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The UCU Left
is a national organisation of University and College Union activists.
It is committed to ensuring that the new union has a democratic structure through which
members can determine policy, and elected officers and professional officials can be
held accountable. It seeks to defend educational equality, and to oppose the consequences of neo-liberal marketisation.
It is opposed to all forms of racism, sexism, oppression and imperialism. |
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Right to Work - A Campaign to Build the Resistance |
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RTW Conference a great start to building a campaign of resistance and solidarity 900 delegates packed the Methodist Central Hall in Manchester this weekend to discuss how to build resistance to the coming attacks on jobs, services and pensions. Delegates, young and old, trade unionists and the unemployed, pensioners and anti racist/war campaigners came from across the country to listen and debate a range of issues from education under attack, the welfare state and the lost generation to pensions, organising migrant workers and campaigning for green jobs. The conference was supported by UCU and the NUT nationally and 60 other union branches. The conference opened with a number of speakers including Ian Allinson, a Unite NEC member who is leading the strike action at Fujitsu and Pete Murray, NUJ President, who spoke about the culling of local newspapers and the impact it is having on jobs and democracy. Tony Kearns, CWU Deputy General Secretary, also spoke at the opening session, emphasising the importance of unity and the need for solidarity. All the workshops were packed and concrete actions discussed on how to build resistance and solidarity. Click here for reports on what came out of the workshops. The conference pulled together those who are or have been in struggle. Delegates were inspired by occupiers from Visteon and Vestas, migrants workers from the RMT cleaners campaign, students from Sussex University and anti war campaigners who told the conference of the magnificent victory of Corporal Joe Glenton, the soldier who was found not guilty for refusing to fight in Afghanistan. For more information on this click here. Education under attack Over 250 packed the workshop on 'Education under attack'. Parent governors, teachers, Further and Higher Education lecturers and students discussed how to build a national campaign in defence of education. The workshop heard about how Tower Hamlets lecturers fought and won their strike over jobs and education, how Barnsley College lecturers took strike action to defeat their employer’s attempts to impose new contacts and from Leeds University students who are campaigning in support of their lecturers balloting to take strike action against cuts. The workshop also heard about how students from Kings College who, as part of their campaign to defeat course cuts, are organising their own teach in on education. UCU Vice President, Alan Whitaker, spoke at the closing rally, making a passionate speech in defence of education. He pointed out the insanity of sacking lecturing staff when 1 million 16-25 year olds were unemployed and the need for a national campaign to save education. The conference voted on a statement of intent (read here) and called for local solidarity and resistance groups to be set up. Some of the events/demonstrations that the conference agreed to build are:
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UCU Left
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