Strike for USS - day 6 report and Strike Day Events page

Over the weekend parts of the press attacked UCU for continuing the strike despite talks being announced. But as one senior member of the English department observed, "Why would we stop? Nothing has changed. The employers have made no commitment. It makes no sense to stop now."

Indeed despite warm words from the Provost and other VCs, the UUK Defined Contribution pension scheme is still being imposed through the USS machinery. The 27 February USS Board decision to go with DC has not been rescinded. For what is at stake, see our factsheet

Picket lines were strongly supported (where departments are not closed) with strikers picketing even remote sites and multi-tenancy buildings on the periphery of the Bloomsbury campus. Impromptu teach-outs were held in a number of locations. At noon we called a large strike meeting in the TUC building, and when we pulled pickets from picket lines to attend,at least the same number stayed behind.

Thanks to the warmer weather there were more students about but our strike is as solid as ever. Last week UCL UCU grew it's membership by 15% in a week.

Special mention goes to SSEES for some of the most inventive puns of the strike thus far. If you want to know what they were, please visit their picket line!

Events are planned for each strike day this week.