Side by side with the UCU on M28

See more photos here.

Solidarity with UCU and NUT in London today

"The fight over pensions isn't over. We must do all we can to rebuild the unity we saw on 30 November. I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with workers from the UCU and the NUT unions on the demonstration." See the full report here. Whilst many UNISON members in HE will be fustrated at not being out today (judging from HE conference) there is still plenty you can do to support UCU and NUT on strike over pensions. If like me you've arranged to have the day off rather than cross a picket line, it's important to bring banners and placards on to the demo to show support from your union branch: Demonstrate with the strikers: Assemble 11am, Malet Street, central London to march to the Department for Education Or you can do a wokrplace collection if you've not been able to get off work and call a meeting to discuss our own dispute and the apparent impasse we're in (and ask why we're not on strike when the UCU are). Keep in informed, keep in touch. See you in Malet St?

One day's strike action won't be enough - it will be sustained

"To those who say, 'name the day', I say a day won't be enough, this coalition won't move with just one day of action. (...) Strike action will need to be sustained... the fight of our lives... It's a fight that we will win."

Either one day was enough, and the government significantly budged after 30th November, or we haven't really won very much at all. Which is it? When we finally get a ballot on any final offers, we should be honest with our members about the results of the so called 'fight of our lives'. IMHO

THANKS FOLKS - GOOD NEWS!

THANKS FOLKS - GOOD NEWS! Thanks so much to all those who came out this morning, who signed the petition and who wrote character references for Stephane. It made such a difference. Stephane has just been told that he can come back to work tomorrow as normal and that he will be getting back pay for the time he was suspended. It was all a misunderstanding... so all charges have been dropped. I have no doubt that, like me, you will take comfort from this fantastic news - that we can and we do make a difference to people's lives, and that our union branch is strong. An attack on one of us is an attack on all - this is more than just a slogan to us. The next big priority for our branch is the widescale privatisation of the university (with a new name - 'Shared Services'). Watch this space for more on that very soon. I am proud to be the Chair of London Met UNISON Branch because we take action when we have to, and we can deliver the results when called upon. United we stand, divided we fall!

¡RESTITUYAN A STEPHANE! REINSTATE STEPHANE - NO TO BULLYING

RESTITUYAN A STEPHANE! FACEBOOK EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/392570180755582/ ¡Los empleados de la Limpieza de la London Met no serán intimidados! Stephane es un muy querido e igualmente afable empleado de la limpieza. Siempre ha trabajado duro en el Tower Building (Holloway Road) de la Universidad London Met. Su único 'delito' fue afiliarse al sindicato UNISON. El pasado lunes 12 de marzo sus jefes de la compañía 'Dynamiq' lo llamaron a un meeting alegando que existía una queja oficial hacia su trabajo. Stephane conoce sus derechos laborales y comunicó a su manager su deseo de contactar al sindicato para continuar el meeting ya que de otra manera no considera justo semejante tratamiento recibido. ¡El día siguiente se encontró suspendido! Nosotros, los abajo firmantes, apoyamos la campaña de UNISON para 'Restituir a Stephane' de inmediato, e instamos a Dynamiq a finalizar su acoso y reconocer el derecho de sus empleados a estar representados de manera apropiada. http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/reinstate-stephane-no-to-bullying-yes-to-union-repr/signatures.html Mas informacion sobre la Manifestacion de Protesta, pincha aqui. Peticion comun para restituir a nuestro compañero, pincha aqui.

REINSTATE STEPHANE! - no to bullying, yes to union representation

Stephane is a well liked, hard working and friendly cleaner who works in the Tower Building of Holloway Road at London Met Uni. His only 'crime' was to join UNISON. On Monday 12th March he was called in to a meeting with the local bosses of the company, 'Dynamiq', who said there had been a complaint about his work. Stephane is a union member, so he told the manager he wanted to talk to his union rep before they continued with the meeting as he felt it was not fair the way he was being treated. The next day he was suspended! We, the undersigned, support the UNISON campaign to 'Reinstate Stephane' at once, and we call on Dynamiq to stop bullying and to recognise the right of the cleaners to union representation. Petition: We, the undersigned, support the UNISON campaign to 'Reinstate Stephane' at once, and we call on Dynamiq to stop bullying and to recognise the right of the cleaners to union representation. Sign the petition http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/reinstate-stephane-no-to-bullying-yes-to-union-repr.html