PCS offer you solidarity and support for this important action.

We wholeheartedly back your action and your campaign. It is clear that UCU members rights to fair working terms and conditions are being treated with disdain – scapegoated in the rabid push for marketisation of education. Casual contracts, insecure work, have been used for too long in education and are not compatible with the security and dignity in work that is deserved. Pay cuts, pensions, inequality and increased work pressure – doesn’t create an arena where ideas can flourish.

When we fight as unions, we fight for all – workers, students the public – to improve the services we offer.

PCS members work for the government, we understand pension robbery, pay freeze, work overload and insecure contracts – these are the weapons of control that employers are using to trample on workers rights. Led by a government that neither cares about education, public services or workers. Only when we take action, join together and fight back can we defeat these injustices – just yesterday we heard of the victory for PCS cleaners working in the royal parks after a month long strike action – winning TU recognition and increase sick pay with other improved terms and condition. Trade union solidarity was essential to this victory. Every dispute won is victory in our movement.

I look forward to celebrating with UCU when this dispute is won too!

I remember hearing a speech in Durham where we were encouraged to ‘inhabit every space with our politics’ – we need to take this fight to every space and inhabit minds as never before. To fight for students, for the public, for standards of education and public services and for our trade union movement.

Solidarity

Bridget Corcoran