MAB Solidarity Fundraiser

At the end of May 2023, UCU Edinburgh launched the MAB Solidarity Fund, an initiative inspired by Birmingham UCU’s recent fundraising drive, which raised £50,000 for their local fund to support MABbing staff.

Thanks to the tenacity and commitment of our members, the MAB is working, but our success hinges on our ability to sustain boycotting members through the action period. To this end, we launched this fundraising drive to grow our local hardship fund. We are asking members who are not declared MABbers to donate some of their of their take-home pay each month to support MABbers facing deductions. As a local branch of over 3,000, we have the numbers to keep the MAB going, but only if we can channel this power into growing the hardship fund.

Borrowing the UCU Birmingham model, two “MABbackers” can support one “MABber” by donating 1/6th of their take-home salary. Each member then keeps 5/6th of their pay for the duration of the boycott, distributing the financial hit more equitably across members of our branch. Please see the attached infographic for further explanation.

We will initially run the Solidarity Fund to raise donations in June and July, after which point the Branch Committee will review as necessary.

How can I become a MABbacker? 

There are two ways to be a MABbacker: 

  • First, you can donate directly via bank transfer. We are asking members to donate 1/6th of take-home pay (approx. 16.5%) for the months of June and July. To support the MAB in this way, please send 1/6th of your net monthly salary to: 

    • UCU Edinburgh University Hardship Fund 

    • Sort Code: 60-83-01 

    • Account No: 20392905 

    • Further information: On the memo line for your transfer, please put: MAB [your name]. This will help us with tracking—we won’t contact you again to ask for a donation. 

  • Second, you can pledge an amount to support the MAB, and the branch will contact you and ask you to transfer the funds if needed.  

What else can I do?

To find out more about how you can help support the MAB Solidarity Campaign, get in touch with your Local Contact.

If you’re one of our generous colleagues who has already donated, you could now spread the word, share the campaign with friends and family and see what happens. And why not stop by the UCUE office and pick up a MABber badge as a wee gift to yourself? You deserve it!