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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 1h

This is today 6.30pm! Register your place here: ucl.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Reposted by Lincoln Branch of UCU

uculondonoffice.bsky.social @uculondonoffice.bsky.social · 4d

UCU - UCU to launch England wide college strike ballot over pay, workloads and national bargaining www.ucu.org.uk/article/1421...

UCU to launch England wide college strike ballot over pay, workloads and national bargaining

The University and College Union (UCU) today (Friday 3 October) confirmed it will ballot around 10,000 staff at 68 colleges across England in a fight for fair pay, manageable workloads and binding nat...

www.ucu.org.uk

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 2d

Solidarity @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social !

UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 4d

In the proud tradition of staff-student solidarity at Edinburgh, a moving call from EUJPS at our 8 Sept. strike rally to stand together against unaccountable and unethical management of University finance
#UCU #WeAreTheUniversity #DivestNow

www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/blog/ckdj6l6...

Our struggles are connected: from divestment to staff cuts — UCU Edinburgh

‘We stand with you because your fight for fair work is a fight for the soul of this University. We ask you to stand with us because our fight for ethical investment is a fight for its consci...

www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 2d

Your next read

Rob Hawkes @robbhawkes.bsky.social · 5d

As more of my valued colleagues face the threat of redundancy, here’s a quick reminder that it takes years and years of public investment to train an academic. Cutting someone with this wealth of experience loose isn’t “saving” anything. It is a massive waste of our collective resources.

UK Universities in Crisis? Time to Transform Higher Ed Finance

by Rob Hawkes and Scott Ferguson Universities in the UK are in crisis. Job cuts in the sector are reaching ‘cataclysmic’ levels, with an estimated 10,000 already lost and many more at risk. Just da…

moneyontheleft.org

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 15d

If you haven’t joined the union - time to do it right now! Better and stronger together 👏

#ucu #jointheunion #universityoflincoln

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Reposted by Lincoln Branch of UCU

QM_UCU @qmucu.bsky.social · 15d

A brilliant piece in the FT about the human and institutional cost of overreliance on international student fees. Managers are making our most vulnerable students pay the price of a failing funding model and are skewing the purposes of university in their pursuit of fees.
www.ft.com/content/3f49...

Page argues franchising — where students are disproportionately from poorer backgrounds — has been oversold as a means for widening participation. In reality, he says, it often leaves students behind, with outcomes “taking down our overall metrics”.

Staff were never comfortable with the franchise-heavy model, he says. “Voices were raised about their concerns, the things they saw and practices that didn’t align with our values, but they weren’t listened to,” he adds. “Now we live or die by our own work. We’re not going to be reliant on other organisations. I would advise any other university with large franchise numbers to do the same.” Buckinghamshire cut ties earlier this year with five of its former private franchise partners.

Even so, other universities are continuing to explore franchise models. For Queen Mary’s new “International Year One” in business and management, for example, it will outsource the teaching and recruitment for the programme to Kaplan International College, a for-profit group offering pathway courses into higher education.

Taught at Kaplan’s centre in London Bridge, the one-year course will enable foreign students to move straight on to the second year of Queen Mary’s business management undergraduate degree. Kaplan’s tuition fee is about £9,000 cheaper and requires lower entry grades and English language qualifications.

Queen Mary academics fear the Kaplan pathway, billed as the only one of its kind leading to a London Russell Group university, will not improve the academic preparedness of students.

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 15d

How would we react to something like this? We need to step it up @ucu.org.uk

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · 15d

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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University of Nottingham UCU branch @uonucu.bsky.social · 16d

Strike starts TODAY!!!

Branch members will be picketing from 8 to 11 today, tomorrow, and Wednesday at UP's west, south, and north entrance and Jubilee's main entrance on Derby road.

Come show your support!

#StopTheCuts #SaveHE

University of Nottingham UCU branch @uonucu.bsky.social · 22d

Strike action is ON!!!

Next week will be the first of 4 weeks of striking from our members as we continue to say NO to the compulsory redundancies forced on us by the university for their poor financial choices.

#StopTheCuts #SaveHE

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Reposted by Lincoln Branch of UCU

Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · 19d

Thank you for your solidarity
@umucu.bsky.social
@ucu-ulster.bsky.social
@uculincolnbranch.bsky.social
@kclucu.bsky.social
@cardiffucu.bsky.social
@northantsucu.bsky.social
Nottingham Trent UCU
Kingston University UCU
University of York UCU

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Reposted by Lincoln Branch of UCU

The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 15d

Our friends at @leicesterucu.bsky.social are holding a rally tomorrow at 1pm. All DMU UCU members who are in the area, please consider stopping by to show solidarity!

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 22d

#WeAreTheUniversity

Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 22d

The dispute is on! More details and campaign will follow, keep an eyes on emails and remember - it’s not just about pay, it’s also about protecting our employment agreements and commitments to avoid more redundancies!

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 22d

Solidarity with @uonucu.bsky.social entering 4 weeks of strike - no to compulsory redundancies!

University of Nottingham UCU branch @uonucu.bsky.social · 22d

Strike action is ON!!!

Next week will be the first of 4 weeks of striking from our members as we continue to say NO to the compulsory redundancies forced on us by the university for their poor financial choices.

#StopTheCuts #SaveHE

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 28d

Useful summary about our upcoming national dispute from @ucuwestminster.bsky.social

UCU Westminster @ucuwestminster.bsky.social · 29d

There should be a joint statement from the five unions in the next day or so (which also mentions pay, jobs, and nationally agreed employment conditions).

For now, here is some further detail on what our dispute is about and what we UCU members will be balloted on nationally:

#WeAreTheUniversity

Our dispute relates to the 2025/26 joint HE trade union national claim, specifically:

1. A pay uplift that is at least RPI + 3.5% or £2,500, whichever is the higher, on all pay points;

2. National agreement to avoid redundancies, course closures, and cuts to academic disciplines across the sector;

3. The protection of national agreements relating to terms and conditions of employment, including the 2004 framework agreement, the Post-92 contract for Post-92 institutions, and HE2000.

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 28d

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... - some insightful listening material about the crisis of the sector!

BBC Radio 4 - Universities Challenged - Available now

Available episodes of Universities Challenged

www.bbc.co.uk

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 28d

A shocking merger! Who’s next? www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/n...

Shock university ‘merger’ announced

The Universities of Kent and Greenwich are set to ‘merge’ in a shock move that’s the first of its kind.

www.kentonline.co.uk

Reposted by Lincoln Branch of UCU

leedsucu.bsky.social @leedsucu.bsky.social · 28d

Really helpful post here about the upcoming ballot which you'll have seen an email about on Monday. #WeAreTheUniversity - vote yes to:
▶️protect jobs and prevent cuts
▶️defend the agreements that support our work
▶️demand a pay uplift.

UCU Westminster @ucuwestminster.bsky.social · 29d

There should be a joint statement from the five unions in the next day or so (which also mentions pay, jobs, and nationally agreed employment conditions).

For now, here is some further detail on what our dispute is about and what we UCU members will be balloted on nationally:

#WeAreTheUniversity

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Reposted by Lincoln Branch of UCU

University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 28d

Paul Nowak, @tuc.org.uk General Secretary, stands with UCU members.

In October we ballot over pay, agreements, and jobs.

Vote YES.
#WeAreTheUniversity #ucu

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Reposted by Lincoln Branch of UCU

UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 29d

University staff demand to have their concerns *on the table* as University of Edinburgh threaten £140 Million budget cuts.

a group of striking university staff in sunglasses with pink and white UCU posters and leaflets

A hand drawn sign with the words "Peter says" above a drawing of a table, with the word "nothing" underneath the table.

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 29d

BIG news incoming! www.ucu.org.uk/article/1416...

UK wide ballot paves way for national strike action across university campuses

Over 65,000 University and College Union (UCU) members working in universities across the UK will be balloted for strike action after employers refused to budge from their 'offer' of 1.4%, which repre...

www.ucu.org.uk

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Reposted by Lincoln Branch of UCU

Goldsmiths UCU @goldsmithsucu.bsky.social · Aug 27

🧵1/ Our branch just passed a motion condemning the stealth closure of the MA in Black British History.
We did this to demand accountability — for the future of the MA and for the College’s promises on racial justice and equality.
shorturl.at/gIUVG

Motion in support of MA Black British History - Goldsmiths University and College Union

This motion was passed at our branch meeting on 27/08/2025. Full text below: Motion in support of MA Black British History This branch notes that: b) The college continues to ...

shorturl.at

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · Sep 4

Solidarity with @sheffielducu.bsky.social

Sheffield UCU @sheffielducu.bsky.social · Aug 27

Ballot papers drop today for local industrial action to defend jobs at the University of Sheffield against redundancy and further workload pressures.

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1415...

Strike ballot opens at University of Sheffield staff over job cuts

Staff at the University of Sheffield are being asked to vote for strike action, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today. The ballot opened yesterday and will close on Tuesday 30 September.

www.ucu.org.uk

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · Sep 2

Great national event this weekend too

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · Sep 2

Welcome back to our members and all staff, for those who haven’t joined the union yet - do sign up and join us at the next branch meeting! lincoln.web.ucu.org.uk

About UCU

UCU is the largest trade union and professional association for academics, lecturers, trainers, researchers and academic-related staff working in further and higher education throughout the UK. Find ...

lincoln.web.ucu.org.uk

Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · Sep 2

Starting new academic year with some exciting free local events - Lincolnshire Unions Summer Social! This Saturday 2pm onwards! Sign up link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lincolnshi...

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