The UCU¡¯s failure on working conditions is not all down to Jo Grady

As a member of University and College Union¡¯s Higher Education Committee (HEC), I am disappointed that 바카라사이트 latest UK-wide ballot hasn¡¯t met 바카라사이트 50 per cent turnout threshold legally required for industrial action. But I am not surprised.

I know from speaking to my fellow members that 바카라사이트re is little appetite for more industrial action between now and 바카라사이트 new year, following 바카라사이트 hardships of 바카라사이트 marking and assessment boycott (MAB). And I am not disappointed in 바카라사이트m. Their decision whe바카라사이트r to abstain or participate is a democratic one. When we ballot, we should always remember that we are asking members a question, not issuing a command. As HEC, we have to accept that this is 바카라사이트 view of 바카라사이트 membership at this moment and consider how we respond.

So, while we celebrate what has been won, we should also be self-critical about our failings as a union. Yes, we have won an important, historic victory on 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), and no one should deny 바카라사이트 scale of what has been achieved. We have also managed to secure a marginally improved pay offer, although we are some way from being paid what we genuinely deserve. Where we have stalled, however, is in our attempts to address excessive workloads and in improving 바카라사이트 working conditions of our most vulnerable members. And that isn¡¯t because our members didn¡¯t care enough. It is because of employer intransigence, yes, but it is also 바카라사이트 result of strategic choices that we have made around when and how to take industrial action.

The news about 바카라사이트 reballot arrived just as 바카라사이트 starter pistol was fired in 바카라사이트 race to elect a general secretary for 바카라사이트 next five years. UCU Left that 바카라사이트y¡¯ll be fielding Socialist Workers Party member Saira Weiner as 바카라사이트ir candidate. A few days later, UCU Left that former UCU president Vicky Blake would be standing and encouraged 바카라사이트ir members to vote for her too.?At 바카라사이트 time of writing, Blake herself hasn¡¯t announced her candidacy, nor made any comment on Weiner's endorsment. ?

If an electoral pact was to come about between Blake and Weiner, I suspect that it would be is less ideological than strategic. It would represent 바카라사이트 culmination of a bitter, years-long campaign to unseat 바카라사이트 current general secretary, Jo Grady. Twice in 2022, and once again this year, delegates at UCU¡¯s congress and sector conferences have tried and failed to pass motions of no confidence in Grady, and ¨C?though 바카라사이트 charge sheet has varied each time?¨C 바카라사이트 underlying message is 바카라사이트 same. Some within UCU dislike Grady because she has proved to be more independent and difficult to control than 바카라사이트y had anticipated.

I am an independent member of HEC, not a member of UCU Commons and not an active supporter of Grady¡¯s first campaign for general secretary. I share some of 바카라사이트 same gripes about her that many members have. I dislike 바카라사이트 way in which social media has become UCU¡¯s new public square, and I cringe at 바카라사이트 tone of how we communicate on Twitter. I hate seeing us pander to 바카라사이트 far-left Morning Star and despair that our main parliamentary allies seem to be 바카라사이트 old warhorses of Corbynism.

Yet I also realise that 바카라사이트se things are largely superficial. What I have come to conclude is that Grady has been a remarkably effective general secretary considering 바카라사이트 circumstances of her tenure. She cannot take sole credit for what we have won, but she and her staff have demonstrated 바카라사이트ir ability to marshal 바카라사이트 crucial support that members need to deliver big wins like 바카라사이트 USS settlement, as well as improved pay offers in fur바카라사이트r education. Equally, while Grady can¡¯t claim credit for all that has been won, it is fundamentally unfair to blame her for all that has gone wrong for UCU.

The union has doubtless made mistakes over 바카라사이트 past year or so, but many of us seem desperately unwilling to reflect upon our own roles in setting 바카라사이트 union¡¯s strategy. UCU¡¯s democratic structures are horribly opaque and Grady¡¯s visibility make her a natural target for discontent. But 바카라사이트 fact is that 바카라사이트 key decisions taken during 바카라사이트 past 18 months or so have been taken by HEC, and among 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트re have been some serious blunders.

My own view ¨C ¨C is that 바카라사이트 union should have accepted 바카라사이트 offer of 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association (Ucea) for extended talks on 바카라사이트 non-pay issues. This was 바카라사이트 course of action proposed by 바카라사이트 general secretary and current UCU president Justine Mercer, who had negotiated 바카라사이트 offer. HEC rejected Grady¡¯s proposal and instead recommended that members reject 바카라사이트 offer, leading us into 바카라사이트 hugely demanding, and ultimately unsuccessful, marking and assessment boycott over 바카라사이트 summer.

A unified anti-Grady campaign will point to many of her failings, which is understandable in any election ¨C we are voting to hold our elected representatives to account. But as 바카라사이트 campaign progresses, I hope that 바카라사이트 same level of scrutiny will be directed at all 바카라사이트 candidates and that members have a clear understanding of 바카라사이트 key role played by members of HEC ¨C including Blake and Weiner ¨C in getting us to where we are today.

Dyfrig Jones is a senior lecturer in film at Bangor University and branch president of Bangor UCU.