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Monday 24 February 2020 Issue 1404 Free
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The independent voice of Newcastle students
Est 1948
Students Against Strikes counter-rally UCU Alex Gervas & Amy Brown On the commencing day of the UCU strike (20 February), Students Against Strikes joined supporters on the picket line to counter-protest. The UCU’s recent decision to continue strike action over 14 days through February and March up to this point has been met with wide student support. Caitlin Hurley attended the strikes at Newcastle University and took the image below, posting it to Twitter with the caption: “Imagine loving licking boots so much that you spend your student days protesting AGAINST your striking staff?!”
The students held up the banner close to the official UCU picket lines Image: @Cait_Hurley_
The post has been widely shared on Twitter, amassing over 1300 likes and almost 200 shares at the time of going to print, and the reaction to it has shown the polarised attitudes towards the strikes.
“The UCU needs to know about the discontent as well as support that exists on campus”
Students Against Strikes spokesperson
Students Against Strikes (SAS), a nonhierarchical political organisation, is aim-
ing to express their dissatisfaction about the ongoing industrial action to the UCU. A spokesperson for SAS stated: “We’re all working towards an end to this kind of thing happening, but the UCU needs to know about the discontent as well as support that exists on campus, hence our campaign.” On its Facebook page, SAS similarly argue that the “UCU want to cause ‘substantial disruption’ to students and we can’t let this happen. We’re calling to end these strikes and for the dispute to be resolved.” In conversation with the Courier, the UCU said: “We recognise that students are frustrated. We do not do this lightly – the union has been brought to this point by the lack of movement by vice-chancellors. There is a move to destroy the purpose and value of
higher education by making it all about profit. Universities are learning communities and educational charities, first and foremost. “It is hard for students to hear this but this isn’t about one person’s single degree – this is about what the value of those degrees might be in a society which does not value higher education. It is really hard for students and we recognise that. It is really hard for staff, who are going without pay for 14 days, to stand up for the future of higher education, and for the value of a university education. The strikes have been the source of discomfort for students, who are worried about their tuition fees ‘going down the drain’. Emily Johnson put forward a petition on change.org for partial compensation for missed contact time.
Students Against Strikes explained their position regarding their desire for refunds. The organisation commented that while they did not have any involvement with this petition, “we do support the general call for refunds. It goes to show the grassroots discontent at this round of strikes,” adding that they felt that “the strikes are too high a cost to our education.”
“Our working conditions = students’ learning conditions”
Newcastle UCU
The UCU is an organisation of academics across the UK that addresses “pay, precarity, workload, mental health, gender/BAME pay gaps, pensions.” Its justification for the industrial action and the problems it may bring to students are in the long-term benefits for all stakeholders that striking can achieve: “our working conditions = students’ learning condition.” On Twitter, Newcastle UCU similarly argues that, while “students SHOULDN’T be deprived of the quality education they deserve, the University overworks staff, stretching them too thinly, forcing them to cut corners. This is not the education our students deserve.” Thomas Leach, supporter of the strikes, offers a counter-argument on the situation. Despite agreeing with SAS’ position on strike compensation, he counteracts their stance, stating: “If students are unable to graduate, this would be extremely unfair. However, the striking lecturers are not at fault here, or at least not entirely.” But the argument Leach criticises most heavily is SAS’ slogan “Stop playing politics with our degrees!” Leach defends the apolitical roots of the UCU strikes. “The UCU is a trade union asking for improved working conditions, rather than a political party looking to gain some sort of power.” While agreeing with some of SAS’ points, Thomas Leach believes that the approach of blaming lecturers is “based on some preconceived notion of strikes being a malicious act against students, a position the university management would love us all to take.” Newcastle UCU has, however, expressed that, despite four students holding up the SAS poster at various points, they have been generally wellsupported on campus, with groups such as Newcastle Staff-Student Solidarity becoming increasingly popular. A UCU spokesperson praised the “many, many students who have stopped by with biscuits and coffees, and whose parents have reached out in support via social media”.
