UCU campaign update:

 UCU campaign update:

One Day Without Us, 20 February: UCU celebrates migrant contribution
20 February is United Nations World Day of Social Justice and UCU is supporting the One Day Without Us mobilisation which invites supporters to celebrate the contribution migrants make - link arms, hold up posters and post selfies with hashtags #ucu and #1DayWithoutUs. More information, programme of events and downloads here. Dr Michiel van Ingen from LSE says why education staff and students should support the day of action here.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt argues here that the education community can be a positive force to help shape society and be a vehicle for change following the Trump election and Brexit vote. UCU’s ‘Cradle to Grave’ conference on the defence of public education takes place this weekend on the theme of ‘Education without borders’ with speakers including shadow chancellor John McDonnell, political commentator Steve Richards and campaigner Melissa Benn.

National bargaining in further education
As the Association of Colleges (AoC) considers abandoning national pay bargaining UCU has called for a commitment from colleges to abide by what is agreed nationally on pay. Speaking in the TES this week, UCU head of further education, Andrew Harden said ‘UCU remains committed to national bargaining, but that commitment must be shared by colleges.’

See here for full update including:

• In the news
• Closure of Manchester Metropolitan University Crewe campus: no to redundancies
• Trade union victimisation at University of Liverpool: reinstate Dawn Holdman
• Hourly paid lecturers win better contracts thanks to UCU
• Professional development courses
• UCU trustee, general secretary, officer and national executive committee elections 2017 - ballots open
• 'Truth for Giulio' campaign for student murdered in Egypt
• Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI)
• Academic-related, professional staff meeting
• Membership portal and support site: 'My UCU'

Best wishes

Ed Bailey
UCU acting head of campaigns