Weird how Durham used to think think a major lack of financial stability for their retiring staff was an issue.

Yes, 'Your Pension Options Guide,' still (as of now) linked from here durham.ac.uk/about-us/profe…, makes VERY clear the advantages of a defined benefit pension with a much greater employer contribution rate. Precisely what they are now taking away for new staff.

Senior managers at Durham wanting to deny defined benefits pensions to incoming G1-5 staff might want to look at this advice document, clear-eyed on the major financial risks of defined contribution pensions, produced by *checks notes* oh; THAT'S awkward.

durham.ac.uk/media/durham-u…

A pro-Palestinian encampment has assembled on Palace Green with demands including that Durham University calls for a ceasefire over the Israel-Gaza war, which started on 7th October 2023. palatinate.org.uk/pro-palestinia…

Durham UCU Palatinate Durham University Shameful decision-making to reduce employer's contributions for grades 1-5. Particularly when considering that there's over-representation of female staff in lower grades, and it's likely new staff entering the lower grades will be majority female.
gender-pay-gap.service.gov.uk/EmployerReport…

📢📢 #WeAreAllSue Campaign Update, 10 May.

Support is growing for Sue Agazie's fight for dignity Newcastle University. Already 5⃣ UCU branches have passed motions of solidarity with her campaign.

Over 250 signatures on the #WeAreAllSue letter too!

🧵

Durham University's latest gender pay gap report shows that the median hourly pay for women within Durham University is 19% lower than men’s. palatinate.org.uk/durham-univers…

Workers against genocide. Great stuff!

Encampment of Durham students on College Green now #FreePalestine

🚨BREAKING- Durham University students have set up an encampment on Palace Green in solidarity with Gaza

DURHAM NETWORKS -- please see request from the Palace Green encampment

Esp re teach outs!! ❤️

Just reposting this from Instagram. New encampment opened at Durham University. So proud of our Durham students.✊🍉

Solidarity to students everywhere who are protesting, demanding action from their Universities and showing solidarity with Palestine 🍉 an inspiration to us all

'Spending three years detached from the real world spending someone else’s money'. I doubt many of my students, holding down jobs on top of their studies and facing a lifetime of loan repayments, would recognize this, or understand why she deserved to go to uni more than they do.

Happy that our Special Issue of Discourse is out:

The material basis of elite schooling: capital and the state.

Has been a real pleasure working with Aline Courtois & Rebeccaboden to put this together.

It's a great line up of papers 🧵

tandfonline.com/toc/cdis20/45/3

We believe all workers at Durham deserve a secure retirement but Durham University management don't think so!

Oppose the plan to close the defined benefit pension to new staff on grade 1-5!

Sign the petition: tinyurl.com/DUPSpetition

Fill the feedback form: tinyurl.com/DUPSchangesfee…

.Durham University management want to close the local defined benefit pension scheme for grades 1 to 5 to new staff from November.

If this goes ahead, the lowest paid staff at the university will have less money & less security in retirement. Sign the petition:
change.org/p/stop-durham-…