Dear Professor Steve Bradley,

Discrimination against trade union members by Lancaster University is abhorrent and must be stopped immediately. We are appalled that the University is facing an Employment Tribunal hearing for the trade union victimisation of Dr Julie Hearn, President of UCU’s Lancaster branch. Dr Hearn is highly respected by the students and alumni she has taught, and she has our full support and solidarity.

The University must immediately address concerns about trade union victimisation. It must recognise the legitimate reasons for continuing strike action, and seek to work collaboratively with UCU, Unite, and Unison on all their ongoing disputes, which include pensions, the gender and racial pay gaps, and the casualisation of contracts.

The intimidation and bullying of workers and trade unionists at Lancaster University is endemic. Such has been the erosion of democracy, that students and staff are powerless to effect change in their University beyond the last resort of collective direct and industrial action. University management must recognise this and seek to constructively address this by re-democratising the governance of the University.

Signed,

...

(The full list of the over 400 students, alumni, academics, and trade unionists who have signed the open letter can be viewed here: docs.google.com/document/d/1zeoFuHQSf-gYnyk4SvI48e1hxj_Tv3ygya2lXNXu27A/edit?usp=sharing)

UPDATE 11/02/2020 - We've now closed signatories to the open letter, and shall be delivering it to the VC soon...

UPDATE 12/02/2020 - The letter was delivered to the VC in person, and he rejected the claims that Lancaster University victimises trade unionists: thetab.com/uk/lancaster/2020/02/12/lancs-uni-students-give-letter-of-condemnation-to-vc-over-victimisation-of-staff-15931