Leeds occupation – students back staff strike

Monday’s rally in support of student occupation at Leeds Uni – photo Iain Dalton

Students at the University of Leeds have occupied the vice-chancellor’s office in solidarity with University and College Union (UCU) strikers, and in response to management’s punitive policy of 100% pay deduction for the soon-to-be-implemented marking boycott.

Staff in UCU were openly grateful for the action of these students: “It’s really heartening to see cooperation of this kind. We don’t want to strike. We don’t want to hurt students, so it’s encouraging to know that the student body understands that.”

UCU member have been striking for wage equality, an end to casualised contracts, and better pay, pensions and working conditions. One UCU PhD student said: “Postgrads are really screwed over. We should have basic working rights”.

Over 150 students and staff showed their discontent with the bullying vice-chancellor at a rally on 23 May, the day the occupation started. Socialist Party member Iain Dalton – who was one of the Leeds Uni occupiers in 2010 – also spoke in support of the action.

Anthony Bracuti, Leeds Socialist Students

Socialist Students join Leeds Climate Strike

Leeds Socialist Students members at the YouthStrike4Climate rally in Leeds, 24/9/21

Socialist Students from Leeds University and Leeds Beckett were part of a 150 strong protest on Parkinson steps at Leeds University organised by the student-staff Climate Coalition at Leeds University.

Staff at the university won the right to have an hour stoppage at work, which facilitated a march down to the Youth Strike for Climate rally in the city centre, with UCU and Unite branches at the university bringing their banners on the demonstration.

We gave out leaflets at both protesters for the Youth March for Jobs on Octover 9th which were well received. Our banner and placards calling for ‘Socialist Change to End Climate Change’ drew attention, leading to Leeds Student Radio to interview two of us, and someone joining us on the protest wanting to get active in Socialist Students.

Leeds Socialist Students 

Increased interest in socialist ideas amongst Leeds freshers

Well attended first Leeds Socialist Students meeting of the year

Leeds Socialist Students ran campaign stalls over a three-day period during freshers week this year. Given the recent IEA report that young people are more interested in ever in a socialist system, it is unsurprising that we had a lot of people stop at our stall to ask questions and agree about how socialist ideas offer a real alternative and viable future for young people. 

Across the four university campuses, as well as sixth form and FE colleges in Leeds, we had over 100 people leave their details and sign up to our mailing list. Our first meeting, ‘What is Socialism?,’ was held at a local pub with 25 attendees. The discussion was rigorous and engaging with questions ranging from the issue of identity politics to Marxist economics. We planned activity for this week to get out and active on the Youth Strike for Climate work stoppage and protest at the University of Leeds this Friday (24th Sept), promoting the upcoming Yorkshire Youth March for Jobs on 9^th October in Leeds. We’ll meet weekly during term with upcoming meetings on climate, sexual assault, and racism.

Kat Gwyther, Leeds Uni Socialist Students

Well Supported Strikes at Leeds Universities & Colleges

Front of UCU, Unison and Unite strike march

On Tuesday the 3^rd of December thousands of university staff around the country, (both academic and non academic alike) walked out for the second time. The walk out has been caused by a dispute over pay and zero hours contracts. UCU claim that University lectures since 2009 have suffered 13% cut in their real term wages.

Sean Culligan, Leeds Met Socialist Students

There is no surprise that this has not been welcomed at all, especially since the wages of vice chancellors across the country have been rising. An example of this inequality in pay can be seen at Bath University where the Vice-Chancellor has received a 5.5% pay rise during a similar period in which lectures wages have been in decline. Furthermore 1, 255 Non-academic staff at Bath University are payed below the living wage and 1,200 of these staff are on ‘’casual contracts’.

‘Scrooge’ cartoon on placard

This reflects a pattern that we are seeing throughout the country and not just in universities. That the rich become richer and the poor get poorer ‘’the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must’’. Lest we forget that the fat cats in city are still receiving their mutli –million pound bonuses whilst the the rest of us, ordinary people are being targeted by Tory aggression and the neo-liberal agenda through cuts and austerity, especially those who are currently unemployed or those who suffer from disabilities. The attitudes and policies of the Tories make it clear that there is one rule for them and another for the general population. Perhaps an attempt to reaffirm old class boundaries?

Leeds College of Art pickets

Furthermore at Leeds Metropolitan non-academic staff face the prospect of zero hour contracts. These changes to the staff contracts will no doubt cause the employees a great deal of worry and stress when they are trying to calculate whether they will be able to pay their bills at the end of month. Once again it just proves that the coalition government prioritises profit over people and increasingly, so does Leeds metropolitan university …or the new trendy and commercially acceptable Leeds Beckett University.

Although it is not all doom and gloom. Both strikes against pay cuts in universities have been well received and supported by other trade unions too. Many were in attendance on today’s march in Leeds in which numbers have been estimated at over 500 people.  These unions also provided speakers at the rallies and made it clear that they backed the strike and would support any further action by the UCU, with the FBU speaker gave an a passionate rendition of a poem on the subject of austerity and the tyranny it brings. Other organisations including left-wing parties and student groups, including Socialist Students, were also present from Leeds Metropolitan (Becket….sigh…) University, Leeds University, Bradford University and Leeds College of Art.

School of Healthcare students joint pickets

Since 2010 there has been hunger for an alternative to the current system, it can be argued that this call is for a socialist alternative. The evidence for this lies in the development of the occupy movement and the large Student protests during 2011. The election of Kshama Sawant to City Council in Seattle (with an outstanding 94,000 votes) is perhaps an indicator that attitudes across the are changing as people are realising the down falls to a corrupt system and the inequality the system causes.

The socialist movement in this country has an opportunity ride the crest of this success and build momentum in Britain for a genuine Socialist or left leaning alternative to the “Condemn” travesty.  In my opinion what is vital to the future success of the left in this country is a party which is relevant and openly opposes the system which everyone is sick off and is easily accessible to the masses. It also needs to actively get the young involved in politics by having a exciting and active spokespeople ,which has proved to pivotal to the success in Seattle. The formation of a labour movement which is formed by the people, for the people is vital for the future of British institutions including the NHS and universities.

Socialist Students members join pickets at Leeds Uni

Oh, and what is also needed is the death of new labour, which defines its self as the “opposition “but clearly doesn’t oppose anything. It is just neo liberalism in a fading red suite. The new alternative should have a visible presence at election time say the right things at the right time. When such promises are made to the electorate, they should be held to this and follow through. Furthermore they need to actively support workers and students alike to protect wages and fight against the spiralling cost of education. In a over simplified nut shell, they should offer real opposition to The Con-Dem nightmare which we are currently stuck in.

The momentum is building again, the fight is not over.

Succesful Freshers for Leeds Socialist Students

Freshers stall at Leeds Uni

Over the last few weeks, Socialist Students members have run stalls at freshers fayres at Leeds Uni, Leeds Met & Leeds Trinity as well as running stalls outside of Leeds City College.

Iain Dalton, Socialist Students Yorkshire Organiser

We had many students at the college sign our petition opposing the then plans of Obama to bomb Syria which have since been hugely scaled back. We also campaigned against zero-hour contracts building for a protest this weekend outside Sports Direct in Leeds and on a number of other issues, but the majority of people we spoke to was because of the socialist alternative to crisis-ridden capitalist that we we’re putting forward.

Leeds Uni ‘What is Socialism?’ meeting

Our biggest success of freshers, was in attracting over 20 new people at Leeds Uni to our meeting on What is Socialism? where we had Ian Pattison, Socialist Students National Chair speaking, but those who attended our meeting with Weizmann Hamilton of the Democratic Socialist Movement in South Africa were also hugely inspired by the explosive events taking place in that country.

Stall at Leeds Met freshers

Those who attended were just a small part of the 200 students who signed up for more information about Socialist Students at Leeds University, whilst we also had 90 people sign up for more information at Leeds Met and at Leeds Trinity we had a number of new people attend our first informal meeting. We now plan to follow up all those who expressed interest in the society and invite them to our regular meetings at each institution.

Rallying Against Sexism and Cuts at Leeds University

Rallying Against Sexism and the Cuts at Leeds Uni

Around 30 people rallied in the rain outside Leeds University Union to celebrate International Womens Day and reflect on the oppression of women still going on around the world and in Britain today. As Georgia from Femsoc explained women are bearing the brunt of the government cuts, whilst other speakers highlighted ‘lad culture’ in the recent issues of the Leeds Student.

 

Socialist Students member Zoe speaks about the Rape is No Joke campaign

Leeds Uni Socialist Students member Zoe Beecham spoke about the Rape is No Joke campaign, highlighting the shocking number of rapes that occur each year as well as condemning the comments over the last year of politicians trivialising rape. She explained how Rape is No Joke will be campaigning to get local comedians and comedy clubs to sign up are urged people to visit www.rapeisnojoke.com to find out more.

Listening to speakers at the rally

Succesful Socialist Students Public Meeting on Greece

Katerina addresses the meeting

On Tuesday 26^th February, Socialist Students hosted Katerina  Kleistsa’s talk on the situation in Greece. It was a successful meeting attracting current members and new potential members alike.

Tim McConnell, Leeds University Socialist Students

The facts and statistic coming out of Greece paint a dramatic picture. Youth unemployment is at around 2/3s, homelessness has rocketed. The police are clamping down on any sign of resistance, with brutality on the street becoming a common sight.

The political situation over the next few years, whilst it presents a unique opportunity to spread socialist ideas, is full of pitfalls and dangers. It came up several times during the meeting that if the working class organisations fail to fight back effectively now then a return to military dictatorship is very real possibility, with fascism dangerously close.  The “Golden Dawn” (A far right fascist group) has managed to appeal to a layer of shopkeepers and disenfranchised middle classes who feel let down by the system, and achieved a 10% vote in the last election. Their violence is already posing a threat to workers organisations, and to the safety of people in the street.

Syriza, a new left party, has made great gains in recent elections, and is well positioned to attract new layers of workers has the struggles continue. However, Syriza doeshave some flaws both flawed organisationally with some careerists from the now discredited Pasok trying to make a new life in the party, as well as politically by distancing itself from some of the slogans to helped it win 30% in recent elections such as a left government and cancelling the debt. Vitally though, it opposes austerity and is willing to take radical action to realize this opposition.

Across Europe there is no end to austerity in sight. With Italy now in political deadlock, it seems likely that crisis will once again erupt in the Eurozone.  Greece acts as both a warning and example of what could happen across the rest of the Eurozone, showing that we must be prepared

The discussion was lively and in-depth, and everyone left with a better knowledge of the issues. Overall, the meeting was very successful, and has put us in contact with several new, interested, people.

Solidarity Protest at Leeds Uni Against the Bombing of Gaza

Leeds University Protest in Solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza

Around 60 students and workers at Leeds University held a lunchtime solidarity protest with Palestinians in Gaza. Placards revealed the outrage of many students at the killings of innocent civilians in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Force. Whilst the demonstration passed off peacefully, there were verbal confrontation with a pro-Israeli group. A further, more detailed report will appear in the next few days.

 

Below is the text of a leaflet produced by the Socialist Party for distrubution on further protests.

The Israeli government has declared that its shocking and brutal assault on the Gaza strip will be a “widespread campaign” and threatens “protracted conflict”. Among its opening strikes was the assassination of the military leader of Islamist party Hamas, Ahmed Jabari, and more than ten other Palestinians, as a terrifying rain of missiles were fired from the air.

The onslaught was clearly aimed at escalating the conflict, with the Israeli
regime turning its back on a ceasefire agreement that had just been negotiated to stop military attacks from both sides. Assassinations of Palestinians by the Israeli armed forces in recent months have played a central part in escalating the conflicts in the south of Israeli and Gaza.

Nevertheless, British foreign secretary William Hague blamed Hamas as bearing “principal responsibility” because of rocket fire from Gaza, as effectively did Labour’s Douglas Alexander, both refusing to condemn the Israeli regime for deploying its massive, vastly stronger, military might.

“I am responsible for us choosing the right time to exact the heaviest price and so be it” was the chilling message of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Palestinians fear a repeat of the invasion of Gaza at the end of 2008, when nearly 1,400 people were slaughtered, including 314 children, and are in a state of terror and panic. There are ominous signs that a ground invasion is being considered, with Israeli soldiers’ leave cancelled and some reservists called up.

As well as the terrible toll of Palestinian deaths and injuries, following the killing of Jabari three Israeli civilians were killed in the Israeli town of Kiryat Malakhi when their building was hit by a Palestinian missile. Netanyahyu and Co knew that their assault would bring this kind of response but their aim was not to encourage peace and security for Israelis or Palestinians, but was to serve their own interests.

Seeking votes

In particular they are desperately trying to boost their support prior to the general election scheduled for January by trying to appear to be fortifying security in Israel. In recent weeks, opinion polls have showed that Likud Beytenu, the newly merged party formed by Netanyahu and Lieberman, was losing support. They want to draw attention away from the burning social problems in Israel, which Lieberman said he’s “sick of hearing all the cries about”.

The Israeli government’s decision to respond to straying shells from Syria by returning fire, along with other threats of retaliatory military action, and threats of punitive action against the West Bank based Palestinian Authority, are also part of the election campaign of these failing nationalist politicians. They fear losing their seats and are therefore willing to engage in mass slaughter of Palestinians and to gamble on the lives of ordinary Israelis.

Leaders of the main Israeli ‘opposition’ political parties, Yachimovich (Labour), Lapid (Yesh Atid) and Mofaz (Kadima) were quick to stand by the government and speak with one voice. They don’t even pretend to offer any real alternative to the narrow, mad and dangerous agenda of the current government.

In addition to their re-election aims, the Israeli leaders want to cut across the revival of a Palestinian bid for UN recognition later this month, pre-empt any pressure for peace talks from reelected Obama in the US, and to try to counter any strengthening of Hamas as a result of the major changes and tensions in the region – in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon etc.

But their blood-filled strategy can spiral out of their control and rebound on them by massively inflaming relations between countries and the situations within them; already there are protests and demonstrations breaking out across the Arab countries and worldwide, as well as in the Palestinian territories. In Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, a call to defend the residents of Gaza is
being made on demonstrations.

Opposition to the war plans of Israeli leaders Netanyahu, Barak and Lieberman must also be rapidly organised in Israel to make it clear that the bloodshed is not in the interests of ordinary Israelis and to counter the lies of the government. As well as calling for protest demonstrations, Socialist Struggle Movement (the
Committee for a Workers International – CWI – in Israel/Palestine) is calling for the Israeli workers’ organisations, including the Histadrut trade union federation and the social movements, to publicly denounce the offensive and to initiate and take part in protests against it.

We call for

• Stop the slaughter! End the missile strikes and other attacks on Gaza!
• No to this war of the Israeli government of big business and settlements!
• End the Israeli blockade of Gaza. For the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Palestinian territories.
• For a mass struggle of the Palestinians, under their own democratic control, to fight for genuine national liberation.
• For working class support, throughout the Middle East and internationally, for the Palestinians’ struggle.
• For independent workers’ organisations in Palestine and Israel.
• For a struggle for democratic socialism in Palestine, Israel and throughout the Middle East, with guaranteed democratic rights for all national minorities.

Solidarity Protest With Students and Workers in Europe

Solidarity protest at Leeds Uni with workers and students across Europe fighting austerity

Today, Socialist Students members joined other students and trade unionists in holding a solidarity protest with general strike against austerity taking place throughout Southern Europe. Around 30 people gathered on Parkinson steps to listen to speeches about the importance of cross-country co-ordinated action to take place, and the need for similar action to take place austerity here.

Leeds Uni Socialist Students

Succesful Freshers Week at Leeds Uni

Stall at Leeds Uni Freshers Fayre

Several comrades from Leeds Socialist Party spent most of last week on the Leeds University campus, inviting students new to Leeds to join the Socialist Students society on campus.  In general a good response was seen, with over 20 fully paid members so far, and well over a hundred people asking to go on our mailing list.

Matt Booth, Leeds University Socialist Students

Friday 14th September was the first fresher’s event, the International Students Fair. We campaigned over the situation of their counterparts at London Met University, who face potential deportation in the coming months, despite being systematically treated as cash cows in the past, as a result of the inability of the current government to get a grasp on their own racist, anti-immigration laws.

The next four days of fresher’s fairs were especially rewarding and encouraging, both in terms of the number of people joining up to the society and the quality of those that attended the various meetings. The joint lead-off on Tuesday night by comrades Lizi Gray and Paul Callanan, ‘What is Socialism?’, gave an excellent introduction to socialism for a room of about 16 people.

Lizi Gray speaking at the ‘What is Socialism?’ meeting

Monday through Thursday saw the continuation of a steady sign-up rate of about 5-10 students per day. Despite the feelings of many that 9k fees were unreversable, given the failure of last years student movement, there was no shortage of students coming up to the stall and chatting to us though, about a range of issues besides just the rise in tuition fees. The enthusiasm and interest shown by many of the students we spoke to throughout the week was summed up by the level of discussion at the Thursday meeting. A ‘skype’ call to US comrade Brandon Madsen went very smoothly, an excellent lead-off by Brandon, about the upcoming US elections and the Occupy movement was followed by many questions from comrades and new students alike, with several students again staying for further discussions in the union bar.

Skype meeting with Brandon from Socialist Alternative in the USA

Of course there is much work still to do to build on this initial progress. There are still thousands of students who may not have seen us during fresher’s week, for that reason it is vital that we maintain a presence on campus throughout the year, preferably by holding a stall every week. Apart from attracting yet more students, we also need to keep engaged those who have already shown interest, by organizing stimulating meetings, campaigning on relevant issues and promoting national events such as the demonstrations on October 20^th (called by the TUC) and November 21^st (called by NUS).