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News Archives

Force Majeure? Farce Majeure

Published: 6th May, 2020

Tomorrow there is an ‘urgency committee’ meeting of the University’s Senate. UCU has no representation on Senate, but we are usually permitted to send an observer. We have not been invited to tomorrow’s emergency meeting. We only learned it was taking place via a member sympathetic to UCU.  One item on the agenda tomorrow is…

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What did you do during the COVID-19 crisis? On casualised workers, work and the pandemic

Published: 21st April, 2020

In a year’s time, in two years, in five years, people will look back and ask of individuals and institutions: ‘what did you do during the COVID-19 crisis?’ The answers will shape behaviour, influencing decisions on where to shop and work – and study. The University of Leicester – like every other university, like every…

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Kind of Blue Monday

Published: 6th April, 2020

Letter all Leicester UCU members, Monday 6 April. As the University leadership team continues to develop and roll out its COVID-19 response, Leicester UCU continues to respond to members’ concerns. 1. Two Fridays ago (March 27) we reported on negotiations with senior managers regarding our suggestion that, in light of enormous goodwill University of Leicester…

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On Panopto, strike deductions, detriment – and other negotiations

Published: 30th March, 2020

Email sent to all Leicester UCU members, 30 March Phew! What a fortnight! And what more is to come? We don’t know whether the glimmers we see are sunlight at the end of the tunnel or the headlights of an oncoming train! Simply keeping up with the daily set of cascading emails has been a…

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COVID-19 – open letter to all Leicester UCU members

Published: 27th March, 2020

It’s hard to believe how much the world has changed since we returned from the picket lines a couple of weeks ago. Whilst we knew the threat from COVID-19 was serious, hence our revised activities and guidance on our final strike day, most of us did not anticipated a lockdown situation within such a short…

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International staff and coronavirus

Published: 17th March, 2020

UCU has developed a webpage giving some guidance/information for international staff — in particular, those who do not already hold ‘indefinite leave to remain’ (or some equivalent stable status).  Given the recent history of difficulties faced by people in this category, you might find it useful. UCU also has more general guidance for all members…

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Advice for Day 14 of Current Strike Action: Covid-19 Update

Published: 12th March, 2020

*Text of email sent to members on evening of 12 March 2020* Dear Leicester UCU Members, We are aware that many members are understandably concerned about the impact of Coronavirus and we are emailing about our current plan for picketing tomorrow. This is the final day of our current strike action and we are suggesting…

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Strikes 2020… Day 11: Friendship and Solidarity

Published: 10th March, 2020

Friendship and Solidarity are major themes on the #LeicsUniStrike picket lines every day but, well, today was extra special. Most importantly, we want to highlight the extraordinary work of precariously employed staff at the University of Leicester today in tackling endemic problems caused by precarity in Higher Education. During the November-December strikes, one of our…

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Strikes 2020… Day 10: Women to the Front

Published: 9th March, 2020

As we head into the final week of the current strike action, day ten of #UCUStrikesBack was dedicated to International Women’s Day. Read on for details of all today’s action, but first, looking ahead to tomorrow: At 9am, a group of precarious workers at the University of Leicester will meet with our Vice-Chancellor Nishan Canagarajah…

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Handmade Degrees…

Published: 9th March, 2020

This teach-out is tomorrow – Tuesday

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