Some of our hardy Heriot-Watt UCU branch pickets brave the cold as James Watt looks on.

End of week 1 and despite it being half term with many staff away on leave observation of strike action has been very good so far. Please keep it up. We need to send a strong message to our employers if we want to stop these irresponsible cuts to our pension benefits. Pensions which we have earned and which we deserve.

Please continue to observe the industrial action next week on the 4 Fights. Visit the picket line if you can. Picketing is the face of the strike, where we congregate at an agreed location to protest visibly and try to persuade our colleagues to join the strike. You can be on strike without picketing and the law on industrial action protects striking staff from victimisation for not doing work when on strike.

If you are unsure about what taking action involves and what it might mean for you please contact a member of the branch committee, or just pop down and ask. We will be outside the main entrance from around 8am until 10.30am each morning.