AUT and NATFHE pay dispute - please sign statement

Please add your or your group's name by emailing volsunga@gmail.com, post on relevant websites and elists and forward to sympathetic people!

For the full version with links, please visit the Education Not for Sale site:

http://www.free-education.org.uk/?p=184#more-184

SUPPORT OUR LECTURERS: DON’T LET THE BOSSES DIVIDE US!

Despite NUS’s official position of support for the NATFHE/AUT dispute, the pressure of supporting a prolonged industrial struggle is beginning to tell.

NUS has always been less than forthright in its support for the dispute, and NUS President Kat Fletcher has previously expressed “concern” at the AUT’s decision not to set dates for exams as part of its assessment boycott. However, the union has now gone a step further. In a recent press release the NUS said it “condemned” the AUT’s decision not to set exams, and would “put pressure” on them to do so.

This comes in the context of the publication in the Independent of a letter signed by 20 sabbatical officers from various students’ unions attacking the NUS for its position of support for the dispute. (Read the article here)

Although some pro-strike officers admirably responded with their own letter (available here), a groundswell of anti-AUT feeling is clearly developing. It needs to be combated.

To this end, ENS is calling for signatories to the following statement. You can add your name by emailing us at volsunga@gmail.com.

"Whilst it is unfortunate if students’ degrees are disrupted, we cannot allow university bosses to divide us by playing the interests of students off against the interests of workers on campus.

A quality HE sector staffed by well-motivated and well-paid workers is in all our interests. That means we have to support every struggle towards it, even if that means facing some disruption.

NUS’s demands on the AUT to call off aspects of their assessment boycott will have the effect of weighing into the dispute on the side of the bosses.

If you want well-paid lecturers, and if you want an NUS that offers full and unconditional support to workers in struggle on our campuses, please add your name to this statement."

Signatories so far:

Daniel Randall, NUS NEC

Sofie Buckland, NUS NEC-elect

Joe Rooney, NUS NEC-elect, Training and Development Officer, West Midlands Area NUS

Heather Shaw, Bretton Hall Officer, Leeds University Students’ Union

Keir Lawson, President, Glasgow University SSP

Pat Yarker, University of East Anglia

Josh Robinson, Queens’ College, Cambridge

Laura Schwartz, University of East London and Students Against Sweatshops campaign

Kate Ferguson, Oxford University Students’ Union executive committee

Mike Wood, York University

Louise Gold, Sheffield University

Ruth Cashman, Newcastle University Union Society Council

Heenal Rajani, Lambeth College

Dave Smith, King’s College, Cambridge

Mike Rowley, Ruskin College, Oxford

Anna Longman, York University

Thomas Lalevée, Pembroke College, Cambridge

Leonie Ratty, Oxford University

Katja Kurbus, University of East London

Edward Maltby, St. Johns College, Cambridge

Keith J. Baker, De Montfort University, No Sweat

Michael Hance, Reading University

Richard Wyatt, Lancaster University

Alasdair Thompson, Edinburgh University, Union Executive

Jacob Bard-Rosenberg, Robinson College, Cambridge

Riccardo Pantone, University of East London

Rachael Ferguson, Sussex University

Leonie Hannan, Royal Holloway, University of London

Rebecca Barr, Jesus College, Cambridge

Pete Harris, VP Services, Edinburgh University

Dan Swain, King’s College, Cambridge

Clare Bielby, Edinburgh University

Houzan Mahmoud, Birkbeck College, UK representative of the Federation of

Workers’ Councils and Unions in Iraq.

Michael Bleisteiner, University of East London

Sobhi Samour, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Robert Lee, University of Sussex

Gary Dunion, Staffordshire University and Scottish Young Greens

Tim Freeman, Edinburgh University

Tim Perkins, Chair, Lancaster University Students’ Union

Donnacha Kirk, Churchill College, Cambridge

Hanif Leylabi, University of Leeds

Ruth Matthew, Associations Rep, University of Leicester Student’s Union

Andrew Weir, Edinburgh University, Scottish Socialist Students’ Society

Roger Hylton, President, University of Sussex Students’ Union

Abigael Candelas, University of Edinburgh

Andy Hix, Royal Holloway, University of London

Ian Burnett, Edinburgh University Socialist Society

Vicki Mann, Welfare and Graduates Officer, Cambridge University Students’ Union

Gordon Strachan, Stirling University

Charles Atkey, Sheffield University

Keshav Dogra, Edinburgh University

Richard Budden, President, Canterbury Christ Church University

Dave Isaacson, Leeds Metropolitan University and CPGB National Student Organiser.

Jaz Lovett, Leeds Metropolitan University

Dan Glass, President-elect, University of Sussex Students’ Union

Andy Higson, Communications Officer, Union of UEA Students

MFV Manassei, Edinburgh University

Matilda Guffogg, Truro College

Eamonn Coyle, Glasgow University SSP

Vicki Morris, University of Westminster, NUS and NUJ member

Martin Jopp, Liberations Officer, Union of UEA Students

James Kerr, Goldsmiths College