Staff and students at Lancaster University have criticised the institution’s response to a UCU marking and assessment boycott, which they say could waste months, if not years, of hard work and exorbitant fees. Members of UCU are taking part in a national marking and assessment boycott in 145 UK Universities over a decline in pay … Continue reading Condemnation for Lancaster University’s approach to the marking and assessment boycott

Dear Students,  University staff from 145 UK Universities have been called by our union, UCU, to participate in a national Marking and Assessment Boycott [MAB] ongoing from 20th April 2023. The union called the MAB as an attempt to resolve a long-standing dispute with Universities over decreasing pay that has fallen further with inflation, unsustainably high … Continue reading Open Letter to Lancaster University Students on the ongoing MAB

In January, the University of East Anglia announced that its staff could face compulsory redundancies after the university reportedly lost £13.9 million between 2021 and 2022. Around 30% of staff are potentially at threat from the cuts, which is also being packaged as a new strategic vision for the university. This situation is an extreme … Continue reading Solidarity with UEA

A message from the President of Lancaster University Students' Union 16 February 2023 At the first ever meeting of Union Assembly, Lancaster University Students' Union (LUSU) Officers and Assembly Delegates voted unanimously to support the 18 days of UCU strikes. It was a big day for the Union – for the first time in my … Continue reading Students Support the Strikes!

Last week we discussed the theme of food and solidarity, as demonstrated in one of our teach-ins and on the picket line.  This week the theme is noise and solidarity. Quack, Quack We value both noise and quiet. Some of us have used the strikes for space and time for quiet contemplation and self-care.  Peaceful … Continue reading Noise and Solidarity

Thursday the 9th February we met online for the first of a new series of teach-ins/outs/ups.  It was lovely to see new and familiar faces.  These sessions are our symbol of the positive act of striking. We were inspired by colleagues who brought food to the picket line on the 1st February. On this occasion, … Continue reading Food and Solidarity

In communications about the upcoming (and past) strikes, our VC, Andy Schofield, often makes statements such as this recent one: "It is important to note that this action is part of a national dispute covering pay and pensions. Both are issues where the University cannot act independently to bring about a resolution as they are subject to … Continue reading Andy – here’s how to help your staff

Wednesday 1st February 2023Remember this date.  Remember what we did. On Wednesday the 1st February 2023 HALF A MILLION workers across the UK went on strike to fight for not just better pay and conditions, but a better and fairer higher education system, and better and fairer public services as a whole.  Nurses, teachers, railway … Continue reading Solidarity

It is not enough to just pay your subscription fee to the union. The union does not run on subs, it runs on solidarity.  The strength of the union rests on a large membership that stands together. Our solidarity is what makes the union come alive. Without that, all that remains is the bureaucratic husk … Continue reading The union does not run on subs

It is hard to withdraw your labour if it means abandoning your students, even for a while. It can be tempting to not strike, or to re-arrange your teaching on other days. But we need to think about what we are fighting for. Most immediately, it is about action on casualisation, declining pay, reducing gender … Continue reading Don’t let your students down!