UNISON PENSION BALLOT OPENS 11th OCT

 

Vote 'yes'

UNISON is asking its members to vote YES in the ballot for industrial action to protect public sector pensions. 

 

Current proposals mean that most people will pay more and work longer to get a pension that will be worth less.

 

We are balloting for strike action initially to start on 30 November. We are also working with other trade unions and community groups to organise local and national protests in support of public sector pensions. 

 

We need a big YES vote and a high turnout to send a clear and united message to ministers that "enough is enough", that will help persuade them to withdraw their current unfair and unjustified attacks on pensions. 

 

Click here for further information and myth busting fact sheets

 

The ballot opens on 11 October and closes on 3 November.

MUSU supports UNISON!

Middlesex Students Union have communicated their full support to UNISON and UCU in taking strike action next week.

“MUSU fully supports UNISON in its continuing struggle against the cuts.”

MUSU has passed a motion to  'Oppose cuts throughout the public sector'  that states: MUSU resolves:  To mandate the Students’ Union Executive to oppose all cuts. And to work with and support the campus Trade Unions in their struggle against these cuts.

MUSU sabbatical officers will be joining the UNISON and UCU picket lines to talk to students about why they are supporting our Strike.

Make sure you are alongside UNISON, UCU and MUSU on the picket lines on the 4^th.

We have faced 4 months of restructures, redundancies and anxiety. We face more restructures, outsourcing and redundancies in the future. We all face extra work and stress. This is our chance to show the University the collective anger of the entire workforce over the redundancies which are the real threat to the student experience and the future of the University.

 

The students and academics are with us are you?

Contact your Branch rep for details of the picket and planned lobby of the Board of Governors on the 4^th October

Middlesex University UNISON votes to Strike!

Middlesex University UNISON Branch members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of Industrial action in the face of compulsory redundancies at the University.

UNISON members at Middlesex University will now join their UCU colleagues in a day of co-ordinated industrial action on Tuesday 4th October.

UNISON members have stood firm in the face of a rolling programme of restructures, losing colleagues to "voluntary" redundancies and the stress and uncertainty of their jobs being deleted, having to apply for other posts, redeployment pools and compulsory redundancy. Those left face increased workloads, stress, potential future outsourcing and changes to their working patterns.

UNISON members have stood united and said loud and clear 

Enough is Enough

UNISON believes that these severe and drastic cuts represent a serious risk to the University, cutting too fast and too deep; potentially damaging key areas of the University business. Middlesex University appears to be adopting a "more with less" policy without adequately explaining how already overstretched staff will continue to provide the "student experience" that the University relies on in their marketing.

UNISON members at Middlesex University will take industrial action not because it is an end in itself. We will take this action as a statement of intent. UNISON will continue to defend our jobs and student services at Middlesex University.

Camden UNISON Local Government Branch Message of Support

Camden UNISON local Government Branch has passed on this message of support to Middlesex University UNISON in our fight against compulsory redundancies Camden UNISON has also pledged £150 for Middlesex UNISONs' Strike hardship fund should strike action take place

On behalf of the Camden Local Government branch I am writing to extend best wishes and support from our branch, with more than 3,000 members, to yours as it confronts what is most probably the most serious challenge in its history.

 At present, you are in the front line of a very serious assault on higher education and its workforce across Britain, but as the recent experience of the London Met branch highlights you can fight and win important concessions at the very least.

With some 200 compulsory redundancies now threatened by university management, you clearly have no alternative but to mount resistance including strike action in the near future. 

I understand that your ballot got underway last Friday and concludes in a fortnight's time (Friday 23 September). I am hopeful that it will deliver a very substantial majority in favour of strike action.

In solidarity,

George Binette
Camden UNISON Branch Secretary

Lunchtime Rally 30th June

On the 30th June members of Middlesex University UNISON Branch gathered in their lunch hour to support their UCU colleagues taking industrial action about changes to their Pensions and to raise awareness of the proposed redundancies at Middlesex. Members of the Branch spent their time distributing flyers and talking to staff, students and members of the public about the impact of Government Cuts and the local impact at Middlesex University, whilst several drivers passing by serenaded us with a few supportive sounds from their horns. Below are few photos of the event. Thank you also to Colleagues and members at the Archway Campus who also arranged similar events.

Middlesex University Branch Lobby of the Board of Governors

Tuesday 7th June around 25 - 30 UNISON Branch Members gathered at the Hendon campus to Lobby the Board of Governors over Redundancies and Outsourcing at Middlesex University. The lobby was organised by the Middlesex Unison Branch to support the dispute with the University Executive over compulsory redundancies in the School of Arts and Education and plans to outsource jobs from other sections of the University.

The Branches key points in the dispute are:

• A review of the implementation of the redeployment policy to make it easier for members to apply for alternative employment within the University.
• A recruitment freeze on external appointments while there are any employees facing redundancy.
• An agreed meaningful redundancy avoidance policy
• A significantly enhanced voluntary redundancy package.
• An agreement to minimise outsourcing and thereby avoid further jobs being lost to the university.

Branch Secretary Jenny Compton Bishop delivered a letter to the Governors expressing staff and union members belief that

• We believe that these strategies will seriously impact the student experience and make Middlesex University less rather than more competitive.
• The proposed reduction in staff numbers through restructuring will seriously undermine the ability of the University to provide a good service and value for money
• In-house staff provide a better service through demonstrated experience, loyalty and good-will.  The impact of redundancies and outsourcing is a loss of skills to the University and a detrimental effect to staff morale. 

Committee and Branch members spent 2 or so hours talking to staff, students, academics, passer bys and any Governors that were willing to engage with the lobby about the branches dispute and the future of Higher Education in general. The event offered the opportunity for Branch members to exchange experiences and bring their views to the attention of the University governance. However the lobby and the dispute would be overtaken by events in the next few days when it became clear to University staff what had been rubber stamped at the Board of Governors meeting. Photos of the lobby can be accessed by clicking on the link.

MDX Branchlines Extra