Cecile Menard

Right now, silencing dissent, prohibiting speech on core issues in our movement, demanding we put the feelings of people in positions of power before those without it, happens routinely. I have no idea why some members think this is okay, none of us would accept this in our workplaces 11/12

800 staff leave Edinburgh University amid £140m cuts drive Bosses at the institution want to cut £90m from their annual salary bill, which unions say could result in as many as 1,400 jobs being lost.

Nearly 800 staff left the University of Edinburgh last year as senior management pushes a £140m savings drive

This hits precarious staff hardest

It's a great comfort to learn that senior management pay & bonuses are unaffected 😉

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2582884...

Earned settlement The government is consulting on how the current settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.

The deadline to respond to the consultation is 11.59pm on Thursday 12th February: www.gov.uk/government/c...

Earned settlement The government is consulting on how the current settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.

The Home Office is holding an open consultation about proposed changes that will make it much harder for refugees to settle in the UK. The refugee charity Praxis has written a step-by-step guide to make it easy to respond. You can find it here: www.praxis.org.uk/consultation

@ucunorthumbria.bsky.social are on strike 12, 13, 17-19 Feb and 2-6 March to stop bosses @northumbriauni.bsky.social slashing pay and pensions forever. Please donate to the branch fighting fund here: Unity Trust Bank, UCU Northumbria Univ NE119, Hardship Fund, SC 608301, AN 20295578

Jo Grady’s UCU election win challenged over ‘unfair advantage’ Candidates who stood in 2024 poll seek rerun of campaign after claiming incumbent broke rules by using union resources

The @timeshighered.bsky.social has reported that @ewanmg.bsky.social and I have applied to the Certification Officer regarding concerns over the 2024 UCU general secretary election. UCU has characterised this as “smearing”, via a spokesperson.

www.timeshighereducation.com/news/jo-grad...
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Register to vote Find out how to register to vote in Scottish Parliament and UK Parliament elections.

Do you have any 16/17 yr olds at home? Remember they can vote in the Holyrood 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 election.The more people vote,the harder it is for racist parties to win. Especially since the future will impact them more. It takes just a few mins. Please register and then vote ❎

www.mygov.scot/voting-in-el...

Far-right agitators stand accused of stirring up trouble at asylum hotel protests. But anti-racists are standing firm Following a sharp rise in far right activity, we’ve spent the last three months attending protests, speaking to activists under threat, and tracking anti-asylum seeker demonstrations across Scotland.

We spent three months on the ground at protests against asylum seekers across Scotland.

The picture that emerges is of a more organised far-right presence – and communities refusing to give up public space without a fight
www.theferret.scot/f...

🔴 NEW: The University of Edinburgh has quietly paid more than £750,000 to a controversial consulting firm amid job cuts - staff say bosses ignored "repeated" questions about its role.

Read more about 'Nousferatu' 👉 www.theferret.scot/p...

Today we have called a "Lobby Day".

UoE's ongoing cuts could lead to up to 1800 compulsory redundancies in addition to the damage already being done. Our political representatives should be addressing this crisis.

Flood MSPs' offices with calls!

More here: ucuedinburgh.org.uk/lobby-your-msp

Fed up of the rise of #racism, I wrote a few thoughts 💭 👇🏽

Contact your branch for details on how to join!

Speakers:

Melissa d’Ascenzio, UCU Dundee co-chair
Katy Highet, UWS vice-president
Dan Cutts, UCU Aberdeen co-chair
Kate Davison, UCU Edinburgh co-casework coordinator
Chaired by Cecile Menard, UCU Scotland VP

Join us for this grassroots event organized by branches from across Scotland!

With more universities cutting budgets and threatening jobs, now is the time to build collective strength. We’ll discuss common tactics management use, how to spot them early and stop them in their tracks.

The vice-chair of the UCU anti-casualisation committee, as always, fighting for casualised staff and against hidden redundancies. The quote mentions neither, but she does! ❤️💪

The UK unis where students will lose the most lecturers and support staff Are we all screwed? Discuss

The University of Edinburgh is in a league of its own in UK HE:

#1 University of Edinburgh: 1800 estimated job cuts (£92 million!)
#2 University of York: 434 jobs cuts

Reminder: There is no deficit at the UoE. This is self-inflicted institutional damage.

thetab.com/2025/10/13/t...

Get involved. Sign the open letter. Join us.
#womenagainstthefarrightscotland #WAFRS #SUTR

Our struggles are connected: from divestment to staff cuts — UCU Edinburgh ‘We stand with you because your fight for fair work is a fight for the soul of this University. We ask you to stand with us because our fight for ethical investment is a fight for its consci...

In the proud tradition of staff-student solidarity at Edinburgh, a moving call from EUJPS at our 8 Sept. strike rally to stand together against unaccountable and unethical management of University finance
#UCU #WeAreTheUniversity #DivestNow

www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/blog/ckdj6l6...

The campaign was launched by Stand up to Racism Scotland @sutrscotland.bsky.social in collaboration with several organisations across Scotland. Women Against the Far Right Scotland will be holding a launch event in Glasgow on Tuesday 7th October.

Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-agai...

Women against the Far Right Scotland We reject the far right’s racist lies about “protecting” women and girls. They are not defenders of women—they exploit violence against women to fuel hate and division. Standing up for women’s rights ...

actionnetwork.org/petitions/wo...

Sturgeon and McDermid among 200 to sign letter against far right Nadia El-Nakla, Elaine C Smith, and Clare Grogan have also backed the letter.

Very proud to be one of the 200 and to be part of this movement.

news.stv.tv/politics/nic...

Now it's your turn to sign and share: actionnetwork.org/petitions/wo...

Lena Wånggren, UCU Edinburgh, @ucuscotland.bsky.social, Stand up to Racism Edinburgh co-convenor and Women Against the Far Right Scotland (www.instagram.com/womenagainst...) saying it loud, saying it clear today in Falkirk, #Refugeesarewelcomehere

Another day, another anti-fascist counter protest in Falkirk where UCU members, reps and officers are standing against racism. @ucuscotland.bsky.social #refugeeswelcome

Falkirk anti-refugee group Save our Future & Our Kids Futures claim to be ‘not racist’ and state they are a local ‘peaceful’ campaign fighting for ‘community safety’. However, each successive protest by this violent fat-right group proves otherwise…

Clashes in London as 110,000 join far-right rally against immigration Far-right protesters clash with police, injuring 26 officers, four of them seriously.

Fascism grows when its allowed to grow.

100,000+ fascists on the streets of London NEEDS to be a wake up call for us all.

If everyone doesn't get out on the streets & oppose fascist rallies, then the consequences will be our own fault.

Do it before its too late.

www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/...

UCU Edinburgh is proudly affiliated to @sutrscotland.bsky.social. This week, UCUE members stood together against budget cuts and mass redundancies. Tomorrow, many of us will stand together in Falkirk against racism. Come and join us! #RefugeesWelcome

We're striking to stop budget cuts and mass redundancies and standing up for the future of our students' education. There is no deficit.

Day 3 of strike against budget cuts and mass redundancies at the University of Edinburgh. Going strong at KB! Join us on the picket or at 12:30 by the Nucleus building for a teach-out: The anatomy of a biology demonstrator - are they paid fairly?

Teach outs this week by @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social Learn more about the branch and the strike to defend jobs and oppose cuts #SaveHE #NoCompulsoryRedundancies #StopTheCuts