A member of LMU has stopped the university's UNISON branch from choosing what notices it puts on its noticeboards. In an attempt to pretend that all is as normal, University authorities have taken down notices they don't like while leaving up others.
This Orwellian farce began with the discovery that on an unknown number of occasions the University had planted secret voice-activated spy cameras in toilets, apparently at both main sites. Particular employees of the University were apparently being targetted, but obviously any membur of staff, student or member of the public could be caught, whatever they might be doing.
UNISON branch officers and members were outraged, particularly by the indiscriminate nature of this invasion of privacy. They produced notices to warn about it.
Although the Vice-Chancellor and other officials have admitted that this form of surveillance did take place, they don't want the branch to tell people about it - and. demanded the keys to all UNISON's noticeboards.
UNISON members and some of their friends have been conducting a hit-and-run campaign of posting unauthorised notices telling staff and students what they're not allowed to say, and that they're not allowed to say High officials in 'Human Relations' and members of University security have been earning their salaries by going round tearing them down.
Before Christmas NATHE, the lecturers' union, was writing to the employer to demand an explanation of what was going on. No action has yet been taken by the Students Union, although the 'Leeds Student' newspaper has covered the story. With the start of the new term UNISON will undoubtedly be continuing its campaign against this attack on the right of the trade union to organise, and the gross invasion of privacy that preceded it. under constant attack.
If we are to defend our members we have to address the new problems we face.
Not by adapting to VUl new bosses' agenda but by pressing forward with our own. That was the meaning of this year's Infrastruc ture dispute. We have shown that when we organise a campaign on our demands our members are prepared to fight.
For this year we have to make a reality of union policy to fight for a shorter working week and a minimum per cent pay increase. This means more than just waiting in the hope that pressure from members will build up Despite Union policy, Knapp will not even ask our sponsored MPs to speak Politically, up to defend our we are failing terms and conditions. to fight as new The idea that Labour privatises the government the London might consider re-nationalising the railways has been dropped. Even the cost-less proposal to return rail franchises to public ownership at the end of their term has disappeared from the New Labour agenda. We need to reassert our own agenda - to fight for re-nationalisation as the only way to defend rail services; to halt the threat of any further privatisation on London Underground; for action to