Secret UCU
@secretucu.bsky.social
Still in despair so sharing a tiny fraction of the bullying, abuse, nepotism and mismanagement at the heart of my union. secretucu@proton.me
Will Grady listen to UCU members? That’s funny. She’s far too busy chasing camera crews around.
Word has it UCU is now so dysfunctional they’re paying an external company to run the latest HE campaign. So it’s now a trade union that can’t even fulfil the most basic of its core functions.
Word has it UCU is now so dysfunctional they’re paying an external company to run the latest HE campaign. So it’s now a trade union that can’t even fulfil the most basic of its core functions.
Fifty branches, representing over 36% of UCU members, have now called for @drjogrady.bsky.social to enter unconditional negotiations & remove the threat of punitive deductions against staff.
Unite's repeated requests for such talks have had no response. Will she now listen to @ucu.org.uk members?
Unite's repeated requests for such talks have had no response. Will she now listen to @ucu.org.uk members?
October 4, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Will Grady listen to UCU members? That’s funny. She’s far too busy chasing camera crews around.
Word has it UCU is now so dysfunctional they’re paying an external company to run the latest HE campaign. So it’s now a trade union that can’t even fulfil the most basic of its core functions.
Word has it UCU is now so dysfunctional they’re paying an external company to run the latest HE campaign. So it’s now a trade union that can’t even fulfil the most basic of its core functions.
It’s good to see how Grady’s right hand man thinks universities should be managed. Shame he can’t apply those same principles to the trade union he manages.
July 23, 2025 at 11:53 AM
It’s good to see how Grady’s right hand man thinks universities should be managed. Shame he can’t apply those same principles to the trade union he manages.
After well over five years of the majority of staff proving they don’t need to attend the office while still delivering for members, this is how their employer now chooses to behave: explicit threats rather than negotiating a proper, fair, & equality proofed hybrid agreement. Stay classy @ucu.org.uk
July 22, 2025 at 11:06 AM
After well over five years of the majority of staff proving they don’t need to attend the office while still delivering for members, this is how their employer now chooses to behave: explicit threats rather than negotiating a proper, fair, & equality proofed hybrid agreement. Stay classy @ucu.org.uk
Just found out that so bad is UCU’s staffing crisis & the dysfunction & paranoia at the top that instead of replacing a UCU staffer, first appointed from Grady’s election team, they’ve been kept on as an external contractor - working from abroad.
As for UCU’s now regular use of FTCs & even ZHCs….
As for UCU’s now regular use of FTCs & even ZHCs….
July 10, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Just found out that so bad is UCU’s staffing crisis & the dysfunction & paranoia at the top that instead of replacing a UCU staffer, first appointed from Grady’s election team, they’ve been kept on as an external contractor - working from abroad.
As for UCU’s now regular use of FTCs & even ZHCs….
As for UCU’s now regular use of FTCs & even ZHCs….
Solidarity ✊
It’s shameful that @ucu.org.uk has chosen to undermine this dispute by imposing a full return to offices on their own staff with no hybrid agreement in place. UCU’s silence on this strike and their lack of public support suggests even its leadership sees their own hypocrisy on this.
It’s shameful that @ucu.org.uk has chosen to undermine this dispute by imposing a full return to offices on their own staff with no hybrid agreement in place. UCU’s silence on this strike and their lack of public support suggests even its leadership sees their own hypocrisy on this.
Our delegation to National Delegate Conference and some other HE delegates got up early to visit and support striking workers at the University of Liverpool.
Unite and UCU are taking industrial action over the way their employer has imposed conditions around hybrid working with no consultation
Unite and UCU are taking industrial action over the way their employer has imposed conditions around hybrid working with no consultation
June 21, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Solidarity ✊
It’s shameful that @ucu.org.uk has chosen to undermine this dispute by imposing a full return to offices on their own staff with no hybrid agreement in place. UCU’s silence on this strike and their lack of public support suggests even its leadership sees their own hypocrisy on this.
It’s shameful that @ucu.org.uk has chosen to undermine this dispute by imposing a full return to offices on their own staff with no hybrid agreement in place. UCU’s silence on this strike and their lack of public support suggests even its leadership sees their own hypocrisy on this.
Questions are being asked, but the answers, if they come, are lies and spin.
If UCU’s rules can be deliberately subverted and misrepresented, and accountability is shut down at every step, including at NEC and Congress, then maybe it’s time to start asking different questions in other places.
If UCU’s rules can be deliberately subverted and misrepresented, and accountability is shut down at every step, including at NEC and Congress, then maybe it’s time to start asking different questions in other places.
Some very serious questions need to be asked as to why this dispute has not been settled after over a year and why the situation is deteriorating even further. UCU staff deserve so much better.
😡 Imposition, not negotiated agreement
😡 Victimisation of reps
😡 Refusal to engage with the recognised union
☣️ All signs of a toxic organisational culture & not what we should see from a union employer.
Shame on @ucu.org.uk whose staff deserve so much better
uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/06/12/1...
😡 Victimisation of reps
😡 Refusal to engage with the recognised union
☣️ All signs of a toxic organisational culture & not what we should see from a union employer.
Shame on @ucu.org.uk whose staff deserve so much better
uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/06/12/1...
June 13, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Questions are being asked, but the answers, if they come, are lies and spin.
If UCU’s rules can be deliberately subverted and misrepresented, and accountability is shut down at every step, including at NEC and Congress, then maybe it’s time to start asking different questions in other places.
If UCU’s rules can be deliberately subverted and misrepresented, and accountability is shut down at every step, including at NEC and Congress, then maybe it’s time to start asking different questions in other places.
UCU’s annual congress starts tomorrow, its key policy-making event. Yet from their posts on here you wouldn’t even know it’s happening. Is this the same game plan as with the staff strikes? Ignore & wait for it to end? The silence is pretty symbolic of the current disregard for UCU democracy.
May 23, 2025 at 7:30 AM
UCU’s annual congress starts tomorrow, its key policy-making event. Yet from their posts on here you wouldn’t even know it’s happening. Is this the same game plan as with the staff strikes? Ignore & wait for it to end? The silence is pretty symbolic of the current disregard for UCU democracy.
UCU threatening to sack a Black member of staff for referring to its “white power structures” seems entirely on brand right now.
May 20, 2025 at 2:53 PM
UCU threatening to sack a Black member of staff for referring to its “white power structures” seems entirely on brand right now.
It’s common knowledge that UCU uses scab labour to enable them to limp through the strikes by @uniteucu.bsky.social.
But I’m hearing that alongside multiple staff now on opaque fixed-term contracts, UCU also appears to be employing staff on some kind of zero hours contract. Shocking if true.
But I’m hearing that alongside multiple staff now on opaque fixed-term contracts, UCU also appears to be employing staff on some kind of zero hours contract. Shocking if true.
May 14, 2025 at 8:51 AM
It’s common knowledge that UCU uses scab labour to enable them to limp through the strikes by @uniteucu.bsky.social.
But I’m hearing that alongside multiple staff now on opaque fixed-term contracts, UCU also appears to be employing staff on some kind of zero hours contract. Shocking if true.
But I’m hearing that alongside multiple staff now on opaque fixed-term contracts, UCU also appears to be employing staff on some kind of zero hours contract. Shocking if true.
After refusing to meet for weeks Greg Barnett has “invited” Unite back to the talks he walked away from - now the strikes are over. Predictable attempt to assert power by the fragile ego running UCU.
Doubtless he’s being egged on by his not-so-principled regional officials in their little fiefdoms.
Doubtless he’s being egged on by his not-so-principled regional officials in their little fiefdoms.
May 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
After refusing to meet for weeks Greg Barnett has “invited” Unite back to the talks he walked away from - now the strikes are over. Predictable attempt to assert power by the fragile ego running UCU.
Doubtless he’s being egged on by his not-so-principled regional officials in their little fiefdoms.
Doubtless he’s being egged on by his not-so-principled regional officials in their little fiefdoms.
Oh, I’m a troll now. What fun. As is my being schooled on being a Bad Trade Unionist because I expect my union to follow basic union principles.
Anyway, UCU’s been using scab labour for several weeks now so I’d like to know if that’s also justifiable - speak up for the employers listening in.
Anyway, UCU’s been using scab labour for several weeks now so I’d like to know if that’s also justifiable - speak up for the employers listening in.
April 21, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Oh, I’m a troll now. What fun. As is my being schooled on being a Bad Trade Unionist because I expect my union to follow basic union principles.
Anyway, UCU’s been using scab labour for several weeks now so I’d like to know if that’s also justifiable - speak up for the employers listening in.
Anyway, UCU’s been using scab labour for several weeks now so I’d like to know if that’s also justifiable - speak up for the employers listening in.
@uniteucu.bsky.social members are still on ASOS, which, as I understand it, includes no out of hours work, so this is actually a ‘three cheers for crossing a picket line’.
An NEC member quite literally supporting UCU’s union-busting. This is how far UCU has fallen.
An NEC member quite literally supporting UCU’s union-busting. This is how far UCU has fallen.
UCU is actually closed from today until Tuesday (inclusive) for Easter, so I'm also super grateful to the comms staff who are covering this period when their colleagues are on a well-deserved break. @ucu.org.uk thank you xx
April 17, 2025 at 11:41 AM
@uniteucu.bsky.social members are still on ASOS, which, as I understand it, includes no out of hours work, so this is actually a ‘three cheers for crossing a picket line’.
An NEC member quite literally supporting UCU’s union-busting. This is how far UCU has fallen.
An NEC member quite literally supporting UCU’s union-busting. This is how far UCU has fallen.
UCU Congress 2024.
A general secretary, directly responsible for UCU staffing, allows the @uniteucu.bsky.social dispute to get as far as strike action before ‘personally intervening’, then obviously fails abysmally to resolve it.
If she can’t make UCU a decent place to work what hope for members?
A general secretary, directly responsible for UCU staffing, allows the @uniteucu.bsky.social dispute to get as far as strike action before ‘personally intervening’, then obviously fails abysmally to resolve it.
If she can’t make UCU a decent place to work what hope for members?
April 10, 2025 at 11:55 AM
UCU Congress 2024.
A general secretary, directly responsible for UCU staffing, allows the @uniteucu.bsky.social dispute to get as far as strike action before ‘personally intervening’, then obviously fails abysmally to resolve it.
If she can’t make UCU a decent place to work what hope for members?
A general secretary, directly responsible for UCU staffing, allows the @uniteucu.bsky.social dispute to get as far as strike action before ‘personally intervening’, then obviously fails abysmally to resolve it.
If she can’t make UCU a decent place to work what hope for members?
UCU management is behaving in a way not dissimilar to the worst abusive partners you occasionally hear about.
If the gaslighting doesn’t work they get so angry and fixated at a perceived wrong they’re prepared to burn the entire house down out of pure spite, unconcerned with the collateral damage.
If the gaslighting doesn’t work they get so angry and fixated at a perceived wrong they’re prepared to burn the entire house down out of pure spite, unconcerned with the collateral damage.
April 9, 2025 at 11:16 AM
UCU management is behaving in a way not dissimilar to the worst abusive partners you occasionally hear about.
If the gaslighting doesn’t work they get so angry and fixated at a perceived wrong they’re prepared to burn the entire house down out of pure spite, unconcerned with the collateral damage.
If the gaslighting doesn’t work they get so angry and fixated at a perceived wrong they’re prepared to burn the entire house down out of pure spite, unconcerned with the collateral damage.
There’s a theory that mad GDPR logic isn’t the real reason UCU won’t let staff say they’re on strike - it’s because it hides the fact staff who do reply are crossing the picket line.
Seems on par with closing every office for similar reason.
At least the GS openly ditched trade union principles.
Seems on par with closing every office for similar reason.
At least the GS openly ditched trade union principles.
April 8, 2025 at 7:41 AM
There’s a theory that mad GDPR logic isn’t the real reason UCU won’t let staff say they’re on strike - it’s because it hides the fact staff who do reply are crossing the picket line.
Seems on par with closing every office for similar reason.
At least the GS openly ditched trade union principles.
Seems on par with closing every office for similar reason.
At least the GS openly ditched trade union principles.
I’m hearing this is getting better. SMT are now actually threatening staff with disciplinaries if they dare to mention strike action in future out of office replies. Citing some rubbish about GDPR?
Fucking nuts.
Fucking nuts.
Our employer is editing our members’ out-of-office replies to remove reference to our strike action. They are choosing to censor us rather than talk to us.
April 3, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I’m hearing this is getting better. SMT are now actually threatening staff with disciplinaries if they dare to mention strike action in future out of office replies. Citing some rubbish about GDPR?
Fucking nuts.
Fucking nuts.
👀
Our employer is editing our members’ out-of-office replies to remove reference to our strike action. They are choosing to censor us rather than talk to us.
March 31, 2025 at 6:38 PM
👀
Where can you go when a trade union employer refuses to attend talks unless all strike action is called off?
Not only are they shitting over their own members & branches, but this precedent betrays every other trade union. I hope they’re all protesting to UCU over the playbook that’s been adopted.
Not only are they shitting over their own members & branches, but this precedent betrays every other trade union. I hope they’re all protesting to UCU over the playbook that’s been adopted.
March 22, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Where can you go when a trade union employer refuses to attend talks unless all strike action is called off?
Not only are they shitting over their own members & branches, but this precedent betrays every other trade union. I hope they’re all protesting to UCU over the playbook that’s been adopted.
Not only are they shitting over their own members & branches, but this precedent betrays every other trade union. I hope they’re all protesting to UCU over the playbook that’s been adopted.
Does UCU not get how dispute resolution works? Why put preconditions on further talks when it’s you that most needs them to happen?
But then, walking away a week before strikes start, with attack-comms lined up, then rushing to call off key events, don’t evidence an employer acting in good faith.
But then, walking away a week before strikes start, with attack-comms lined up, then rushing to call off key events, don’t evidence an employer acting in good faith.
March 21, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Does UCU not get how dispute resolution works? Why put preconditions on further talks when it’s you that most needs them to happen?
But then, walking away a week before strikes start, with attack-comms lined up, then rushing to call off key events, don’t evidence an employer acting in good faith.
But then, walking away a week before strikes start, with attack-comms lined up, then rushing to call off key events, don’t evidence an employer acting in good faith.
Alarming. Damning.
It also sounds an awful lot like UCU management are now doing that thing all shitty employers do, where they try to silence those exposing their toxicity by attempting to discredit them.
uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/03/17/u...
It also sounds an awful lot like UCU management are now doing that thing all shitty employers do, where they try to silence those exposing their toxicity by attempting to discredit them.
uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/03/17/u...
March 18, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Alarming. Damning.
It also sounds an awful lot like UCU management are now doing that thing all shitty employers do, where they try to silence those exposing their toxicity by attempting to discredit them.
uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/03/17/u...
It also sounds an awful lot like UCU management are now doing that thing all shitty employers do, where they try to silence those exposing their toxicity by attempting to discredit them.
uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/03/17/u...
I hear UCU senior managers are going to impose a pay award that again gives themselves & their GMB buddies a nice pay bump. No progressive pay offer to help lower paid staff when they can line their own pockets.
Time to take a closer look at how SMT uplifts are decided, including that of the GS.
Time to take a closer look at how SMT uplifts are decided, including that of the GS.
March 4, 2025 at 10:18 AM
I hear UCU senior managers are going to impose a pay award that again gives themselves & their GMB buddies a nice pay bump. No progressive pay offer to help lower paid staff when they can line their own pockets.
Time to take a closer look at how SMT uplifts are decided, including that of the GS.
Time to take a closer look at how SMT uplifts are decided, including that of the GS.
Not much else to say.
March 3, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Not much else to say.
“UCU is a careless and toxic institution”
@uniteucu.bsky.social have been saying this for quite a while. There are ever-growing numbers of dedicated, hardworking and now former staff who would also very likely agree.
@uniteucu.bsky.social have been saying this for quite a while. There are ever-growing numbers of dedicated, hardworking and now former staff who would also very likely agree.
These attempts have all been thwarted by the reactionary and conservative forces that dominate UCU. My health has been harmed as a direct result of seeking to organise in that space. UCU is a careless and toxic institution; I am leaving it in order to spend more time on politics. [2/2]
March 1, 2025 at 4:04 PM
“UCU is a careless and toxic institution”
@uniteucu.bsky.social have been saying this for quite a while. There are ever-growing numbers of dedicated, hardworking and now former staff who would also very likely agree.
@uniteucu.bsky.social have been saying this for quite a while. There are ever-growing numbers of dedicated, hardworking and now former staff who would also very likely agree.
Could it get worse? Turns out, yes it could. My messages are blowing up today because it seems UCU senior managers and Musk have a bit of an overlapping approach to management, right down to threatening repercussions if weekly updates aren’t sent!
I think this revelation has shocked even me!
I think this revelation has shocked even me!
February 23, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Could it get worse? Turns out, yes it could. My messages are blowing up today because it seems UCU senior managers and Musk have a bit of an overlapping approach to management, right down to threatening repercussions if weekly updates aren’t sent!
I think this revelation has shocked even me!
I think this revelation has shocked even me!