This post applies only to members of UCU University of Leeds branch.

You will have received earlier this evening an email from Jo Grady, stating that branches have been advised to postpone all strike events and rallies in the light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. This email is therefore to confirm that, sadly, our march and rally tomorrow (Friday 13 March) will not therefore take place.

Branch committee have also taken the decision to call off picketing tomorrow. 

For the avoidance of doubt, the strike is still on and members are called upon to withdraw their labour and not go onto campus. We will be ramping up our online activity on social media and encourage all members to share their stories/videos/creativity/anything you fancy – let’s try to recreate a digital picket as legendary as our physical ones have been!

UCU’s National Executive Committee are meeting tomorrow and it has also been agreed that a special meeting of the Higher Education Committee be held tomorrow as well. Please therefore watch out for further engagement by UCU on COVID-19, the response of universities and its relationship with our dispute.

Stay safe and solidarity 

Chloe Wallace
Branch Vice President