PGRS.UK first organised during the Covid-19 pandemic for fight for better pay. Although this site has not been too active in posting, we are still here, and have organised for a survey to be sent to candidates for UCU positions.
This pledge has been written by PGR (postgraduate researcher/doctoral student) UCU members across the UK in conversation with various PGR networks. It reflects what we want from our elected representatives in our union to support PGR interests.
UCU Candidates - Complete the Survey Here
We have invited responses from all candidates for positions that PGRs (as HE members) will vote for in the 2024 UK-wide UCU elections (General Secretary, Trustee, Vice-President, NEC HE positions, NEC Women’s and Land-based positions). We recognise that no-one in any of these positions can acomplish these goals alone, so we are asking that you pledge to use your elected role to push for these goals alongside the rest of UCU members, staff, and democratic structures.
All responses/lack thereof will be published on http://pgrs.uk/. We aim to publish it around the time voting papers arrive on approx 25 January.
Your answers to each of the six pledges will be communicated as either Yes, No, or No* (the latter indicating that you have selected “Other” and provided an explanatory comment.) Any explanatory comments you provide under “Other” will also be published.
We will also publish whether you have signed or organised PGR open letters since 2020 (on Covid-19 funding extensions and other support, Cost of living and stipend increases, the PGRs as Staff co-leads’ jobs, and AHRC studentship funding cuts). So, please advise at the end if you have used a different name to sign such letters so that we can confirm your signature. Also please advise if you were involved in organising such letters.
UCU Candidates - Complete the Survey Here
When the results come back, they will be published here at PGRS UK.