UCU rising

Work at KB after doing some duolingo in the morning. It is quite a pestering thing. I finally got reviews back for a paper I submitted ages ago. The reviewers were quite happy with the paper but not so much with the admittedly very sparse documentation of the software described in the paper. I don't think, it'll be too much work to sort out but it will keep me busy for a couple of days.

This evening I watched the live event where the UCU General Secretary, Jo Grady (on the left), introduces the new UCU rising campaign. There was a lot of emphasis on the fact that there is a detailed and well thought out plan and that this time it will be an aggregate ballot, ie all votes are thrown into the same pot and an overall turnout of more than 50% is required but all UCU members will be able to take part in the industrial dispute. It is clear that a new approach is needed and I do hope that this will make more of a difference. I think people are getting tired of taking part in industrial action that seems to be ineffective. I think the disaggregated ballots (ie each university for itself) didn't help and the university bosses know that they can just sit it out. But there really is no other option than to fight for our working conditions otherwise more and more will be taken away. I do feel there is a certain buzz about with the RMT workers' strike being quite visible and their General Secretary Mick Lynch talking a lot of sense and taking no nonsense from politicians and the media. I hope that the UCU will be able to join the action. 

Having said all that, I will watch the development from the sidelines as I will be no longer a member. I do plan to join the German equivalent union. 

Solidarity!