Loughborough UCU will be hosting an open meeting with the MP for Loughborough, Shepshed, and the Villages, Dr. Jeevun Sandher, on May 9th from 1-2pm in U005 (Brockington Extension).
The event will focus on “The Future of Higher Education Policy in the UK”. Dr. Sandher will speak for a few minutes on the topic, before we then open up the discussion to questions from the audience.
Prior to his election to Parliament last year, Dr. Sandher previously worked as an economist researching inequality and poverty at King’s College London, and he has also served as a UCU trade union rep.
As this is an open meeting, please do forward this invitation along to any colleagues you think may be interested in attending.
Note that while online attendance will be possible, we would encourage in-person attendance where possible – and there should also be time to ask questions to Dr. Sandher informally before and after the event.
Please click here to download an appointment for your calendar or, if joining online, use this link to join the meeting via Teams: Join online
Warm Homes Leicestershire: Lobby and Knit
A Climate Action Leicester and Leicestershire event.
On: Saturday, March 29 from 2pm to 5pm
Outside Leicester MPs’ offices:
Westend Neighbourhood Centre, Andrewes St, Leicester, LE3 5PA GB
Spread the resistance to the job losses in Higher Education
The Grassroots Counter-Playbook: How to Fight the Employers’ Offensive
Thursday 20th March at 12:30pm on Zoom.
With 1000 jobs losses a month and unprecedented crisis in higher education in the UK, a growing number of branches are resisting.
Newcastle, Brunel and Dundee Universities are taking industrial action. Other branches such as Durham, Sheffield, Cardiff have balloted for industrial action.
The employers have a playbook to push through the cuts, we need a counter-playbook.
Come to the meeting to hear how you can support branches taking industrial action and the lessons of moving into action.
They cannot win on their own, we need to get the crisis of our universities onto the government’s agenda.
LU Guest Lecture: The Criminalisation of Environmental Protest
When: 6:30-8pm on Tues 11th March
Where: James France – CC013
As part of the University’s Sustainability Week for 2025, Sir Jonathon Porritt CBE will be on the East Midlands campus on Tuesday 11th March to deliver a guest lecture on “The Criminalisation of Environmental Protest”.
With police arrests of environmental protesters becoming increasingly common both in the UK and abroad, Jonathon will discuss the criminalisation of environmental protest and examine instances of arrests, imprisonment and other punishments.
The right to protest has been intrinsic in the history of the trade union movement and, indeed, every progressive movement for social change. It is deeply concerning that a nominally left-wing government has continued the trend of persecuting those trying to exercise those rights, especially when their aim is to draw attention to an existential threat to our civilisation.
Jonathon Porritt is an eminent writer and campaigner on sustainable development. Over his career, he has played a major role in helping to promote the importance of sustainability issues to government, the private sector and amongst the general public. He has provided strategic advice to leading UK and international companies to deepen their understanding of today’s converging environmental and climate crises.
He is also focused on intergenerational justice, supporting young people in their activities around sustainable development issues as they face a future defined by the twin crises of the Climate Emergency and Biodiversity Emergency.
He is President of The Conservation Volunteers and is involved in the work of many other NGOs and groups.
In 1996, he co-founded Forum for the Future, a leading international sustainable development charity, working with business and civil society to accelerate the shift toward a sustainable future.
Jonathon was formerly Co-Chair of the Green Party (1980-83) and Director of Friends of the Earth (1984-90). He stood down as Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission in 2009, after nine years providing high-level advice to Government Ministers.
Jonathon was awarded a CBE in January 2000 for services to environmental protection.
LU Guest Lecture: The Criminalisation of Environmental Protest
When: 6:30-8pm on Tues 11th March Where: James France – CC013
As part of the University’s Sustainability Week for 2025, Sir Jonathon Porritt CBE will be on the East Midlands campus on Tuesday 11th March to deliver a guest lecture on “The Criminalisation of Environmental Protest”.
With police arrests of environmental protesters becoming increasingly common both in the UK and abroad, Jonathon will discuss the criminalisation of environmental protest and examine instances of arrests, imprisonment and other punishments.
The right to protest has been intrinsic in the history of the trade union movement and, indeed, every progressive movement for social change. It is deeply concerning that a nominally left-wing government has continued the trend of persecuting those trying to exercise those rights, especially when their aim is to draw attention to an existential threat to our civilisation.
Jonathon Porritt is an eminent writer and campaigner on sustainable development. Over his career, he has played a major role in helping to promote the importance of sustainability issues to government, the private sector and amongst the general public. He has provided strategic advice to leading UK and international companies to deepen their understanding of today’s converging environmental and climate crises.
He is also focused on intergenerational justice, supporting young people in their activities around sustainable development issues as they face a future defined by the twin crises of the Climate Emergency and Biodiversity Emergency.
He is President of The Conservation Volunteers and is involved in the work of many other NGOs and groups.
In 1996, he co-founded Forum for the Future, a leading international sustainable development charity, working with business and civil society to accelerate the shift toward a sustainable future.
Jonathon was formerly Co-Chair of the Green Party (1980-83) and Director of Friends of the Earth (1984-90). He stood down as Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission in 2009, after nine years providing high-level advice to Government Ministers.
Jonathon was awarded a CBE in January 2000 for services to environmental protection.
LUCU is marking International Women’s Day with a discussion about feminist research at Loughborough. The histories of the women’s movement and the labour movement are deeply intertwined. The originally named International Working Women’s Day is at the intersection of the two, inspired by demonstrations for women’s enfranchisement and right to form our own trade unions. IWD should therefore be about more than celebrating women’s achievements or advocating for more women in leadership. As Bonnie Kreps argued, who wants a bigger slice of a ‘rotten pie’?1
This event will begin with feminist researchers across the institution giving short insights into their current work:
Gemma Witcomb (Reader in Gendered Experiences and Wellbeing)
This will be followed by an open forum for all attendees to discuss the current climate for feminist research, and the role of feminism within the trade union movement.
Open to all, members and non-members, women and non-women. Join us and be part of the conversation!
#IWD25 #breadandroses
1. Kreps, B (1973) ‘Radical Feminism 1’ in Anne Koedt (ed.) Radical Feminism (New York: Quadrangle/ The New York Times Book Co.), pp. 234-239.
LUCU is marking International Women’s Day with a discussion about feminist research at Loughborough. The histories of the women’s movement and the labour movement are deeply intertwined. The originally named International Working Women’s Day is at the intersection of the two, inspired by demonstrations for women’s enfranchisement and right to form our own trade unions. IWD should therefore be about more than celebrating women’s achievements or advocating for more women in leadership. As Bonnie Kreps argued, who wants a bigger slice of a ‘rotten pie’? 1
This event will begin with feminist researchers across the institution giving short insights into their current work:
Gemma Witcomb (Reader in Gendered Experiences and Wellbeing)
This will be followed by an open forum for all attendees to discuss the current climate for feminist research, and the role of feminism within the trade union movement.
Open to all, members and non-members, women and non-women. Join us and be part of the conversation!
#IWD25 #breadandroses
1. Kreps, B (1973) ‘Radical Feminism 1’ in Anne Koedt (ed.) Radical Feminism (New York: Quadrangle/ The New York Times Book Co.), pp. 234-239.
Leicester & District Trades Union Council Events
Your Rights, The Law, and Empowerment Event
Unite Community Leicester has organised an event “Your Rights, The Law, and Empowerment” on Sunday 19th January 2025 from 11am – 4pm. Everyone is welcome to join them at: Secular Hall, 75 Humberstone Gate, Leicester (LE1 1WB).
Lawyers will give three presentations to update you on laws around protest and strike action, with each focusing on one of the following topics: “Unions”, “Palestine” and “Climate & Ecological Emergency”. The event is supported by Leicester & District Trades Union Council (L&DTUC). For more information, please see this flyer.
Organising the next Workers Memorial Day
The Health, Safety and Welfare (HSW) subcommittee of Leicester & District Trades Union Council (L&DTUC) will meet to start organising the next Workers Memorial Day event. The meeting will be on Tuesday 21st January 2025 starting at 6pm and, it’s hoped, will not last much more than an hour. All trade unionists are welcome. You do not need to be a trades council delegate to get involved. The organising meeting will be held on Zoom. If you’re interested in contributing, please use this link to join the meeting.
What makes a thriving research and innovation culture?
The University are holding three conversation-style events to identify what a thriving research and innovation culture looks like at Loughborough. The stated aim of these events is to invite your important perspectives on what ‘good’ looks like in Loughborough’s research and innovation culture.
We strongly urge you to join these sessions and use your voice to help shape the standard to which academics are likely to be held in the future.
Events and sign-up links
Virtual workshop, 10am-11.30am, Monday 15 April 2024, sign up here
Face to face workshop on campus, 10am-11.30am, Wednesday 17 April 2024. Sign up here
Face to face workshop on campus, 3pm-4.30pm, Wednesday 17 April 2024. Sign up here
Pickets in Loughborough and London – 9th Feb
Thanks again to everyone who was involved in the busy and engaging UCU rising picket we held on the 1st February, and also to those who came to the planning meeting that followed.
This Week’s Pickets
This week the branch has organised pickets on both Lboro and London campuses. Both will take place on Thursday 9th February. The Loughborough picket will be at the Shirley Pearce Pedestrian Crossing (on Epinal Way – exact location) from 8:30am to 10:30am. The London picket will be at the main entrance of the London campus building from 9am – 11am. We hope to see as many of you there as possible. The longer the picket line, the shorter the dispute.
Future Picket Dates, Times & Locations
Strike Day
Picket Time
Picket Location
Thurs 16th Feb
8:30-10:30
Shirley Pearce Pedestrian Crossing
Wed 22nd Feb
11:30-14:00
Holywell Gate
Wed 1st March
11:30-14:00
Holywell Gate
Thurs 16th March
8:30-10:30
Main Gate
Mon 20th March
8:30-10:30
Main Gate
Future London picket details will be communicated as and when they are arranged.
Although we are only picketing on the above dates, please remember that the following dates are also strike days.
We now have three teach outs planned during this period of industrial action, unfortunately the ones we had hoped to hold in the LSU building will now have to be on-line only due to no rooms being available. Please advertise these events to your colleagues, students and anyone else who may be interested in joining us.
Unions and the Media, an online teach-out: Wednesday February 22nd, 2:30-5pm (Teams link): We will start with a Trade Unions 101 by Anthony Kevins: Is a trade union like a student union? Are strikes just protests? And why are strikes even a thing? In this brief introduction to trade unions, we’ll cover everything you ever wanted to know about collective bargaining but were too afraid to ask. Bring your questions! Then John Downey will present a talk entitled ‘What about the workers? How do news media frame unions and what we can do about it’ discussing unions, inequality, and media representation, including reflections on how UCU does self-mediation and how it is being represented in the current dispute.
Organising and Power, an online teach-out: Wednesday 1st March, 2:30-5pm (Teams link): Ruth Kinna will give a talk (open to all staff and students) about Rose Pesotta (1896–1965), anarchist, feminist and labour organizer in the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union, then Alexandre Christoyannopoulos will lead a workshop (for LUCU members only) introducing methods from the Organizing for Power workshops that some members attended last year, with time for discussion about how they could work within Loughborough UCU.
Memories of anti-racism, a hybrid teach-out: Thursday 16th March, 11am-12 noon in-person and online (Teams link): Emily Keightley will introduce the Migrant Memory and Postcolonial Imagination exhibition at Charnwood Arts (address: 27 Rectory Pl, Loughborough LE11 1UW), and will talk about histories and memories of anti-racist protest and experiences of racism in Loughborough and East London.
Resources for Staff
Please regularly check our website for updated versions of strike resources for staff such as out of office messages, email templates you can send to students or use on learn and slides for students.
