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Reposted by Scott Alexander

University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 4d

There are plenty more like Graham.

Six-figure salaries at the top, cuts and chaos for staff.

We’re exposing the hypocrisy in higher education.

🎥 Thurs 7PM | UCU Live: www.youtube.com/live/rZRbCP0...

#WeAreTheUniversity #VoteYes

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · 9d

Fifty branches, representing over 36% of UCU members, have now called for @drjogrady.bsky.social to enter unconditional negotiations & remove the threat of punitive deductions against staff.

Unite's repeated requests for such talks have had no response. Will she now listen to @ucu.org.uk members?

We call on Jo Grady and UCU SMT to:
• Enter negotiations with Unite UCU without preconditions.
• Stop the threat of punitive deductions for ASOS - this breaches UCU and TUC policy and only serves to undermine all of us, not least those UCU members currently involved in legal test cases against punitive deductions after taking lawful industrial action.

Signed, 25, no 37, no 46, no 50 UCU branch committees (and still counting)

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · 14d

Oppose this.

Just one week after Palantir sign a £1.5bn deal with the U.K. on AI and innovation?

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards

We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.

petition.parliament.uk

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · 15d

It’s becoming hard to see that this really is a Labour Govt.

Sign and reject this nonsensical and ridiculous proposal, that was not found in the Labour Party manifesto.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

#NoToIDCards #Privacy #Palantir #DataHarvest

Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards

We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.

petition.parliament.uk

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

QM_UCU @qmucu.bsky.social · 16d

At our Emergency General Meeting, our branch unanimously voted in support of this solidarity motion with @uniteucu.bsky.social. This behaviour by @ucu.org.uk senior management is unacceptable and threatens the entire @tuc.org.uk movement.

Read in full:
qmucu.org/2025/09/24/b...

The branch resolves:

To write to the General Secretary seeking the immediate withdrawal of any threat of deductions for ASOS made to Unite UCU members.
To submit a complaint to NEC and make a representation to NEC seeking an agreement that punitive deductions for ASOS should not be used by UCU because it is damaging to all UCU members, as well as to the particular ongoing campaign by QMUCU members to seek restitution and damages against our employer.
If no agreement can be reached, to make a second representation to NEC asking NEC to exercise rule 2.11 and, if needed, instruct the GS under rule 28.2 to withdraw the threat of punitive deductions for ASOS made to Unite UCU members.
To write to UCU legal services seeking urgent clarification on how the union will handle the disparity between supporting QMUCU members to challenge punitive deductions and enacting them against UCU staff.
To write to the TUC General Council calling for an investigation of the conduct of UCU SMT in accordance with TUC Rules 12, 13, and 14, in coordination with Unite-UCU.

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · 18d

Do you want to know how UCU senior management has responded to UCU branches calling on them to remove their threat of deductions? This is how.

How would you react?

uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/u...

Screenshot of email from UCU management which reads: ASOS Attendance Form - New Weekly Survey
Starting Monday 22 September, all staff will receive an email with a link to the new ASOS attendance form. This short weekly survey is mandatory for all staff, whether you were on ASOS or not. Please make sure to complete it each week, failure to do so may result in pay deductions. The cut off each week will be Friday at 5pm.

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · 23d

I think this guy’s in business.

#LBC

Reposted by Scott Alexander

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · 28d

Another 12 more UCU branches have signed (so far) today!

uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/u...

We'd like to send special solidarity back to @ucukent.bsky.social and @ucugreenwich.bsky.social for their support following their own worrying news from this week.

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · 28d

Ferrari’s the only one that’ll entertain his shtick

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Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · 29d

Sometimes solutions are easy @drjogrady.bsky.social & @ucu.org.uk

Let’s sit down and talk without conditions or threats that damage everyone. It’s time to resolve this dispute.

Our statement, with support from the following branch committees:

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · 28d

QM_UCU @qmucu.bsky.social · 29d

As a union, we have been fighting employers’ attempts at making 100% pay deductions for ASOS legal since 2019. As a branch, we’ve been at the forefront of that fight since 2022.

Our own union going against our policies, workers’ interest, and legal cases hurts.

Letter: qmucu.org/2025/09/12/l...

QMUCU branch committee statement. We learnt with dismay about UCU Senior Managements’ threats of 100% pay deductions for Actions Short of Strike against Unite UCU members.

We oppose these threats in the strongest of terms. They breach union policy voted on in congress. They replicate the worst employers' practice. They contravene our legal work challenging ASOS deductions.

We express our solidarity with Unite UCU and call on UCU senior management to revoke these threats, protect all workers from disproportionate deductions, and negotiate with Unite UCU without preconditions.

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · Sep 10

How and why is Peter Mandelson still in post?

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · Sep 10

Every vain hour Mandelson remains in post is a further insult to Epstein's victims.

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · Sep 9

UCU deploys “vindictive” union-busting tactics in attempt to crush staff union uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/09/04/u...

#TUC #Unite #TradeDispute #TradeUnion #UnionBusting #ECHR #HumanRights

UCU deploys “vindictive” union-busting tactics in attempt to crush staff union

Unite the union members working for the University and College Union vote to take further industrial action with a 76% Yes vote for strike action on a 77% turnout This was their third consecutive s…

uniteucu.wordpress.com

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

Jim Dickinson @jimdickinson.bsky.social · Sep 9

"Edinburgh Uni lecturers walk out on first of five days of industrial action"

Edinburgh Uni lecturers walk out on first of five days of industrial action

The University and College Union said it is ‘taking steps’ to extend its mandate for industrial action, which expires in November.

bit.ly

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Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · Sep 6

Say it again, and again, and again. They are not "illegal immigrants".

-seeking asylum is legal and has been since 1951.

This legally trumps all arguments of “but they arrived by illegal means”. That’s just a fact. That’s why you don’t see asylum seekers arrested & charged. Our MSM must do better.

Silencing the drumbeat again: seeking asylum is legal

Hundreds protested in Ashington against so-called "illegal immigrants" - though seeking asylum has been legal since 1951

northeastbylines.co.uk

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Wil Hardman @wilhardman.bsky.social · Sep 4

Shocking that UCU SMT are threatening to dock pay just for ASOS in Unite UCU’s dispute. Our branch is donating £150 + our Admin’s strike pay to their fund, with more to follow. We urge all UCU branches to donate asap to support our UCU staff strikers.

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨 Third consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨

✅ strike action: 76%
✅ action short of a strike (ASOS): 80%
✅ turnout: 77%

ASOS begins today with @ucu.org.uk threatening staff: "We'll deduct your wages."

Double standards and vindictive attacks undermine us all.

#ReclaimUCU

Jo Grady calling Queen Mary management "vindictive" for making deductions from UCU members taking action short of a strike: Jo Grady, UCU's general secretary, said Queen Mary's senior management had "launched a vindictive attack" on its members, "punishing them for taking part in lawful industrial action" and "cementing its reputation as the worst university employer in the UK" She said: "It is wrong to do this at any time and all the more deplorable as staff struggle to make ends meet in a cost of living crisis."

Screen shot of the article from The Guardian about Queen Mary ASOS deductions in which Jo Grady is quoted

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · Sep 7

If Farage wins the next election, it will be down to one person. His name is Keir Starmer.
This thread explains why.
1. Destroying faith in democracy. The UK decisively voted out the Tories, only for Starmer to give us a Continuity Tory government, shamefully beholden to economic power.
🧵

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · Sep 7

Is it really going to be flags, Farage, asylum seekers and boats for another 3.5 years?!

Reposted by Scott Alexander

Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · Sep 7

🚨 The vested interests of Reform politicians must be called out.

But people thinking of voting Reform? We keep talking - not writing them off.

I told the BBC how we’ll take on both Labour and Reform - and get @anthonyslaughter.bsky.social elected to the Senedd!

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Green leader Zack Polanski says number one priority is Senedd

The Green Party is targeting its first seats in the Senedd at next year's elections.

www.bbc.com

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Scott Alexander @scottalexander.bsky.social · Sep 6

Quite frankly speechless.

The hypocrisy is staggering.

#TUC #UCU #Unite #TradeDispute #TradeUnion #ReclaimUCU

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · Sep 6

UCU policy: “To work with the TUC and other TUs to campaign for a change to the law to prevent such deductions, including lobbying government and opposition parties”

Maybe while @drjogrady.bsky.social is at @tuc.org.uk in Brighton she can work on thi… oh!

policy.web.ucu.org.uk/motion-infor...

UCU: Fighting punitive ASOS deductions

Motion from UCU Congress 2022-2023: Fighting punitive ASOS deductions

policy.web.ucu.org.uk

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Ruth Fletcher @ruthfletcher.bsky.social · Sep 5

This is unbelievable @ucu.org.uk

How can you be threatening 100% deductions for ASOS that is working at home rather than in office?

UCU policy is against disprop ASOS deductions

ASOS deductions breach workers Art 11 rights

You contradict UCU support for members’ cases against employer deductions

QM_UCU @qmucu.bsky.social · Sep 5

100% deductions for ASOS is inhumane and destructive. We thought we had the backing of our own national union on this point. To see them implement what is a draconian policy (and not yet fully tested in the courts) against the colleagues who keep our branches running is devastating.

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨 Third consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨

✅ strike action: 76%
✅ action short of a strike (ASOS): 80%
✅ turnout: 77%

ASOS begins today with @ucu.org.uk threatening staff: "We'll deduct your wages."

Double standards and vindictive attacks undermine us all.

#ReclaimUCU

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

QM_UCU @qmucu.bsky.social · Sep 5

100% deductions for ASOS is inhumane and destructive. We thought we had the backing of our own national union on this point. To see them implement what is a draconian policy (and not yet fully tested in the courts) against the colleagues who keep our branches running is devastating.

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨 Third consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨

✅ strike action: 76%
✅ action short of a strike (ASOS): 80%
✅ turnout: 77%

ASOS begins today with @ucu.org.uk threatening staff: "We'll deduct your wages."

Double standards and vindictive attacks undermine us all.

#ReclaimUCU

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

Marian Mayer @marianmayer.bsky.social · Sep 4

This cannot continue. It brings UCU into disrepute. Solidarity with @uniteucu.bsky.social #ReclaimUCU now

Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · Sep 4

Why is our trade union emulating the worst behaviour of our employers towards UCU staff? How many of our letters, motions, attempts to bring motions from lay members pressing for resolution have been ignored now? Solidarity with all @uniteucu.bsky.social #UnionStrong #ReclaimUCU

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨 Third consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨

✅ strike action: 76%
✅ action short of a strike (ASOS): 80%
✅ turnout: 77%

ASOS begins today with @ucu.org.uk threatening staff: "We'll deduct your wages."

Double standards and vindictive attacks undermine us all.

#ReclaimUCU

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Reposted by Scott Alexander

Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · Sep 4

Why is our trade union emulating the worst behaviour of our employers towards UCU staff? How many of our letters, motions, attempts to bring motions from lay members pressing for resolution have been ignored now? Solidarity with all @uniteucu.bsky.social #UnionStrong #ReclaimUCU

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨 Third consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨

✅ strike action: 76%
✅ action short of a strike (ASOS): 80%
✅ turnout: 77%

ASOS begins today with @ucu.org.uk threatening staff: "We'll deduct your wages."

Double standards and vindictive attacks undermine us all.

#ReclaimUCU

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