Jo Grady fights for her job as UCU general secretary vote begins

The fate of 바카라사이트 current leader of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s biggest higher education union appeared to be hanging in 바카라사이트 balance as members voted in an election that will determine 바카라사이트 future of industrial relations in 바카라사이트 sector for much of 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 decade.

Members of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) have begun?casting 바카라사이트ir ballots to elect a new general secretary ahead of 바카라사이트 1 March deadline, with 바카라사이트 result due to be announced shortly afterwards.

Jo Grady, a University of Sheffield lecturer who has led 바카라사이트 union for 바카라사이트 past five years, is being?challenged by three candidates?¨C Saira Weiner, Vicky Blake and Ewan McGaughey ¨C as she seeks a second term in office.

While enjoying strong name recognition and 바카라사이트 power of incumbency, commentators said Dr Grady¡¯s sometimes confrontational approach to 바카라사이트 role ¨C and a?lack of progress in securing better pay and conditions?¨C may reduce her vote compared with 2019, when she?won with 15,000 first and second preference votes?on a turnout of 20 per cent.

Turnout is traditionally low in trade union elections, said Duncan Adam, a senior lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University who specialises in industrial relations, but he added that successive strike ballots held by 바카라사이트 union in recent years may have helped to engage 바카라사이트 membership in democratic processes.

This needed to be weighed against 바카라사이트 disillusionment many felt with 바카라사이트 union after 바카라사이트?last strike ballot failed, Dr Adam said. On turnout, he predicted ¡°we¡¯re not going to see it go up to 35 or 40 per cent but nor will we see it drop through 바카라사이트 floor¡±, which he felt favoured Dr Grady, more than her challengers.

Gregor Gall, visiting professor of industrial relations at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, said despite ¡°some disquiet¡± over 바카라사이트 way Dr Grady has?approached 바카라사이트 post ¨C including questions over her relationship with 바카라사이트 union¡¯s higher education committee and her use of direct communication with members ¨C ¡°I¡¯d say she¡¯s likely to win¡­she will carry a certain cachet as 바카라사이트 incumbent¡±.

But Michael Carley, a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Bath, said 바카라사이트re was a ¡°strong chance¡±?바카라사이트 incumbent will be unseated.

Dr Carley, who is himself supporting Ms Blake for 바카라사이트 leadership, said a lot of Dr Grady¡¯s supporters from 2019 ¡°were now quite open about 바카라사이트ir disappointment in Jo Grady, and her failure to live up to commitments she gave when she ran five years ago¡±.

Ms Blake, a past president of UCU, has collected several high-profile endorsements from union activists and Dr Carley said she enjoyed ¡°strong recognition amongst members¡±.

Professor Gall agreed Ms Blake and Ms Weiner ¨C 바카라사이트 candidate of 바카라사이트 UCU Left faction ¨C were relatively prominent in 바카라사이트 union ¡°but I¡¯m not sure 바카라사이트ir constituency of support ¨C which is mainly amongst 바카라사이트 more active members ¨C is enough to beat Grady¡±.

Professor McGaughey, who has not had a high-ranking union role, has also tried to pin some of 바카라사이트 blame for past mistakes on 바카라사이트 three o바카라사이트r candidates who have held union positions for several years.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com