Following yesterday's ramble about HE strikes, I've tried to formulate my thoughts into some advice for academic staff on talking to professional services staff at the picket line. (1/?)

DON'T lead with a low pay angle - based on pure numbers, professional services staff may be making half your salary and it makes you sound like the £80k-isn't-rich man. DO feel free to talk about escalating workloads and other pressures (2/?)

DON'T assume that everyone is in USS - many non-academic staff don't make enough to qualify, and the alternatives offered to us have also been brutally cut. (3/?)

DON'T ask for solidarity if you're not willing to reciprocate. DO ask professional staff about their concerns - few academics seem to take an interest in us (4/?)

DON'T complain about "the administration" when you mean "senior management" - admin staff have even less institutional power than you do (5/?)

If you're on action short of a strike, make it a manager's problem rather than an admin assistant's; escalate it to someone who is actually paid to deal with this stuff (6/?)

Be aware that many professional services staff are used to condescension, indifference or bullying from academic staff, and may be reluctant to accept your good intentions right away (7/?)

Remember that despite the massive and often class-related us-vs-them divide between different staff types in HE, we have more in common than you'd think. The divide only benefits those at the top, so don't play into their hands (8/8).