The Socialist 15 October 2008

Sack the bankers not the workers

"Give us what the bankers got"

News in brief

Government bailouts: major measures to prop up capitalism

Recession in Britain: Anger and bitterness towards the financiers

Repossessions grow as banking crisis hits

Capitalism in crisis: Why you should come to Socialism 2008

Political protest in Liverpool will not be silenced!

Mandelson - New minister for the rich

Planning Bill: Local views sidelined for big business

Defend and extend abortion rights

Opposition grows to Kirklees schools plans

Bangor: Organising to fight university tuition fees

Nottingham Trent University attempts to de-recognise the lecturers' union

Staff and students unite over pensions

Austria: Far right makes big gains - left vote squeezed

Afghanistan - war without end?

75th anniversary of Walter Greenwood's Love on the Dole

London bus workers strike for a living wage

Local government Scotland: Reject the pay offer!

Unity in Unite unravelling

Unison right-wing insecurity begins to show

Successful outcome for Suzanne Muna

Standing for president of Usdaw

Previous issues, etc

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Beat the 'Man from Mars'

Hundreds of members of the University and College Union (UCU) gathered outside Nottingham's Royal Concert Hall last week where the vice chancellor was delivering a speech to students. It was a protest at the attempt by the Nottingham Trent University to de-recognise the lecturers' union. The national union believes that unless the lecturers at Nottingham Trent University win their battle then other universities may follow suit.

Brian Ward, UCU branch chair said: "It's a dispute that's not of our making. The university came to us with proposals on trade union recognition. This involved an 85% cut in any time we have to represent our members. It involved setting up a forum that would be packed with non-trade union members.

"We said this looks to us to be more like a de-recognition agreement than a recognition agreement. The university then proceeded to end, without due notice, our previous recognition agreement from 2001.

"We have a national petition with over 12,000 signatures on. We had a strike ballot, 77% of people voted for industrial action. We have a strike planned on 21 October if it is not resolved."

The university's vice chancellor used to work for the board of Mars Ltd. As someone at the rally said: "He is living on Mars if he thinks we are going to back down!".

Please send messages of support to: recognition@ntuucu.org.uk

In this issue

Sack the bankers not the workers