@murraysimpson.bsky.social
Reposted
Sheffield UCU @sheffielducu.bsky.social has been taking strike action in defence of jobs this term.
But in an alarming escalation, Sheffield management has threatened to "lock out", ie. deduct pay at 100% for each day, if members refuse to reschedule marking, beginning with the start of 2026.
🧵1/7
But in an alarming escalation, Sheffield management has threatened to "lock out", ie. deduct pay at 100% for each day, if members refuse to reschedule marking, beginning with the start of 2026.
🧵1/7
December 18, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Sheffield UCU @sheffielducu.bsky.social has been taking strike action in defence of jobs this term.
But in an alarming escalation, Sheffield management has threatened to "lock out", ie. deduct pay at 100% for each day, if members refuse to reschedule marking, beginning with the start of 2026.
🧵1/7
But in an alarming escalation, Sheffield management has threatened to "lock out", ie. deduct pay at 100% for each day, if members refuse to reschedule marking, beginning with the start of 2026.
🧵1/7
Reposted
A great write up about how the branch supported students and tutors to resolve a shortage of professionally-based tutors.
University of Dundee architecture students have successfully campaigned to address a shortage of teaching staff which threatened accreditation of courses.
Dundee architecture students win fight against course-threatening staff shortages
Dundee architecture students win fight against course-threatening staff shortages
www.architectsjournal.co.uk
January 8, 2026 at 11:12 AM
A great write up about how the branch supported students and tutors to resolve a shortage of professionally-based tutors.
Reposted
In just under a week, we head into action.
Back in November, FE members voted 90% YES for action.
Since then, over 17 colleges have already won pay awards and 28 colleges will take strike action.
🔗 Full list of colleges involved: tr.ee/7b9M2lu8n5
Back in November, FE members voted 90% YES for action.
Since then, over 17 colleges have already won pay awards and 28 colleges will take strike action.
🔗 Full list of colleges involved: tr.ee/7b9M2lu8n5
90% voted YES.
32 colleges over the line.
17 colleges already won pay awards.
This is a huge organising win for our FE members.
College bosses must work with us, staff deserve a fair deal, especially when many are paid £7k–£9k less than in sixth forms.
Next steps announced next week.
32 colleges over the line.
17 colleges already won pay awards.
This is a huge organising win for our FE members.
College bosses must work with us, staff deserve a fair deal, especially when many are paid £7k–£9k less than in sixth forms.
Next steps announced next week.
January 8, 2026 at 12:27 PM
In just under a week, we head into action.
Back in November, FE members voted 90% YES for action.
Since then, over 17 colleges have already won pay awards and 28 colleges will take strike action.
🔗 Full list of colleges involved: tr.ee/7b9M2lu8n5
Back in November, FE members voted 90% YES for action.
Since then, over 17 colleges have already won pay awards and 28 colleges will take strike action.
🔗 Full list of colleges involved: tr.ee/7b9M2lu8n5
Reposted
On Tuesday, the Israeli military invaded Birzeit University, attacking students with live ammunition.
Israel's scholasticide is a core part of its attempt to obliterate the collective life of the Palestinian people.
We have written to Yvette Cooper urging the British government to take action.
Israel's scholasticide is a core part of its attempt to obliterate the collective life of the Palestinian people.
We have written to Yvette Cooper urging the British government to take action.
January 8, 2026 at 1:19 PM
On Tuesday, the Israeli military invaded Birzeit University, attacking students with live ammunition.
Israel's scholasticide is a core part of its attempt to obliterate the collective life of the Palestinian people.
We have written to Yvette Cooper urging the British government to take action.
Israel's scholasticide is a core part of its attempt to obliterate the collective life of the Palestinian people.
We have written to Yvette Cooper urging the British government to take action.
Reposted
Jeez. This just gets worse. Minister now admits jury trials would be curbed regardless of courts crisis
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/ministe...
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/ministe...
Minister admits jury trials would be curbed regardless of courts crisis
MPs call out comment by courts minister Sackman during fiery debate on jury reforms.
www.lawgazette.co.uk
January 8, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Jeez. This just gets worse. Minister now admits jury trials would be curbed regardless of courts crisis
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/ministe...
www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/ministe...
Reposted
Staff shortages put Dundee’s architecture course at risk, students organised and won.
Teaching has been reinstated in full.
Collective action works.
Teaching has been reinstated in full.
Collective action works.
Dundee architecture students win fight against course-threatening staff shortages
University of Dundee architecture students have successfully campaigned to address a shortage of teaching staff which threatened accreditation of courses
www.architectsjournal.co.uk
January 8, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Staff shortages put Dundee’s architecture course at risk, students organised and won.
Teaching has been reinstated in full.
Collective action works.
Teaching has been reinstated in full.
Collective action works.
Reposted
Staff at Durham University are balloting to strike over workloads and job insecurity.
“Goodwill is not limitless.” @drjogrady.bsky.social
“Goodwill is not limitless.” @drjogrady.bsky.social
Strike ballot looms at Durham University over workloads and job insecurity
Staff at Durham University are moving towards a strike ballot after senior management refused to engage constructively with the union over untenable workloads and worsening job insecurity, UCU announc...
www.ucu.org.uk
January 8, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Staff at Durham University are balloting to strike over workloads and job insecurity.
“Goodwill is not limitless.” @drjogrady.bsky.social
“Goodwill is not limitless.” @drjogrady.bsky.social
Reposted
The US Senate has voted for legislation that would bar Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without authorisation from Congress
news.sky.com/story/us-sen...
news.sky.com/story/us-sen...
US senators vote to curb Trump's ability to take more Venezuela military action
Republicans are among those backing a resolution to stop the US president using more force in the South American country without Congress approval.
news.sky.com
January 9, 2026 at 7:32 AM
The US Senate has voted for legislation that would bar Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without authorisation from Congress
news.sky.com/story/us-sen...
news.sky.com/story/us-sen...
Reposted
As we begin 2026 a good time to remember that Human rights are universal - politicians may not always find them politically convenient but it shouldn’t fall to any government to say who those rights should and should not apply to
youtu.be/bl0Lm7v_T18?...
youtu.be/bl0Lm7v_T18?...
The government won’t achieve ‘decency’ over ‘division’ by trying to be Reform Lite
YouTube video by Peter Stefanovic
youtu.be
January 9, 2026 at 11:03 AM
As we begin 2026 a good time to remember that Human rights are universal - politicians may not always find them politically convenient but it shouldn’t fall to any government to say who those rights should and should not apply to
youtu.be/bl0Lm7v_T18?...
youtu.be/bl0Lm7v_T18?...
Reposted
BREAKING: Changes to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok only serve to make creating deepfakes a “premium service” and are “insulting” to victims of misogyny and sexual violence, Downing Street has said
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
No 10: Grok changes ‘insulting’ and make deepfake creation a ‘premium service’
The changes to Grok come after regulator Ofcom said it made ‘urgent contact’ with X.
www.independent.co.uk
January 9, 2026 at 12:32 PM
BREAKING: Changes to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok only serve to make creating deepfakes a “premium service” and are “insulting” to victims of misogyny and sexual violence, Downing Street has said
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
www.crowdjustice.com/case/scottis...
I just supported this case!
I just supported this case!
Scottish Challenge to the Proscription of Palestine Action
None
www.crowdjustice.com
January 9, 2026 at 12:35 PM
www.crowdjustice.com/case/scottis...
I just supported this case!
I just supported this case!
@jamboskickback.bsky.social
Even auto captioning can predict Rangers' season
Even auto captioning can predict Rangers' season
December 21, 2025 at 11:00 PM
@jamboskickback.bsky.social
Even auto captioning can predict Rangers' season
Even auto captioning can predict Rangers' season
December 21, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Reposted
'Are your chances of leading the country diminishing?'
PM: 'No, no, no'
Keir Starmer says he doesn't want to talk about 'internal politics of the Labour party' as questions over his leadership ramp up
PM: 'No, no, no'
Keir Starmer says he doesn't want to talk about 'internal politics of the Labour party' as questions over his leadership ramp up
December 8, 2025 at 2:22 PM
'Are your chances of leading the country diminishing?'
PM: 'No, no, no'
Keir Starmer says he doesn't want to talk about 'internal politics of the Labour party' as questions over his leadership ramp up
PM: 'No, no, no'
Keir Starmer says he doesn't want to talk about 'internal politics of the Labour party' as questions over his leadership ramp up
Reposted
Our members have been voting all week. Get your ballots in as soon as you can.
#SaveHE #WeAreTheUniversity
#SaveHE #WeAreTheUniversity
October 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Our members have been voting all week. Get your ballots in as soon as you can.
#SaveHE #WeAreTheUniversity
#SaveHE #WeAreTheUniversity
Reposted
Published yesterday with The Sociological Review: 'Research failure, crip temporalities and bipolar time in UK higher education'
I'm honoured to be co-author of this article with wonderful first author @lizziereed.bsky.social ☺️
Available to read here, open access: doi.org/10.1177/0038...
I'm honoured to be co-author of this article with wonderful first author @lizziereed.bsky.social ☺️
Available to read here, open access: doi.org/10.1177/0038...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
doi.org
October 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Published yesterday with The Sociological Review: 'Research failure, crip temporalities and bipolar time in UK higher education'
I'm honoured to be co-author of this article with wonderful first author @lizziereed.bsky.social ☺️
Available to read here, open access: doi.org/10.1177/0038...
I'm honoured to be co-author of this article with wonderful first author @lizziereed.bsky.social ☺️
Available to read here, open access: doi.org/10.1177/0038...
Reposted
I think this is dismissive - many people have curiosity removed from them through childhood - leaving school believing science , poetry, art - are not things they are allowed to be part of and terrified that if they try to engage they will be admonished for not understanding things the “right” way
October 5, 2025 at 8:25 PM
I think this is dismissive - many people have curiosity removed from them through childhood - leaving school believing science , poetry, art - are not things they are allowed to be part of and terrified that if they try to engage they will be admonished for not understanding things the “right” way
Reposted
Our members have voted to support industrial action to fight against job cuts passed today!
In the ballot our 72% of members were in favour of strike action, and 90% in favour of action short of strike. Turnout was 58%.
Thank you to all members, reps and officials for helping us get the vote out.
In the ballot our 72% of members were in favour of strike action, and 90% in favour of action short of strike. Turnout was 58%.
Thank you to all members, reps and officials for helping us get the vote out.
October 6, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Our members have voted to support industrial action to fight against job cuts passed today!
In the ballot our 72% of members were in favour of strike action, and 90% in favour of action short of strike. Turnout was 58%.
Thank you to all members, reps and officials for helping us get the vote out.
In the ballot our 72% of members were in favour of strike action, and 90% in favour of action short of strike. Turnout was 58%.
Thank you to all members, reps and officials for helping us get the vote out.
Reposted
Visit our website, and read about our strong opposition to the recently rejected University Recovery Plan: a plan created by the short-term team in charge at University of Dundee.
sites.dundee.ac.uk/ducu/
#SaveHE #SaveDundeeUni
sites.dundee.ac.uk/ducu/
#SaveHE #SaveDundeeUni
Dundee University and College Union
sites.dundee.ac.uk
September 3, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Visit our website, and read about our strong opposition to the recently rejected University Recovery Plan: a plan created by the short-term team in charge at University of Dundee.
sites.dundee.ac.uk/ducu/
#SaveHE #SaveDundeeUni
sites.dundee.ac.uk/ducu/
#SaveHE #SaveDundeeUni
Reposted
Starmer’s Labour government says there’s no money to scrap the two-child benefit cap and lift 500,000 children out of poverty — but there is £2,000,000,000 for Elbit, Israel’s partner in genocide.
This obscene deal must be stopped.
They have Palestinian blood on their hands.
This obscene deal must be stopped.
They have Palestinian blood on their hands.
August 21, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Starmer’s Labour government says there’s no money to scrap the two-child benefit cap and lift 500,000 children out of poverty — but there is £2,000,000,000 for Elbit, Israel’s partner in genocide.
This obscene deal must be stopped.
They have Palestinian blood on their hands.
This obscene deal must be stopped.
They have Palestinian blood on their hands.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Spineless Starmer shows once again his unlimited capacity to make an unprincipled principled stand.
Why is recognising Palestine not an aim in itself?
Spineless Starmer shows once again his unlimited capacity to make an unprincipled principled stand.
Why is recognising Palestine not an aim in itself?
UK to recognise state of Palestine in September unless Israel holds to ceasefire
Cabinet agrees to support Middle East roadmap at emergency meeting called amid humanitarian crisis in Gaza
www.theguardian.com
July 29, 2025 at 9:48 PM
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Spineless Starmer shows once again his unlimited capacity to make an unprincipled principled stand.
Why is recognising Palestine not an aim in itself?
Spineless Starmer shows once again his unlimited capacity to make an unprincipled principled stand.
Why is recognising Palestine not an aim in itself?