Frazzled Mazza

Branch update Fifty UCU branches join calls for unconditional talks After over 50 UCU branches signed up to a statement calling on SMT and the General Secretary to meet with Unite for unconditional talks, branch…

We wondered last week whether @drjogrady.bsky.social would listen to @ucu.org.uk members, agree to unconditional talks & withdraw the threat of deductions for taking ASOS.

So we asked her. She didn’t reply herself, but SMT’s response, regrettably, was “no”.

uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/10/10/b...

Screenshot of email from UCU management which reads: ASOS Attendance Form - New Weekly Survey Starting Monday 22 September, all staff will receive an email with a link to the new ASOS attendance form. This short weekly survey is mandatory for all staff, whether you were on ASOS or not. Please make sure to complete it each week, failure to do so may result in pay deductions. The cut off each week will be Friday at 5pm.

Do you want to know how UCU senior management has responded to UCU branches calling on them to remove their threat of deductions? This is how.

How would you react?

uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/u...

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

Ballot opens today Vote early, vote YES and YES The ballot over our Campaign for a Safe and Professional Workplace Culture opens today. Defend your contracts! Defend your reps! Stand up for Equality! Stand up for tra…

😡 Targeting our reps
😡 Refusing to talk
😡 Imposing an office return with no equality assessment or hybrid agreement
😡 Breaching agreed procedures
😡 Unsafe levels of work-related stress

Just 5 reasons our ballot opens today for a Safe & Professional Workplace.

uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/08/01/b...

Trade unions need to be model employers not the embarrassment they’ve increasingly become
#solidarity with @uniteneu.bsky.social from @uniteucu.bsky.social ❤️ 🔥

The heart of our dispute has always been about improving our workplace culture and protecting and defending each other, and that’s where Unite will continue to focus. We will never give up on the entirely reasonable expectations of having a safe and professional workplace culture.

Crowded Unite UCU fringe meeting

Thank you to all the UCU members who came to our fringe last night - and sorry we ended up with standing room only (again!). Our members absolutely appreciate your ongoing support, especially the unusually small handful required to work at #UCU2025 in somewhat trying circumstances. #Solidarity

Unite and UCU branch banners held by strikers and supporters in front of UCU’s head office in London.

Unite and UCU branch banners held by strikers and supporters in front of UCU’s head office in London.

Unite UCU May Day solidarity from members in Edinburgh.

Poster reading ‘time to talk’

Uplifting turnout at our strike rally earlier, with added support from a #MayDay2025 meet-up in Scotland.

No sign of our employer, needless to say.

#ThriveNotSurvive

Day 19 Strike Action: To those of you who are trade unionists celebrating May Day 🚩 - when you express solidarity with workers today don’t turn a blind eye to those on strike who work for one #solidarity #MayDay2025

12-1pm, Thursday 1 May UCU head office (outside) Carlow Street London, NW1 7LH Join our strike rally as part of our Campaign for a Safe and Professional Workplace Culture

🪧 STRIKE RALLY TODAY 🪧

Bring yourselves, bring your banners, bring your flags, bring your solidarity and, with the sun due to shine bright, bring your sunscreen ☀️☀️☀️ - health & safety: important to us if not to our employer!

So come and join us at noon outside UCU head office in London.

Image promoting our strike rally on 12-1pm on 1 May outside UCU head office in London.

📣 May Day Rally 📣

We remain on strike. With our employer continuing to refuse to meet for talks, join our strike rally on Thursday 1 May, 12-1pm outside UCU head office, Carlow Street, London.

All welcome to show your support for making UCU a safe & professional workplace.

#ThriveNotSurvive

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...

Unite UCU’s suggested out-of-office wording for strike days overlaid with a ‘CENSORED by our trade union employer ’ stamp. “What out-of-office message should we use on strike days? We suggest all members use the following wording on strike days: I am 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 Professional Workplace Culture.” ON STRIKE Thursday 28 - Friday 29 March Monday 31 March - Wednesday 2 April Monday 7 - Thursday 10 April Monday 14 - Wednesday 16 April Wednesday 23 - Friday 25 April Monday 28 - Friday 2 May

Our employer is editing our members’ out-of-office replies to remove reference to our strike action. They are choosing to censor us rather than talk to us.

Unite UCU Unite branch (LE127) for employees of the University and College Union

We deeply regret our strike action which begins today in our Campaign for A Safe and Professional Workplace. With our dispute now a year old we remain resolute that the toxic bullying culture, racism and victimisation that our members and officers are experiencing must end.
uniteucu.wordpress.com

YouTube video by Union Workers' Union Eliminating sexual violence in trade unions

On International Women's Day we're proud to launch our draft Standards for Eliminating Sexual Violence in trade unions. Watch our video to learn more about the Standards, why they're needed and how they were developed.

#InternationalWomensDay #IWD2025 #TradeUnions #EndSexualViolence

Tackling sexual violence in trade unions - our initial findings Union Workers’ Union workshops tackle workplace sexual violence, fostering understanding and action to create safer environments. Join Sisters to the Front for ongoing efforts. Get involved today!

We recently hosted two groundbreaking workshops aimed at reducing workplace sexual violence and we’re thrilled to share our initial findings. Read more 👇

What's ahead for our movement in 2025? UWU President Tracy Edwards highlights the struggles faced by women in trade unions, calls for cultural change, and emphasises the need for solidarity and professional, safe workplaces.

As we close the year we'd like to wish all our members and supporters a restful festive season and a happy new year! Reflecting on what's ahead for our movement in 2025, read more to hear from our President.

For anyone who is in any doubt about this dispute…….this is just one reason why

Time for the employer to get its act together.

We're not a tiny minority nor factional operators. These issues are real and we're tired of the lack of respect shown to our colleagues and our union.

Christmas elf holding a placard that reads “I’m on strike”

🪧Day 3 of strike action

Today we’re protesting at @ucu.org.uk regional & national offices, 8:30-10am:

UCU Scotland at the UCU Edinburgh branch office

West and East Midlands UCU: Alpha Tower

North West UCU: Manchester Office

UCU Yorkshire & Humberside: Leeds Office

#SupportTheStrike
#ReclaimUCU

Unite UCU members picket in front of UCU’s Northern Region office

Northern Region UCU staff Unite members, visited on their picket line this morning by Simon Kennedy, from the NASUWT staff Unite Branch.

#ReclaimUCU #SupportTheStrike
@UniteTheUnion.bsky.social

Strike day 1 picket line outside UCU head office.

Thank you for all the solidarity and support so far, from within UCU and beyond.

Join our online Strike Rally and teach-out on allyship & solidarity tomorrow (10th) at noon - register at: unitetheunion-org.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

#SupportTheStrike
#ReclaimUCU

@unitetheunion.bsky.social

UCU staff on strike 9-11 December. Monday 9 December; picket at Carlow Street, London, from 8:30am, strike rally 10am. Tuesday 10 December: online strike rally. Wednesday 11 December: pickets regional offices.

Strike action Mon 9 Dec:
🪧 Pickets from 08:30
✊ Rally at 10:00

Location:
Carlow St, London @ucu HQ

Bring your banners, your friends and your solidarity

#SupportTheStrike
#ReclaimUCU

With our Safe & Professional Workplace dispute still unresolved, reballot papers start arriving today. 🚀

So sad our *trade union* employer hasn’t yet accepted things need to change.

Vote YES for strike action
Vote YES for action short of a strike

#BackTheBallot #ReclaimUCU

Here's a labour law and labour rights starter pack - please do share, and tell me if you want to be added!

go.bsky.app/FhMsGKA

Here’s the first episode: www.buzzsprout.com/919177/episo...

On the first day of December we don’t have a straightforward countdown to Christmas.🎄

In 3 days our reballot opens. 📮

In 8 days we take strike action. 🪧🪧🪧

Will any of our advent calendar doors open to reveal an employer seriously committed to resolving our dispute?

Strike notice served on the employer Three days of continuous strike action to begin on Monday 9 December in the Campaign for a Safe and Professional Workplace Culture dispute On Friday, at our Emergency SGM on the restructure, member…

🚨 THREE DAY WALKOUT CALLED 🚨

Our members will take strike action from 9-11 December after our employer further breached our long-running dispute & failed to prioritise finding a resolution. We take action reluctantly & are sorry to impact @ucu.org.uk members:
uniteucu.wordpress.com/2024/11/26/s...

Do not. Cross. A fucking. Picket line.