For a member-focused, member-led union.
If elected I will:
- Work to make our Union more open, democratic and representative
- Listen to your views and ensure they are listened to at national level
- Work for a fighting union which puts the interests of the members at its heart and is member-led
My track record shows I have the experience, the skills and the qualities necessary to do the job.
I am pleased to have the support of Chairs of the sub committees of the NEC, the Immediate Past President, and leading UCU activists all of whom know what is needed to do the job effectively, as well as many branch members.
What I stand for
The current attacks on the public sector are absolutely unacceptable. Our members are disproportionately affected by them. Part-time and hourly paid members, the majority of whom are women, are usually the first hit as universities and colleges cut back on staff.
mproving participation – women represent nearly 50% of our membership (May 2011 figures). The NEC comes close to representing this because we have national seats reserved for women members.
UCU has tried hard to create an NEC which represents the diversity of our membership. We have a large NEC and while welcoming initiatives that would improve the working of the NEC I would resist moves to weaken that representation
Equality structures
The Equality structures of the union are a vital forum in which the views of our diverse membership can be heard.
I would like to see those structures strengthened to give more power in decision making to our women, LGBT, Black and Disabled members.
I supported the motion to last year’s Congress, which was unfortunately unsuccessful, which would have meant a move towards equality reps being elected from the appropriate equality group.
NEC must give a lead.
Our members have shown their willingness to support national action, as shown by the magnificent support for last year’s action to defend our pensions.
No-one takes strike action lightly, but the NEC quite rightly took the decision to stand up to the government.
The strikes in March and June had a galvanising effect on other teaching unions and paved the way for the outstanding action of 30th November.
UCU’s stance on fighting pension cuts since last year has proven to be correct. In the run up to the November action about 100,000 new members joined trade unions.
The NEC must also listen. In FE the successful boycott of IfL fees came about in response to our members’ feelings of anger, expressed through branch meetings and motions to FE Conference.
I was a member of the IfL Advisory Council and spoke out about UCU members’ feelings of anger. I have supported the boycott of fees and am no longer a member of the Advisory Council.
I fully support the action taken by our students in protest against tuition fees. Education should be accessible to all. The old adage that education is a right not a privilege was never more true than it is today and if elected, I will continue to push for the abolition of fees.
If the current HE White Paper goes through it will have a potentially devastating effect on HE and will lead to HE provision which is far removed from any idea of open access. We cannot allow education to be privatised.
If elected I will be an active national officer and prioritise branch and regional visits as I believe it is an effective way of understanding the views of you, the members.
Leaflet downloads are available from here.
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