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UCU NEC Elections:
Vote Marion Hersh for UK-elected HE

Fight for pensions, equality, climate justice and against casualisation

I am a senior lecturer in Engineering at Glasgow University and juggle an overfull workload with my union activities.   I have several years of experience on NEC and UCU Scotland Executive, including as equality officer.  I have been a USS negotiator or alternate for several years.  I campaign actively and promote collective approaches to equality and anti-casualisation, as well as being an active case worker. 

Inequality, discrimination and oppression, both within and beyond HE, anger me.  I am a lifelong anti-racist, anti-fascist, anti-war campaigner and campaigner for social justice.  I am active in Trade Union Climate-Change Network and organising groups for protests/lobbies at crucial Cop 26 climate talks. 

As a USS negotiator I’ve been instrumental in the transformation in UCU.   I continue to support member interests and a wide-ranging campaign, including industrial action if necessary, against the current threat to pensions.  My work has resulted in the ethical/sustainability section of the negotiators’ report and I’ll continue to campaign for USS to have a strong ethical investment policy.  I’ve made USS agree to make its website and communications fully accessible and continue campaigning for practical implement of this commitment.

As UCU Scotland Equality Officer I have worked to implement motions reviving the Equality and Human Rights and Anti-Casualisation Networks and greater involvement of Black members.  I proposed a successful International Women’s Day lobby on pensions.  As an elected member I instigated the weekly communication with members.  

I take an active role in the NEC and HEC and regularly propose motions, often in response to concerns raised by members.  I’ve successfully proposed action to NEC, Congress and HE Sector Conference on global climate change, supporting EU and international staff, pensions, TU bill, stress, victimised reps, points-based immigration, equality impact assessments, human rights act, Trident,  Stop the War, Holocaust Memorial Day, non-binary gender.

I campaign against marketisation and commodification and am alert to opposing sneaky backdoor moves towards marketisation.  I teach students not serve clients.  I oppose REF, TEF and support a boycott of them.  I promote academic freedom in teaching and research and oppose its misuse as a pretext to undermine the rights of minority groups, most recently trans people.  

Solidarity and support are essential to active trade-unionism.  I continue to support campaigns against unsafe working conditions, job losses, department closures, victimisation, casualisation – Heriot Watt, Northumbria, UEL, London Met, Brighton …   

If elected  I will work to further strengthen member involvement and both member and central solidarity and support for branches in dispute and fighting for safe working conditions.  I will encourage debate and resource provision on decolonising and diversifying the curriculum to fully represent and be relevant to Black, minority ethnic, Disabled, LGBT+, women, other minorities students and staff.  I will promote very active UCU involvement in the protests at the crucial Glasgow climate talks this year.