The Friday email: 30 September 2022

UCU Rising: halfway through the ballot

We are now officially halfway through our higher education ballot window--but we cannot afford to take our foot off the gas now. If you have already voted or need a replacement ballot please let us know now.

We know that some of you still have concerns about voting YES in this ballot. That is why our general secretary Jo Grady last night answered your difficult questions about the ballot in a UCU Live Q&A session which you can replay here. Winning this ballot is the only way that we can bring your employers back to the negotiating table, the only way that we can improve your working conditions, and the only way that we can fix the injustices of the higher education sector.

We have asked every branch in the country to organise an event for National Get The Vote Out Day on Wednesday 12 October. If you have not already seen details about your event please contact your local reps.

Respect FE: support our strike

Congratulations to participating further education (FE) branches on an amazing first week of strike action which saw vibrant and angry picket lines across the country. You can catch up on all the action with picket line photos, reports, messages of solidarity and videos here.

Next week will see another two days of industrial action over pay, workload and professional respect on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October.

Show your solidarity by visiting a picket line and donating to UCU's fighting fund and using #RespectFE to post messages of support across social media.

Novus prison branch: ballot closes soon!

Novus UCU prison education members have received their ballot papers in a dispute over pay and gate time. Members are urged to vote as soon as possible due to a potential postal backlog as a result of planned CWU strikes on Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October. The ballot closes at noon on Wednesday 5 October.

Please send messages of support for balloting Novus workers to @ucuprisoned or to branch chair Brian Hamilton.

UK officer and NEC elections in 2023: nominations now open

Nominations are now open for vacancies for UCU vice president (becoming president in 2025-26), honorary treasurer and for more than 20 positions on UCU's national executive committee (NEC). Full details of terms of office for these positions, the full calling notice and nomination forms, can be found here, or requested from Kay Metcalfe. The deadline for completed nominations is Friday 11 November 2022 at 17:00.

October is Black History Month

Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate Black history and energise Black and white activists in the anti-racist fight. Please let us know what your branch is planning. UCU's Black members standing committee is holding an online Black History Month event on Wednesday 19 October, 17:00-18:30 and you can register here.

Leaving higher education? The state of work in UK universities 

Researchers based at the universities of Bristol and Swansea are currently investigating why academic and professional services staff are leaving UK higher education to take up alternative forms of employment. Individuals who have left academic or professional services posts in a UK university since January 2020 or are thinking of leaving academic or professional services posts are invited to respond here.

TUC Long Covid survey

2 million people in the UK are now experiencing symptoms of Long Covid and continuing infection rates mean many more people are likely to experience it. If you have, or have had Long Covid, please complete the TUC's survey here and share with others you know. It closes on Sunday 9 October.

Long Covid bargaining guidance: equality and health and safety considerations

This guide draws upon equality and health and safety approaches and will support UCU reps engaged in collective bargaining and casework to improve the management of Long Covid across post-16 education.

Mental Health Matters: World Mental Health Day

Join UCU president Janet Farrar and other guest speakers for a special TUC North West Mental Health Matters event to mark World Mental Health Day on Monday 10 October at 18:00. The event is online and trade unionists from across the UK are invited. Please register in advance here.

Enough is Enough National Day of Action: Saturday 1 October

Tomorrow (Saturday 1 October) the Enough is Enough campaign are holding a National Day of Action to protest the cost of living crisis and to show solidarity to striking workers across the country. Find information on your local event here.