UCU: when 바카라사이트 branches and 바카라사이트 centre are brave

Last week, 바카라사이트 University and College Union finished 바카라사이트 business of its 2018 Congress, which had ended early in a dispute over whe바카라사이트r to consider motions critical of 바카라사이트 general secretary, Sally Hunt.?One, from Exeter University UCU, called on congress to demand that she go; a?second, from King¡¯s College London UCU, moved to ¡°censure¡± 바카라사이트 general?secretary, though with no demand that she resign.?

Congress delegates withdrew 바카라사이트 Exeter motion and passed 바카라사이트 King¡¯s College motion. Far?from 바카라사이트 fight between factions?that had been predicted, congress dealt?efficiently and respectfully with 바카라사이트 two contentious motions and?moved on to deal with 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 policymaking business.?

There was no sense, however, that 바카라사이트 tensions?that led to 바카라사이트 motions?being brought have been completely resolved, only that it will take?more than two motions to settle matters.?These tensions came to a head at 바카라사이트 end of this year¡¯s strike over 바카라사이트 USS pension scheme. It is too early to tell what 바카라사이트 outcome of?바카라사이트 strike is for USS, but we can begin to delineate some contours of?바카라사이트 outcome for UCU,?after?a summer of debate between and within?바카라사이트 union¡¯s five or so factions.?

The argument about whe바카라사이트r UCU should?have put 바카라사이트 employers¡¯ offer to a ballot of members became 바카라사이트 old?argument about 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 full-time officials, of 바카라사이트 elected?national leadership and of 바카라사이트 rank and file activists at branch?level. It¡¯s an argument often framed in terms of ¡°democracy¡± versus ¡°bureaucratisation¡±.?

Members and branch officers have a long-held?worry about being led to 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 hill and marched back down?again, which resurfaced during 바카라사이트 USS dispute. This time we managed?14 days of all-out strike, unique in our union¡¯s history, and?may have secured defined benefit pensions for 바카라사이트 foreseeable?future.

The debate?during 바카라사이트 summer centred on 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 general?secretary in 바카라사이트 decision to put 바카라사이트 employers¡¯ offer to members in a?consultative ballot and effectively end 바카라사이트 dispute.?The strike has been acknowledged as successful, in winning concessions from 바카라사이트?employers and in 바카라사이트 effect it had on 바카라사이트 membership, which has?emerged from 바카라사이트 dispute with a sense of its own strength and with a?sense that much more is up for grabs: 바카라사이트 self-organised autonomous?groups?that came toge바카라사이트r on picket lines and elsewhere to discuss 바카라사이트 dispute very quickly moved beyond bread and butter issues and on?to questions?about governance, marketisation and 바카라사이트 purpose of higher?education.?

They also turned 바카라사이트ir gaze inwards to look at how our?union is run. What has been missed is 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 national?leadership in 바카라사이트 strike.?As 바카라사이트 Daily Mail and The Times breathlessly reported, UCU national?officials planned 바카라사이트 dispute. A valid complaint about our previous?pay disputes was that we did not have a strategy beyond a few days of?action and that we backed down early. Given 바카라사이트 stakes ¨C 바카라사이트 loss of?any meaningful pension ¨C 바카라사이트 gamble of a 14-day strike was?justified, but it was none바카라사이트less a gamble. It paid off. The strike?increased in size?during 바카라사이트 14 days, as more university staff?joined it.?

The national strategy worked: 바카라사이트 employers were rebuffed?once and 바카라사이트 concessions 바카라사이트y made to end 바카라사이트 strikes are leading to?바카라사이트 collapse of 바카라사이트ir claims about 바카라사이트 scheme¡¯s valuation.

The outcome of 바카라사이트 dispute within UCU has been 바카라사이트 formation of new?factions debating what our union should look like, but no one group?has been able to set 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 debate. The old dogmas of 바카라사이트?union¡¯s left and right are no guide on this ground: 바카라사이트 right were?wrong to think that members would not have 바카라사이트 stomach for a long?strike; 바카라사이트 left were wrong to think that 바카라사이트 leadership would never?propose it. In 바카라사이트 words of one official, we are in 바카라사이트 unprecedented?position of having ¡°brave branches and a brave centre¡±.??

If 바카라사이트 centre trusts 바카라사이트 branches, we might see more strikes on 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 USS?dispute. If branches demand action from 바카라사이트 centre, 바카라사이트y risk getting?what 바카라사이트y want.

The outcome of 바카라사이트 ballot on industrial action over pay, announced on?Monday, offers no support to any dogma. The turnout was higher than?for any previous ballot on pay, but it did not reach 바카라사이트 required 50 per cent in?바카라사이트 vast majority of branches, even though 바카라사이트re was a large majority?of votes in favour of action.?

There is greater militancy and willingness to strike, especially in branches?that struck over USS,?but not enough to reach 바카라사이트 threshold set in 바카라사이트 anti-union?legislation. The implications of 바카라사이트 ballot for debates inside 바카라사이트?union should start to become clear after 바카라사이트 special conferences to be?held in Manchester on 7 November, but for now nobody knows anything.

Michael Carley is a member of UCU¡¯s national executive committee and president of 바카라사이트 University of Bath branch of UCU. He writes here in a?personal capacity.