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melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms
@melaniesimms.bsky.social
2.3K followers 2K following 620 posts

Professor of Work and Employment. Specialism in unions and worker voice. Promoter of social sciences. Fascinated by pretty much everything. She/her

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Political science 37%
Public Health 21%
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melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 42m
Regular readers will know I’m very exercised by this. It’s worse than covered here in employment/labour market issues (maybe others too) because with Brexit we lost a lot of routine monitoring data and surveys done by the EU. observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
UK ‘flying blind’ in key policy areas thanks to unreliable official data | The Observer
observer.co.uk

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 2d
Not just AI. Many innovations. A good thread on what VC ‘does’.
paulnightingale.bsky.social Paul Nightingale @paulnightingale.bsky.social · 2d
This is exactly right. The problem in the UK tech sector with VC isn't just cash.

VC do two things. They provide cash and more importantly they are a governance structure for providing managerial support.

1.

AI start-ups in the UK need more than money share.google/W4CbRwpcYwPG...
AI start-ups in the UK need more than money
In Silicon Valley, VCs offer both funding and advice from partners who built their own global businesses
share.google

Reposted by Melanie Simms

paulnightingale.bsky.social
Paul Nightingale @paulnightingale.bsky.social · 2d
This is exactly right. The problem in the UK tech sector with VC isn't just cash.

VC do two things. They provide cash and more importantly they are a governance structure for providing managerial support.

1.

AI start-ups in the UK need more than money share.google/W4CbRwpcYwPG...
AI start-ups in the UK need more than money
In Silicon Valley, VCs offer both funding and advice from partners who built their own global businesses
share.google

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 2d
Radical opinion: it’s not ok to harass people even if you are plying your trade. Yes Brussels taxi drivers - I’m looking at you.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 2d
This is a brilliant thread. Thank you.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 2d
The EU is now unambiguously clear. Good quality jobs are underpinned by trade union membership, representation and collective bargaining. ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
Commission sets out roadmap for future-proof quality jobs in a competitive EU
Today, the European Commission presented the Quality Jobs Roadmap, a strong commitment to improving job quality and creating high-quality and future-proof jobs in Europe.
ec.europa.eu

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 2d
Brexit has re-wired my brain. I am very much enjoying being in Brussels for work. Odd…

Reposted by Dave O’Brien, Gillian Rose, John Hogan , and 1 more

amoorelouise.bsky.social
Louise Amoore @amoorelouise.bsky.social · 4d
Excited to announce @leverhulmecal.bsky.social posts - we are looking for 7 interdisciplinary fellows to join our Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life, closing date 30 January 2026 (1/3) durham.taleo.net/careersectio...
Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life Fellows - Assistant Professor (Research) G7 - G8
Click the link provided to see the complete job description.
durham.taleo.net

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 4d
(I used to get told off in comms training for being too wordy. I explained that AUT (as was) members LOVE the detail.) Since Summer, I've had a lot of conversations with both UCU and Unison members who have absolutely understood their ballot choices.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 4d
Just to note a lot of union members (in HE and beyond) do understand that not voting is a more effective way to kibosh a ballot than voting against.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 7d
Are we sure that Your Party aren’t an art performance?

Reposted by Melanie Simms, Roland Erne

Andreas Bieler @abieler.bsky.social · 8d
EU Court Upholds Minimum Wage Directive in Victory for Social Europe, see andreasbieler.blogspot.com/2025/11/eu-c... @rolanderne.bsky.social
EU Court Upholds Minimum Wage Directive in Victory for Social Europe
‘The Court of Justice of the European Union has delivered a landmark verdict on the EU Minimum Wage Directive that I would characterise as “...
andreasbieler.blogspot.com

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 9d
I’m not Italian and I’m having kittens! Yes - that’s burrata. But I have no clue what the orange stuff is!
A Tesco ad at a bus stop. A close up picture of a burrata dressed with a whole lot of not-Italian things. Including a radioactive orange sauce. It actually looks like a murdered snowman on first glance.

Reposted by Martin Paul Eve, Aileen McHarg, Melanie Simms , and 1 more

eicathomefinn.bsky.social
Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 10d
'The University of Dundee has been told it cannot make any compulsory redundancies until it has a three-year recovery strategy in place as part of conditions placed on its bailout from the Scottish government.' 1/3
Bailout conditions restrict compulsory redundancies at Dundee
University told to come up with a plan for financial recovery before it enforces more job losses
www.timeshighereducation.com

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 10d
Absolutely! Most of the times I’ve got myself into seriously dangerous trouble, it’s because I haven’t been believed. I’ve had to work in this A LOT.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 10d
Wow. A GP appointment where I needed none of the documents I’d prepared in advance to advocate for myself. She listened. Heard. We discussed risks (which I’d researched in advance). And decided a way forward. I’m quite emotional. It’s weirdly triggering. I love her and would follow her to battle.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 11d
I had to talk a colleague through Echo360 the other day. Hard same.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 12d
Relatively. I do it as good practice so that the editor (and eventually author) know how have understood the core contribution of the paper. I was definitely taught to do it. But it’s relatively uncommon for that to be explicitly requested. Might be an AI thing?

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 14d
I am horrified to confirm that gentle exercise and clean living are the most effective way to relieve many of the aches and pains of aging. Who knew? And how dare this be real. Furious.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 17d
Because I’m a union nerd, there’s nothing I love more than spending time at union conferences. Thank you to Nautilus for giving me a chance to speak about the Employment Rights Bill today. I’m loving hearing about the great work you’re doing for your members.

Reposted by Scott L. Greer, Rosemary A. Joyce, Smith , and 5 more

neorsd.org
NE Ohio Regional Sewer District @neorsd.org · 18d
just learned we won an award for our blog post about Tom Holland and stormwater management.

remember, when you see an article about stormwater management, you repost it. i don’t make the rules.
What Tom Holland’s historic lip-sync showcase taught us about stormwater management
Grab your umbrella and your tights.
neorsd.medium.com

Reposted by Sven T. Beckert, Richard S.J. Tol, Valerie Mueller , and 2 more

sethrockman.bsky.social
Seth Rockman @sethrockman.bsky.social · 18d
A two-year LABOR HISTORY postdoc @brownhist.bsky.social and @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social

Possible foci: migration/displacement/ human trafficking; automation/technology/processes of global integration; or gender/sexuality/politics of reproductive labor

Please apply!
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
apply.interfolio.com

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 20d
Work to do. But go science!
adapalmer.bsky.social Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 20d
British and Australian chemists have discovered a powerful new antibiotic called pre-methylenomycin C lactone, hiding in a well-known soil bacterium. This molecule kills drug-resistant bacteria without triggering resistance. buff.ly/YlXaONo
#ShareGoodNewsToo
Scientists find hidden antibiotic 100x stronger against deadly superbugs
A team of scientists discovered a hidden antibiotic 100 times stronger than existing drugs against deadly superbugs like MRSA. The molecule had been overlooked for decades in a familiar bacterium. It…
buff.ly

Reposted by Ashish Arora, Rosemary A. Joyce, Martin Paul Eve , and 8 more

adapalmer.bsky.social
Ada Palmer @adapalmer.bsky.social · 20d
British and Australian chemists have discovered a powerful new antibiotic called pre-methylenomycin C lactone, hiding in a well-known soil bacterium. This molecule kills drug-resistant bacteria without triggering resistance. buff.ly/YlXaONo
#ShareGoodNewsToo
Scientists find hidden antibiotic 100x stronger against deadly superbugs
A team of scientists discovered a hidden antibiotic 100 times stronger than existing drugs against deadly superbugs like MRSA. The molecule had been overlooked for decades in a familiar bacterium. It…
buff.ly

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 21d
Correct opinion. I really don’t get modern print design with a million whacky fonts. I just want to be able to read what it says. #OldSkool

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 23d
A 2 day trip to London has reinforced to me that the south of the UK has not accepted that it is no longer a cold place. This is Spring/early summer temps in Scotland.

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Alison Phipps, Felicity Callard , and 4 more

uofglasgowasc.bsky.social
UofGlasgow Archives & Special Collections @uofglasgowasc.bsky.social · 23d
📣Our UofG Library Visiting Research Fellowships are now open for applications!

We’re delighted to invite scholars from across the globe to apply to work with our internationally significant collections.

Apply at: www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/li...

📆Closing date: 5 January 2026

#UofGLibraryFellows
Graphic showing double page opening of emblem book from Stirling Maxwell Collection featuring portrait of a man on the left and a printed emblem of text and image on the right. The image is overlaid with information about the fellowship scheme welcoming researchers and repeating closing date and URL to follow.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 24d
I’ve lived in both cities. They are an interesting comparison. Even though the data shows Glasgow to have the bigger income/wealth inequalities, you FEEL it more in Oxford. There’s something interesting going on.

Reposted by Melanie Simms

advaitarun.bsky.social
advait @advaitarun.bsky.social · 24d
It's all very Keynesian: What do we want the U.S. economy to look like? Not like this, I think.

melaniesimms.bsky.social
Melanie Simms @melaniesimms.bsky.social · 25d
People’s reactions are wild. What I found challenging today is that even I sometimes fall for this rubbish in my own internal monologue. Thanks capitalism - and eldest daughter syndrome!!