Maxine Looby

New contracts but same old providers for prison education Contracts worth up to £1.5 billion for education in prisons in England have been awarded after a two-year bidding process – to three of the four existing providers. Novus, PeoplePlus and Milton Key…

£1.5bn ‘overhaul’ of prison education with the same failing providers.

Prison education should sit with the Department for Education, not the MoJ.

insidetime.org/newsround/ne...

Absolutely!

Solidarity to all the UCU branches dealing with further cuts and 'reorganisations' while also trying to do some actual work during this month!
Extra solidarity to those UCU case workers and negotiators who are all doing their damnedest to keep jobs and support our colleagues.
#AcademicSky

Why are venture capitalists being allowed to profit from prison education?

The govt urgently needs to confirm these profiteers will not be allowed to line their pockets by slashing our members’ pensions.

Thank you @brianleishmanmp.bsky.social for raising this in parliament.

"I myself cannot work without PIP and access to work"
buff.ly/i1iggvL
After 20 years of fighting, I still cannot get proper support and assistance, which is similar for all casualised workers
@mybool.bsky.social @tuc.org.uk @marisharay.bsky.social @disabilityld.bsky.social @cajardinemp.bsky.social

UCU members outside BCU

🚨 Lobby the BCU governors! 🚨

On Wed 16th BCU governors are meeting for an update on the current review, which has put 342 staff at risk of redundancy & cuts student support in multiple ways.

Join our lobby: 1pm outside Parkside Building

Bring your solidarity and your sun cream! #SaveBCU

Welsh university staff threaten action over possible job losses Bangor University has luanched a £15m savings consultation and has warned it cannot rule out compulsory redundancy

📢 Bangor University’s £15m cuts plan is a shambles.

Staff have already suffered 200 job losses, and now another 78 are under threat. Our members have had enough.

We’re ready to fight compulsory redundancies. @bangorucu.bsky.social

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-n...

📢 Birmingham City University is planning cuts that put 342 staff at risk, slashing student support despite admitting there’s no financial need.

This is a threat to student success and staff wellbeing.

✊ Sign the petition to stop the cuts @bcu-ucu.bsky.social

College teacher shortages put government missions at risk, say MPs Committee also tells ministers to assess how effective pay rises are at retaining staff amid concerns over 6,500 teacher target

🚨 A damning report from Parliament’s spending watchdog slams the govt’s incoherent teacher recruitment plan.

With up to 12,400 more FE teachers needed by 2028, vague pledges & poor pay just won’t cut it.

📣 We need action, not empty numbers.

feweek.co.uk/college-teac...

This is an appalling way to treat FE teachers, students and the Redbridge Community

Redbridge Institute is at the heart of the local community

Decimating this well established, life changing community resource is nothing more than shameful!

Huge 94% strike vote at Warrington & Vale Royal College over frozen pay An overwhelming 94% of staff at Warrington and Vale Royal College backed strike action in a ballot with a turnout of 75%, announced the University and College Union (UCU) today

📢 An incredible 94% of staff (75% turnout) back strike at Warrington & Vale Royal.

Pay frozen for a year. No talks. £2.3m surplus.

Staff are ready to act.

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1410...

97% strike vote at Manchester international student college Staff at INTO Manchester, a private college for international students, have overwhelmingly voted to strike over low pay.

🚨 97% strike vote at INTO Manchester

INTO makes £20m+ in profits, pays £15m in dividends yet offers staff a paltry 2% pay rise?

Management needs to come back to the table with a serious offer.

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1410...

Ask your MP to help address the prison education crisis Ask your MP to sign EDM 1542 which calls on the UK government to bring prison education provision into public ownership. We have created a template letter to send to MPs below.

Education is a vital part of the prison rehabilitation system but poor pay, outsourcing of contracts and unsafe working environments has left the sector in crisis.

Ask your MP to sign EDM1542 and help change this: www.ucu.org.uk/prison-educa...

photo of a rally outside RIAE

photo of a rally outside RIAE

photo of a rally outside RIAE

Staff, students and local residents out in force today fighting to defend jobs, courses & community education.

Our message to Redbridge management and the Labour Council: STOP THE CUTS

DrJoGrady on what’s at stake at Redbridge Institute ⬇️

Today we rally to defend jobs, courses & community education.

Up to 12 staff face the sack in a sham consultation.

✊ We said NO to fire & rehire before. We say NO now.

🕧 12.30pm 📍RIAE, IG2 6TD
#ucu #SaveAdultEducation

Moments of Resistance – Cecily Blyther One of my UCU colleagues, Cecily Blyther was invited to give one of only three Moments of Resistance speeches at this year's TUC Disabled Workers ConferenceYou may recall that I have previously…

"I was so angry that they thought they could get away without implementing any adjustments and then throwing me out like the piece of rubbish they made me feel like"
buff.ly/MyCtW2H
@mybool.bsky.social @disabilityld.bsky.social @marisharay.bsky.social @ehrc-rhiec.bsky.social #ReasonableAdjustments

@drjogrady.bsky.social has written to the Social security and disability minister Stephen Timms to raise serious concerns about proposed changes to disability benefits.

We’ve requested a meeting to demand action.

Disabled people deserve better.

Day 3 of strike action at Bournemouth University.

Staff are striking to defend jobs, courses and the future of their university. ✊

Show your support and solidarity with a repost to spread the word!

Photo of the national Windrush monument at Waterloo station

On this, the 77th anniversary of the arrival of HMP Empire Windrush, we commemorate and recognise the contribution of the Windrush generation.

Learn more about the Windrush generation and how #WindrushDay is celebrated across the country www.gov.uk/guidance/the...

Solidarity with Havant and South Downs College members striking today in defence of jobs

Share and show your support!

‘Intellectual giant’ and academic Sir Geoff Palmer dies aged 85 Sir Geoff Palmer - a professor emeritus at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh - has died.

A huge loss to Scotland, Prof. Palmer was an intellectual powerhouse and exceptional advocate on anti-racism and the need for honest recognition of Scotland’s role in slavery. www.scotsman.com/education/si...

We need to hear from Black, Asian & minority ethnic prison educators.

📢 Your stories matter and they can help drive change.

🗓 Interviews in June
🎁 £30 voucher
📧 research@nianro.com

Funded by us and led by @mybool.bsky.social

Please share

"Life is getting materially worse, but migrants aren’t to blame. We’re letting the political class off the hook. We’ve been failed by our politicians."

@drjogrady.bsky.social on @skynewsrss.bsky.social tonight, calling out the real cause of the current crisis in the UK.

Our General Secretary @drjogrady.bsky.social opened #UCU2025 with a powerful reminder of what our union stands for: strength, solidarity and action.

We’ve won ballots, defended jobs, and stood up for education at every turn.

Together, we will shape the future of post-16 education.

#UCU2025

Thank you to Arley Gill for addressing our National Congress with his powerful speech on why we need to support the call for Reparative Justice.

Reparations is a human rights and trade union issue.
✊🏽✊🏿✊🏼

Liverpool, you were incredible.

Motions passed, solidarity strengthened, action planned.

But for now, that’s a wrap!

Thank you to all our amazing members who took part, both online and in person.

#UCU2025

Show your support to Dundee on the picket line this morning.

Solidarity ✊

"FE is coming together because we want better pay and better conditions. Together, we are stronger." Our member, Tanya Manyuira from Sandwell College.

Vote YES in the e-ballot by 20 June and help shape the future of further education.

#NewDealForFE #UCU

Without question, you have been an amazing, inspirational leader of our UCU and I’m so sad to see you leave the role.

Especially as you are also great at the nuts and bolts which as you can imagine is dear to my heart!

Lisa, a white grey haired woman in a hand-knitted jumper with Maxine a black woman wearing a white top with thin black stripes and a black bow at the collar

You've been a phenomenal President, and I am so pleased I have got to know you since your VP election. Hope your Immediate Past President role allows you to ensure embedded projects move positively for all our better futures 🥰