But I am not giving up. One of the thrills outsourced cleaners at the University of of research is getting on the hunt, and the London went on their first ever strike last Wednesday to demanding decent sick pay, hunt goes on. holidays, and pensions – basic rights Early in November, I appeared on BBC which the university has hitherto denied Four in a debate chaired by Ed Stourton them. Tomorrow (3rd December) all of on the controversial documentary film us students and members of staff at UCL ‘Search for Exile: Truth or Myth?’ (Ilan will have our chance to influence the Ziv, 2013). The film, which was shown outcome of a struggle for fairness and before the debate, argues – what has education that is taking place around us, always been known – that there was no every day on our campus; staff at exile of Jews from Palestine after the universities around the country are going destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Its on strike tomorrow, and by supporting main, political point is that contrary to the the strike we help to improve justice and Zionist myth of exile and return, Jews and the quality of education at UCL. Arabs have had a common history in the land until the creation of the State of Staff members at universities across the Israel. This seems to me a constructive UK have, during recent years, on average message. The debate was lively, but very experienced real-term pay cuts of 13 civil and on a good intellectual level. This percent. A worrying trend, since falling TV show was good publicity for the wages within the higher education sector Department, but also demonstrated the are a threat to the long-term quality of importance of historical research, even university education. Additionally, there is going as far back as 70 CE, for a 14 percent pay gap between men and understanding the complex situations in women and far from all workers at London universities even receive the which we find ourselves today. London Living Wage. The aim of tomorrow’s strike action is to change this dangerous state of affairs, and it is very important that it does so. As a history student it is always a privilege to witness, as I have had this past week, University managers could have avoided a history in the making. Turning the tide in situation like this, but chose not to. In all a nigh unprecedented campaign, industrial disputes over pay and other
But I am not giving up. One of the thrills of research is getting on the hunt, and the hunt goes on. Early in November, I appeared on BBC Four in a debate chaired by Ed Stourton on the controversial documentary film ‘Search for Exile: Truth or Myth?’ (Ilan Ziv, 2013). The film, which was shown before the debate, argues – what has always been known – that there was no exile of Jews from Palestine after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. Its main, political point is that contrary to the Zionist myth of exile and return, Jews and Arabs have had a common history in the land until the creation of the State of Israel. This seems to me a constructive message. The debate was lively, but very civil and on a good intellectual level. This TV show was good publicity for the Department, but also demonstrated the importance of historical research, even going as far back as 70 CE, for understanding the complex situations in which we find ourselves today. As a history student it is always a privilege to witness, as I have had this past week, history in the making. Turning the tide in a nigh unprecedented campaign, outsourced cleaners at the University of London went on their first ever strike last Wednesday to demanding decent sick pay, holidays, and pensions – basic rights which the university has hitherto denied them. Tomorrow (3rd December) all of us students and members of staff at UCL will have our chance to influence the outcome of a struggle for fairness and education that is taking place around us, every day on our campus; staff at universities around the country are going on strike tomorrow, and by supporting the strike we help to improve justice and the quality of education at UCL. Staff members at universities across the UK have, during recent years, on average experienced real-term pay cuts of 13 percent. A worrying trend, since falling wages within the higher education sector are a threat to the long-term quality of university education. Additionally, there is a 14 percent pay gap between men and women and far from all workers at London universities even receive the London Living Wage. The aim of tomorrow’s strike action is to change this dangerous state of affairs, and it is very important that it does so. University managers could have avoided a situation like this, but chose not to. In all industrial disputes over pay and other
hanukkah_newsletter_hjs.docx