Week 4 of the dispute and we got off to a good start with the Pickets Playlist.
Following the revelations over the weekend about exuberant pay and perks there was an early theme showing from today’s sounds.
- We began with some empathy, a thought for our poor senior managers who simply don’t know where the next business class air travel is coming from. It was Aloe Blacc who suggested ‘I Need A Dollar’ – of course they do!
- What is the theme today? Who knows – what can I say? Curtis Mayfield came next and ‘Pusherman’ as we wondered about your views on the decadence of senior managers in Higher Education.
- We kept the same theme with The Clash and ‘Bankrobber’ and then Creedence Clearwater Revival and their ‘Bad Moon Rising’.
- The anger from the rank and file has been bubbling throughout this dispute. Is there a lack of leadership in our system of higher education? Someone who knew how to capture feelings of dismay and fatalism was Jimi Hendrix with his song ‘Hey Joe’.
- We need to change the narrative and the mood and forget any lack of moral control shown in the sector. This dispute is about those UCU members on strike, those on the picket line fighting for what is right. They are the ‘Heroes’ and David Bowie, of course.
- We then played Bob and Earl’s ‘Harlem Shuffle’ showing that there is real soul to our actions.
- The future of higher education rest with the young academics, PhD researchers and students. This dispute is for you and for what we can create together. Mott the Hoople and ‘All the Young Pickets (Dudes)’.
- Before we finish we have to get our Billy Bragg tune of the day in. His ‘Between The Wars’ reminds us of the faith in our pickets!
- We finished today with a short clear message from Woody Guthrie. You know what, ‘All You Fascists Bound To Lose’. Victory to the UCU Pickets!
UCU UoL Management School 