UCU campaigns update

Dear colleague

In this week's campaign update:

Higher education bill: peers defy government on Tef and degree awarding powers
This week, in response to concerns raised by UCU, peers made a string of amendments to the higher education bill which block plans for Tef ratings, break the link between the Tef and tuition fees, and ensure new providers must meet improved quality standards before awarding their own degrees. UCU thanked peers for listening to staff and students despite vice-chancellors urging them to back the bill and, with your help, we will continue to campaign against the damage this bill will do to higher education.

Further education women transforming lives and communities 
This week saw International Women’s Day and the launch of a short film showcasing inspirational stories of women and further education. The video showcases interviews with a range of teachers and learners describing how women have overcome barriers and changed their lives through further education and the crucial role colleges play in communities.

See here for full update including:

·  In the news

·  Stamp out casual contracts – report on work

·  University of Brighton UCU votes for action 

·  Refugee Action campaign

·  Protest over A-levels cuts at Ealing College

·  Show Culture Some Love: save the arts

·  Free CPD courses for UCU members

·  March against Racism, 18 March

·  UCU LGBT+ research conference 2017

·  Welsh baccalaureate

Best wishes

Ed Bailey
UCU acting head of campaigns

FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY FOR ALL STAFF AT NATIONAL GALLERY

FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY FOR ALL STAFF AT NATIONAL GALLERY 

PROTEST AT EXHIBITION GRAND OPENING
MONDAY 13 MARCH 6pm

National Gallery

Trafalgar Square

https://www.facebook.com/events/305401203196359/

This protest will take place outside the grand opening of the Michelangelo & Sebastiano Exhibtion to highlight to all the important guests our demand that the Gallery stick to their agreement for fairness. 

Your support for the 100 day strike by PCS members in 2015 helped win an agreement from the National Gallery and private company Securitas that included a guarantee that new Securitas staff would be given broadly comparable terms and conditions to those employed by the gallery.

But well over a year later Securitas has not made one move towards this. New staff suffer lower grades and worse pay,annual leave, sick and maternity pay.

We don't believe that workers should pay the price of privatisation. 

PCS have already raised this at national level with Securitas and the Gallery. Now we are asking National Gallery Director Dr Finaldi to intervene to make sure the agreement is implemented as soon as possible.

PLEASE JOIN US TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
or SEND A SOLIDARITY MESSAGE to NoPrivatisationAtNG@gmail.com. 

Please share this message, thanks!

Greener Jobs Alliance newsletter & ccc planning meeting Thursday 2nd March 6.30pm at the Institute of Education.

The latest Greener Jobs Alliance newsletter is out now: http://www.greenerjobsalliance.co.uk/?page_id=29

Contents:
1. Editorial – Trade Unions’ Stand on Carbon Pollution
2. Government Fails to Make Safe Case for Heathrow
3. Air Quality - A Workplace Issue
4. Stop the Attack on the UK Solar Industry
5. Changing Face of Climate Change
6. Emissions Impossible
7. March for Science! London 22 April

Campaign against Climate Change 

Open meeting - London solidarity with 29 April Climate March

Thursday 2nd March 6.30pm at the Institute of Education.

On 29 April the US climate movement will be marching in Washington and across the country, marking Trump's 100th day in office. https://peoplesclimate.org/
On 29 April the US climate movement will be marching in Washington and across the country, marking Trump's 100th day in office. Donald Trump's administration is a threat to the future of our planet, and we need to stand in solidarity with US activists, while holding our own government to its climate commitments.
Want to be involved in plans what we can do in London on 29 April - and on the March for Science the week before? Join us this Thursday, all welcome.
Venue: Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 0AL (open area in the foyer)

acknowledgements to Claire - Campaign against Climate Change

College of NW London support meeting

Demo for a Living Wage. Support the Picturehouse Strike!

Demo for a Living Wage. Support the Picturehouse Strike!

Saturday at 12 PM - 3 PM Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7, United Kingdom

Details

Every year at the end of February Hollywood honours the year’s best films and those who made them. But this year we want to celebrate the Oscars with the people at the other end of the cinema business - Sold out screenings, a constant flow of popcorn followed by stacks of cups and empty packets afterwards - Oscar season is a busy one for cinema workers, the Hidden Figures.

Whilst we all do our best to be as charming and magical as Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone when dishing out the popcorn and sliding beers across the bar, our pay packet is a far cry from the big bucks of Hollywood.

But we aren't asking for a million dollars. We just want enough to keep on living in the Big City. The London Living Wage is something union members of Picturehouse have been pushing for since 2014. The campaign has been growing ever since, now with four sites out on strike! Picturehouse and Cineworld are working very hard to crush our campaign and all we get from them in the way of negotiation is Silence.

So we’re having to make a song and dance about it.

Join us for a demo on the 25th of February!

Cineworld, who own Picturehouse, have recently bought the Empire Cinema in the centre of Leicester Square, which we though would be perfect for our Arrival. Then we will take a tour of a few other of the companies cinema hot spots in the west end.

Come Hell or High Water, the campaign will go on until our employers award their workers union recognition, commit to a more ethical pay scheme and pay their workers a Living Wage. Because every worker deserves enough to live comfortably on. Every worker.

20th February - MIGRANTS DAY OF ACTION

20th February - MIGRANTS DAY OF ACTION

This coming Monday, 20 February, is a day of action against Trump and in support of migrants.  Since his inauguration, Trump has attempted to push through an agenda of division, racism and bigotry. But this has been met by big resistance, from the shutdown of US airports to the mass protests here in the UK
In London the following events are planned:
3pm, Parliament Square. Called by Stand Up To Racism and People’s Assembly,
6pm, Parliament Square. Called by Stop Trump.

UCU campaigns update

Dear colleague

In this week’s campaign update:

Celebrate migrants this Monday: One Day Without Us, 20 February
This Monday 20 February UCU is supporting the One Day Without Us celebration of the contribution migrants make. Please link arms, hold up posters and post selfies with hashtags #ucu and #1DayWithoutUs. More information, events and downloads here.

Monday is also the day MPs will debate whether to allow Donald Trump a state visit and activists will march on Parliament to say no to the racism and division of Trump and the populist Right. See here for other 'Stop Trump' events taking place across the UK.

'Cradle to Grave' event calls on progressives to take control 
Please watch and share this short film of last weekend’s 'Cradle to Grave' conference which brought together voices from across education and progressive politics to discuss the future for education in a post-Brexit world.

This year's event to defend public education saw an excellent range of speakers and covered topics including the transformative power of further education, widening access to universities, and how education can counter racist myths and help create a fair and just society.

See here for full update including:

·  In the news

·  Celebrate migrants this Monday: One Day Without Us

·  'Cradle to Grave' event calls for progressives to take control

·  Defend jobs at Manchester Metropolitan University

·  Your vote, your voice, your union: UCU election

·  'It's our NHS' march against cuts, closures and privatisation

·  Stamp out casual contracts, Friday 24 February

·  'Truth for Giulio' campaign for student murdered in Egypt

·  Professional development courses

·  Reinstate Dawn Holdman campaign

·  Use of personal information under the Data Protection Act

·  Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI)

·  March against Racism, 18 March

Best wishes

Ed Bailey
UCU acting head of campaigns