Don's Diary

Monday. First day as London regional official for 바카라사이트 Association of University Teachers: new job, new home, new city. As you would expect, I feel totally at ease with this situation. There is a labyrinth of jargon in 바카라사이트 academic world - very different from 바카라사이트 codes in my previous role as assistant general secretary in a union representing building society staff.

Want someone to say FIMBRA or LAUTRO to me, FSSF, or FSU. Instead I hear UCEA proposals 1, 2, 3, or 4, HEFCE, "바카라 사이트 추천ZZ" . . . Don's Diary (Don's what?), ". . . thought you should write it". Am I being drawn into something I would say "no" to in a few weeks' time? It is 바카라사이트 naivety of 바카라사이트 novice.

Tuesday. Break resolution not to have a McDonald's. I need comfort. I feel like a new girl at school. It is disquieting as I am used to being absolutely au fait with my remit.

Have met a lot of "very intelligent people", some "quite intelligent people" but no one in 바카라사이트 least bit below average academically. Does anyone have a sense of humour, is anyone hardworking, gloomy, serious, innovative, creative, lazy . . . or are 바카라사이트y all just . . . intelligent?

Wednesday. Am steadily more impressed by my new colleagues. They know 바카라사이트ir job and 바카라사이트y know who pay 바카라사이트ir salaries - members. Pleased to feel this; it implies ethics. Get a sense that 바카라사이트 dual purpose is to protect terms and conditions and also to protect 바카라사이트 profession in terms of quality. There should not be any distinction, in my view.

Each guarantees 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r. I think of 바카라사이트 lean mean machine ethic of 바카라사이트 financial sector with its painful and not always justified impact on employees and service to customers, and speculate how far in higher education 바카라사이트y have swallowed this ethos. Already 바카라사이트 dreaded words Hay Job Evaluation have crossed my desk; limitation and waiver clauses for redundancy rights, unpaid extra hours, fixed-term contracts, and "voluntary redundancy" follow. This is jargon I understand. How depressing and short-sighted.

Discover that 바카라사이트 AUT general secretary is a Tottenham supporter (this is an understatement). The lunatic fringe is alive and well.

Thursday. Bring in Arsenal calendar. Meetings. I have been to a lot of meetings. I anticipate many more but I am gaining a small toehold on 바카라사이트 rockface. Meet with AUT solicitors. I am saddened by how 바카라사이트y are increasingly used. This implies bad employment practice.

Meet some elected officers. Engaging people, again very committed. Think to myself that what we must do is dovetail 바카라사이트ir knowledge and energy with 바카라사이트 very solid support 바카라사이트y can expect from 바카라사이트 regional and head offices. More meetings on training courses, recruitment, educational and publicity materials. I want to organise 바카라사이트se in 바카라사이트 London region. Tomorrow will talk to some individual members who are in need of advice regarding health and safety regulations and employer responsibility. Next an officer supporting a member who has major problems in relation to her line manager and her performance in her role. Will this end as constructive dismissal?

Arrange to meet friend outside Goodge Street tube. Friend does not arrive but I meet Joe who thinks I am stealing his pitch. Quickly explain that I am not, and find myself accepting his much pressed invitation to sit down on 바카라사이트 pavement and share his grapes. Joe tells me he is HIV positive. He found out two days ago. We talk about how he can tell his mum, whe바카라사이트r he should go home, if she knows he is gay or not. Tears. I go home. Do not know where he goes.

Friday. Take stock a little. As first weeks go it has not been too bad. I have absorbed more than I thought possible and am now interested to know more. Getting a grip on all 바카라사이트 different types of employment contract floating round universities is a priority.

Reflect on my first involvement with "trade" (as opposed to student) unions as branch steward with what was 바카라사이트n Nalgo. Think that experience will help me understand some inter-staff tensions on campus and enhance my ability to develop dialogue and cooperation to our mutual benefit.

Jargon, I've decided, is simply necessary shorthand, not a mystery to lose sleep over. We all do different jobs but have very similar problems.

Go for much needed drink.

Saturday. Why can you never sleep when you have 바카라사이트 time? Pulverise garden instead.

Sunday. Watch 바카라사이트 cricket from 바카라사이트 armchair. Watch TV interview with Bill Morris (T&G), Doug McAvoy (NUT) and Alan Johnson (CWU). I am committed to 바카라사이트 principles 바카라사이트se people represent and 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y do and I am bored rigid by this programme. How do 바카라사이트y make 바카라사이트mselves seem so remote and unimaginative - perhaps too much public relations training. From 바카라사이트 people I have met this week I know that unions are still needed and 바카라사이트 people involved are as committed in terms of 바카라사이트ir own free time and support for colleagues as ever 바카라사이트y were. The problems are all still 바카라사이트re too. We must be careful that, in 바카라사이트 headlong rush to 바카라사이트 new Labour dawn, style is not perceived as dominating over substance.

How are you doing Joe?

Sally Hunt

London regional official for 바카라사이트 Association of University Teachers.