QM_UCU
@qmucu.bsky.social
Local University & College Union branch at Queen Mary University of London. || Account checked only part-time; allow time for responses or reach us via email. https://qmucu.org/
Pinned
QM_UCU
@qmucu.bsky.social
· Nov 15
Quick digest of what's happening
⭐️ reorganisation: qmucu.org/qmul-transfo...
⭐️ management break-in in union office: docs.google.com/document/d/e...
⭐️ punitive deductions: qmucu.org/2023/09/12/l...
⭐️ legal challenge to deductions: qmucu.org/working-grou...
⭐️ news: qmucu.org/itn/ pic.x.com/Skb3gbpm86
⭐️ reorganisation: qmucu.org/qmul-transfo...
⭐️ management break-in in union office: docs.google.com/document/d/e...
⭐️ punitive deductions: qmucu.org/2023/09/12/l...
⭐️ legal challenge to deductions: qmucu.org/working-grou...
⭐️ news: qmucu.org/itn/ pic.x.com/Skb3gbpm86
Reposted by QM_UCU
'Four university-led efficiency projects have been backed by the Scottish Funding Council under a new funding stream designed to address the sector’s financial sustainability.
The news comes a week after Jacqui Smith...ruled out a similar national fund' for England.
The news comes a week after Jacqui Smith...ruled out a similar national fund' for England.
Four university efficiency projects backed by new Scottish fund.
Scottish Funding Council’s announcement follows Westminster government’s rejection of similar national fund.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Scottish Funding Council’s announcement follows Westminster government’s rejection of similar national fund.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
Four university efficiency projects backed by new Scottish fund - Research Professional News
Scottish Funding Council’s announcement follows Westminster government’s rejection of similar national fund
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:48 AM
'Four university-led efficiency projects have been backed by the Scottish Funding Council under a new funding stream designed to address the sector’s financial sustainability.
The news comes a week after Jacqui Smith...ruled out a similar national fund' for England.
The news comes a week after Jacqui Smith...ruled out a similar national fund' for England.
Reposted by QM_UCU
Please sign and share to get us over 700 today: www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/no...
Northumbria Pay and Pension Petition: Stop the Steal!
If Northumbria does this, other universities will too.
These cuts will harm thousands of people, their students, families, and their local communities now and into the future.
www.megaphone.org.uk
December 5, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Please sign and share to get us over 700 today: www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/no...
Reposted by QM_UCU
After extensive consultation and development from individuals and organisations across the sector, we are very pleased to publish the CDBU Code of Ethical University Governance.
You can read the code and the tracked changes version here: cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20...
@profstevenjones.bsky.social 👏🏻
You can read the code and the tracked changes version here: cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20...
@profstevenjones.bsky.social 👏🏻
December 4, 2025 at 12:47 PM
After extensive consultation and development from individuals and organisations across the sector, we are very pleased to publish the CDBU Code of Ethical University Governance.
You can read the code and the tracked changes version here: cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20...
@profstevenjones.bsky.social 👏🏻
You can read the code and the tracked changes version here: cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20...
@profstevenjones.bsky.social 👏🏻
Reposted by QM_UCU
'Other submissions raised concerns about the over-financialisation of governance, with educational, research and community considerations reported to be taking second place to cost savings.'
Reforms to university governance seen as ‘overdue and essential’.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-u...
December 4, 2025 at 1:43 PM
'Other submissions raised concerns about the over-financialisation of governance, with educational, research and community considerations reported to be taking second place to cost savings.'
Reposted by QM_UCU
So why launch an OfS investigation in December? I get that you might not want to get in the way of what sounds like very serious police activity, but as that work is still under way, why is December a good time to launch one when March or May was not?
December 4, 2025 at 4:24 PM
So why launch an OfS investigation in December? I get that you might not want to get in the way of what sounds like very serious police activity, but as that work is still under way, why is December a good time to launch one when March or May was not?
Reposted by QM_UCU
I mean, I get that there is due process to follow, but surely the point at which a provider suspends three senior figures including the VC because the police is investigating it for suspected fraud and bribery is the point at which you pretty much have to step in? And that point was in May.
December 4, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I mean, I get that there is due process to follow, but surely the point at which a provider suspends three senior figures including the VC because the police is investigating it for suspected fraud and bribery is the point at which you pretty much have to step in? And that point was in May.
Reposted by QM_UCU
Big question for me on this is why has it taken OfS so long to open a formal investigation?@manchestermill.bsky.social made the allegations in March, and the police started their investigation in May and intensified it in July? www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-an...
December 4, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Big question for me on this is why has it taken OfS so long to open a formal investigation?@manchestermill.bsky.social made the allegations in March, and the police started their investigation in May and intensified it in July? www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-an...
Reposted by QM_UCU
UK university boards hampered by power imbalances and over-familiarity with senior managers, warns
@hepi-news.bsky.social report by @profstevenjones.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/boards-... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social
@hepi-news.bsky.social report by @profstevenjones.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/boards-... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social
Boards hampered by ‘power imbalances and over-familiarity’
New ‘ethical code’ attempts to address criticism that university governance is ‘dominated by cliques’
www.timeshighereducation.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:50 PM
UK university boards hampered by power imbalances and over-familiarity with senior managers, warns
@hepi-news.bsky.social report by @profstevenjones.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/boards-... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social
@hepi-news.bsky.social report by @profstevenjones.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/news/boards-... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social
Reposted by QM_UCU
Given the crisis in UK universities, you'd think these people might suspend giving each other awards, or turn them down. That, even if they somehow regard themselves as deserving, they might say "Now is not the time.". But no. They really are crass and lacking in any self-awareness. Get in the sea!
(Text from UCU Derby FB post)
While we were striking to save jobs and protect education yesterday… the Vice-Chancellor was picking up an honorary degree.
😲
While we were striking to save jobs and protect education yesterday… the Vice-Chancellor was picking up an honorary degree.
😲
December 4, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Given the crisis in UK universities, you'd think these people might suspend giving each other awards, or turn them down. That, even if they somehow regard themselves as deserving, they might say "Now is not the time.". But no. They really are crass and lacking in any self-awareness. Get in the sea!
Reposted by QM_UCU
Tonight! Ballot gotten you down? Best to regroup and strategise. We need an end to the devastation wrought by this funding model, so how do we get there?
Whatever the outcome of the ballot, the map of redundancies in #UKHE remains full. So let’s keep organising.
Post ballot meeting to discuss organising and next steps towards a dispute with the Secretary of State
THU 4 DEC, 6-7:30pm
Register for link: luma.com/85pdolbj
Post ballot meeting to discuss organising and next steps towards a dispute with the Secretary of State
THU 4 DEC, 6-7:30pm
Register for link: luma.com/85pdolbj
December 4, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Tonight! Ballot gotten you down? Best to regroup and strategise. We need an end to the devastation wrought by this funding model, so how do we get there?
Reposted by QM_UCU
Well done to Steve & others involved in producing this 👏
Now we just need university governance to live up to such principles! The code, usefully, lays out practical steps towards this. It's collective/political pressure & organising that can make it a widespread reality.
Now we just need university governance to live up to such principles! The code, usefully, lays out practical steps towards this. It's collective/political pressure & organising that can make it a widespread reality.
Excited to see the final version of the @cdbu.bsky.social Code of Ethical University Governance in the public domain, and looking forward to the launch event in Parliament later today. cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20... #UKHE #governance
CDBU Code of Ethical University Governance | CDBU
cdbu.org.uk
December 4, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Well done to Steve & others involved in producing this 👏
Now we just need university governance to live up to such principles! The code, usefully, lays out practical steps towards this. It's collective/political pressure & organising that can make it a widespread reality.
Now we just need university governance to live up to such principles! The code, usefully, lays out practical steps towards this. It's collective/political pressure & organising that can make it a widespread reality.
Reposted by QM_UCU
Thank you to everyone who responded to the consultation. This is the first Code of #governance in the #UKHE sector to be grounded in academic research and to reflect a broad spectrum of views. A summary of consultation responses is here. www.hepi.ac.uk/reports/stro...
Strong support for ethical reform of university governance - HEPI
New research suggests there is strong backing for a university governance Code that addresses power imbalances and over-financialisation. This is the first of two reports that HEPI is publishing on un...
www.hepi.ac.uk
December 4, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Thank you to everyone who responded to the consultation. This is the first Code of #governance in the #UKHE sector to be grounded in academic research and to reflect a broad spectrum of views. A summary of consultation responses is here. www.hepi.ac.uk/reports/stro...
Reposted by QM_UCU
Excited to see the final version of the @cdbu.bsky.social Code of Ethical University Governance in the public domain, and looking forward to the launch event in Parliament later today. cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20... #UKHE #governance
CDBU Code of Ethical University Governance | CDBU
cdbu.org.uk
December 4, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Excited to see the final version of the @cdbu.bsky.social Code of Ethical University Governance in the public domain, and looking forward to the launch event in Parliament later today. cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20... #UKHE #governance
Excited for the publication of this code. Yes, the funding model is broken, but fixing that alone won't solve #UKHE: there's a lot *within* the sector that's fed the crisis. We need to improve governance and accountability, and this code is a key step to achieve that. Grateful for all the work.
Excited to see the final version of the @cdbu.bsky.social Code of Ethical University Governance in the public domain, and looking forward to the launch event in Parliament later today. cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20... #UKHE #governance
CDBU Code of Ethical University Governance | CDBU
cdbu.org.uk
December 4, 2025 at 11:58 AM
Excited for the publication of this code. Yes, the funding model is broken, but fixing that alone won't solve #UKHE: there's a lot *within* the sector that's fed the crisis. We need to improve governance and accountability, and this code is a key step to achieve that. Grateful for all the work.
Reposted by QM_UCU
Award for being a "great educator" one day.... Announces cuts to education the next
All in a week's work for your local Vice Chancellor
And we @ulsteruni.bsky.social thought the Times Higher UoTY Gong Washing was peak trolling......
All in a week's work for your local Vice Chancellor
And we @ulsteruni.bsky.social thought the Times Higher UoTY Gong Washing was peak trolling......
December 4, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Award for being a "great educator" one day.... Announces cuts to education the next
All in a week's work for your local Vice Chancellor
And we @ulsteruni.bsky.social thought the Times Higher UoTY Gong Washing was peak trolling......
All in a week's work for your local Vice Chancellor
And we @ulsteruni.bsky.social thought the Times Higher UoTY Gong Washing was peak trolling......
May we get the MPs for Southend, @bayoalaba.bsky.social & @davidbsampson.bsky.social, on the line please? And may they raise some urgent questions in parliament about how their community is allowed to be decimated like this?
The foot traffic, the spending, the salaries: all about to disappear.
The foot traffic, the spending, the salaries: all about to disappear.
This is disastrous. And the news are mostly hidden- not at all prioritised by the BBC as breaking news across their channels/platforms. I had to dig deep to find this link. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
What do we know about University of Essex's Southend campus closure?
The university says it will be moving students from its Southend campus to Colchester.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 4, 2025 at 11:55 AM
May we get the MPs for Southend, @bayoalaba.bsky.social & @davidbsampson.bsky.social, on the line please? And may they raise some urgent questions in parliament about how their community is allowed to be decimated like this?
The foot traffic, the spending, the salaries: all about to disappear.
The foot traffic, the spending, the salaries: all about to disappear.
yessssssss! brilliant blog that manages to get across the complexities and nuances to even this non-legal-brained social media manager. Grateful for all your work on this, @seethingmead.bsky.social!
A piece here explaining it with a bit less legalese (I hope)
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/02/16/w...
And this from two Labour law experts…I am not
I am a human rights expert
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/10/06/s...
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/02/16/w...
And this from two Labour law experts…I am not
I am a human rights expert
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/10/06/s...
December 4, 2025 at 11:52 AM
yessssssss! brilliant blog that manages to get across the complexities and nuances to even this non-legal-brained social media manager. Grateful for all your work on this, @seethingmead.bsky.social!
Reposted by QM_UCU
It is currently a grey area and the ‘partial performance’ line is from the UCEA briefing. It’s the intimidation bit that could be less legal, as well as the ramifications of demanding rescheduling (need research for promotion; at cost of TU facilities time, etc)
Great piece on the human rights Qs:
Great piece on the human rights Qs:
We’re Miles Apart: Disproportionate Deductions from Wages, Industrial Action and Human Rights
Abstract. This article sets out a human rights-based critique of one aspect of the common law wage/work bargain: the rule that entitles employers to deduct
academic.oup.com
December 4, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Reposted by QM_UCU
A piece here explaining it with a bit less legalese (I hope)
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/02/16/w...
And this from two Labour law experts…I am not
I am a human rights expert
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/10/06/s...
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/02/16/w...
And this from two Labour law experts…I am not
I am a human rights expert
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/10/06/s...
December 4, 2025 at 9:37 AM
A piece here explaining it with a bit less legalese (I hope)
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/02/16/w...
And this from two Labour law experts…I am not
I am a human rights expert
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/10/06/s...
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/02/16/w...
And this from two Labour law experts…I am not
I am a human rights expert
uklabourlawblog.com/2022/10/06/s...
Tonight! Ballot gotten you down? Best to regroup and strategise. We need an end to the devastation wrought by this funding model, so how do we get there?
Whatever the outcome of the ballot, the map of redundancies in #UKHE remains full. So let’s keep organising.
Post ballot meeting to discuss organising and next steps towards a dispute with the Secretary of State
THU 4 DEC, 6-7:30pm
Register for link: luma.com/85pdolbj
Post ballot meeting to discuss organising and next steps towards a dispute with the Secretary of State
THU 4 DEC, 6-7:30pm
Register for link: luma.com/85pdolbj
December 4, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Tonight! Ballot gotten you down? Best to regroup and strategise. We need an end to the devastation wrought by this funding model, so how do we get there?
Reposted by QM_UCU
Is Koen Lamberts vying for the title of Scrooge Of Christmas 2025?
@theguardian.com, time for a follow-up?
@theguardian.com, time for a follow-up?
Hence also why the Guardian’s Senior Economics Commentator saw in @QMUL the crystallisation of the demise of the promise of ‘good, middle class jobs’.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
bsky.app/profile/qmuc...
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
bsky.app/profile/qmuc...
The miserly tale of how a university took its staff’s wages – and the public paid the price | Aditya Chakrabortty
Even Scrooge would marvel at Queen Mary’s pay-docking over a marking boycott. No wonder higher education is in turmoil, says Guardian columnist Aditya Chakrabortty
www.theguardian.com
December 3, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Is Koen Lamberts vying for the title of Scrooge Of Christmas 2025?
@theguardian.com, time for a follow-up?
@theguardian.com, time for a follow-up?
Reposted by QM_UCU
It's embarrassing that universities, supposed bastions of social mobility and beacons of enlightenment, are at the forefront of these blatant attempts at destroying workers' rights. Rights that workers fought for for generations (sometimes with their lives).
Shame on you @sheffielduni.bsky.social
Shame on you @sheffielduni.bsky.social
Community Legal Knowledge Project
Our branch has been challenging punitive policies aimed at chilling the right of association via various routes. A key component in these strategies is our collective legal work. This page brings t…
qmucu.org
December 3, 2025 at 7:13 PM
It's embarrassing that universities, supposed bastions of social mobility and beacons of enlightenment, are at the forefront of these blatant attempts at destroying workers' rights. Rights that workers fought for for generations (sometimes with their lives).
Shame on you @sheffielduni.bsky.social
Shame on you @sheffielduni.bsky.social
Reposted by QM_UCU
This is *exactly* the same phrasing as the management used @qmul.bsky.social.
This is work that has been withdrawn as part of legal industrial action. Management is demanding staff undoes their own industrial action and performs the work they have not been paid for, on top of their existing work.
This is work that has been withdrawn as part of legal industrial action. Management is demanding staff undoes their own industrial action and performs the work they have not been paid for, on top of their existing work.
December 3, 2025 at 7:11 PM
This is *exactly* the same phrasing as the management used @qmul.bsky.social.
This is work that has been withdrawn as part of legal industrial action. Management is demanding staff undoes their own industrial action and performs the work they have not been paid for, on top of their existing work.
This is work that has been withdrawn as part of legal industrial action. Management is demanding staff undoes their own industrial action and performs the work they have not been paid for, on top of their existing work.
Reposted by QM_UCU
One of our branch co-presidents, Jordan Osserman, talking on BBC Essex this morning about the devastating cuts to our University, and what needs to be done about them. Please share.
We had yet more shocking news this morning - stay tuned.
We had yet more shocking news this morning - stay tuned.
December 3, 2025 at 8:45 PM
One of our branch co-presidents, Jordan Osserman, talking on BBC Essex this morning about the devastating cuts to our University, and what needs to be done about them. Please share.
We had yet more shocking news this morning - stay tuned.
We had yet more shocking news this morning - stay tuned.
Reposted by QM_UCU
How do the MPs of Southend feel about the loss of 400 employees in their constituency? And all the foot traffic from students? @bayoalaba.bsky.social @davidbsampson.bsky.social, what would be your questions about strategy in the Education Committee?
It's official: 400 redundancies and a campus closure. At-risk staff will get a letter next week. Absolutely no serious consideration of any of the union's counterproposals.
Please share widely.
Please share widely.
December 3, 2025 at 3:05 PM
How do the MPs of Southend feel about the loss of 400 employees in their constituency? And all the foot traffic from students? @bayoalaba.bsky.social @davidbsampson.bsky.social, what would be your questions about strategy in the Education Committee?