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Solidarity with all in HE, students and staff, who are in varying degrees of nightmare at the moment.
To staff, I know you are getting shot at from all sides. Even supposed allies on the left have put the boot in. Everyone is grappling with moral dilemmas and fear.
/1
To staff, I know you are getting shot at from all sides. Even supposed allies on the left have put the boot in. Everyone is grappling with moral dilemmas and fear.
/1
I am an out and out militant, not peformatively (honest) but because it's who I am. This is what I believe. But I try to extend good faith to colleagues who don't always feel they can have a 1-1 with a senior manager and just tell them they are flat wrong.
/2
/2
I don't have kids, am single, have no caring responsibilities, and if I get sacked it would be bad, obviously, but I could hole up as a middle aged lodger with Mum and Dad for a good while.
Right now, that's a real luxury.
/3
Right now, that's a real luxury.
/3
So I am seeing people telling staff to 'grow a spine' & yes, I would like to see HE workers march off the job. I would like to see a politics of refusal. I've called for it. I've tried to do it.
But I think we need to respect the fact that we all have different circs.
/4
But I think we need to respect the fact that we all have different circs.
/4
That doesn't mean we shouldn't be fighting for collective action that can transcend those circs and make the university real as a community in opposition to this nightmare.
I just don't think recrimination at whole groups of workers is a place to start.
/5
I just don't think recrimination at whole groups of workers is a place to start.
/5
People are going through real moral dilemmas, grappling with how to resolve them, and in the case of some wondering what other job they could do if they got sacked.
I appreciate such is the history of the labour movement and we are far from the worst affected right now.
/6
I appreciate such is the history of the labour movement and we are far from the worst affected right now.
/6
But I think we can offer structural critique which recognises that actually some HE workers DO stand up, take risks, engage in soliarity, and precarious worker often are in the vanguard, without simply trashing HE workers or one group of them as a whole.
/8
/8
I don't think anyone should be onsite. I was never going to go onsite come what may and tried to support others not to do so.
People have quietly tried to do the right thing, protect vulnerable colleagues, engage in the art of resistance.
/9
People have quietly tried to do the right thing, protect vulnerable colleagues, engage in the art of resistance.
/9
But vast majority of them aren't loudmouths on Twitter like me trying to make noise.
They are ARPS staff trying to find their way round inhuman bureaucratic rules for the benefit of students.
/10
They are ARPS staff trying to find their way round inhuman bureaucratic rules for the benefit of students.
/10
They are the academics who have chosen to teach onsite so the vulnerable colleague who didn't get an exemption can teach the online class.
Even in this nightmare quiet heroism abounds. I have seen it.
Love and hugs to all.
Even in this nightmare quiet heroism abounds. I have seen it.
Love and hugs to all.
