The Strikes Are Working!
‘Go with the flow’ – how to persuade people to join UCU & support the pickets
Strike Websites
New branch leaflets
Newcastle UCU 
York UCU 
Lancaster UCU 
UEA UCU 
Manchester UCU 
Manchester UCU 
Manchester UCU
Treasure trove of resources – posters, bunting design, badges & more – available HERE
What’s it all about?
The UCU has produced a short explainer on USS here
New Videos
Have you set your out-of-office message yet?
I am not able to check email today as members of xxxx UCU are taking industrial action, along with members at 73 other universities, in opposition to threats to our pension, deteriorating conditions and pay inequalities [amend as necessary]. Members of xxxx UCU will be on strike on the following days: Thursday 20 and Friday 21 February, Monday 24 through to Wednesday 26 February, Monday 2 through to Thursday 5 March, and Monday 9 through to Friday 13 March [amend as necessary]. If you would like more information about the dispute please go here and here [amend as necessary], and do contact my vice-chancellor, xxxx,, to find out what steps the institution is taking to avoid a dispute.
2020 Teach-Out Schedules
Music for the picket line
UCU strike lgbtq + disco (with thanks to Kirsteen Paton)
GU Collective’s 30 songs for UCU picket lines on Spotify
Birmingham Law strike playlist
We are the University strike playlist (Grace Krause)
Rosa Campbell’s Strike songs playlist on Spotify
Leah Chan’s playlist for 2019 UCU strikes on Spotify
10 best union songs of all time (thanks to CBC)
Protest in Harmony (Edinburgh UCU) songsheet
Strike handbooks & guidance for members
Really comprehensive guide to strike activities and advice from Exeter UCU and Bristol UCU
Comprehensive guide from the National Union of Students (February 2020) to supporting the strikes
James Sumner’s 2020 strike handbook
Sheffield UCU detailed guidance for members (2019)
Effective strike participation guidance (Jo McNeill)
Leicester UCU strike handbook (2019)
Sussex UCU Tumblr site (2019) (filled with goodies)
Rallies/marches/events
South West Region Strike Rally and March, Wednesday 26 February, Meet 11am at the Victoria Rooms, 88 Queens Road, Clifton, Bristol
LONDON DEMONSTRATION: THE MONEY’S THERE, WHERE’S OUR SHARE?MARCH FROM UCEA/UUK TO USS IN THE CITY, 12 noon,Wednesday 26 February, Tavistock Square, WC1
Southampton Solidarity Rally, 12.30pm Wednesday 26 February, Jubilee Plaza (Highfield)
UCU Scotland Strike Rally: 11.30am, Tuesday 25 February, Bristol Square, Edinburgh
London Strike Solidarity Assembly, 6.30pm Tuesday 25 February, Imperial Hotel, 61 Russell Square (with John McDonnell, Mark Serwotka, Jane Loftus, Lowkey & others)
Information about local hardship funds (from 2019)
Pay deductions
See Andrew Chitty’s googledoc for up to date pay deductions in relation to the November/December strikes. Effectively, as of January 2020, most universities chose to deduct pay over one or two months. To the best of our knowledge, only eight institutions agreed to deductions spread over three months. USS Briefs have compiled a dossier of communications from vice-chancellors which contains some of this information. (Please email branchsolidaritynetwork@gmail.com for updates on whether your branch has been able to negotiate staggered deductions).
Goldsmiths UCU has issued some guidance to members in the light of its management’s refusal initially to spread deductions which contains some interesting proposals. Following pressure, management agreed to deduct pay over two months but in April and May 2020, i.e. five months after the action in order to allow members to prepare.
Branch Solidarity Network 
