911±¬ÁÏÍø

Letter to the Provost + Petition

On Monday, the UCL UCU branch executive wrote to the Provost Michael Arthur to ask him to use his offices to help resolve the dispute.

As we have had no response, and time is short, we have launched a Petition to the Provost which we encourage you to circulate. Our message to the UCL community (including our outsourced colleagues) is simple: please help us to end this dispute by supporting the reasonable demands of UCU.

The petition has already been endorsed by our colleagues in the other campus trade unions, UCL UNISON and UNITE.

Day 7: Brief report

Thursday 5 March was day 7 of our second phase of strikes at 911±¬ÁÏÍø.

Wet and windy weather did not dampen spirits as we were joined by several union delegations throughout the day. Delegates at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Women’s Conference brought solidarity early in the morning, as did members of the RMT Union’s National Executive Committee. Staff and students at the Slade School of Fine Art held a Teach-Out at the Gower Street entrance.

At 12 noon, pickets gathered at SSEES for some spirited chanting despite the rain. We were joined by Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell MP, who brought solidarity greetings from the Labour Party. After a short, impromptu march to the Royal National Hotel, McDonnell spoke to a packed strike meeting and addressed an excellent teach-out on ‘Confronting the Climate Emergency at 911±¬ÁÏÍø’.

Pickets reported supportive discussions with students who are increasingly stopping to engage as they pass through campus. A new leaflet aimed at students with things they can do to support the strike will be available on Monday.

We encourage all members to join us on the picket lines next week for what will be a vital period in this dispute. Colleagues will have seen a report on negotiations from General Secretary Jo Grady. Talks continue. The employers are under pressure to settle but there is currently no deal on the table.

As colleagues may recall from 2018, if an offer is made there is a democratic process of review we must undergo before any offer is put out to a ballot of members. This will involve at least one mass meeting of members (branch meeting or strike meeting)!

In the meantime the size of the pickets make a clear impression on management. We must remain visible and encourage colleagues to join us in increasing numbers next week.

Day 8 and beyond:

• Picketing from 8 to 12, with a planned gathering at 12 noon at the Malet Place entrance. This week strike committee meetings will take place from 12.15 to 1.00 in the 
• Day 8 Teach-Out, 1.00 to 2.00 in the Royal National Hotel : "" with Lord John Hendy QC, Prof. Tonia Novitz, Prof. Nicola Countouris, and Tony Brown.
• , Russell Square, 2.00-5.00. We encourage members to attend this rally hosted by KCL UCU.

Strike day themes for next week:

Further details of planned central and departmental Teach-Outs on the UCL UCU website.Ìý.

Our education and our climate are in crisis. The root cause is the same. Education and the Earth have been marketised, treated as commodities to be bought and sold, ignorant of their intrinsic worth. There will be a time when we look back at this moment and ask ourselves what we did right now. How will you be remembered? What legacy will you leave this planet?

Fight for a future! Solidarity with School Student Climate Strikes! Solidarity with the university strikes! March with us for all our futures.

Assemble 12 noon Malet Street, London WC1E 7HY. Depart 1pm.

This demonstration is called by London Region UCU, supported by many organisations including UCL Environmental Collective, Campaign against Climate Change, School Kids Climate Network, and numerous Student Unions.

UCL UCU Executive Committee