Join us on the picket lines on Friday 28th June 2019

All the scientific advice from both independent and government sources says that keeping schools open will be the absolute priority and other sectors should be really cautious about who they ask to return to in-person work. Because of this, we’re becoming increasingly frustrated with the approach at University of Birmingham to asking staff to come…
We would like to update you on the things that are coming up later in the month. Pay talks – 11th Oct Our 3rd meeting with the university on pay will take place on the 11th of October, when we will find out whether their offer has improved. At the last branch members’ meeting, we passed a motion…
We are delighted to announce that the turnout for the indicative ballot is 54.5%, with 87.9% voting ‘YES’. Members have overwhelmingly rejected the University’s offer and the turnout gives us the option of a strike ballot if we don’t get an improved pay offer along with action on job security, casualisation, workload and equality. We would like to…
We are saddened to hear the shocking news that today, Matthew Hedges (Durham University PhD student) has been sentenced in UAE to life imprisonment. BBC – live updates https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-tyne-46238426 BBC – article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-46288510 FT: https://www.ft.com/content/53ceb434-ed7c-11e8-8180-9cf212677a57 The Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/matthew-hedges-jailed-life-sentence-court-trial-uae-abu-bhabi-british-academic-a8644476.html According to FT, his sentencing is for ‘allegedly spying on behalf of the UK Government’; a family spokesman said that…
Three manifestos on University Governance have attracted our attention, and made us wonder ‘what would a UoB manifesto look like?’ 1. De Montfort University – ‘DMU Renewed. A Manifesto’ https://ucudemontfort.wordpress.com/2019/02/11/dmu-renewed-a-manifesto-for-change/ It covers the following matters: * Our governing principles: DMU as a public university * Governance * Finance * Teaching and Learning * Research * The Importance…
In light of the coronavirus likelihood in places traversed by many people, we fear the real risk of The Edgbaston Park Hotel (The University of Birmingham’s wholly-owned and outsourced subsidiary company) staff coming in whatever happens because they can’t afford to be sick due to their very low contractual rights. We are continuing to urge everyone…