KCL UCU Branch
Members’ Voices
Hear directly from our members — their stories, experiences, and why they stand with UCU.
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Paternity Leave & Collective Action
“The increase in funded paternity leave from two weeks to six weeks was a significant achievement of our collective action. I experienced both systems firsthand. When I took paternity leave in 2021, I had only two weeks, which was far from sufficient. By the time my second child was born, that leave had been extended to six weeks as a result of union negotiations during our most recent strikes.
Paternity Leave & Collective Action
“The increase in funded paternity leave from two weeks to six weeks was a significant achievement of our collective action. I experienced both systems firsthand. When I took paternity leave in 2021, I had only two weeks, which was far from sufficient. By the time my second child was born, that leave had been extended to six weeks as a result of union negotiations during our most recent strikes.
That additional time made a profound difference. It allowed me to be present with my newborn and to properly support my partner during a critical period. This experience demonstrates, in very concrete terms, what we can achieve when we organize and act collectively.”
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Being a Caseworker
“I decided to get involved in being a caseworker after hearing from a friend at another university how they had benefited from union support in getting the redundancy pay they were entitled to when their fixed term contract expired. I joined King’s on a research contract, so haven’t always felt very integrated. Doing casework has been a great way to meet staff from across the university, and has also helped make me more aware of my own rights as an employee. It’s very flexible in terms of time commitment, so I can take on more or less depending on my other commitments. It’s incredibly satisfying to be able to help members navigate challenges in the workplace, from getting reasonable adjustments implemented and ensuring entitlements to parental leave are honoured, to challenging bullying and harassment.”
Being a Caseworker
“I decided to get involved in being a caseworker after hearing from a friend at another university how they had benefited from union support in getting the redundancy pay they were entitled to when their fixed term contract expired. I joined King’s on a research contract, so haven’t always felt very integrated. Doing casework has been a great way to meet staff from across the university, and has also helped make me more aware of my own rights as an employee. It’s very flexible in terms of time commitment, so I can take on more or less depending on my other commitments. It’s incredibly satisfying to be able to help members navigate challenges in the workplace, from getting reasonable adjustments implemented and ensuring entitlements to parental leave are honoured, to challenging bullying and harassment.”
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Support for GTAs
“UCU was incredibly important in giving support when I was facing harassment and political repression as a GTA. I felt supported when this was turned into a collective issue. It connected me with senior colleagues and we could strategise together. At a time when I felt isolated as this was being dealt with as a personal one-off by the university, UCU supported me by being a collective voice. It also paid attention to the precarious nature of being a GTA. At a time where I was already burnt out, UCU’s collective voice and labour (writing emails, being present with me in meetings with admin and helping me prepare for it) helped me to deal with the situation and connect it to a wider struggle within the university.”
Support for GTAs
“UCU was incredibly important in giving support when I was facing harassment and political repression as a GTA. I felt supported when this was turned into a collective issue. It connected me with senior colleagues and we could strategise together. At a time when I felt isolated as this was being dealt with as a personal one-off by the university, UCU supported me by being a collective voice. It also paid attention to the precarious nature of being a GTA. At a time where I was already burnt out, UCU’s collective voice and labour (writing emails, being present with me in meetings with admin and helping me prepare for it) helped me to deal with the situation and connect it to a wider struggle within the university.”
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Your topic here
This testimonial is coming soon. If you’d like to share your story, get in touch below.
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Are you a UCU member at King’s? Your story matters. Tell us how union membership has made a difference in your working life and we’ll feature your experience here.
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Are you a UCU member at King’s? Your story matters. Tell us how union membership has made a difference in your working life and we’ll feature your experience here.
Submit your testimonial →