Seeing a lot about #WhyImStriking over the last 3 days, including stories of precarity. Time to share mine.
A month ago I spoke to The Guardian. I spoke anonymously because of stigma and shame of both gender violence and precarity.
I am 'Siân Jones' #OneOfUsAllOfUs #UCUstrike
#WhyImStriking I'm striking because I want the university to be a place of learning rather than a place of profit. #OneOfUsAllOfUs
Ive been a PGR at 2 universities
At the 1st, I signed a contract at the start of the term for all my hours and payed automatically
At the 2nd, i get sent a excel spreadsheet with all my hours and claim using google forms
Same work load, different levels of stress. #WhyImStriking
#WhyImStriking I am solely responsible for four different courses for my main employer - designed by me, prepared by me, taught by me, assessed by me. My income from all that does not cover rent.
Almost 2 years later, Population Health Sciences are back out on strike today.
Proposed pension cuts of up to 40% are motivation enough to brave a chilly Whiteladies road!
#UCUstrikes #WhyImStriking
I'm striking because I can't see a viable future for myself in academia and I want my students to have better options #WhyImStriking #OneOfUsAllOfUs
#WhyImStriking After ~7 short term contracts in 6 years it’s hard to prepare for the future & that future looks increasingly unsustainable with ~30% pensions cuts looming. We deserve better, as does the education of our students #UCUstrikes #FourFights
I'm an academic from a poor working class background, and my salary is all the money I have in the world. The attack on my pension - deferred salary - makes me so scared when I think about old age. It shouldn't be like this. #OneOfUsAllOfUs #WhyImStriking
I strike today for the #FourFights . I am privileged and have an open-ended contract unlike some of my colleagues. I also have an unmanageable workload that is affecting my wellbeing and will be facing a hefty 35-40% slash to my #pension #OneOfUsAllOfUs #WhyImStriking
I’m striking because I spent much of my maternity leave writing job applications with a newborn strapped to my chest, trying to patch short-term contracts together (followed by panic attacks during the night feeds) #WhyImStriking
#WhyImStriking As I explained to my students today, I don’t have it so bad. But I refuse to walk through a picket of precariously employed junior colleagues who essentially work for less than minimum wage on zero hours contracts to go to my permanent post. That is not solidarity.
I am on a fixed term contract, which means I will probably have to leave UCU Edinburgh in 6 months. So I spent my strike day with Scotland today because I love it here and want to make the most of it before I have to move on again. #ucuRISING #WhyImStriking
#WhyImStriking - because I'm tired of watching excellent scientists with 7+ years of training and many years' service leave academia as they can no longer support their families whilst on temporary contracts.
Today, I'm striking because I've just started my 4th academic contract in 6 years. I had to spend weeks applying for funding during the unpaid part of my maternity leave so that I didn't end up jobless when I returned. #WhyImStriking #UCUstrikesback
#WhyImStriking I'm a PhD student and I want an end to casualisation and a fairer future for HE! #UCUstrikes #UCUstrikes back
I'm striking because I shouldn't be paid more than my colleagues just because I'm a white, able-bodied man. Because workloads are damaging lives and workplaces. Because I was precariously employed once and senior colleagues stood up for me. #WhyImStriking #UCUstrikes
#WhyImStriking Given the issues that social scientists research, you could argue it would be a dereliction of duty not to join the #UCUStrike . For example, my research is about gender inequality, so I’ve been looking at some of the ways in which our disputes are gendered… 🧵
Ten years teaching at University of Melbourne at the same faculty and school - but not eligible for maternity leave.
Utterly shameful.
#UnimelbStrikes #WhyImStriking
