UCU @ QUB

Poster for international women’s day - a meeting writer’s square Belfast today at 10.30am

Officers of the UCU at QUB branch proudly displaying bright pink flags emblazoned with the slogan “We are the university”

What a beautiful day on campus for a trial run of our new flags! 😍🌸🌞 #WeAreTheUniversity

Today is the last safe day to post your #UCU election ballot, tomorrow it would need a first class stamp. If you've already voted ask your colleagues if they've voted too. Got this great picture from a member at my branch this morning- replacement ballot arrived just in time 🙌

Just a few of the incredible scenes on our pickets and at our joint rally with @unison.org.uk - thanks to all our members and supporters! See you all on Monday ✊

THIS IS WHAT A UNION LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS WHAT SOLIDARITY LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS WHAT STANDING UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT LOOKS LIKE. IGNORE AT YOUR PERIL!

@ucunorthumbria.bsky.social today - united, proud, and loud.

We've just donated to @ucuessex.bsky.social's strike fund. Plans for 400 redundancies (200 academic/200 professional services - 1 in 10 staff) & closure of a Southend campus are sheer vandalism.

There's more about the branch's campaign to save the university here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-gb...

The values of our trade union movement are justice, equality, and fairness, which we expect to be upheld by our university and those who publicly represent it. It is evident that Senator George J. Mitchell fails to meet these standards, and so all links must be removed." 5/5

However, new information recently released by the US Department of Justice suggests a continued relationship between the two men until at least 2013. 4/5

In 2019 Mitchell was named in court documents for having had sex with Virginia Giuffre, a victim trafficked by the sex offender and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Mitchell denied these allegations and maintained also that he had ceased contact with Epstein following the latter’s conviction in 2008. 3/5

"We welcome the decision of Queen’s University Belfast to remove Senator George J. Mitchell’s name from the Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. 2/5

In response to the news that @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social has cut ties with Senator George J. Mitchell, following new information that suggests he remained in contact with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, we have released the following statement. 1/5

USS valuation methodology changes agreed - with more to do The USS trustee board has recently concluded a review of the methodology to be used in the 2026 valuation and has confirmed that it intends to incorporate a number of UCU proposals.

A (positive!) update on USS pensions:

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1438...

Press/Statements Press/Statements

Now up on our website: expert analysis on the recently published accounts of our university by our stalwart member Paul Hudson.

Vital information for understanding the financial landscape & context within which the recently Voluntary Severance Scheme took place.

www.ucuqub.org/Press/Statem...

we forgot to snap a photo of our annual committee festive gathering last night, but there was pizza, pints... and, of course, plotting! 👿

Strike ballot opens at University of Essex in fight to save campus & jobs Staff at the University of Essex are being asked to back strike action over plans to close the university's Southend campus and axe 400 jobs.

🚨 Strike ballot opens at University of Essex

Management plans to close Southend campus and axe 400 jobs.

All staff were told they could lose their jobs as they broke up for Christmas.

This is academic vandalism and we will not accept it.

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1428...

It's official: 400 redundancies and a campus closure. At-risk staff will get a letter next week. Absolutely no serious consideration of any of the union's counterproposals.

Please share widely.

Disgusting behaviour by @sheffielduni.bsky.social!

Members of the qub ucu officers team and committee at a staff and student safety event

Your team needs YOU! ✊🏻

An information stand for Queen’s university Belfast and the UCU in front of a Christmas tree.

A campus safety information event for staff & students is currently taking place in One Elmwood until 2pm, in response to concerns around incidents of racism, hate crime, & abuse.

Members of QUB UCU will be in attendance & available to chat about advice & support which we as a Union can offer.

Remove Coventry University vice-chancellor from government role Coventry University is facing an unprecedented jobs and debt crisis under the leadership of vice-chancellor John Latham. The institution is threatening to sack 300 staff and rehire some of them in its...

Please sign in support of Coventry UCU

speakout.web.ucu.org.uk/remove-coven...

Poster providing same details as the post.

As an affiliate of Irish Congress of Trade Unions, @ucuatqub.bsky.social encourages colleagues to gather in front of the Lanyon Building gates at 12.30 on Friday 28th November to show solidarity with Palestinian trades unionists, workers and the Palestinian people. Hot food & tea/coffee provided!

Strikes suspended in Lancaster University staff job cuts row - BBC News The university is trying to save £30m amid rising costs and a fall in international student numbers.

Lancaster University UCU members have beaten back compulsory redundancies.

After weeks of pressure management has agreed to halt all forced job cuts until July 2026.

This is a victory for jobs and every branch fighting cuts across the sector. We are the university.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Industrial action works!

More strikes to hit University of Nottingham in November and December over vicious job cuts The University and College Union (UCU) has today (Thursday 30 October) announced further strike action at the University of Nottingham as part of its ongoing dispute over vicious job cuts

Members- as we get out the vote for our national ballot, know that @ucu.org.uk has our back in our local dispute as well. This fight is not just about us, but about higher education everywhere.

#SaveHE #StopTheCuts

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1424...

A screenshot of a BBC story with the headline "University to suspend music and language courses"

A screenshot of a BBC story with the following headline "University scraps plan to cut music and languages"

It's not just music and language courses- it's 48 courses across the university.

But here's the thing- our UCU colleagues at other universities (like @Cardiffucu.bsky.social) have faced the exact same threats, fought back, and won. So we can too.

‘Turn the volume up’: Mamdani invokes Trump in fiery speech laying out plan of action As New York City’s mayor-elect reiterated his policies, the president posted ‘And so it begins!’ on his social media

‘…expanding labor protections and standing alongside unions “because we know, just as Donald Trump does, that when working people have ironclad rights, the bosses who seek to extort them become very small indeed”.’

Mamdani gets it ✊🏻

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Solidarity with all @ucuimperial.bsky.social

Edinburgh University lecturers to continue strike action Staff at Edinburgh University have voted to continue strike action over proposals to cut £140m from the institution’s annual budget.

'Staff at Edinburgh University have voted to continue strike action over proposals to cut £140m from the institution’s annual budget.

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) overwhelmingly backed continuing strike action as well as action short of strike'.