At the climate strike 20 September 2019
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Category Archives: Environment
Supporting Youth Strike for Climate: 30-minute solidarity stoppage and march Friday 20th September
We hope to see as many of you as possible outside the Parkinson steps by 12 noon so we can set off together at midday, with banners, flags, placards and alarm clocks, to join the Leeds Youth Strike for Climate event by 12.15 in Millenium Square. More details. The University agreed to our request for all staff to have a 30 minute paid stoppage for this on top of our lunch breaks, so we can all march down together and show the young people how much support they have from the university. We were pleased to see the recent University climate announcement especially about fossil fuel divestment, which students and staff have been campaigning about for years (e.g. here). We look forward to trade union involvement in turning the new climate principles into action. … continue reading
Supporting Youth Strike for Climate on 20th September: 30-minute solidarity stoppage and march
The three campus trade unions at this university wrote to the Vice Chancellor asking for staff to be given an additional 30 minutes paid leave to take part in activities supporting the Youth Strike for Climate on Friday 20th September. We are pleased that this has been agreed, and staff can add the 30 minutes on to their normal lunch break, so we can visibly support the local Leeds group. See details about the University’s support for this stoppage. This is an emergency! The Amazon is going up in smoke and could soon reach breaking point, with large parts of this incredible ecosystem collapsing before our eyes. Greenland is melting faster than ever before, and Central Africa is up in flames. Climate change isn’t a distant threat – it is here already. And yet our governments are supporting ever more fossil fuel extraction and doing far too little. That’s why, just before a crucial UN climate summit, children all over the world are taking to the streets, and calling on everyone to join them. With right wing climate change deniers presiding over so many powerful world states our participation on the streets to force change is more important than ever. … continue reading
Casework drop-in, Bradford College strikes, Environment Working group and more
Text from all-members email sent 3 July 2019 Casework drop-in Weds 2 July, 12.30 – 2:30, 7.52 EC Stoner If there’s something you think you might need UCU support for, but aren’t sure, drop in for a chat with a caseworker. Our casework drop-ins are usually on the first Wednesday of each month. For serious matters where you will definitely need your own caseworker, don’t wait for a drop-in session, email ucu@leeds.ac.uk. More about UCU support at http://www.leedsucu.org.uk/support-and-benefits/ Supporting Bradford College UCU strikes Weds 3 – Fri 5 July Bradford College UCU are striking over job cuts and pay. The college intends to cut 131 jobs, and staff have had only one 1% pay rise in the last 11 years, which means their pay has declined by 25% in real terms. If you can support their picket line on your way to work that would be fantastic solidarity – look out for the Leeds UCU banner. See https://ucu.org.uk/article/10189/Three-day-walkout-at-Bradford-College-from-Wednesday?list=1676 Extraordinary General Meeting Weds 10 July, 12 noon, Michael Sadler LG15 Concerned about any or all of: pensions, pay and equality, Head of School appointments, lecture capture, UniForum, discussion boards for in-course feedback, timetabling, or centralisation of admissions? Come and have your say at this … continue reading
Report on UCU Congress 2019
UCU’s annual congress is its supreme policy making body and it met this year over the May Bank Holiday in Harrogate. This report is an attempt to summarise three very full days of intense and important debates on the various areas with which UCU is concerned. Motion numbers are included in brackets for reference: a full account of all motions with decisions can be found here: www.ucu.org.uk/Congress2019 Congress business is ordered according to the business of various committees: equality; education; recruitment, organising and campaigning (ROC) and strategy and finance. There was a further section on democracy and rule changes. On the second day of congress, delegates divide into a Higher Education Sector Conference and a Further Education Sector Conference. The agenda was very busy indeed. As a result, some motions could not be debated. Those relating to rule changes will be sent to the special Democracy Conference to be held in November; the rest are remitted to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for decision. Leeds University UCU sent five branch delegates to Congress: Arunima Bhattacharya; Dima Chami, Laura Loyola, Megan Povey and Chloe Wallace. In addition, Lesley McGorrigan attended as delegate from the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee, and Vicky … continue reading