Cambridge Defend Jobs

11/11/2020

‘Regarding UCU specifically, attention was drawn to an open meeting in February last year in which Professor Toope admitted “it looks really odd” that Cambridge is one of only 6 universities that does not recognise UCU as a union and promised to raise the issue again.

In response Toope said “we have been in discussions with UCU… and that is a continuing discussion…(which) has been made more complicated by coronavirus.”’

The open meeting revealed that there will be no ‘safety net’ for this year’s exams while the Vice-Chancellor reaffirmed that “Cambridge is an in person experience”

24/10/2020

Workers are not disposable! We're still campaigning against redundancies and have been outside Trinity College every morning for the last week with Unite encouraging staff to join the union.
Workers in unionised workplaces have safer workplaces, greater job satisfaction, and improved job security. This is just as essential in the long-term as it is right now during the pandemic.

Come and join us at Trinity, or join the campaign during our weekly Wednesday meetings from 7-8pm via zoom!

20/10/2020

A fantastic article by two members of our coalition - Bob Arrowsmith and Evan Wroe - on the job cuts and Cambridge Defend Jobs.

"Laying off low-income staff in the midst of a global pandemic, and at what looks like the beginning of a second wave of infections, is nothing short of barbaric. These are the same “essential”, “front-line” workers who have worked on-site throughout the pandemic to ensure that the colleges are kept running for those staying in them. It is revealing of the emptiness of the collegiate system that while they welcome their students back with platitudes of “community-mindedness”, they are at the same time treating essential parts of the community as disposable.

Job cuts are not inevitable, and redundancies need not be taken as a given outcome of a broader economic downturn, especially in such wealthy institutions as these. Two-thirds of colleges have already confirmed they have no plans for redundancies. This is positive in and of itself, but also shows that redundancies are by no means an economic necessity for colleges: it is a matter of priorities, of who is included in the ‘college community’, and who they see as disposable...

The choice to make redundancies is exactly that: a choice. It is a choice to ignore the many other viable options available at times of financial hardship."

Come along to our meeting tomorrow at 7pm to get involved:
https://www.facebook.com/events/924473928087511

https://www.varsity.co.uk/opinion/19991

Bob Arrowsmith, assistant staff member, and Evan Wroe, student member of the Cambridge University Justice for Workers' Campaign, lay out the case against job cuts, and how this reveals a need for a strong union

19/10/2020

We were outside Trinity this morning chatting to workers' about the job cuts, Cambridge Defend Jobs, and the power of trade unions to save jobs.

Please send a message if you want to get involved and come along to our meeting on Wednesday:

https://www.facebook.com/events/924473928087511