Carlo Morelli

Carlo Morelli for Honorary Secretary UCU Scotland

Dundee University is at the centre of the storm over the funding of higher education
in Scotland. We have just successfully balloted for industrial action to save hundreds
of jobs due to a projected £30m deficit. As a member of the University at Dundee
and current Honorary Secretary for UCU Scotland I understand the need to ensure
branches fight redundancies and cuts but also ensure UCU Scotland gives its full
backing to branches resisting cuts.

Save Higher Education 

Half of UK universities are cutting jobs. This includes many in Scotland. The
existence of the sector is under threat. Marketisation in Scotland is driven by
managements who share the group think of forcing debt via maintenance loans for
home students and exploiting international and rUK students’ tuition fees.
Simultaneously, the racist ‘hostile environment’ consciously used racism to
undermine the University sector. 
Attempts to leave branches to fight these cuts institution by institution weakens us.
We need a UK-wide and Scottish-wide campaign to save HE, against job cuts and
end the racist environment. Unity is our strength. Unity can build a campaign to drive
the market out of education.
As Honorary Secretary for UCU Scotland I made the case for a lobby of the Scottish
Government and encouraging branches to ballot for industrial action when facing job
cuts. 

Stand Up To Racism 

Trump, Farage and the rise of fascism in Europe means we must place anti-racism
central to our union and workplaces. Racism is designed to scapegoat minorities and
divert attention from where the problems in our society originate. No immigrant is
illegal, and universities should stop policing immigration through draconian
monitoring and reporting on students and staff. I have been a supporter of the Sheku
Bayoh campaign since the start and stand up for students facing racism Blind
student facing deportation says university reneged on support | University of Dundee – The Guardian

USS and pensions 

I was a USS negotiator during the 2018-19 strike. Five years of strike action shows
we can win. I am currently leading the campaign in the USS Advisory Cttee to
ensure cohabiting relationships are recognised for automatic survivor pensions. As
an NEC member I will continue to focus attention on threats to the Scottish TPS and
USS. I support our union’s policy on decarbonising and decolonising our pension
schemes. 

Equality 

Equality continues to be under attack. I am committed to ensuring equality remains
central to UCU Scotland. I will always support members standing up for trans-rights,
facing threats of internal complaints or employment tribunals.
I am a strong ally of my transrights and all LGBT+ siblings. I don’t believe we are
stuck as human beings by our DNA and hold strongly to the analysis of the social
model arising out of the disability movement, that it is society that creates structures
for disadvantage and oppression not our biology.

Palestine and Academic Boycott 

I welcome the ceasefire in Gaza, hope it holds but fear for the lives of Palestinians
and others in the West Bank, Lebanon and Syria. Israel is an apartheid state and
universities in Scotland are legally complicit in genocide in Gaza, via their
investments and engagement with Israeli Universities. The IHRA definition facilitates
the clamp down on student protest and pro-Palestinian voices. It hinders rather than
supports the campaign against antisemitism due to its false conflation of antizionism
with antisemitism. UCU Scotland should continue its work on identifying with and
solidarity with Higher Education in Palestine. We can all play our part by individually
refusing to the Academic Boycott of Israeli Universities. 

Trade union service 

  • Chair of USS Advisory Committee: past USS negotiator on USS JNC. 
  • UCU Scotland Honorary Secretary NEC member: previously UCU Scotland
  • President & UK-wide elected member for 6 years. 
  • Member of Dundee UCU Committee for over 20 years & past president 
  • Delegate to UCU Congress, STUC and TUC 
  • Member of UCU Left and Stand Up To Racism  
  • Senior Lecturer in Economics, Dundee University