Resilient

A new development in our University and College Union national dispute with our employers has seen us adopt a series of three two hour stoppages instead of the more usual day strikes. Today saw the first of those.

I was initially a bit ambivalent about this wave of action, being still on a phased return from a period sick leave and feeling generally grateful and loyal to the university for supporting me through that period. However once we learned that our employer, unlike the majority of UK universities, is intending to deduct a whole day's pay for a two hour action, I and most of my colleagues were determined not to be intimidated, and our loyalty also extends to our Union.

So for two hours we stood on the sunny side of my One Street, enjoying the sort of relaxed interdisciplinary interaction that's generally been squeezed out of our usual days at work. We couldn't stop ourselves talking about teaching and research and working conditions, but all in good spirits, and cheered by the support of passing motorists, bus drivers, pedestrians and of course our students. We'd rather have been inside pursuing our usual duties, but in the current environment we feel our action is necessary.

Down the road, @EAnnBlair caught the action in Leeds.

A year ago, we had snow on campus, and when I returned home this evening I found our first sprinkling of the winter.