The following statement has been agreed by the Joint Union Liaison Committee, comprising the campus trade unions at University of Glasgow (GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite).

We want to express our unwavering solidarity with our migrant members, our Muslim members and members of colour, and we want to acknowledge and echo the statement from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI): The escalation of far-right, racist and Islamophobic violence against our communities in recent days is horrifying. These targeted attacks do not occur in isolation – they are the direct result of years of racist, de-humanising policies and language being peddled by our politicians and the media.

We also endorse the statement from the Scottish Trades Union Council (STUC): We have witnessed appalling scenes of racist rioters targeting Muslim, black and minority ethnic communities, spreading fear and mayhem. The deliberate assault and arson of hotels accommodating asylum seekers is nothing short of barbaric. These hateful events must be condemned as Islamophobic and racist by politicians of all parties and the media.

We have highlighted a number of key bits of information in relation to our stance below.

Safety

If you feel part of a targeted group, you may wish to avoid areas where far-right marches or events are announced. We would urge you to have your mobile phone and ID with you at all times and a trusted contact you can check in with.

We would also like to highlight UofG’s SafeZone app, which can be installed on personal devices and allows you to press the emergency number if you need help on or off campus (or use the 4444 extension to reach security on Campus). The app is available on UofG’s Campus Security webpage.

Make sure you attend any demonstrations with someone you know and do not attend alone. We note that rights to protest and rights during a protest can vary based on nationality, and we advise those who are concerned to refer to the helpful advice and resources provided by the Scottish Activist Legal Project, including their extremely extensive Guide to Activism, Scottish Law and the Police, and more specifically their Guide for Internationals.

Note in particular that if you are on a visa and arrests are made during a demo, even if the demo is peaceful and lawful and you are released without charge, the arrest can go on your record and compromise future visas. While we deplore this racist immigration policy, we entirely understand any members who do not feel that this is an acceptable risk.

If you prefer to work from home to avoid traveling during these times, please get in touch with your line manager in the first instance. These requests should be taken seriously. If you run into any trouble with a response to your request, please get in touch with your local branch office. If students are expressing worry and distress, please listen first, but then put them in touch with the Student Representatives Council and the dedicated Student Support services on campus who can provide specialised assistance.

Above all, given our highly international community across staff and students, our priority is to look after each other. We encourage members to support each other, particularly those feeling at risk locally during this difficult time.  While hate grabs the headlines, kindness can go a long way for those who are scared and worried for their safety.

Upcoming Demonstrations

Our branches will be taking part in a demonstration against the far right at George Square in Glasgow this Saturday, 10 August 2024 at 11am. Some of our branch banners will be there and those who feel able to attend are invited to assemble with other UofG members from 10.40am onwards. We believe it is vital to come together to oppose the far right in Glasgow and show solidarity with those directly targeted by violence and racism.

There is also a far-right rally called on 7 September 2024 at George Square, and the STUC have put out a call for Trade Unions to attend a counter protest.

We recognise that some members might not feel safe to attend and we respect members’ self-assessment on what is right for them.

Contact Us

The unions will be organising to resist and oppose the far-right however we can, and members can get in touch with their branches as usual to ask for support or offer their assistance. Our contact details can be found below.

• GMB: gmbg@glasgow.ac.uk
• UCU: ucug@glasgow.ac.uk
• UNISON: UNISON@glasgow.ac.uk
• Unite: Unite-smb@glasgow.ac.uk

We have included links to further resources below, should anybody want to refer to them. Please feel free to share this statement and the resources with anyone you feel may find beneficial.

Look after each other, be kind, and if you are able and so inclined, please reach out to your branch to get involved. We are all in this fight together.

In Solidarity,

GMB, UCU, UNISON and Unite

Further Resources

Saheliya: one on one counselling for BAME and migrant women and girls. Glasgow contact: admin.glasgow@saheliya.co.uk. Edinburgh contact: info@saheliya.co.uk.

Ubuntu: shelter for migrant women with no recourse to public funds, LGBT+ inclusive.

Amina: Muslim women support centre. No appointment required, call 0141 212 8420 for helpline or just drop by.

The Well: Multicultural support center in Govanhill. No appointment required, call 0141 424 4523 or just drop by.

The Scottish Refugee & Migrant Centre: Legal advice on migrant and refugee rights

Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights

Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants

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PDF: Union statement

UCU Statement

If you have any queries please contact ucug@glasgow.ac.uk

Dear everyone,

2023 – 24 has been another very busy year for the UCU Glasgow Branch. Our Secretary put together a report for the AGM on 5 June 2024.

You can download a copy of the report here.

Secretary’s Report 2024

As always, if you have any questions on this please email ucug@glasgow.ac.uk.

From April 2024, a number of changes to immigration requirements will come into force. These include changes to earnings thresholds for those applying for new skilled worker and family visas, as well as updates to SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) codes and rules on supplemental work.

UCU’s immigration lawyers, Bindmans, have prepared a summary of these changes for members which can be found here.

The UCU migrant members’ standing committee also has some information listed on the UCU website here.

Locally, our Migrant Members Subcommittee have been negotiations with the University on reimbursement for visa fees. You can read an update on their local work here.

Ballots have now gone out to members to elect a new General Secretary of the union (as well as a trustee and other national executive committee members including vice-president for FE). Further information about the ballot is on UCU’s website here, but if you don’t receive your ballot by Monday, 5^th Feb you should request new ballot papers. Online hustings for the position of General Secretary will occur Thursday, 1^st Feb at 12:30, and you can register here. There will also be hustings in person and online hosted by UCU Scotland at the University of the West of Scotland in Paisley on 13^th February at 14:30. The ballot closes on Friday, 1^st March at midday, but we encourage you to vote as soon as you’ve made up your mind.

Below we provide an election statement provided by all of the GS candidates to UCUG and a manifesto or other document (linked below). As we’ve seen over the last 10 years (and whether you believe this is a good thing or something that should change) the General Secretary has had an enormous influence on how the union has operated and the positions it has taken, so it is critical that you vote. Please do – turnout in previous elections has been around 20%, which is too low for such an important vote that only happens every 5 years!

UCU General Secretary candidate messages

From Vicky Blake (Vicky Blake – manifesto):

To learn more about my campaign or to contact me directly, please see my website and my detailed manifesto: https://vickyblakeucu.uk. My website also hosts my blog, with commentary on previous and ongoing union business. Further links to social media and my mailing list are below.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/zenscara
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/vickyblake.bsky.social
Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@zenscara
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VickyBlakeUCU
Mailing list: https://tinyurl.com/VBUCU24

Email: VickyBlakeUCU24@gmail.com

From Jo Grady (Jo Grady – manifesto):

This month you will get 3.7% more in your pay packet because of lower USS contributions. Next month, on February 15, the union will take part in the final process which will see your USS pension fully restored on 1 April. But I know, because I have heard from so many of you that we could do better, and I know we must do more. Not only are many members are struggling with threats to their jobs, such as we are witnessing at Aberdeen, but we haven’t yet won everything that you deserve when it comes to things like pay, workload, and job security. You deserve candidates in this election who will lay out a plan for how that changes over the next five years, and I do this here, in my strategy for HE. I can’t deliver change on my own. If you believe, like I do, in the potential of our incredible union, then I ask you to read my manifesto and to vote for me, and for all the candidates standing for election who support me.

From Ewan McGaughey (Ewan McGaughey – manifesto):

Thanks so much to all Glasgow colleagues for taking the time to look at this election – just 20.5% of members voted in 2019, so everything that you do to vote, and get all colleagues to as well, really matters. My name is Ewan McGaughey, I’m a professor of law at King’s College, London, specialising in labour law and public services, I’ve served as KCL UCU branch president, and I’m asking for your #1 vote to rebuild UCU to win, and transform UK education. We need a strategy above all – where there’s been a void – to actually win ballots, take legal action to defend workers’ rights, and be both respectful and coherent in our discourse. Please check out the support for this campaign, and sign up too! We have to have clear goals, and I’m pledging (1) to reverse the real pay cuts over 20% since 2009, (2) workplace democracy, with majority staff-elected governing bodies, (3) structural reform to end the pay gaps, including at least 26 weeks’ paid parental leave, (4) job security in written collective agreements (5) a two-thirds elected board at USS, (6) boosting our legal department at UCU, (7) 100% clean energy at UCU, and all universities and investments, (8) restoring public education funding. With clear strategy and goals, we’ll win back the over 6000 members lost since 2019, and go far further.  When I was KCL UCU branch president, we got among the highest ballot turnouts in the UK, conducted two local ballots and won the highest London Weighting pay, among the highest paid parental leave, more staff elected to council, a written collective agreement enshrining job security, and we reversed at least three discriminatory dismissals. I know UCU can change – stop the infighting – and have a positive agenda to win. Check out www.ewanmg.uk for much more. And vote, because together, we will succeed.

From Saira Weiner (Saira Weiner – manifesto):

Members can email me on saira4UCUGS@gmail.com and visit my website saira4GS.wordpress.com.

UCU Glasgow passed a motion at the November 2023 General Meeting in support of divestment from the arms industry. We thus welcome and support this policy briefing put together by the campaign group Glasgow Against Arms and Fossil Fuels.

The Case for Arms Divestment within the University of Glasgow – A Policy Brief

We re-iterate our calls for the University of Glasgow to divest from the arms industry.

Following a motion that passed at our last General Meeting, today we wrote to Susan Deighan, Glasgow Life Chief Executive, Councillor Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life and Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council to condemn cuts to museums across Glasgow, and planned redundancies. 

We stand with colleagues at UNISON against these cuts.

You can read our letter below:

Dear Susan, Annette and Susan,  

We, the University and College Union branch based at the University of Glasgow, are deeply concerned that a significant amount of Glasgow Museums staff are threatened with redundancies. These redundancies target key roles such as curators, conservators, technicians, learning assistants and collections staff. This is extremely short sighted and destructive and will involve a significant loss of expertise to venues and communities int the city. 

The cuts will impact staff who are integral to the success of world class and award-winning venues in the city such as Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery and the Burrell Collection. 

The cuts will also have a very significant impact on innovative roles that Glasgow Museums play, which are very significant in relation to issues of social and cultural inclusion in the city such as the Open Museums service. These projects and staff have also been central to significant forms of engagement with diverse populations in the city, e.g. recent work with the Bangladesh Association Glasgow on the histories of South Asian seafarers in the city. 

Glasgow Museums staff have also been integral to significant collaborative work with staff in the University of Glasgow, for example through projects such as Banner Tales which used an engagement with Glasgow Museums’ collection of banners of trade unions and political campaigns to explore key aspects of Glasgow’s history of labour and community organising. These cuts would really impact on the capacity of important collaborative work like this – which are beneficial to both institutions. 

We therefore call on you to reverse these cuts, and work together with staff to prevent any redundancies. 

Bes wishes,  

UCU Glasgow Branch 

The UCU Glasgow Committee met on Wednesday, 2 August 2023 and agreed to send the following message to the UCU General Secretary Jo Grady, and other UCU elected officials.

Dear Jo (cc: President, Vice-President HE, Vice-President FE, HEC members),

We are writing to you in relation to your all-member email sent on 1st August updating us on negotiations with UCEA.

Our branch committee met today. We are concerned that the current timetable you have set out for a ballot to renew our mandate would almost certainly leave a gap between our existing mandate and any future mandate. This will make it hard for branches to maintain momentum with their action. If members are required to complete outstanding marking during this gap, ballot turnout and the impact of future action under a new mandate could be negatively affected.

We agree that it is important to maximise democracy in decision-making and welcome discussion on the way forward. But we feel our members would feel more secure if they knew their discussion could take place with the safety provided to them of a renewed and continuous mandate.

We therefore urge you and the President and Vice-President to reconsider your decision and bring forward HEC as soon as possible to enact the decision of Congress to call a summer ballot. If it is impossible to call a live meeting, we urge you to enable an alternative mechanism for HEC to make the decision in a timely manner.

In solidarity, and on behalf of the University of Glasgow UCU branch committee,

Maha Rafi Atal and Vladimir Unkovski-Korica