Maxine Looby's Avatar

Maxine Looby

@mybool.bsky.social

UCU Immediate Past President Educator | Trade Union Activist | Negotiator | Join UCU today! https://www.ucu.org.uk/join

175 Followers  |  241 Following  |  27 Posts  |  Joined: 24.11.2024  |  1.9387

Latest posts by mybool.bsky.social on Bluesky

πŸ’ͺ

#WeAreTheUniversity

23.10.2025 17:08 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Such a great point from Suzi!

Don’t assume colleagues have voted!

Every conversation counts.

27.10.2025 13:55 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

The national ballot from @ucu.org.uk should be in your hands now. Be like @rullsenberg.bsky.social and make your voice heard! Let the union know how YOU want to push back on pay cuts and unnecessary redundancies.

#StopTheCuts #SaveHE

27.10.2025 15:34 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Cuts equivalent to 15,000 jobs planned at UK universities – UCU Proposed job losses almost triple since March as unions prepare to vote on nationwide industrial action

Cuts equivalent to 15,000 jobs planned at UK universities – UCU www.timeshighereducation.com/news/cuts-eq...

10.10.2025 20:25 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 8
Video thumbnail

🚨 Ballots arrive today for UCU FE members! 🚨

VOTE YES βœ…

For better pay, conditions and national bargaining to ensure no colleges are left behind πŸ’ͺ

14.10.2025 13:12 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Union pay and conditions victory at Warrington and Vale Royal College The University and College Union today (Thursday 9 October) hailed improvements to staff pay and conditions at Warrington and Vale Royal College as a victory for its members.

Huge win for staff today at Warrington and Vale Royal College!

πŸ’ͺ 6.5% pay increase backdated to August

πŸ’ͺ Guaranteed pay increases of up to Β£1,000 a year

πŸ’ͺ Starting salary for all teachers Β£29,227

Read more πŸ‘‡

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1421...

09.10.2025 12:58 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Vote yes

Vote yes

πŸ—³ From 13 Oct, members in around 100 FE branches will be balloted for industrial action.

The AoC’s 4% offer fails to fix low pay, unmanageable workloads or broken bargaining.

VOTE YES for a #NewDealForFE πŸ’ͺ
βœ… Fair pay
βœ… Manageable workloads
βœ… Binding national bargaining

07.10.2025 12:49 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

Ballot papers are landing!

Ballots open on the 13th!

Vote YES for fair pay, safe workloads and binding national agreements.

This is our chance to win.
#VoteYes #NewDealForFE

08.10.2025 08:26 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

β€œ50% of FE lecturers leave within three years. In HE, 15,000 redundancies are looming.

If Labour are serious, we need commitments: close the pay gap, stop the cuts, and invest in education.

Otherwise today’s speech is hollow.” @drjogrady.bsky.social on
sophyridge.bsky.social tonight.

30.09.2025 20:53 β€” πŸ‘ 25    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

Prison Education should never, ever be for profit.
Yet it is.

18.09.2025 15:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Disastrous. Our @ucu.org.uk members in prison education do amazing work. What even is this government doing.

15.09.2025 06:43 β€” πŸ‘ 23    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

VCs don’t run universities.

We do.

After another real terms pay cut, UCU is launching a UK-wide strike ballot.

Ballot opens October.

Vote YES.

#WeAreTheUniversity

08.09.2025 17:39 β€” πŸ‘ 44    πŸ” 27    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 7
Video thumbnail

Today, UCU’s Estelle Hart paid tribute to our member Will Nelson, who tragically lost his life last week in Lisbon.

β€œWill fought to protect arts education and access to it, and we will continue to fight for that in his memory”.

Our thoughts remain with his family and friends.

07.09.2025 18:19 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

UCU member Will Nelson and his partner Kayleigh were among those who tragically lost their lives in Lisbon this week.

Will was popular and much loved by all who knew him. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this awful time.

05.09.2025 20:02 β€” πŸ‘ 29    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Video thumbnail

UCU President Elect (HE) @dyfrigjones.bsky.social warns that Labour’s response to Home Office threats against international students is β€œa political stunt with little substance.”

πŸ‘‰ β€œAping Reform’s policies is a dead end, it drives core Labour supporters away.”

02.09.2025 16:39 β€” πŸ‘ 23    πŸ” 15    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2
Preview
Existing providers win Β£1.5bn prison education β€˜overhaul’ Critics warn the system will continue to fail unless more drastic action is taken

Prison education overhaul? Or more of the same?

The government’s Β£1.5bn β€˜overhaul’ hands contracts back to the same failing providers.

This isn’t reform. It’s repeat failure.

#PrisonEducation #UCU

feweek.co.uk/existing-pro...

06.08.2025 09:21 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
New contracts but same old providers for prison education Contracts worth up to Β£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…

Β£1.5bn β€˜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...

12.08.2025 10:47 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Absolutely!

11.08.2025 21:27 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

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

11.08.2025 15:24 β€” πŸ‘ 27    πŸ” 16    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Video thumbnail

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.

18.07.2025 15:23 β€” πŸ‘ 27    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

"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

07.07.2025 08:09 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
UCU members outside BCU

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

10.07.2025 21:51 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
Preview
Welsh university staff threaten action over possible job losses Bangor University has luanched a Β£15m savings consultation and has warned it cannot rule out compulsory redundancy

πŸ“’ Bangor University’s Β£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...

08.07.2025 15:09 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1

πŸ“’ 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

09.07.2025 09:40 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
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.

πŸ“£ We need action, not empty numbers.

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

09.07.2025 11:28 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

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!

16.07.2025 10:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
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

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

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

Staff are ready to act.

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

14.07.2025 15:27 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
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 Β£20m+ in profits, pays Β£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...

15.07.2025 13:20 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
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...

16.07.2025 10:13 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@mybool is following 19 prominent accounts