1) Bristol UCU Strike Action and National Student Strike
Today is our final day of scheduled strike action as well as the National Union of Students ‘Student Strike’ [link].
We look forward to seeing as many staff and students as possible on our UCU picket lines from 8:30am, and joining us for our rally and march from 11am.
The emphasis now shifts to what next in our twin disputes. Further strike dates before Easter, reballoting and a potential marking boycott are all on the table: we await an announcement from UCU Higher Education Committee later this week.
Locally, a range of initiatives are being launched. As discussed at our Emergency Branch General Meeting yesterday, the branch is backing a complaint against our Board of Trustees, based on the same Board’s own Code of Conduct, due to their abject ‘failure to make objective decisions using the best available evidence’. Calling a Special Senate to seek to overturn the University pro-USS cuts position was also put forward.
Many UCU members have been supporting the current occupation of the Great Hall in the Wills Memorial Building by our students, an occupation in support of UCU’s demands. On behalf of the branch, our branch Executive Committee sent a statement of solidarity [link]. Donations to the WMB occupation of food and material goods are welcome.
We also had some great news yesterday regarding the clearing of the first hurdle of our UCU legal campaign, spearheaded by, among others, our branch Pension Officer Neil Davies, to sue USS Directors for their negligent and gross mismanagement of our USS pension scheme.
As for tomorrow’s open day events on campus, Bristol UCU welcomes the opportunity to share information concerning our dispute with prospective students and parents, outlining the working conditions and therefore learning conditions students will be ‘experiencing’ next year at Bristol and across the university sector.
2) Bristol UCU End of Strike Branch Social, Hope & Anchor, *Today*, From 17:00
Bristol UCU strikers and supporters are invited to a Bristol UCU End of Strike Branch Social at the Hope & Anchor, Jacob Well’s Road today.
The Social starts at 5pm. The first 50 members will receive a free drink.
3) Pink Beanie Donations
Local Hardship Fund Donations still welcome:
https://www.ucubristol.org.uk/2021/11/27/bristol-ucu-hardship-fund/