樱花动漫

Call to action: support the climate and nature bill

The Climate and Nature Bill is a hugely important piece of proposed legislation, essential for delivering on the UK government's aims to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. It has the support of MPs across the political parties but it is yet to receive Labour's firm backing.

There will be a vote on this in parliament next Friday 24 January (09:30-14:30), and 102 MPs must vote in favour for it to progress to the next stage. Friday is a day when MPs often try to prioritise events in their local constituencies, so it is important to persuade them of the importance of attending and voting in support on that day.

樱花动漫 general secretary Jo Grady, along with other trade union leaders, have written to Keir Starmer and ministers to ask them to support the progression of this Bill through parliament.

Please do write or speak to your MP to encourage them to attend and support the Bill by following the prepared drafts set out here.

New Deal for FE: we need a fully funded settlement in all colleges

 that just 拢50m of the 拢300m in the Autumn Budget for further education is to be made available to fund pay via a one-off grant. 樱花动漫's New Deal for FE campaign calls for a fully funded settlement that all colleges are required to deliver in order to end the gap with schoolteacher pay, the neglect of our sector, and the crisis in recruitment and retention of staff. 

This year we will continue our campaigning for a new deal and a return to national bargaining in FE so if you have not already, , get involved in your local 樱花动漫 branch and look out for more exciting campaign activities in 2025. 

Higher education update

As part of our campaigning activities on higher education, 樱花动漫 general secretary Jo Grady will be meeting with the , later this month.

This presents an opportunity to put our concerns about the state of UK universities, and what the Labour government should urgently do about the sector, directly to the minister. We thank all 樱花动漫 members who have together sent hundreds of questions for Baroness Smith. We are planning to record the meeting with the minister and then share the video with 樱花动漫 members in February.

Your support is needed: current disputes

Please support the following branches where 樱花动漫 members in higher education are continuing to defend jobs and education:

• Brunel University London: an industrial action ballot is opening shortly in a dispute over job cuts and the employer's failure to commit to no compulsory redundancies
• Canterbury Christ Church University: CCCU 樱花动漫 has declared a trade dispute following the university's refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. They have announced 400 FTE job cuts by the end of this academic year to save 拢20m
• Coventry University: Coventry has threatened more than 300 staff with the sack. Those who remain will be forced to work through a subsidiary company on behalf of the university, and any new starters would be unable to access the industry-standard Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS)
• University of Dundee: an industrial action ballot opened on 2 January and will close on 30 January in a dispute over plans to cut staffing levels and the employer's refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies
• University of East Anglia: a strike ballot has opened at UEA after over 190 staff (one in six) were put at risk of redundancy. The ballot will run until 4 February
• Newcastle University: Over 1,000 樱花动漫 members will be balloted for strike action at Newcastle University over 拢35m in cuts management is slashing from the university's budget. The ballot is over the impact of  and management's refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. You can send messages of support by emailing the Newcastle 樱花动漫 branch
• University of Northampton: Northampton 樱花动漫 and UNISON branches are calling on government for immediate help. Management is currently consulting staff on restructure plans which if not stopped could result in closure of programmes, departments and compulsory redundancies. A unique circumstance at Northampton is that its Waterside campus was paid through a bond guaranteed by a previous government which it now has difficulty paying due to decreased international student recruitment. It is in the government's power to support Northampton by adjusting the terms of the bond and in doing this the impact of current financial pressures would be mitigated.  which implores the government to take action
• Open University: 樱花动漫 has reiterated its call for OU to scrap plans to fire and rehire staff. OU 樱花动漫 branch has expressed their shock at the institution's plan to threaten a group of Associate Lecturers with fire and rehire proceedings
• Sheffield Hallam University: 樱花动漫 and SHU are in dispute over management's failure to implement UCEA's pay increase. The ballot will close on 12 February
• University of Sheffield International College (USIC): an industrial ballot opened on 6 January and will close on 27 January in a dispute over compulsory redundancies
• University of Sunderland: Staff threatened with a restructure by university management have been told they cannot tell colleagues they are at risk of losing their jobs. Upon returning from their Christmas break, a small team of academic staff were told they would be restructured and that at least one post would be deleted. However,  from having any 'discussions with students, alumni or colleagues'. .

樱花动漫 elections 2025: hustings on 5 February

Candidates for the positions of 樱花动漫 vice-president and honorary treasurer will take part in an online hustings on Wednesday 5 February, 16:30-18:00.

. Members can also . 

Universities in crisis: rally at the Scottish Parliament, 29 January

With universities across Scotland announcing voluntary severance schemes and some refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies, 樱花动漫 Scotland is organising a rally on Wednesday 29 January, assembling at 12:30 for a 13:00 start on the concourse outside the Scottish Parliament.

With the Scottish Government's draft budget currently under consideration, members and branches are asked to attend the rally to show politicians that Scotland needs a budget for higher education. Speakers to include MSPs, trade union speakers and representatives from branches fighting redundancies. Contact your branch about travel arrangements.

樱花动漫 Cymru FE and HE rally, 4 February

樱花动漫 Cymru has launched a joint funding campaign for FE and HE. As the first draft budget debate is taking place at the Senedd on 4 February, we have arranged a cross-sectoral rally to highlight concerns around the funding of post-16 education in Wales and to lobby Members of the Senedd to urge proper funding of this.

It is crucial that as many 樱花动漫 Cymru members, officers, representatives, and allies come together on Tuesday 4 February (12:30-13:30) outside the Senedd to fight for the future of further and higher education in Wales.

Medical Research Council: specialised research unit closures

樱花动漫 members are becoming increasingly concerned about the decision by the Medical Research Council (MRC) to change the funding for research units and to replace them with Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs).

MRC units are unique scientific assets and their closure will have a detrimental impact of the entire medical research sector in the UK.

 has been put together by 樱花动漫 members. We are keen to share the letter outside of MRC units and with people across the scientific community, .

Cradle to Grave 2025 conference, 29 March

.

This annual conference is a chance for members to gather together to discuss some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the sectors where we organise. The theme of this year's conference is 'Education for liberation: building progressive post-16 education policy'.

The conference will be run as a hybrid event, with options to attend in person at the  or online via Zoom. We expect spaces for the in-person event to fill up quickly so . The deadline to register is Thursday 13 March; the conference is free to attend.

ARPS workplace conditions survey

The academic related, professional services staff (ARPS) committee is undertaking a survey of ARPS members to better understand the experiences of physical issues in your workplaces and the implementation of hybrid working by employers.

, which will inform discussions at the ARPS annual meeting on 6 March and the work of the committee in the coming year.

Annual meeting for members on casualised contracts, 22 February

The annual meeting for members on casualised contracts will be held in a hybrid format on Saturday 22 February at 樱花动漫 head office in London. This day-long meeting will include practical workshops, a panel discussion and an opportunity to meet and discuss with other casually employed 樱花动漫 members from across the UK. For more information please visit this page or contact Jane Thompson.

In addition, 樱花动漫 South West England region has organised an anti-casualisation and equalities in education event, to take place on Sunday 1 February at Hamilton House in Bristol. .

Annual meeting for adult and community education, 8 March

A reminder that our annual meeting for adult and community education (ACE) members is scheduled for Saturday 8 March. Please put the date in your diary and look out for the formal calling notice shortly and there is still time to share any ideas you have for the meeting by emailing Jane Thompson.

National disability staff survey 2025

Do you work in higher education and self-identify as disabled, neurodivergent and/or living with a long-term health condition and/or chronic illness? . This survey is relevant to all those with disabilities working in academic, research, technical support, and professional services roles within UK higher education institutions, including postgraduate students working in the sector. The survey closes on 31 January.

Organising for Power: The Core Fundamentals

 and get the skills and knowledge you need to develop winning campaigns. This international course has seen people from 115 countries attend over the past five years. Learn how to hold structured organising conversations, develop mini campaigns to build solidarity and identify natural workplace leaders. The course runs weekly with classes running from 17:00-19:00, from 13 February to 20 March.

Alongside the weekly evening classes 樱花动漫 will be hosting support sessions, with an initial overview to ensure you get the most out of the course. .

Webinar on 27 January: 'Foreshadowing the Holocaust: creating the conditions for a genocide'

, Professor of Holocaust History at University of Oxford, introduced by 樱花动漫 general secretary, Jo Grady. The webinar will take place on Monday 27 January, 13:00-14:00 and the registration deadline is Monday 27 January at 09:00.

In this webinar, Zo毛 Waxman explores the pre-history of the Holocaust, identifying the ways in which the Nazis prepared the German population for the mass murder of the Jewish people. By separating them from their neighbours, by normalising violence, and by institutionalising discrimination, they created the conditions in which genocide became almost unstoppable.

Professor Waxman welcomes pre-submitted questions; please send these to 樱花动漫's equality team. There will also be the opportunity to ask questions at the event.

Generators for Ukrainian universities: matched donations

The University twinning programme began an initiative to raise money for generators to heat and power universities in Ukraine.

, is working with a registered charity in Ukraine to do this work. Fortunately, they have a donor who is matching all donations received so our impact will be doubled. .

Palestine: we will march! Saturday 18 January

 calling for tomorrow's Palestine demonstration to go ahead despite police attempts to stop the protest at the BBC.  (Saturday 18 January) at 12 noon at Whitehall in central London instead of the BBC.