I’m B., a PhD student at Goldsmiths and a student member of our union branch. I am also an hourly-paid associate lecturer in another London college.
As you are most likely aware, you and I are at a critical point in the ongoing disputes over pensions, pay, and working conditions. I am writing today to ask you to vote YES in the current ballot to extend your mandate for strike action. It is absolutely crucial we extend our mandate to win this dispute, protect our pensions, and secure fair wages and working conditions.
As an early career academic, I have never known anything other than poorly paid, precarious work in the sector. My ESRC stipend (£19,668 p.a.) is currently my lifeline. Once that runs out at the end of the Summer, my partner and I will not be able to fulfill the minimum income requirement for me to apply for a spousal visa to stay in the country: a combined income of at least £18,600 a year. This, in spite of the fact that my partner works as a lecturer for two Russell Group universities. They are on a 0.5 permanent contract in one university, while also being regularly contracted to lecture by another university as self-employed–with no sick pay, no holiday pay, no guaranteed minimum hours. They often work well over their contracted hours, often six days a week. And still, we would not meet the minimum income requirement.
This is our story, but there are tens of thousands of HE workers in the UK who are deprived of autonomy by insecure, low-paid work. They can’t plan a family, they can’t leave a relationship that doesn’t work for them, they can’t take care of their own wellbeing or that of a loved one. We cannot let this happen any more. Winning the ballot to extend our mandate is the only way we win on anti-casualisation, and we need your vote for that.
Tuesday 28th is the last safe day to post your ballot! Reply to this email if your ballot has not yet arrived and we’ll arrange for a replacement to be sent.
Once you have received your ballot and cast your vote, please let us know to help the branch keep track of how many of our members have voted.
It has been a busy term. Many people, myself included, have felt unsure about the development of the dispute. If you would like to discuss anything about the current industrial action or the reballot, please just email one of our exec members or your department rep. There are fellow GUCU members who may be more clued in, and will be very happy to chat, answer questions, and share information.
Solidarity
B