Higher education in crisis – what now for UCU?
As massive cuts and redundancies are threatened across the university sector – how can we build the fightback?
University fees crisis
UCU members explain the challenges of organising in the face of the market-driven crisis affecting education, which affects students and university workers alike.
Resisting Israeli scholasticide and academic apartheid – interview with Maya Wind
Israel’s genocidal war is massacring Palestinians and destroying their infrastructure, in particular, targeting Palestinian educational institutions
Report from the 2024 UCU Congress
rs21 members in UCU report on the recent Congress of the Further and Higher Education workers union
Report from the Newcastle University encampment
As the number of Palestine solidarity encampments at campuses continues to grow rs21 spoke to Brian Underhill from the encampment at Newcastle University.
Long hot summer?
London, Glasgow, Manchester – a brief flash of activity or the start of a long hot summer?
From protest to resistance
As student camps in support of Gaza and divestment from Israel continue to spring up on campuses, Tempest Collective member Joe Allen explains the impact they are having on American politics.
Support the UCU strikes!
UCU workers are escalating industrial action in their disputes. Jaswinder Blackwell-Pal explains why this is a vital move and how to support.
University workers strike against unequal pay, racism and union busting
Outsourced workers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine take strike action.
Universities battles ahead – UCU Congress 2022
The University and College Union (UCU), which organises teachers, researchers and some support staff in further and higher education, held its annual congress earlier this month. Two rs21 members who were delegates report on the key debates.
The Difference is Striking in Higher Education
Thousands of UCU members took three days of strike action last week in a resumption of long-standing disputes with employers. Nick Cimini reports on what the other higher education trade unions are doing.
Strikes coming in Higher Education?
Grant Buttars discusses the UCU ballot results and prospects for action.
When is it right for a union to support dismissal?
Kathleen Stock has blamed UCU for her decision to resign from her position.
Scotland: education workers move towards strike action
Workers at all levels of Scotland’s education system are preparing to fight for workplace safety and job security.
Covid on campus: rent strike at Bristol university
Universities have brought students back to expensive accommodation and subjected them to inhumane living conditions, with Covid-19 still a risk on campus. rs21 spoke to Connor Nicol, a first-year student involved in organising the Bristol University rent strike.
‘The fight of our lives’ | Interview with Marian Mayer
Marian Mayer, candidate for Vice President of UCU, spoke to rs21 about the fightback in the higher and further education sectors
Returning to campus after ‘lockdown’
As UK universities draw up plans for mass redundancies and reopening of campuses, the marketisation of Higher Education is now putting lives and livelihoods at risk.
Resisting the onslaught on higher education
We need a national campaign to confront the attacks on higher education workers precipitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Strikes in the time of coronavirus
How can workers respond to the unfolding coronavirus crisis, without forfeiting our collective power? A UCU member reflects. Originally published on Notes from Below.
Statement: Students stage occupations at 11 UK universities in support of UCU staff
Students occupy buildings at eleven UK universities in support of striking staff.
Report from the #FeministPickets
Last week we republished the call from Women’s Strike Assembly for feminists to link up with the current higher education strikes. rs21 members report from the #FeministPickets
A crucial week for the university strikes
With negotiations reportedly going well, but the current wave of strikes ending alongside the climate strikes on Friday, rs21 members explain why this is a crucial week and explore some of the debates among strikers.
Feminists to the pickets!
The Women’s Strike Assembly are calling for feminists to link up with the current higher education strikes and organise feminist pickets on Monday 9 March 2020.
University strikes escalate from Monday
UCU and EIS members are briefly returning to work before escalating their strike on Monday. rs21 reports from the higher education strike around Britain.
Solidarity needs rebuilding, urgently
The university strikes provide an opportunity to relearn traditions of collective solidarity which strengthen both the strikers and those giving solidarity.
University strikes resume: day 1
The latest wave of strikes for pensions, pay, equality and against casualization and unsafe workloads began today (20 February 2020). We bring you some initial reports.
Support the UK’s biggest ever HE strikes
From Thursday 20 February, workers across the higher education sector will be taking strike action over pensions, pay, equality, casualisation and workloads.
What a way to make a living | A PhD student and part-time tutor
David Evans writes for the What a Way to Make a Living series on the pitfalls of precarious working as a PhD student teaching part-time in a university.
Picket line conversations
A Unison member reflects on conversations on the picket-lines that offered a different vision about how universities could and should be run.
Our universities! Our planet!
The end of the first week of UCU strike action coincided with the latest climate strike on Friday 29 November. rs21 members report on pickets from around the country.