Ballots arriving TOMORROW - vote YES because you deserve better

I know you are tired. I know you are sick of the way you have been treated. But I also know you will refuse to be beaten down by bosses and politicians who seem determined to destroy everything we value about our sector.

We are a union that is conditioned to go the long haul. We have proven that in the USS pensions dispute. We have witnessed it in other disputes too where the RMT and CWU needed a third ballot win to force an acceptable settlement from their employers. 

From tomorrow [Wednesday 20 September 2023] we need the whole union to come together, and come alive. We need conversations in every workplace. We need meetings in every branch. We need to see social media covered with images, videos and posts from members who have voted YES and are ready to convince their colleagues to do the same. 

Winning a national ballot is a huge logistical exercise and it can only be achieved if we all pull in the same direction.

I know members also want to see and feel something different, with multiple calls for us to discuss a wider strategy. A strategy where strike action is part of the plan, but not all of it. This is something I have always wanted us to do. 

So tonight [Tuesday 19 September 2023], our live event at 18:30 will be different. Of course we will talk about the ballot. We will talk about the need for a massive yes vote. But we will go beyond that. We have already secured a union wide live session in October with the outstanding Jane McAlevey. That will give us the platform to discuss building our union. 

Tonight we will also hear from journalists and politicians. But more importantly than that, we want to hear your ideas on how we campaign in the coming months. The session will be a launchpad for a mass engagement exercise in the coming weeks. 

Here are the links to the UCU Live event at 18:30 on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

Please do everything you can to attend and spread the word amongst colleagues. 

Today we go live. Tomorrow we vote. Everyday we stick together. 

See you at 18:30.

In solidarity

Jo Grady
UCU general secretary