BATTLES ON

THE RETURN OF the strikes occurs in a year already staring aghast into the abyss of war.

Strikes in industries across the UK have refamiliarised the notion of taking action and fighting for rights, even as a dramatic anti-strike bill is passed in Parliament. With rising inflation and depressive costs of living, it is a particularly volatile time for workers rights in the UK and across the world, something which has been considered closer to home as well.

Throughout the 2022/2023 academic year, a range of battles have also been fought on the University of York campus, as the YUSU Sabbatical officers use their time in office to change student life for the better.

The first war on the horizon was the ongoing relationship with FirstBus, a service which affects every student at some point during their studies and life in York. With slipping GPS tracking, unreliable timetables, and continually late buses, students no longer felt they could trust buses to deliver. In autumn term, Hannah and Pierrick sought to change that, offering a range of student consultations before taking the issue straight to FirstBus. Since doing so, they’ve managed to implement additional mobility seats, secure GPS tracking and even updates to the mobile app, ensuring students can now safely and securely journey to and from class, work and home.

A more recent York based battle was Pierrick and Hannah’s ongoing discussions with Unity Health. The on-campus GP service has been marketed as the best option for students to register and get medical care. However, in the past students have instead faced long waits for registration, difficulty booking appointments and unending calls on hold (I know their hold music off by heart now). Recently though, the Sabbs published an in-depth Q&A session with the surgery, addressing a number of concerns whilst leaving options open for further development and work.