You are likely to receive an e-poll later today or tomorrow from national UCU about the Statute dispute.  This will be in indicative online poll (not the industrial action ballot, which will be by post).  Please vote yes to industrial action in the indicative online poll.
All of this week we’ll be holding meetings across the main campus to inform members about our dispute over Statute.  These will be briefing and campaign planning meetings.  Please do your best to attend one of the meetings.  I’ve added some suggestions about who might attend which meeting, but these are just based on location, so whether you are in a faculty or a service, feel free to attend whichever is most convenient to you.  Please note, all the meetings are 12-1 EXCEPT Friday which is 1-2pm.

We will organise a separate meeting for staff at St. James’.

Messages of support for our UCU branch have been pouring in from branches and activists nationally. Many of them see our defence of academic freedom at Leeds as being relevant and important to the sector nationally. Some of the messages of support we have received are:

•  I’m sending my support to your campaign knowing this important issue is not just worth challenging for current staff but those to come too. As those in senior management continue to press for policies which undermine working conditions and morale, what they also create are conditions which see the rewards of success fall away from those who put the hard work in, and fall towards those who drive through change.
• I hope you manage to get everyone connected with the university on board- all the key stakeholders.  Their support will add weight to your voice. (Huddersfield University)
• You have my full understanding, endorsement and human support as well as solidarity. Good luck with your industrial action! (University of Glasgow)
• Thank you for fighting this erosion of employment rights of my colleagues in Bristol. (University of Bristol)
• My sincere wishes for a positive outcome. (Keele University)
• I am writing to support your campaign against moves by management to make it easier to sack staff and the dispute over the university’s decision to change the statutes that cover grounds for dismissal.
• Please accept my best wishes in your fight over this. (Manchester Metropolitan University)
• Our branch supports your members and offers this message of support on behalf of all UCU members here. (Blackpool and Fylde College)
• All strength to you in your resistance to these proposals. (University of Stirling)
• I wish to give a shout-out to your struggles in restoring the pride and sanctity of the noble teaching out there.  Well done Comrades!!! (London South East Colleges)
•  Stay strong brothers and sisters. (Lincoln College)
•  You have my full, unqualified support in your fight against the ‘Sackers’ Charter’ proposed by your management. My stomach churns at the thought of the many morally dubious ways in which this clause might be used, particularly as – in times of huge change in HE – universities begin rethinking their strategies and priorities. It does not bear thinking about. Good luck. (University of Swansea)
•  Loughborough branch has featured the Leeds story in its Newsletter – best of luck in fighting off the changes to statute. (Loughborough University)
•  You are defending the integrity of the whole of the teaching profession. (Anonymous)
• In solidarity!  Please resist this management-centric crap!  Thank you for the effort from all of us academics. (University of Edinburgh)
• You must nip this in the bud before it spreads throughout the sector. In my opinion, this should be a concern at National level, not just branch, potentially it affects us all. (University of Hull)