James Brackley @BrackleyJ Twitter profile | Pikagi

Pikagi

James Brackley

@BrackleyJ

918

Followers

651

Following

146

Media

3,197

Statuses

(He/Him)

Joined January 2015

Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.

Pinned Tweet

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 month

Read our latest piece in the @guardian on the scandal at brum city council and why we urgently need a new recovery package from @UKLabour . Time to rip up Michael Gove’s punitive & damaging ‘recovery plan’ 👇

Tweet card media

Birmingham’s going bankrupt. Here’s why everything you’ve heard about that is wrong | James Brackley

The bankruptcy that led to brutal local cuts was blamed on an equal pay claim. The truth is more complex – and damning, says James Brackley of The Audit Reform Lab

www.theguardian.com

8

41

67

Last Seen Profiles

@GQPutinPuppets

@bokeplokalmalam

@bokeplokalmalam

@sefai_mace

@GDanaei

@TruetoamXY2u

@drfukaround50

@Vickyjared12

@BinorRaja

@stwmaniax

@libbykinsey

@MersalFilm

@ToxicV425983

@OliviaPayn16400

@posse

@stress_cyren

@ysss2024

@bunda_listianti

@bunda_listianti

@aliyilmaz64

@DiogoCoqueiro

@Geo_GIF

@nuilamrung204

@yone_shee

@MDelgado70781

@campbellnyt

@therealgariana

@Perjaka43765153

@mdaf89

@daizeegurl8

@yaaquii10

@Sue_Charles

@HashemAlwadee

@retro_anthro

@GlixzyC

@gkscfe

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

I recently resigned as external examiner at @QMUL support of @ucu & @qm_ucu & in response to the 100% pay deductions. I've never been an external before & was genuinely looking forward to it. But I couldn't in good faith continue while staff face such action from their employer.

5

111

528

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

4 years

So UoB have already had confirmed CV19 on campus, including transmission. We’ve not even reopened yet. What do you expect to happen in 3 weeks’ time? & they’ve still not gotten round to telling staff after more than a week... so UNISON did it for them

Tweet card media

Covid cases on campus

In March, before the lockdown started, the University made a commitment to its staff that it would notify them if there were confirmed cases of coronavirus on campus. On the 23rd of March the Unive…

uobunison.org.uk

1

152

218

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

Shocking. Absolutely shameless wage theft by employers, undercutting our pensions as they post massive surpluses and cut staff numbers. Every single member of the #USS should be up in arms about this. #JoinAUnion #UCU

@JosephineCumbo

Josephine Cumbo

@JosephineCumbo

3 years

BREAKING: The Universities Superannuation Scheme Joint Negotiating Committee has today formally voted to implement cuts to future #pension benefits for tens of thousands of UK university sector staff.

42

631

674

2

73

210

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

A short explainer on why Universities deliver big aggregate surpluses but still face financial problems... and why we urgently need to re-focus on #FreeEducation & ending marketisation if we're serious about improving conditions for staff & students across the sector 1/ 🧵

4

82

199

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Help! I’m delivering my research methods course this week - has anyone got any recent/contemporary examples of a ‘leading question’ in a bad survey design?

13

15

152

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

A huge issue with dissertations being marked by MAB breakers is that their ‘judgement’ can & will differ from the judgement of the supervisor, whose advice students have been following & who will often be better qualified in that specialism. #holdtheline

@i_decked_it

Bex

1 year

I HAVE FEEDBACK ON MY 8 THOUSAND WORD DISSERTATION! Oh, wait. No, I have 100 words of vague waffle. Whoever marked this didn't approve of the title that my supervisor told me not to change. This is an insult to me and my supervisor and I am in shock

Tweet media one

69

97

643

8

47

145

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

4 years

UoB Accounts released. Our VC now on £460k despite hundreds of precarious jobs lost & our first round of compulsory redundancies being announced. Bonus scheme (on top of £460k package) now extended to £140k. Can anyone else beat that? pg.60

6

43

126

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

11 months

Some examples of how this knee jerk reaction from @UKRI_news @Ukri_ceo breaches the UNESCO def’n of academic freedom & crosses a serious line into state repression 1/

Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel

PreambleThe General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), meeting in Paris from 21 October to 12 November 1997, at its 29th session,Conscious...

2

60

111

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

11 months

What is depressing is that this isn’t remotely surprising. We can’t handle a dispute this badly and expect to maintain the confidence of members. We need to learn the lessons of what went wrong between Oct ‘22 & Nov ‘23 or we’re in deep trouble👇 Oct ‘22 - 57.7% Nov ‘23 - 42.6%

@ucu

UCU

11 months

NEW: Anti-union laws stop UCU members from taking strike action. Our ballot results show UCU members want to strike for better pay & conditions. But anti-democratic laws that single unions out for special treatment have blocked us from taking action.

39

40

70

3

16

110

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

4 years

Currently advising a member on the Uni of Birmingham's latest position on PPE in class room settings. The following is seriously the actual position: "face coverings are compulsory in class for students as they will be working to 1m rather than 2m social distancing. However 1/

5

46

89

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

4 years

Gov also considering ‘lick a door knob’ and ‘hug a stranger’ to ‘help out’

Deliveroo: Run Eat Out to Help Out again, says takeaway giant

The takeaway firm and 300 restaurant groups say it would boost the sector when restrictions ease.

4

21

87

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

I think it’s fair to say that the threats to staff & students across the country for demanding fair pay, equality & not to have our pensions dismantled shows what is at stake if we lose this dispute. If they get away with this, what’s next? #UCUstrike #oneofusallofus

2

23

77

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

MAB breaker at Uni of Birmingham marks 42 x 2,000 word essays in 53 minutes @BirminghamUCU

@CerasellaChis

Ioana Cerasella Chis

1 year

woah (!) 42 research proposals have been marked since I last tweeted 53 mins ago (I don't know when they resumed their work). FORTY-TWO! #HoldTheLine #ucuRISING

1

6

28

0

37

70

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

@UCU members, pls see updated model grievance for [<100]% deductions, based on letter presented to & supported by Congress 2022. This was based on the @BirminghamUCU model letter that saw @unibirmingham back down on 50% deductions last year #UCUrising

Tweet card media

Model grievance letter in relation to [<100]% ASOS deductions

Grievance letter in relation to threat of disproportionate pay deductions Dear Director of Human Resources, University of [XXX] Regrettably, I am submitting this grievance in accordance with the...

docs.google.com

4

35

70

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

@ucu @DrJoGrady @YoungLabourUK Dear Jo, UCU, you might want to check out the UCU advice below. It was updated just last week:

Tweet media one

1

7

65

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

5 years

Officially the biggest ever student mandate at the @unibirmingham - 820 students vote on full support for #UCUstrikes with 78.3% 'YES' vote. #Win #UCUStrikesBack #HelloBrum @ucu @GuildofStudents @BirminghamUCU @USSbriefs

Tweet media one

0

23

64

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

7 months

The following motion was passed by large majority at @sheffielducu yesterday calling for an investigation into @DrJoGrady 's record 16% pay rise, which seems to have broken a key manifesto pledge, the week after the close of the GS elections:

Tweet media one

4

23

62

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Aside from giving an awful lot away on what our rights are here, points that should be challenged via grievances & legal claims, the guidance in today’s email exposes the absolutely shocking betrayal of members & branches who have supported the @UCU MAB this summer

Tweet media one

Tweet media two

Tweet media three

8

9

57

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

This is absolutely awful frm @UCU , to be speaking to a member like this on a platform w 85k followers (for info Linda is right - UCU haven’t tweeted info on voting recs except in comments as far as I can see & they’re buried in attachments in the email - solidarity) #UCUrising

1

4

54

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

85% & 89% of members prepared to take further strike action over FFs & USS. 91.6% of members prepared to take ASOS (incl MAB) over current state of USS dispute. Overwhelming rejection from @UCU members of employer porposals. So much for the silent majority. #UCUrising

@CerasellaChis

Ioana Cerasella Chis

2 years

Well done to #ucu members for voting in favour of strike action despite HQ's efforts to confuse and demobilise us. #FourFights - 56.41% turnout 🟠85.65% YES strike action 🟡89.92% YES ASOS #USS - 58.4% turnout 🟡89.05% YES strike action 🟡91.61% YES ASOS #ucuRISING

1

4

39

10

9

51

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@ucu Reporting this as a parody account now

0

2

53

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

On how caps based on graduate 'outcomes' might affect subject areas there's a very scary IFS ranking, based on HMRC lifetime earnings data👇 Q for @RishiSunak : if 'earnings' = 'value' why do men earn 107% & 63% more in Economics & Medicine despite studying the *same* degree?🤔🧐

Tweet media one

Tweet media two

8

32

55

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

So… where are @UCUCommons ? In Jan they led the campaign to stand down HEC action, promising us that a Summer MAB was a winning strategy. Blogs. Debates. Back to back speakers on UCU live. Now that the MAB is all the leverage we have left… tumble weed

@ucu

UCU

2 years

🚨HIGHER EDUCATION NEGOTIATIONS CONCLUDE We have concrete proposals to share in our disputes 👇 Check your email. Vote NOW in the e-ballot🗳️ Your union. Your dispute. Your vote #ucuRISING

235

165

416

2

10

50

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Apparently the GS recommending we reject the 5-8% offer & call a MAB rather than take extended strike action were moments of collective hallucination contrived by wizards in the SWP. Maybe I’m still hallucinating but I still seem to have the emails in my inbox? Can anyone help 🧙‍♂️

Tweet media one

3

9

50

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Well done to everyone on HEC today. Sounds like a v difficult meeting under huge pressure frm an increasingly authoritarian GS & bureacracy. Thank you for not being intimidated, for standing up for our disputes, & for making your own call. Solidarity✊ #ucurising

1

6

48

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Truly baffling. @DrJoGrady @ucu could end this dispute tomorrow for a small fraction of the General Secretary’s own salary, let alone the UCU budget surplus. But yet they’re choosing to make compulsory redundancies in the middle of #ucuRising #respectFE disputes 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️

@DUCUPGR

Durham UCU PGRs

1 year

Very disappointing this is still the position despite clear views of members of both @ucu and @UniteUCU & willingness to take action accordingly. PGR-led letter sent to @DrJoGrady this arvo with 1064 signatures. it’s still live so that number can go up.

0

9

24

1

13

46

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Only in @UCU can we literally not know what action has been called in the middle of a national dispute. According to @UCEA *all* IA action has been suspended which would mean I could be lawfully disciplined or even dismissed if I don’t prep for teaching nxt week 🤷‍♂️ #ucurising

@zenscara

Vicky Blake UCU @vickyblake.bsky.social

2 years

I hope ASOS isn’t paused (would cause many problems incl re expectations to reschedule teaching - not doing this covered by ASOS mandate). Even if ASOS paused it should not now mean working like the clappers over the wknd to prep next week - members need this clear in @ucu comms

4

7

56

4

9

46

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

From one of the most experienced GTVO coordinators in our union & org of GTVO training - current use of @UCU resources to boost highly questionable eballots could be undermining future GTVO efforts. Worrying times to be a @UCU member.

@josstified

Josstification 🧶🍉

2 years

@wawisloyola I am really concerned if we ever have to do GTVO again that huge numbers of members have opted out of emails, of texts etc. They have put the union on mute. Can't really blame them.

3

2

36

1

5

45

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@ucu Solidarity with NEC reps. They mandated HQ to update members on key votes back in Oct. They’ve been patiently pushing HQ to update members on those decisions for weeks. Now, nearly two months later those decisions are being dragged through the mud on Twitter

1

3

44

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Full report available below: "Addicted to growth? What we know about Higher Education Finances" 12/12

Tweet card media

Addicted to growth? What we know about Higher Education Finances

This article, written by Dr James Brackley, Lecturer in Accounting at Sheffield University Management School, provides a short review of the latest publicly available Higher Education Statistics...

www.sheffield.ac.uk

0

14

47

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

4 years

Staff should be given a visor, but should not combine a visor with a face covering. Unless you choose to. All PPE provided will be branded, although you should note that a face covering is not PPE. Face coverings will also be branded 3/ I actually work for @BantshireUni now

3

2

43

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

NEC motion *Extending @UCU fighting fund payments through the 22/23 disputes* A number of people have been working on this motion since January, pulling together several open meetings & branch motions 1/ ➡️extend no. of strike days covered ➡️extend cover for MAB deductions

2

14

44

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

This is so true. After joint union statement today it’s clear standing down action now pushes us into a yr of dispute in 23/24. I count 55 strike days and 0 national MABs over past 4 years w no gains against negotiating objectives because we keep standing down action 1/

@SolGamsu

Sol Gamsu

2 years

The irony of the more moderate positions & the idea of accepting very flimsy non-deal, deal* (esp. on 4F though imv we should still push for more binding settlement on USS too), is that it makes more action, sooner more likely, not less. Didn't we have some peace after 2006?

1

3

33

1

11

43

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

I’d go further - UCU members are being misled in order that we accept a deal that only wks ago we were told was totally unacceptable, so that we don’t hv to implement a strategy (MAB) we were told was going to win us the dispute. This is a GS failing on her own terms. #ucurising

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

“The proposed deal does not say this […] from this statement, and others, UCU members might get the impression that they are being consulted on an agreement to eliminate Zero Hours Contracts in Higher Education. They are not.“

1

5

24

1

5

43

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

This looks to have passed on the votes of members not taking part in the MAB, which goes against what HEC called for. Incredibly divisive move mid-MAB to run this as an e-ballot & then call off action without taking it back to HEC. #GradyOut #CommonsOut

@ucu

UCU

1 year

🚨IMPORTANT UPDATE: Members have voted to end the marking and assessment boycott. We have immediately served universities with notice of 5 more days of strike action. More info can be found in your member email and in the thread below.

56

110

337

2

8

42

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

The reluctance to support equalities cases in @UCU is very worrying, and does seem to amount to a form of structural racism. In one case I won more than £100k for a member but couldn’t get so much as a legal letter of support out of @UCU HQ 🧵 1/

@UnisNotBorders

UnisResistBorders #WearAMask #BordersKillKnowledge

@UnisNotBorders

1 year

@ucu @chiuni @JacquiMckenzie6 There remains a problem of institutional racism within @ucu when Black members can't get legal support to push back against racism, much less migrant members whom we've continued to support with our casework. Making this announcement is merely damage control for doing zilch!

0

4

22

3

15

41

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

This is a disgraceful attack on the basic right to strike… 39 days pay deductions for 3 days of action?! Solidarity with @qm_ucu

@qm_ucu

Queen Mary UCU

2 years

Nothing says ‘Welcome back! We’re excited about building our world-class university together in this new year @QMUL ’ as threatening to deduct weeks of pay for what could be 1 hour of classes cancelled as part of *legal industrial action*. A thread on the threats. 🧵

Tweet media one

4

80

158

1

11

41

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Excellent article. This is especially relevant now as the ‘moderate’ UCU factions on HEC flap about looking for ways to stand down the action they called for back in January, when a MAB was a convenient go to excuse for standing down strike action 👀

Tweet media one

1

10

41

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Amazing @BirminghamUCU out comrades today ✊ #ucurising

Tweet media one

Tweet media two

2

8

37

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

Very happy to pass my phd viva after too many years part time 🥳 Thank you to @hendrikvollmer and Ruth for examining my thesis & to Penny & Mark for supervising @UoBAccounting looking forward to whatever comes next 🤔

Tweet media one

13

3

38

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Worth noting for @UCU activists that almost every other large union announces a calendar of strike dates well in advance. @UCU seem to be only union who take the position that they can’t announce action with more than 2 weeks notice because of ‘legal concerns’ [citation needed]

@strike_map

Strike Map

2 years

#Strikevent is well underway, you can see more in this @FT article>> #strikemap

Tweet media one

0

7

11

5

7

38

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

I've run through the Accounts for the 4 USS branches in the West Mids, 3 of whome have strike mandates. Initial results: Tuition fee income⬆️5% Total income⬆️4% Adjusted surplses of £148m⬆️700% Cash £502m⬆️10% Total reserves £2,020m⬆️11% Staff numbers🔻594 jobs or 3%

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

🚨HELP🚨 The deadline for HE institutions to release their 2021 accounts has just passed. Please use the following doc to add key financial info on your institution so we can understand the position of HE sector at this crucial time 👇🧵 @UCU #UCUstrike

1

20

23

1

19

36

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

As Uni accounts start to drop a reminder that we need to adj out the USS provisions costs when analysing the surplus/deficit position. This affects many post 92s, not just traditional ‘USS institutions’🧵 At @unibirmingham we can see a £150m deficit becomes a £53m surplus👇 1/

Tweet media one

1

27

34

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Wow. This really is desperatey bad analysis frm @UCUCommons Resp to whether or not a MAB has "already happened" (TDLR: it hasn't). This should be trade unionism 101 in relation to the quesiton of leverage but apparently it needs saying🤦‍♂️ 🧵on FFs (not USS) 1/ #ucurising

Tweet media one

2

10

35

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Hi @UCU , you seem to have accidentally logged into the @UCUCommons account

@UCUCommons

UCU Commons #ucuRISING

2 years

@andreweccles88 @TimmoGoodall The fact that the argument for not allowing a wider membership to vote on offers hinges on "academics not understanding a question", despite this generally being their speciality, apparently gives no one any pause.

16

1

9

3

3

34

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

This is all depressingly familiar if you're a UCU rep/activist. We need rank&file democracy to represent member interests. If we allow a bureaucratic executive layer to develop, detached from member interests & democratic structures, we're in big trouble

Tweet card media

Royal College of Nursing asks police to investigate some of its members

Exclusive: RCN says hundreds of signatures on petition to hold vote of no confidence in leadership are false

www.theguardian.com

1

8

33

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Well done to @chondrogianni & @realDavidHarvie & everyone elected to @ucu NEC today. Good luck for next year! #ucurising And thank you to everyone who voted for me 🙏 in UK Treasurer election

3

1

36

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

We could bring a congress motion to elect a social media team of lay members from congress. After all, every branch account is managed by an elected officer(s). Why should the national account be outside of the democratic process? #UCUrising #Nocapitulation

@ucu

UCU

2 years

We have made real and significant progress in negotiations, Waqas - but no one is getting carried away We pause now to allow intensive negotiations to take place But we get ready to strike again and vote YES in big numbers in the reballot #ucuRISING

10

8

43

1

3

33

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

Doing the sums on the USS results it looks like we were just 64 votes from getting as many branches over the line as we did in 2019. This despite a higher average turnout (53%) than last time out (52%). Why? Because we closed the ballot early🧵

3

9

35

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@ucu In our branch analysis a couple of years ago, casualised members were more likely to vote and more likely to be on picket lines than permanent staff. I think we took 22 days that year

0

1

35

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Sure as night follows day, after arguing for min action in the Spring so that we could focus on the April MAB, @UCU GS now pivots against a MAB. This after promising to ‘completely shut down’ the Spring term. Will employers make an offer or just await the nxt UCU-turn? 🤔 #SHESC

@CleanersFor

Träger Warning 🇵🇸🇸🇩 ☭

2 years

Exact wording: “I'll level with you all. They are not as worried about the marking boycott as they are about the ballot for six months. That is the fear. As you say, there are institutions that can do things to undercut. The marking boycott. There isn't anything we can do about.”

2

1

9

2

4

32

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Ah yes. Do nothing for over 2 months then open an e-ballot on the ballot. That’ll show that pesky lot at UCEA! Then maybe we can pause to give ‘em one last chance while we catch up on all the work we’re not being paid for! Oushhh ✊👊 #UCUrising

@dyfrig

Dyfrig Jones

1 year

I am still weighing up the different options, and am really not sure how best to proceed at HEC. But absolutely agree with Michael here - running a quick e-ballot or survey next week would make it much easier for me to decide.

0

1

5

3

2

33

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Also… if non-striking colleagues want to make a donation, please take a look at the pensions modeller below to check how much your UCU comrades just won for you. You might need to take a seat 🪑👀 #USS Be shocked: Donate:

Tweet media one

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

This looks like the negotiated outcome on the back of the 31 March figures that members were calling for through the very odd ‘vote to note’ consultation 👍 (that we were told was impossible before September!) Well done for the yrs of hard work, striking thru the cold & wet #USS

0

2

10

0

15

31

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

This is so true and so tragic. Thanks to long-haulers like @DrJoGrady we’ve spread almost 60 strike days and two MABs over 5 years. Endlessly calling off action last minute, failing to ballot at crucial moments, withholding strike funds & legal support. It’s exhausting.

@LuGuangMing

Lucia Pradella

1 year

We were told that indefinite action was long and unaffordable. What we’ve got is a state of permanent and intermittent strike action, big financial losses and no significant pay rise. Fuck this.

1

14

84

0

3

32

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

5 years

Where's all the money gone? Wrote a thing for UoB UCU on the University's latest set of accounts exploring what we know about our income, debt, staff costs, and senior management remuneration @BirminghamUCU @BhamUniUnison #ucustrike #UCUStrikesBack

1

17

31

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

A short 🧵on UCU finances & how members have been short changed (literally & metaphorically) by the @UCU GS & national ledaership this summer, and what this means for motions like this 👇 1/

@BruceHistorian

Bruce E. Baker

@BruceHistorian

1 year

This is a motion I am submitting to Monday's EGM of @NewcastleUniUCU . I hope it is as calm as can be expected. I think it addresses the key concrete issue at hand (we rejected a weak offer & then had the rug pulled out from under us by @ucu ) & offers redress. Happy to discuss.

Tweet media one

3

13

75

3

7

30

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

✨REPORT ✨ @sheffielducu branch hv voted 94 - 0 to back the #PGRsAsStaff campaign, opposing the compulsory redundancies imposed by @DrJoGrady @UCU . Members were also dismayed at the *4%* pay offer to @UniteUCU & called on UCU to engage in proper negotiations with staff ✊

@DUCUPGR

Durham UCU PGRs

1 year

1000 people have signed the open letter to @DrJoGrady asking for two amazing organisers to be kept on the @UCU payroll for @UCUPostgrads #PGRsAsStaff & the same standards we demand from employers. It will be sent once we get organised. #TwoOfUsAllOfUs

2

15

38

1

6

31

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Second Socialist Accountant video in UCU Treasurer campaign!! 🚨📢 What is the financial position of the union? Can we afford strike fund payments? And how do we hold ourselves accountable for how we spend members' money?

Tweet card media

Providing expert financial advice to congress & NEC

In this video I break down how I will work with the democratic structures of our union to give expert advice on our finances, and why I think this has not be...

www.youtube.com

3

19

31

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@ucu What a car crash these negotiations have been 🤦‍♂️

1

1

28

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Solidarity with @BhamUniUnison today & shame on @UCUCommons members for bringing a motion to cross the pickets of predominantly BME & women cleaning, catering & support staff next week. Take a close look because this is what solidarity looks like @UCU 👇👇

Tweet media one

Tweet media two

Tweet media three

1

4

29

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Really disappointing event with @DrJoGrady this eve. HEC proposals given <8 out of the 80 minutes. First 4 seakers all from the GS's faction. Misinformation. Misdirection. + a dodgy legal disclosure from the GS that will expose us to 100% deductions. Now available for employers👇

@ucu

UCU

2 years

114

15

38

0

1

30

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

This is the contradiction we face if we fail to forefront a fully funded #FreeEducation system in our demands. If things are this bad during record sector wide surpluses, what will the sector look like during a slow down in the HE market? 11/ #ucuRISING

1

7

30

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

For @UCU members unaware - this was also the sticking point in the 2022 dispute. Unite wanted a progressive deal weight towards lower paid & casualised members, SMT wanted a flat deal so that execs on six figure salaries got the same as staffers earning little more than min wage

@UniteUCU

Unite UCU

1 year

Recently a small number of #UCU SMT & management resigned from our branch & joined a rival union. They are reportedly unhappy with our democratic decision to press for a pay deal weighted towards helping those at the bottom of the pay scale during the #CostOfLivingCrisis . 2/6

1

4

14

1

5

27

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@justinemercer11 @MarianMayer20 @ross_acg_gibson @ucu @DrJoGrady @zenscara @deepa_driver @rorfitelli @cupofassam This is misleading and unhelpful Justine. You should be helping our negotiators get a statement to members, within the union. As has always happened in the past. Not abandoning them & telling them that if they don’t like it take to social media

1

5

25

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

🚨rank & file petition on @UCU MAB🚨 Please sign this important petition on implementing decisions of the @UCU NEC to support the marking & assessment boycott 🧵👇1/ #ucurising

2

18

28

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

It’s a shame this excellent motion has been so overshadowed. It has practical solidarity steps we can take on visas, scholarships, & building links with educators. This is now policy & has momentum. Thanks to @zenscara @drrhianelinor & others! #ucuTOGETHER #UCUcongress2023

Tweet media one

Tweet media two

@zenscara

Vicky Blake UCU @vickyblake.bsky.social

1 year

[Motion 6 text is here - this did carry at Congress - Solidarity with Ukraine: supporting education and humanitarian work]

1

1

18

0

8

26

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

@ucu For members who want the unspun version - we already knew contributions would be dropping following the Mar ‘23 valuation. The question is where employers stand on benefit restoration vs contributions. They’re opening the consultation on that this week & we’ll find out in Oct

3

1

28

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

The premise that employers hv already baked a highly disruptive MAB into their latest non-offer is surely (& almost comically) wrong. Quite the opposite. We've repeatedly stood down action, leading to employers not only not moving, but trying to pin us down for 23/24 as well 2/

1

4

26

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Short 🧵on @RKJethwa 'shared perspective' on HE finances Conclusion📢if @UCEA1 want to represent the sector they need to start by helping us end the failed free market experiment destroying our sector See 'Addicted to growth' report for @CraficU 1/

Tweet card media

Addicted to growth? What we know about Higher Education Finances

This article, written by Dr James Brackley, Lecturer in Accounting at Sheffield University Management School, provides a short review of the latest publicly available Higher Education Statistics...

www.sheffield.ac.uk

@Wonkhe

Wonkhe

1 year

NEW on Wonkhe: UCEA's Raj Jethwa calls for an independently facilitated shared perspective on higher education sector finances @UCEA1

Tweet media one

0

1

0

2

21

25

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

And it gets worse - THIS IS STILL ON THE NATIONAL WEBSITE 😱Have the SWP also taken over the website as well as the executive? This is bad. “Members of UCU have voted by 80.4% to reject the latest pay offer from employer body UCEA”

UCU members overwhelmingly reject UCEA pay offer

Members of UCU have voted by 80.4% to reject the latest pay offer from employer body the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA).

2

0

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

4 years

I've got to say this is REALLY annoying. Why do the media keep doing it? It's not a 'lecturer's union' it's a worker's union, representing academic, professional, & support staff. If you really need to call it something... how about 'University and Colleges Union'? @BBCNews

@CerasellaChis

Ioana Cerasella Chis

4 years

BBC: ‘The University Lecturers’ Union’ I didn’t know that UCU had changed its name... 🙄

0

2

18

1

3

26

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Like what’s this? A email with the subject title ‘Have your say, reject the employer offer’ dated 30 January from ‘Jo Grady’. Am I dreaming? Or did the SWP somehow take over national comms in January, managing to go unnoticed until now..? If so that’s some next level entryism

Tweet media one

2

0

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

HE institutions are addicted to debt, precarity, and driving up student numbers to remain viable. Many institutions heavily cross subsidise. High-margin courses subsidising low margin courses, international students subsidising home students, & teaching subsidising research. 6/

Tweet media one

1

7

27

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

It's official. Strikes are on next week. Mon 20, Tue 21 and Wed 22 March.✊ See you on the picket lines! @BirminghamUCU #ucuRising #USSmess

0

4

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Solidarity. As a casework I’ve represented dozens of similar cases. Employers exploit the law to sack staff just before they get their unfair dismissal rights at 24 months. It’s devastating and life changing. This is why we have congress policy to ban these contracts. Short 🧵

@DUCUPGR

Durham UCU PGRs

1 year

1000 people have signed the open letter to @DrJoGrady asking for two amazing organisers to be kept on the @UCU payroll for @UCUPostgrads #PGRsAsStaff & the same standards we demand from employers. It will be sent once we get organised. #TwoOfUsAllOfUs

2

15

38

1

5

25

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@ucu And what is most annoying is we’ve now lost nearly two months of our mandate when we could have been building for the action & forcing employers to put an offer on the table

0

0

25

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

My write up on HE Finances in the @timeshighered today. This isn't a classic financial bubble as such, instead we see a sector "addicted" to growth, debt, & precarity. The distribution in the market means that when the market falters, institutions quickly slide into the red.

@timeshighered

Times Higher Education

1 year

The UK’s visa crackdown risks bursting universities’ safety bubble Strong financial health at sector level conceals wide institutional variation. If growth is choked off, whole universities could fail, says James Brackley

Tweet media one

1

3

9

2

11

25

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@francisclarke @ucu This is misinformaiton Francis and unfair on HEC members

2

2

25

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

This is a truly bizarre press release from a national union calling out its members in a national dispute, when the vast majority of employers have not backtracked on deductions & when that’s not what we’re in dispute over #GradyOut #UCUburning

Strikes called off & employers backtrack on pay docking

Strike action has been called off at dozens of universities and many employers have agreed to end punitive pay deductions confirmed UCU. The union said the action will now be targeted at the very...

2

6

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

4 years

Close schools & Universities and vaccinate 2m per week to avoid 2021 being worse than 2020 seems to be the msg. Existing tier 4 measures not likely to be enough to tackle new variant & keep r<1 based on data from south east:

1

7

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

@ucu There’s surely no point to this though at this stage is there? You’ve already overturned union policy and ended the MAB by not calling the reballot

1

0

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

🚨BREAKING🚨 Vice Chancellors across the 59 USS institutions who have filed their 2021 accounts collectively earned over £19m last year, averaging £322,115 (down 2% on 2020) 1/ #UCU #USS #UCUstrike #USSstrike #OneOfUsAllOfUs

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

I've run through the Accounts for the 4 USS branches in the West Mids, 3 of whome have strike mandates. Initial results: Tuition fee income⬆️5% Total income⬆️4% Adjusted surplses of £148m⬆️700% Cash £502m⬆️10% Total reserves £2,020m⬆️11% Staff numbers🔻594 jobs or 3%

1

19

36

1

16

22

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

A concerted IBL/Commons campaign would have @UCU members believe that democracy is a rigged top down eballot, conflating pay & USS, with no info from negotiators, in the hope that we will give up on our disputes Please sign below rank & file response

Open letter in support of HEC Decision

This statement has been collectively composed by a number of UCU members involved in their branches in various capacities, mostly with no intra-affiliations within the union. We have been described...

docs.google.com

0

7

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Capping student no.s (current @UCU policy) in this way will devastate Arts & Humanities, but restrictions on OfS block & capital grants are already having a material impact, leading to redundancies & course closures across the sector. We need a new funding model for UK HE now

Tweet media one

1

4

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

. @UCU spent 15 months trying to expel me for supposedly using the word "weaponise". It turned out I never used this word, nor did anyone in my branch. Will @UCU now spend 15 months disciplining the NEC member below member posting this? Or are there a different set of rules for

@MarianMayer20

Dr Marian Mayer patiently waiting for summer

1 year

If #UCUCongress had truly been one of unity disabled (and non-disabled) delegates would not have found it to be traumatic. So I'll leave this here.

Tweet media one

6

5

26

2

4

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

Two more ‘YesYes’ votes coming your way! @BirminghamUCU @ucu #GTVO #YesYes #NotTodayUUK #UCUstrike #USSstrike #FourFights #UCU

Tweet media one

0

7

22

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

“The proposed deal does not say this […] from this statement, and others, UCU members might get the impression that they are being consulted on an agreement to eliminate Zero Hours Contracts in Higher Education. They are not.“

@michael4hec

Michael Carley

2 years

A quick response on the question of consulting UCU members #ucurising #ucustrikes

0

11

24

1

5

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

Very telling that this is published *after* the BDM. This isn’t about member engagement it’s about the right wing of UCU looking to cover their arses when they sell out on their own strategy next week.

@UCUCommons

UCU Commons #ucuRISING

1 year

UCU Commoners and @ucuedinburgh committee members @sophysteria and Sophia Lycouris are authors of the latest Commons blog post about the Four Fights reballot. Please read, and share.

12

12

30

1

3

23

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

@ucu Many members are asking why this is only happening in August, rather than June/July? Is the idea to delay in the hope of overturning the congress decision on the reballot? We've now undermined negotiations, cut the ballot window, & created a gap in the mandate...

1

0

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

I've seen this a number of times now & am finding the lack of clarity of language & at times somewhat arrogant/dismissive confidence v worrying. Leaving pension resoration subject to a definition of "sustainability" to be worked through at some later date is a massive risk 1/

@cupofassam

Mark Taylor-Batty

2 years

@BrackleyJ @ArisKatzourakis We want sustainability. We don’t want benefits to go up and then down again, and strikes every three years because of it. Then we get to work on defining sustainability and mechanisms for monitoring and achieving it. We have pinned down the wording. It is ‘full’. It is agreed.

2

0

0

2

2

21

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

11 months

Para. 17 lays out the rules on institutional autonomy, *especially* with regards to state funding. The state should not be pressuring an academic funding body or seeking sanctions against academics via UKRI 👇 2/

Tweet media one

1

5

23

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

Monday morning PSAG crew. Now term has started it’ll be xmas is no time 😬 @BirminghamUCU @unibirmingham @UoBAccounting

Tweet media one

0

5

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

Sorry to criticise the union a/c but this is really odd behaviour. Why publicly chastise a member for asking a Q, then when they asks what the objections are tell them it’s confidential? & it’s an important Q - hv employers broken the law by imposing the pay cut? #ucurising

@ucu

UCU

2 years

@SamMorecroft All unions agreed impasse on pay reached, not that pay was settled. The continuing dispute & reballot includes pay as an issue. You'll agree it's unwise for UCU to put details of its legal advice, or legal arguments it may wish to make now or in the future into the public domain

3

0

1

1

3

21

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

7 months

🚨Record 16% pay rise for #UCU GS🚨 @UCU annual return shows by 2023 @DrJoGrady was taking home more than £20,000 more than she said she would, plus a record benefits package. Full breakdown below 👇 1/

3

11

23

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

3 years

Super pleased to announce that my first paper is now published, with open access 📣🎉 Public health interventions in English local authorities: constructing the facts, (re)imagining the future @AAAJEmerald @UoBAccounting @UoBResponsible @UoB_Business

Tweet media one

1

4

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@ucu So we've had 6 minutes on the official @UCU & HEC positon of some form of serious action and 30 minutes and counting on the General Secretary's counter proposal. Balance🙃

1

3

22

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@ucu “UCEA is negotiating on other matters in dispute (this is continuing) this isn't inducement” this doesn’t make any sense. If negotiations are continuing then it *is* an inducement

1

0

24

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

4 years

I've created a google sheet that should allow you to see the impact of any drop in student recruitment on your HE institution's finances. This is based on the recently released HESA data 1/ @USSbriefs @UCU @BirminghamUCU @UcuLeft @CoronaContract #UCUStrike

3

20

23

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

1 year

UCU HQ appears to have gone completely rogue. Unilaterally overturning congress decisions & picking fights with the staff union over truly awful employment practices. Something has to change. Solidarity with @UniteUCU

@UniteUCU

Unite UCU

1 year

Our ballot for industrial action over cuts to the #PGRsAsStaff Campaign post opened today. UCU still refuses to move on the substantive issue of the 40% reduction in full-time hours for the new post. Send a clear message: vote YES and YES #BackTheBallot #VoteYesVoteEarly

Tweet media one

0

25

42

0

4

23

@BrackleyJ

James Brackley

2 years

@ucu Surely for balanced debate we should at least share all the options with members? Don’t understand why @UCU official account is lobbying for a plan that has already been voted down and is not the official position of the union…

1

1

23