, Now s the time to escalate

As more than 30 universities make punitive pay deductions...

Getting back to solid united action
The strike alongside Unison, Unite and EIS on Thursday 6 February was really important as it gave us the opportunity to unite and shut down our institutions once again, showing UCEA our employer that union members are out to win.

Y UCU Left Y Join us at www.uculeft.org Y

An injury to one is an injury to all

UCU HQ asked the 30 or so individual branches facing full pay deductions for the two-hour strikes whether they wanted to be called out for a full days strike on 10 February. This is a good start but it leaves them ghting the most hawkish of our employers alone. UCU should have authorised full day strikes on 10 February in all institutions. This could have further weakened an already divided group of employers and led some to question the hawkish tactics of others ie. blaming them for the escalation of nationwide industrial action. A decisive response gives members condence in their union and shows the employers we are a force to be reckoned with. Members are turning out on the picket lines for two-hour strikes even when facing the loss of a full days pay; this shows they are prepared for robust action they know we can win. But we cannot leave those vulnerable branches alone: in the trade union movement an injury to one is an injury to all. UCU has oered strike pay to members facing these punitive deductions. This is, in eect, the union paying for the work that employers should be paying for as members were told to work for all but two hours on the rst two days. Reliance on the courts is a high risk strategy, as we know from the BA dispute

in 2010, where the judgement on a ballot process went in favour of the employers against all sense of fairness. This is also a nancially costly route at a time when UCU has been struggling with its nances. Many members are disappointed or angry that the Higher Education Committee (HEC) overturned the original escalation plan for two-day strikes and January marking sanctions. However, they know that some action is better than none and they built the twohour strikes and are striking today. We need to revisit our strategy.

a delegation, join the picket lines, send solidarity messaged and importantly have a serious collection / members levy for the strike hardship fund. Members need to feel that solidarity.

Recognise our strength

Reviewing our strategy

Even before we faced the employers pay docking oensive, two-hour strikes were a risky strategy making some members more vulnerable than others to aggressive employers. Unlike in a factory or re station, short strikes in our sector dont have the same impact as a full shut down. We can put the pay campaign back on track. This means: The HEC meeting on 14 February is very important. It must review the current strategy in light of the new situation. Based on what was overwhelmingly agreed at UCUs annual congress, it should reinstate the original plan for escalating strike action, for example, regional rolling two-day strikes, where possible coordinated with the other unions and a national response to any punitive pay docking when a marking sanction starts at the end of April. Branches need to pass motions calling for a special Higher Education Sector Conference (HESC)to allow members to democratically determine the strategy for winning this pay campaign. Branches losing only two hours pay on 10 February should actively support branches facing 100% pay loss and those now going on strike for a full day. They should twin with a branch, send

The marketisation of our sector has brought with it some risks for our employers and also some unwitting opportunities for us. Universities are charging huge fees and have fostered a consumerist culture amongst students; this means management is vulnerable when sta interrupt business as usual. On 3 December UCU members in FE colleges joined our strike as part of their own pay dispute. However, at their recent FEC meeting, no further strike action was planned. No doubt, joining in with twohour strikes was not an inspiring prospect. A robust strategy in the HE section of the union can inspire FE members to take action.

Union democracy

Vote in the NEC elections which open on 3 February only for those candidates (UCU Left and others) who support implementing the decisions taken through our democratic procedures, and are committed to winning the campaign for fair pay. National activists meeting hosted by UCU Left

REClaIM THE UnIOn, FIgHT PaY CUTS, DEFEnD UnIOn DEMOCraCY

Saturday 1 March, 11-4pm, School of Oriental and African Studies, Vernon Sq, Penton Rise, London WC1X 9EW Book online at www.uculeft.org

Please vote for these NEC candidates who are supported by UCU Left
We urge you to vote for the candidates in the order they appear below. Vice President FE Loraine Monk North East FE Lee Short, Umit Yildiz North East HE Paul Blackledge, Mike Lammiman, Jeff Fowler London and the East HE Adrian Budd, Ioanna Ioannou, Sean Wallis Women members HE Sue Abbott, Saira Weiner, Nadia Edmond Women members FE Rhiannon Lockley, Margot Hill UK-elected HE: Lesley McGorrigan, Jelena Timotijevic, Karen Evans, Andreas Bieler, Carlo Morelli, Eleni Michalopoulou, Paul Blackledge UK-elected FE: Darren Tolliday, Alan Barker, Paul Pritchard, Allister Mactaggart, Margot Hill

STV voting system

To maximise votes for progressive candidates we ask you to do the following: Please use your votes to rst endorse all UCU Left candidates and only after that use lower preferences for other progressive candidates in each relevant list Give your highest preferences in the UK-Elected list to UCU Left candidate(s) from your region

Find out more at www.uculeft.org

Elections run from February 3 rd- 28th