The Sweet Whiff of Revolution · 10:59pm Mar 20th, 2018
Apologies for not posting anything for over two weeks. Real life has got in the way in an unprecedented way. We have just been through the biggest industrial action in higher education in recent British history, as staff across 65 universities have been striking against planned cuts to our pensions. It’s not over yet.
You might think striking from work would mean more free time to write pony-stuff, but it hasn’t worked out that way. I have been getting up half an hour earlier than usual to get down on the picket line and wave a placard to publicise the cause. Then my days have typically been filled with rallies, union meetings, and getting together with staff and student comrades in cafes and pubs to draw up manifestos and discuss social media tactics, as well as reading up on the issues.
#DogsOnPicketLines
I have, as Laurie Lee put it, “tasted the first sweet whiff of revolution.” Being sufficiently under-classed to have been trampled upon by senior management, I found the sense of collective power from standing with the union quite intoxicating. Being sufficiently privileged to not fear getting fired, I felt a sober duty to be at the front of the picket, standing up for my less-fortunate friends on fixed term contracts.
Two weeks ago, it felt like we were winning. At Oxford, we managed to use the democratic structure of the university to force a U-turn by the vice-chancellor. I wrote up this gripping story on my Particle Gadgeteering blog: Resolutions, Revolutions, and Oxford University Democracy. [I could probably change a few names and details and turn this into a Harry Potter fanfic. Or give the characters more legs, a tail and horn, and it could be at Princess Celestia’s school.]
By that point we had won the argument, and had support from the leadership of many universities. It seemed inevitable that the central body Universities UK would have to compromise. Unfortunately when a deal was announced last week, it was so pathetic that it was quickly and unanimously rejected by local union branches.
The first round of strikes has finished, and I’ve been back at work this week, but we’re not done. There is more action planned for the coming term, which will disrupt exams – which is generally thought to be the one form of industrial action that really puts pressure on universities. Of course there may be grudging settlement before then. Also possible that Universities UK will play hard, and try to sit this out, in which case things could get very bitter. People are angry about this and not inclined to give in.
One pleasantly surprising aspect is the amount of support we have had from students. You might not expect undergraduates to care about their lecturer’s retirement income, but we have taught them well, they understand the wider implications, and they are against the marketization of education. University fees have now risen to £9,000 a year. Higher education is being run in an increasingly commercial way. The management at big universities want to borrow money for new buildings, take on more fee-paying students, and keep staff costs down. Yet students are now more engaged with politics than they have been at any time this millennium. In the election last June, the Labour party pledged to abolish tuition fees, and managed to mobilise the youth vote, defy the poll predictions, and take away the government’s majority. The future is difficult to predict.
Stay strong.
I recall picketing when I was a kid with my Mom and her fellow teachers. It's rough but good luck.
Solidarity from across the Atlantic. And good on ya for rejecting a bad deal. Here's hoping you're able to hold the union leadership's feet to the fire for the near-betrayal of your hard work and sacrifices.
Best of luck to everyone on the picket line, you included.
When will they learn that some organizations aren't meant to be run like businesses? Best of luck to you.
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When the business students who graduated in the 1970s start to retire and/or die off in large numbers. So in about 40 years.
Til then, we hold the line.
Solidarity, Comrade!!!
How are the senior management going to handle the average Da Vinci Legion smartphone in the next 20 years? You know, the one where by law the AI has to be able to declare its workings out including how such a person must have come to their wealth etc?
If you really want to know where the pensions are going, all renewablew energy replacement costs are linked to the price of oil so they cant compete on even close to equal footing, and the relative prices of houses constantly increases above average wages, even though the govt claimed to be capping the ratio years ago.
the govt claimed to be passing regulations to cap mortgages at 4.5. In 2016 they reached 6.5, and last year they reached 7.5 The difference between where it is and where its supposed to be is the so called debt, and the intrest on that virtual debt is where all the NHS etc payments should be coming from.
6.5 to 7.5 in a year. Compound. Where 50% goes on paying mouse prices. This gives a cap of about 5 years.
Perfect natural laws of self regulating capatilism. And Cancer.
Good for you! It's nice to see that this kind of thing can still make a difference.
Good for you, and good luck!
Although after reading the first paragraph I was picturing burning erasers raining down on the administration
I hope that you get your promised pension. Management lured you in with the promise of certain wages and benefits. ¡Hold them to their promises!