The Socialist 20 February 2019

Tories out, Blairites out

Nationalise Airbus and other manufacturing plants to save jobs now!

NHS crisis deepens: Workers' and community action can save our health service

What we heard

What we saw

"There's no planet B": Thousands of youth strike against climate change - we need socialist change!

Youth strike for the climate reports: "There's no planet B"

TV: Les Misérables - Hugo's novel and this adaptation both offer a message of hope

The Socialist Inbox

Eight Blairites split - Now kick out the rest

PCS Left Unity must unite on pay and elections

Universal Credit staff ballot for action

Annoyed?! I'm annoyed to be on poverty wages

Nationalise to save jobs at Honda!

Birmingham bin strike against 'blacklisting'

Deliveroo riders strike against exploitative pay and conditions

Leicester college pay strike goes on

Cardiff Uni: urgent action needed to stop job cuts

Hackney: Unite fights racism and victimisation

Harrowing accounts of austerity at Unison women's conference

Unite GLL pay campaign

Spanish state: social polarisation and budget defeat force snap election

Unite union London council workers back Enfield Labour no-cuts call

Leeds TUC presents a no-cuts alternative budget

Socialist Students conference shows potential for fighting leadership

London housing campaigners disrupt auction

Birmingham Uni: Standing up to racism is not harassment!

Leicester Socialists stand against Blairite mayor

Lincoln students back UCU ballot

Leicestershire needs NHS beds

Claimants and union slam Universal Credit

Energy retail firm collapse hits Tyneside

New recession fear stalks the world economy

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Cardiff Uni: urgent action needed to stop job cuts

Cardiff University, photo by Jeremy Segrott/CC (Click to enlarge)

Cardiff UCU member

Cardiff University plans to cut 380 posts over five years.

The University and College Union (UCU) is combining its national ballot over workload, casualisation and pay with a simultaneous ballot over the threat of local compulsory redundancies to hit the Tories 50% turnout threshold.

Staffing cuts won't just affect those losing work. A 2016 survey by the union found that university staff were already working on average almost 2-days unpaid overtime a week.

The university has a budget deficit of more than £20 million. But cuts aren't aimed the Vice Chancellor's £256,000 salary, or his five-figure 'performance bonus'.

The university favours new buildings over staff. It's undergoing a £600 million campus development, and in 2016 borrowed £300 million - the largest public bond in UK higher education history - at £9 million interest a year.

This time last year, the union was preparing to strike over pensions - a strike which led to serious employer concessions. At Cardiff University, Socialist Students and the trade union council spoke at picket lines and rallies.

The trade union council arranged for the strikers to speak at other union branches where they won donations to our strike fund. UCU affiliated to the local trade union council and led the May Day march.

These impressive strikes showed the potential power of organised collective action, and this year, the workers are better prepared for what's ahead.

Support by students, the wider trade union movement and militant rank-and-file action will send a clear message to Cardiff University management.

Staff will not tolerate further assaults on their working conditions, and we must also use the union elections to elect a fighting left leadership to coordinate our fightback.

In this issue

News

Nationalise Airbus and other manufacturing plants to save jobs now!