This week is seeing staff at 44 universities across the UK go on strike as part of their campaign for a decent pay increase, an end to zero-hour contracts and a closing of the gender pay gap. Already the University of the Arts London, the University of West London and the University of Aberdeen have had staff walk out this week.
Tomorrow (Thursday 30 June) staff at the following universities will be on strike and Marxist students will be supporting staff wherever we can:
Bishop Grosseteste University
University of Derby
University of Cambridge
Brunel University
King’s College London
London School of Economics
Courtauld Institute of Art
Royal Academy of Music
Royal Veterinary College
University of Westminster
Queen Mary, University of London
Royal College of Art
Royal College of Music
Royal Holloway
St George’s, University of London
Queen’s University Belfast
St Mary’s University College Belfast
Stranmillis University College
Ulster University
University of Bolton
Royal Northern College of Music
Robert Gordon University
University for the Creative Arts
University of Surrey
Bournemouth University
University of Portsmouth
Falmouth University
Cardiff Metropolitan University
University of Wales
University of Gloucestershire
Harper Adams University
Staffordshire University
University College Birmingham
University of Worcester
Royal Agricultural University
Sheffield Hallam University
University of South Wales
Stay tuned tomorrow for updates from the picket lines. Marxist students will be encouraging our staff to stand firm against the pathetic 1% pay offer after a 15% real terms cut in recent years. To strengthen the struggle and guarantee victory it’s essential that UCU make the most of plans to link up with other unions in the education sector, such as the NUT, but also to spread the action beyond just one sector and incorporate all those workers whose living standards are currently under attack.
The Tory government is currently in crisis and united strike action, building up to a general strike as soon as possible, would bring down this government. With hundreds of thousands backing Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party we could then force a general election in which a Corbyn-led Labour Party would be victorious. This would mark a significant victory for UCU members and the working class as a whole. This is the strategy the union should adopt, starting with the staff taking strike action this week.
Solidarity with our staff on strike!
For a general strike to finish off this government!
Corbyn’s Labour to power on a socialist programme!
