DonnaGuthrie

At our Emergency General Meeting, our branch unanimously voted in support of this solidarity motion with @uniteucu.bsky.social. This behaviour by @ucu.org.uk senior management is unacceptable and threatens the entire @tuc.org.uk movement.

Read in full:
qmucu.org/2025/09/24/b...

Compensation for sick miners: only 30% of claimants paid out by Tshiamiso Trust Most claims do not meet the medical criteria, AGM told

Only 30% of ex miners claiming compensation for lung disease from mining companies have been compensated

Mass rejections based on technicalities go against the administering body Tshiamiso Trust's values of giving claimants the benefit of the doubt

A huge injustice for ex miners in Southern Africa

A Gender-Responsive BHREA – Corporate Justice Coalition This briefing outlines the urgent need for new UK legislation that responds to the gendered impacts of corporate abuse. Women, especially in the Global South, face disproportionate harm from exploitat...

ACTSA joins the call by Corporate Justice Coalition for a gender-responsive Business Human Rights & Environment Act

Corporate harms affect women & girls more, from direct discrimination and sexual violence to being more impacted by environmental loss

UK legislation must respond to and address this

South Africa to reopen Steve Biko inquest 48 years after death in police custody Death of anti-apartheid activist in 1977 after police beat him into a coma sparked outrage across the world

Steve Biko's principles still stand firm today: land justice, social protection, decolonising education. Black people are still fighting for justice across Southern Africa today, in South Africa's gold mines and Kabwe's polluted land, in Swaziland's trade unions and Zimbabwe's student halls.

QMUCU branch committee statement. We learnt with dismay about UCU Senior Managements’ threats of 100% pay deductions for Actions Short of Strike against Unite UCU members.

We oppose these threats in the strongest of terms. They breach union policy voted on in congress. They replicate the worst employers' practice. They contravene our legal work challenging ASOS deductions.

We express our solidarity with Unite UCU and call on UCU senior management to revoke these threats, protect all workers from disproportionate deductions, and negotiate with Unite UCU without preconditions.

As a union, we have been fighting employers’ attempts at making 100% pay deductions for ASOS legal since 2019. As a branch, we’ve been at the forefront of that fight since 2022.

Our own union going against our policies, workers’ interest, and legal cases hurts.

Letter: qmucu.org/2025/09/12/l...

Jo Grady calling Queen Mary management "vindictive" for making deductions from UCU members taking action short of a strike: Jo Grady, UCU's general secretary, said Queen Mary's senior management had "launched a vindictive attack" on its members, "punishing them for taking part in lawful industrial action" and "cementing its reputation as the worst university employer in the UK" She said: "It is wrong to do this at any time and all the more deplorable as staff struggle to make ends meet in a cost of living crisis."

Screen shot of the article from The Guardian about Queen Mary ASOS deductions in which Jo Grady is quoted

🚨 Third consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨

✅ strike action: 76%
✅ action short of a strike (ASOS): 80%
✅ turnout: 77%

ASOS begins today with @ucu.org.uk threatening staff: "We'll deduct your wages."

Double standards and vindictive attacks undermine us all.

#ReclaimUCU

When he reached the Israeli prison, U.S. human rights defender Chris Smalls was physically assaulted by seven uniformed individuals. They choked him and kicked him in the legs, leaving visible signs of violence on his neck and back.

When his lawyer met with him, Chris was surrounded by six members of Israel’s special police unit. This level of force was not used against other abducted activists.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalitions condemn this violence against Chris and demand accountability for the assault and discriminatory treatment he faced.

At the Israeli prison, US human rights defender Chris Smalls was physically assaulted by seven uniformed individuals. They choked him and kicked him in the legs.
We condemn this violence against Chris and demand accountability for the assault and discriminatory treatment he faced. #BreakTheSiege

Interception du navire Handala par Netanyahu : kidnapping de 21 humanitaires et activistes pacifistes !

La solidarité n’est pas un crime. Libérez l’équipage du Handala sans conditions et immédiatement !

#FreedomFlotilla

Amazon Union Leader Chris Smalls Detained & Beaten by IDF, But US Media Ignores It This week, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) boarded the Handala, a ship associated with the Flotilla Freedom Coalition, that was attempting to reach Gaza with supplies for starving Palestinians. The ID...

NYT even did a Style section profile of how Chris Smalls dressed.

Wild no major outlets are covering Chris Small being detained and beaten by the IDF

paydayreport.com/amazon-union...

How the climate crisis and aid cuts could devastate global supplies of vanilla Vanilla farmers in Madagascar, a country that supplies up to 80 per cent of the global crop each year, face a difficult future as the climate crisis and aid cuts bite, writes Nick Ferris

Vanilla farmers in Madagascar, one of the world's poorest countries, are already hard hit by aid cuts and devastating cyclones.

With Donald Trump's huge 47% tariff on the country looming, the international community and UK must urgently work to make trade fairer and tackle the climate crisis.

Africa to be hit hard as UK foreign aid cuts revealed A Foreign Office report shows the biggest cuts will come in Africa with less spent on women's health and water sanitation.

Disappointing to see that women's health in Africa and water sanitation (which also affects women and girls more) will face the biggest UK aid cuts. Women and girls are already poorer and lack access to education, health, transport, opportunities and more.

Lesotho Declares State of Disaster After U.S. Tariffs. Rescissions Impact U.N. : State of the World from NPR The southern African nation's garment industry is being gutted by U.S. tariffs. And United Nations peacekeeping and UNICEF are amongst the agencies facing major cuts after a new U.S. funding rollback.

Lesotho has declared a state of disaster after Trump's 50% tariffs gut its garment industry

All in all, 40,000 people will lose their job - in a small state with almost 50% youth unemployment already

The global power assymetries that make this possible must be redressed
www.npr.org/2025/07/23/1...

🚨5 minute action🚨

Ask your MP to support the EDM on #Eswatini #Swaziland human rights abuses, erosion of democratic, trade union and civil rights and urging the UK to step up.

Quote this post and tag your MP.

Then email them using this template: shorturl.at/0RaAu

It’s not just us!

We’re sending massive solidarity today to Unite @ NEU, on strike for two days over a restructure being carried out without meaningful consultation.

And also to @uniteitf.bsky.social who are facing major job cuts as well as dealing with yet another union-busting union employer.

*ACTION ALERT* 100% of union representatives in scope of the restructure put at risk of redundancy by @itfglobalunion.bsky.social management.

Are we all incredibly unlucky or is this a potential case of union-busting by a union?

Not only are the staff most affected by the restructure all female, it’s not a coincidence that they’re all Unite committee members. There has been no individual consultation on their job changes. This all speaks to an employer now freely wielding trade union victimisation.

Black and white linocut print titled "Messengers" by Norman Kaplan, created in 1975. The artwork depicts two men in suits and hats engaged in a close conversation, with one whispering into the other's ear. They stand in front of a restaurant storefront with signage that partially reads "Miami Steakhouse Restaurant." The scene includes decorative ironwork and a potted plant. The style is bold and graphic, emphasising strong lines and contrasts.

Norman Kaplan's evocative #linoprint 'Messengers' at @oxfordshirecc.bsky.social's #CowleyLibrary OX4 #Oxford until 21st July

Part of #free #art #exhibition 'All Shall Be Afforded Dignity!' marking 30yrs since end of apartheid in 🇿🇦

Co-curated with @actsa-uk.bsky.social & @aamarchives.bsky.social

🇸🇿 Ask your MP to support @kimjohnsonmp.bsky.social's EDM on #Eswatini #Swaziland- recognising widespread human rights abuses, the erosion of democratic, trade union and civil rights, and calling on the UK to support the calls for justice and dialogue.

Template here: shorturl.at/0RaAu

Thanks for expressing solidarity with all striking workers.

Any chance of a shout out for our strike rally tomorrow? 🙏

UCU staff: on strike and needing your support Dear UCU members, Out-of-officeWe are not currently at work due to taking part in escalating strike action called by Unite, the trade union for UCU staff, over our Campaign for a Safe and Professio…

Out-of-office

We are not currently at work due to taking part in escalating strike action called by Unite, the trade union for UCU staff, over our Campaign for a Safe & Professional Workplace Culture. Our strikes this week run for 4 days from 7 to 10 April.

uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/04/07/u...

Solidarity. Trade unions exist to uphold and mobilise around principles of solidarity.

Extract from email to members threatening disciplinary action if they mention strikes in future out of office replies.

It gets worse…

Members back at work today after taking lawful strike action are now being threaten with disciplinary procedures if their auto-replies mention the reason for their absence during future strikes.

In what trade union world is this acceptable?

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Unite UCU Strike Rally. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Unite UCU Strike Rally. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

🚨📣🚨📣

When toxicity, hypocrisy, bullying and chaos is the disease, solidarity is the cure.

Come and join our Unite UCU Strike Rally: tomorrow, Wednesday 2nd April at 1pm.

Everyone welcome!

unitetheunion-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Picketers lined up outside UCU’s Leeds office.

More pickets today at @ucu.org.uk’s Yorkshire & Humberside office in Leeds. ✊

Windrush victims could have compensation reconsidered after ruling Denial of compensation for Raymond Lee, denied re-entry to UK in after 1999 trip to Jamaica, deemed ‘legal error’ by judge

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
@baracuk.bsky.social

✊🏾 @qmucu.bsky.social Thanks for consistently providing workers' solidarity

@uniteucu.bsky.social workers deserve safe working conditions

Sending solidarity to my ex colleagues striking today for safe working conditions at @ucu.org.uk ✊🏾
##JobsPayConditions
@uniteunion.bsky.social

REMEMBER: THIS Friday, February 28. NOT 1 PENNY SPENT. We can DO this. I'm IN, are YOU?