Unison Birmingham Uni Branch

A really important blog post from our comrades in Birmingham UCU. Please have a read!

In our latest blog post Lucie Ryzova on behalf of the BUCU Committee writes ‘On Silences - and Decolonizing our Minds’

https://birminghamucu.org/2024/10/17/on-silences-and-decolonizing-our-minds/

Who doesn’t want a shorter working week and fewer steps to the top of your pay grade? When less means more: we achieved commitment to a 35-hour full-time working week, meaning pay rises for part-time and shift workers and fewer steps to reach the top of your grade on the pay scale for ALL support staff.

For the full list of what we won, read our blog- link in bio!

> Shorter Working Week: We gained a commitment to a 35-hour full-time working week, with part-time and shift workers set to receive pay rises.

> Simplified Pay Scales: We negotiated fewer steps on the pay scales to reach the top of your grade.
[Image 1: Purple graphic reading “A Shorter working week: A commitment to a 35-hour full-time working week, with part-time and shift workers set to receive pay rises.” beneath a photo of a tiny dachshund dog next to an official picket sign.
Image 2: Purple graphic reading “Simplified Pay Scales: Fewer steps on the pay scales to reach the top of your grade.” beneath a picture of two smiling strikers holding up picket signs.
Image 3: Purple graphic reading “We proved our strength and power: by standing strong together” beneath a photo of four strikers watching a speech at a rally.]

Collective action gets results: we brought the University back to the table and secured back pay for all support staff!

Read our blog for the full list, (link in bio) and watch for the next installment!

>Negotiations: Our persistent action brought the University back to the table to negotiate.

>Back Pay: We negotiated back pay for staff who didn’t sign, so no one lost out.

[Image 1: Purple graphic reading “Negotiation: Our persistent action brought the University back to the table to negotiate.” beneath a photo of a large group of smiling strikers huddled around an official picket sign.
Image 2: Purple graphic reading “Back Pay: Back pay for staff who didn’t sign, making sure that no one lost out” beneath a picture of a smiling striker pointing to their picket sign.
Image 3: Purple graphic reading “we proved our strength and power: by standing strong together” beneath a photo of four strikers watching a speech at a rally.]

2 ways our strike empowered support staff! Together we held the university to account, and we held our first accessible picket, allowing all members to participate. Read our blog for the full list, (link in bio) and watch for the next installment!

>Accountability: We held the University accountable, showing that changes must be negotiated and agreed upon with staff and their representatives, not imposed from on high.

> Accessibility: We held our first-ever accessible pickets, making space for all members to join in and feel accepted.

[Image 1: A purple graphic headed “union power” reading “Accountability: We held the University accountable, showing that changes must be negotiated and agreed upon with staff and their representatives, not imposed from on high.” with a photo of strikers watching a union rep speak at a rally.
Image 2: Purple graphic reading “Accessibility: We held our first-ever accessible pickets, ensuring all members could participate.” beneath a picture of a smiling striker pointing to their picket sign.
Image 3: Purple graphic reading “we proved our strength and power: Just by standing strong together” beneath a photo of four strikers watching a speech at a rally.]

What can staff achieve if they stand together? Here’s part 1 of what we won this year!
Read our blog for the full list, (link in bio) and watch for the next installment!

>Better sick pay = better peace of mind: We won an improvement to sick pay, with six months full pay now followed by six months half pay.
>Because the details matter: We negotiated a new statement of terms and conditions, with better wording around working hours and other important areas.
[Image 1: A purple graphic headed “union power” reading “what we won together” with a photo of strikers in front of University of Birmingham North gate.
Image 2: Purple graphic reading “better terms and conditions: We negotiated a new statement of terms and conditions, with better wording around working hours and other key areas.” beneath a picture of two smiling strikers holding picket signs
Image 3: Purple graphic reading “better sick pay: Sick pay improved to six months half pay after an initial six months full pay.” beneath a photo of a striker walking under Old Joe holding a picket sign
Image 4: Purple graphic reading “we proved our strength and power: by standing strong together” beneath a photo of four strikers watching a speech at a rally.]

Many university staff have appreciated the sense of hope bought to our working lives by the student camp, and will no doubt be shocked at this ruthless move from senior managers towards the University’s own students. Bailiffs were sent yesterday morning, descending at 5am to forcibly evict the camp. Read our joint union statement, link in bio.
[img: graphic image of tents, with a quote: "Our unions strongly condemn this unnecessary, bullyish move on the part of our University, which instead of engaging in dialogue has decided to use force against its own students."]

UNISON’s Higher Education service group executive (HE SGE) sends our solidarity and support to those peacefully protesting for peace and justice for Palestine on university campuses here in the United Kingdom, at universities across the United States and around the world.

UNISON believes wholeheartedly in the right of the Palestinian people to freedom and justice (as part of a viable, contiguous state alongside Israel).

As the largest union representing support staff in higher education, we are well aware that this belief is shared by millions of students and University staff around the world.

Peaceful protests are a vital and an important part of the history of our universities. They represent an entirely rational and laudable response to the decades of oppression and the crime of apartheid experienced by the Palestinian people, and the current situation, described by the International Court of Justice as posing a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, makes them even more urgent and necessary.

We are appalled by and commit to tackling the unprecedented increase in antisemitism and Islamophobia we have seen in recent months and refer members to UNISON’s guidance on understanding antisemitism and Islamophobia in the context of Israel and Palestine.

We celebrate those protests and encampments that have seen students and staff from all backgrounds and religions come together in rejecting violence and discrimination and calling for peace.

UNISON’s HE SGE condemns the repressive and violent response to these protests in the United States including by the police and right-wing groups, who have been allowed to attack protestors.

While protests at UK Universities have not seen the same response, we are deeply concerned by those, including politicians, who seek to misrepresent the demands of protestors and supress the democratic right to protest in support of a ceasefire and the rights of the Palestinian people.

Friday picket gang! 🌞 the spring sun made a big appearance on this mornings pickets - thank you to all of our amazing members for showing up and proving we are going nowhere ✊ it’s always a good sign when you struggle to fit everyone into a photo!

Picket pup of the day award goes to Rodney! 💜✊🐾 thanks for your support and generosity with kisses! 😂

The quiet picket was very productive today! Signs and badges aplenty, fuelled by delicious coffee, excellent company and even a little print sunshine 🌞 quiet but purposeful protest is effective too! ✊

Today has been like a wall of purple around the university campus! So proud of our members courage and determination 💜 if you’d like to support us, our strike fund link is in our bio 🥳

Come rain or shine, you’ll find librarians at the picket line! ✊📚💜 its cold but bright and set to be dry today, so make sure to wrap up and join us this morning 🌞 if you aren’t able to come in person, join the virtual picket line, link in bio.

Supportive colleagues together, this is what it’s about 💜✊ equally, this is why accessible picketing is a MUST! Read more on our blog, link in bio. [img: “Standing together

Due to ongoing mobility problems I can’t be with you in person today but I’m with you every inch of the way.
My Unison reps and work colleagues support me every day, and I’m on strike in support of you all.
Stand proud, my friends and let them hear us roar! ✊”]

We 💜 our pup supporters 🐾 thanks Franco! 🐶 all doggos will be cuddled at our picket lines 🥰 [img: person with pink hair holding a dachshund in their arms at the picket line]

Students and staff, standing together ✊ [img: quote from accessible picket “thank you for everything you do for us students, you deserve security and rights rather than precarious employment”]

Good morning from our members and supportive doggos on the picket lines! ☀️☕️✊🐩🐾 Support us by donating to our strike fund, link in bio! [img: people looking cheerful on picket line, with dog]

Want to support our fight for fair pay and conditions? You can donate to our strike fund ✊ link in bio ✅ [img: graphic reading: “help UoB support staff on strike” with a round graphic of picketers in front of silhouetted UoB buildings]

Here we go again everyone, let’s do this thing! ✊[img: graphic reading “on strike bab” with a circular graphic of a fist in the air]