Parting shots

The last few from the Pensions March of November 30th. Rest here.

Now is the winter of our discontent…

Ken Purchase, former Labour MP

Rob Marris, former MP

The long march…

Some more favourites from yesterday's protest. Rest here, or click these for larger versions.

These teachers are getting younger and younger

Maybe this is what the Mail meant by the 'bloated' public sector.

Meet the marchers

Contrary to the hysteria of the Daily Mail, which yesterday was openly triumphant at the prospect of 710,000 sackings from the 'bloated' public sector, yesterday's protest was packed with saddened, brave, lovely people. The people who teach you, clean your streets, wipe your bottom (as a baby and as an older person), help you with your benefits, make sure you don't drown in the local pool… all the things you might miss if you're not Jeremy Clarkson.

Apart from the incredible cold, picketing was rather fun. Not many people crossed the line, and those who did tended to look embarrassed about it. The Vice-Chancellor came to have an amiable chat, and loads of people honked and waved in support. No abuse this time, unlike previous actions. I was fed lovely pastries by well-wishers, and another scab managed to hit 'reply to all' when grovelling to management, so that's another one off the Christmas card list.

The rally was stunningly well-attended. I met lots of my students, some of them striking from their own public sector jobs, and even the speeches were short and punchy. Hearing former New Labour MP Rob Marris sound left-wing was very weird. Mind you, after 18 months of Paul Uppal, Pinochet's starting to look a bit pinko.

Here are a few of my favourite shots: click on them to enlarge. The rest are here.

Possibly my favourite of the lot. Lady with Vuvuzela. 

Ah, Vice-Chancellor, how nice of you to join us.

At long last!

Finally, I've been abused by someone on the internet. Lord knows I've tried: I've discussed Israel and Palestine (yes, Americans, Palestine is a place and a nation), criticised Tolkien and even suggested that Paul Uppal MP is a lazy, selfish hound. To no avail.

Until today. Our management demanded to know who is planning to work on Wednesday, when all sane public sector employees are taking industrial action. One silly scabby sausage hit 'reply to all', so that everyone knows who doesn't care about solidarity (average pension of our support staff: £3500-4000).

So I posted this on Twitter:

Advice to scabs: if you're planning to work on #Nov30 it's best not to hit 'reply to all' when management asks who's going to scab.

and received this response from @MatofKilburnia, who claims to be leftwing:

scab is a hateful word of intimidation. Very disappointed to see it being used in 2011

you are a bully

Oooh! Scrap scrap scrap…

I'm not really a bully. I've resisted the temptation to publicly name and shame my 'colleague'. The bullies are the management who know perfectly well (because I've told them repeatedly) that members don't have to inform management about taking action in advance. It's an attempt to pick people off by intimidating them.

And if anyone thinks the word 'scab' is bullying, I'd direct them to Lewis Jones's Cwmardy, in which a miner who refuses to join the union is left to hold up a 3-ton coal cart himself: an excellent lesson in the shortcomings of individualism.

Anyway, must go. I've got some duffings-up to administer round the back by the bins. Give me your lunch money or you'll get some too.