Letter to VC from 3 university unions regarding safety of students in the encampment, now shared on our website and below.

Solidarity with the students and our colleagues working in security LeedsUniUnison University of Leeds Unite

leedsucu.org.uk/three-union-le…

Announcing two #UCU2024 Congress events!

First up:
Unite LE127 Fringe
Tuesday 28 May, 8-9pm, Highcliff Marriott Hotel

If you’d like a Unite speaker to talk about our dispute at other fringe events, please email us & we'll do our best to provide a speaker.

#ReclaimUCU

New statement from UCU BMSC about our ongoing boycott and in solidarity with Unite UCU dispute. We are united with Black UCU members, staff, and UCU Unite staff fighting against racism within @UCU + in our workplaces ucublackmembers.wordpress.com/2024/05/24/21-…

We condemn Oxford vice chancellor Irene Tracey in the strongest possible terms for bringing in police to violently arrest her own students, engaged in peaceful protest against genocide.

Universities UK must make clear to university leaders that this repression is unacceptable.

What’s happening in Oxford right now are scenes that no VC should want to see broadcast on TV or social media. This didn’t have to happen. Protest happens when people aren’t heard. Universities need robust democratic cultures to be response-able to reasonable critical questions.

We are aware that students staging a peaceful sit-in at the University Offices in Wellington Square have been arrested by police and that further arrests of students and supporters have been threatened. 1/3

Serious structural issues (incl institutional racism, organisational culture, H&S) underpin Unite UCU's dispute & UCU Black Members Standing Committee's boycott.
Staff + members need UCU SMT to model constructive engagement & commit to resolution as we demand of post-16 employers

🔴 SOLIDARITY WITH Unite UCU 🔴

The Oxford UCU Committee and Congress 2024 delegation send our solidarity to Unite UCU branch during their dispute and industrial action against their employer.

We are grateful for the continued support that UCU staff provide to our branch. 1/4

Please read & consider signing this letter in solidarity with Unite UCU⬇️
We call on our Gen Sec & SMT to commit to the work it will take to resolve the dispute, and commit to the work it will take to repair our union and the industrial relationship with #UCU staff who support us

Please read & consider signing this letter in solidarity with Unite UCU⬇️
We call on our Gen Sec & SMT to commit to the work it will take to resolve the dispute, and commit to the work it will take to repair our union and the industrial relationship with #UCU staff who support us

The students won concessions on all 4 of their demands:
1. public university statement of solidarity with Palestinian academics and scholars
2. active support of Palestinian scholars and rebuilding Palestinian academia
3. transparency on collaborations with Israel
2/

Vicky expresses this so well: 'The dissonance between values @UCU talks & current practices as an employer is painful'. Absolutely. The concerns of Unite UCU (and UCU BMSC!) need to be listened to and urgently resolved.