (ucu@cardiff.ac.uk). You can also take part in the following regional training.

Induction to Representing Members – Venue: UCU Wales Office, Tondu, Bridgend CF32 9BS

UCU Wales will be holding an Induction to Representing Members on Wednesday 6th November 10am – 2.30pm

This 1 day course is aimed at new reps/caseworkers, activists and departmental contacts who are or will be undertaking a role in the near future. The induction course will cover aspects of representation of members, organising, recruitment and building a strong branch.

We are currently without reps in the following schools: Business School, CPE, School of Welsh, Healthcare, Architecture and Engineering. We are also very keen to increase the number of reps we have in professional services across the board.

The New Ken Loach Film: Sorry We Missed you

To tie in with the film, Anti-Precarity Cymru and Cardiff UCU are running a creative workshop on the theme of organising and resisting casualised, zero-hours and exploitative work – join us for zine-making and other activities! This will be followed by a screening of the film, tickets for which must be purchased separately.  This event will be taking place Saturday 2 November 2-5pm, at Chapter Arts Centre, Market Rd, Canton, Cardiff CF5 1QE

Book launch: Grace Blakely on financialisation

All of our lives are touched by financialisation in ways we often don’t even realise. For example, part of the reason Cardiff University is currently in a financial mess, and why we’re facing yet more disastrous cuts under Transforming Cardiff, is the amount of financialised debt (in the form of a public bond) we’ve taken on.

The author and economist Grace Blakeley will be having a launch of her new book Stolen: How to save the world from financialisation on 20 November 2019, 6.00 – 8.30pm, at the Glamorgan Building, King Edward V11 Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3WT.

Grace Blakeley is the economic commentator for the New Statesman and an economist at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The book tells the story of the rise of global finance, focusing on how this change has affected the structures of the British and American economies. Grace is a prominent voice in the media and has recently appeared on shows such as BBC’s Question Time, Politics Live and ITV’s Good Morning Britain. You can find and example of her work here.