Dyfrig Jones

Dyfrig Jones

@dyfrigjones.bsky.social

Llywydd Undeb Prifysgol a Choleg (UCU) President of University and College Union (UCU)

1.1K followers2.6K following240 posts

Once I have a few spare minutes, I’m going to jot down some thoughts about the @ucu.org.uk Congress that was held last week. But in the meantime, please read this, which is a lovely reflective piece.

UCU Commons@ucucommons.org

NEW on the UCU Commons blog: Michael Bartlett, a first-time Congress attendee, reflects on the similarities and differences between UCU's annual Congress and the yearly meeting of Quakers Britain. A great read! #UCU26 ucucommons.org/comparing-th...

Are you at @ucu.org.uk Congress? Don’t have plans on Wednesday night? The Campaign for UCU Democracy is having a social at Cold Bath Brewing, 44 King’s Road, Harrogate HG1 5JW. Starting at 7:30z Come have a drink with us!

What is the Campaign for UCU Democracy? We are either a loose grouping of members, or a very badly organised faction. We’re a broad church, and if you come to our drinks I promise we won’t try and recruit you. Our manifesto is here: campaignforucudemocracy.com/manifesto/

campaignforucudemocracy.comManifestoSource: Flickr ©️ Magnus Hagdorn We at the Campaign for UCU Democracy recognise the importance of our union’s mission to defend and extend the rights of staff in Further and Higher Education and ou…

Dyfrig Jones reposted

I'm so proud of our Congress bulletin! Please share with your branch delegates. #UCU

UCU Commons@ucucommons.org

Newsletter #18 just dropped! A #UCU Congress special with a message from @markpendleton.bsky.social (incoming VP), details of what to expect at Congress, info on social events, advice on motions and recommendations on voting for elected positions. Please share! ucucommons.org/congress26-n...

Dyfrig Jones reposted

Replying to @ucucommons.org

All are very welcome to come along (whether a Congress delegate or not), and do drop us an email (ucucommons.org/contact-us/) if you have any access or dietary needs that would be useful for us to know about in advance. Please share! 2/2

ucucommons.orgContact usThere are lots of ways you can stay in touch and keep up to date with the work of UCU Commons. Join us Find out how to join UCU Commons on our 'Join' page. Subscribe Please hit the subscribe but...

Dyfrig Jones reposted

For all attending #UCU Congress 2026! On Tuesday 26th May, 7–10pm, we are hosting an informal social event upstairs at North Bar, 2d Cheltenham Parade, Harrogate, HG1 1DA. The first few arrivals can enjoy a drink (alcoholic or otherwise) on us, and there will be pizza available (also on us). 1/2

Dyfrig Jones reposted

Looked at another way: Leave/Right bloc: 47% ; Remain/Left bloc 51% But Remain/Left bloc more evenly split despite being bigger, so Leave/Right bloc does better under FPP. As in 2019 with Johnson's Leave coalition. But that could change if left bloc vote coalesces nationally or locally

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Dyfrig Jones reposted

Extremely gracious speech from First Minister Eluned Morgan on losing her seat, chwarae teg. Acknowledging that "Wales has rejected the Labour Party", calling Labour to change course and return to being the party of the working class, warning against feeding division and wishing Plaid Cymru well.

Dyfrig Jones reposted

Well fuck me backwards I never thought I'd see the day, but that's it, whatever happens it's a Plaid-lead government and a step towards And whisper it with me Independent Tropical Walesssss

Dyfrig Jones reposted

Yesterday in the media we saw £millions leeching out of UK universities to management consultants. Today it is student agents delivering international students to the highest bidding universities. This is where marketization and commercialization leads. www.theguardian.com/education/ng...

theguardian.com‘I see it as trafficking’: the brutal reality of life as a foreign student in the UKThe long read: Universities in Britain rely on overseas applicants paying full fees, which has given rise to some unscrupulous recruiters and left many hopefuls and their families deep in debt

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I for one am shocked that the same guy who tried to waste union resources on a plausibly legalistic but doomed hail mary in the courts then also wasted union resources defending against his vexatious allegation of rule breaches after he lost an election.

Dyfrig Jones reposted

Today, Plaid Cymru launched our Senedd election campaign to offer new leadership for 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Leadership which offers hope, new ambition and ideas - and always fights for our communities ✊ Join Plaid Cymru today to help us change Wales for the better 💚 🔗 partyof.wales/join

Dyfrig Jones reposted

I have decided to be a lot more shameless about promoting my work because what good is being ashamed of my work? I am very proud of it! Please check out @hyperfixedpod — documentary audio journalism where I solve problems for listeners who write in. Here are some of my fav eps!

Dyfrig Jones reposted

UCU Commons newsletter #12 just landed! Election results, ARPS & Anticas conference reports, Women’s TUC, opposing the Iran war, Equality Research conference, @alanlester.bsky.social on defamatory attacks & Adam Tickell punching down on tuition fees #UCU #UKHE ucucommons.org/ucu-commons-...

ucucommons.orgUCU Commons newsletter #12, 11 March  2026Dear subscriber Welcome to the UCU Commons newsletter, a curated set of links and information about what's happening in UCU Commons, our union, and our sectors more generally. As always, we welcome a...

Dyfrig Jones reposted

The #UCU election results are quite good overall. We could use more good people running. The turnout, unsurprisingly was worse than the baseline though I’m gonna have to dig out all the numbers again. However having @markpe as chair of HEC is a relief for me.

Dyfrig Jones reposted

Delighted to announce I have been elected UCU Vice President from the FE sector. I am honoured by all those who voted for me and endlessly thankful to everyone who supported my campaign. I pledge to listen to members and fight for our sector with fierce energy and integrity. Let's do this 💪

Dyfrig Jones reposted

What else is there to say but: these people were warned and warned and warned again about this, going back well over ten years and further, and their constant response was: absolutely fuck you, you are all idiots and we are the smart, Sensible people whom understand what the public like and want.

Steve Chambers@planningtransport.co.uk

Nationally, Labour is losing twice as many voters to Greens and Lib Dems as they are to Reform. (John Curtice on BBC)

Dyfrig Jones reposted

It’s not all elections at #ucu. This afternoon I’m joining the induction for the new Congress Business Committee, the elected body that determines how our annual congress runs. This year it will be in Harrogate at the end of May. Congress is our peak democratic body, but how democratic is it?

Dyfrig Jones reposted

For the Monday morning folk: I’ll be skeeting my answers to the #ucu VP hustings each day this week. Intro comments out yesterday and now the first member-submitted question (and my shortest answer at 42 seconds): “What political parties, if any, are you a member of?”

Mark Pendleton@markpendleton.bsky.social

Full recordings of the #ucu VP hustings will (I think) be up this week, but with the voting deadline looming I’m going to be posting my clips myself over the next few days. First, some introductory comments in two short clips (2 mins each). More about me also at: ucucommons.org/mark4vp/

I’m really proud of Bangor University students today. Very much in the spirit of Penrhyndeudraeth lad Bertrand Russell, when he said that “nothing fruitful or sincere could ever emerge from an association between us”, when invited to debate Oswald Mosley.

There will be the inevitable screams of “free speech!”, of course, but they are, as always, bogus. Reform have plenty of platforms to spread their bile. None of us have to invite them into our homes, our workplaces, our socieites and associations, our spaces.

And thank god that HE is devolved in Wales. Zia Yusuf has threatened to de-fund Bangor University, but he’ll need to win this year’s Senedd election first. The people of Wales know better than to hand power to such tyrants. Vote Plaid Cymru in May to keep Reform out.

Dyfrig Jones reposted

Excellent as always from @markpendleton.bsky.social I just posted my ballot voting for @markpendleton.bsky.social @suzitoole.bsky.social and the entire @ucucommons.org slate!

Mark Pendleton@markpendleton.bsky.social

I’m not from a trade union household - quite the opposite in fact! But I learned to #HeartUnions by experiencing the picket lines and protests of late 90s Australia. In 2022, I wrote a bit about this, and why unions must work for all members. www.historyworkshop.org.uk/activism-sol...

Dyfrig Jones reposted

I really did intend to read all the election addresses, but then decided not to bother and used the @ucucommons.org cheat sheet (below) instead. Apologies to my fellow candidates, and good luck!

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Dyfrig Jones reposted

A huge turnout of staff, students and community members against the proposed closure of the Uni of Essex campus in Southend. Thanks to @ucuessex.bsky.social for the invitation to speak about what’s happening at Sheffield - your fight is our fight! And solidarity for your picket lines next week!

Dyfrig Jones reposted