FreshEd #107 - University Strikes in the UK (Ioannis Costas Batlle and Aurelien Mondon)

FreshEd is on break! While we are away, we'll re-play some of our favourite episodes. Two quick notes: First, please consider donating to FreshEd to keep us open access and ad-free. https://paypal.me/FreshEdPodcast Second, applications are open for Season 3 of FreshEd Flux. Apply now! https://freshedpodcast.com/flux/apply/ -- Hi FreshEd listeners. Some of you might have heard that the UK university sector has called for 18 days of strikes between February and March. We’re striking because pay has declined over 25 percent in real terms since 2010; our pensions have been cut on average by 35 percent; the sector relies on short-term, exploitative contracts; and there are massive gender and ethnic pay gaps. We can’t provide the proper learning conditions for our students when our working conditions are so dismal. Five years ago we aired a show about higher education in the UK. It coincided with an earlier round of industrial action. So I wanted to re-play this episode since reimagining he university is exactly what we are still trying to do today. This will be the last re-run before new episodes air next week. For now, enjoy this episode and please show your support for the striking university staff across the UK. -- Today, we explore the university strikes in the United Kingdom. My guests are Ioannis Costas Batlle and Aurelien Mondon, lecturers at the University of Bath and participants in the Bath Teach Outs. Based on their experiences in the current labor movement sweeping the UK, they find an alternative to the neoliberal university. Their new co-written blog post entitled "University Strikes: Reclaiming a space for emancipatory education" was published by Discover Society. Learn more about the strikes here: https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/12469/FAQs www.freshedpodcast.com/batlle-mondon -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: [email protected] Support FreshEd: www.freshedpodcast.com/donate