Dear All,
As many of you will have seen today, the Guardian finally got round to publishing the
BUIRA half-page display. Below is a copy of the message to UCU's Matt Waddup declining the
union's offer to meet the cost of the balance. Therefore, we are still accepting donations
(details below).
Dear Matt,
I apologise for taking so long to get back to you about UCU's offer to meet the balance
for the BUIRA display, Critical Thinking under Attack in Universities'. Having considered
very carefully UCU's generous offer, the BUIRA Executive has decided that for reasons of
maintaining our independence as an academic association, now and in the future, we will
have to decline the union's offer.
We believe the value of BUIRA's campaign is our status as an independent association,
focusing on the academic issues which have very serious ramifications for the future of
critical social science in UK universities. By maintaining our independence, BUIRA's
campaign is all the more effective because it cannot reasonably be portrayed by Keele's
senior management as a 'UCU front'. This is especially important given BUIRA's high
profile on Keele, exemplified by today's Guardian half-page display, which we believe
complements UCU's industrial campaign. In addition, it is important that we maintain our
independence in order to continue our ongoing work in the future with other organisations,
including unions, employer associations and government.
As you rightly point out, UCU and BUIRA share a mutual interest in resisting the Keele
attack, we hope that you will be able to use the money to support UCU's own campaign at
Keele.
Best wishes,
Paul Brook
British Universities Industrial Relations Association (BUIRA) Secretary
[www.buira.org]
KEELE CAMPAIGN: URGENT FINANCIAL APPEAL FROM BUIRA FOR HALF-PAGE PROTEST IN GUARDIAN
How to make your donation (we can only accept individual donations)
By Cheque:
Made payable to the ‘British Universities Industrial Relations Association’ and
returned to: Ann Marie McDonald, BUIRA, Research Institute for Business and Management,
Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, Minshull House, 47-49 Chorlton
Street,
Manchester M1 3FY
By Direct Bank Transfer:
Account: ‘British Universities Industrial Relations Association’
Bank: Co-operative Bank plc, Cambridge
Sort Code: 08 90 43
Account Number: 50588886
Please send an email to Paul Brook [[log in to unmask]] to let us know how much you are
donating to help us keep a tally.
Many thanks for your support on behalf of the BUIRA Executive,
Paul Brook,
BUIRA Secretary
|