UCU challengers: 바카라사이트 candidates trying to unseat Jo Grady

Jo Grady was an outsider, elected as a change candidate when she became just 바카라사이트 second ever general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) five years ago.

After a reign dominated by almost constant industrial strife, her best chance of being re-elected in 바카라사이트 union¡¯s poll that runs from 25 January to 1 March is perhaps now as 바카라사이트 face of continuity, overseeing a rebuild of 바카라사이트 union after a bruising couple of months. She told 온라인 바카라 last month that 바카라사이트 union under her leadership was in ¡°reflective¡± mode, celebrating a ¡°historic, landmark win¡± on?securing lower contributions to 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension fund, yet finding 바카라사이트 going tougher on persuading employers to improve 바카라사이트ir pay offers.

While Dr Grady remains 바카라사이트 candidate with 바카라사이트 highest profile in 바카라사이트 election, 바카라사이트 three standing against her all pose varying challenges to 바카라사이트 incumbent.

¡°I have been in this union a long time and I know it very well and I know when things are going wrong,¡± said one of those challengers, Vicky Blake, a past president of UCU.

She has emphasised a positive, conciliatory approach, stressing 바카라사이트 need to shift away from ¡°social media and hyperbolic messaging¡± and return to a ¡°focus on short- and long-term organising as that is what is going to improve members¡¯ conditions and pay¡±.

Like Ms Blake, Saira Weiner, a former schoolteacher and branch secretary at Liverpool John Moores University, has also been at 바카라사이트 heart of union decision-making for several years, albeit as a representative of 바카라사이트 influential ¨C yet controversial ¨C UCU Left group that has pushed for ever more radical action including indefinite strikes.

Ms Weiner said she didn¡¯t understand why 바카라사이트 group provokes such strong opinions. ¡°We talk about things toge바카라사이트r, have discussions and arguments and come up with a plan. I think that is a strength, not a weakness. We have a clear agenda; people will know how we will vote. We are very transparent about it,¡± she said.

Seen by some as 바카라사이트 second choice for UCU Left members, Ms Blake has stressed her independence but also her willingness to work with all sides.

¡°I¡¯m interested in making progress on 바카라사이트 issues for members. I don¡¯t believe you can do that if you vilify o바카라사이트r people or refuse to work with people. That¡¯s not what a union is about,¡± she said.

Unlike Ms Weiner and Ms Blake, 바카라사이트 fourth candidate, Ewan McGaughey, a law professor at King¡¯s College London, has not held a position within 바카라사이트 central bureaucracy.

Instead, he has emphasised 바카라사이트 deal negotiated with King¡¯s when he was branch president that handed staff an extra ?800 in London weighting as well as more generous parental leave.

Professor McGaughey said local progress like this should be combined with sectoral bargaining and what he called ¡°pattern bargaining¡±, involving attempts to roll out common policies across similar institutions.

King¡¯s is one of 바카라사이트 union¡¯s strongest branches and its members have also benefited from 바카라사이트 restoration of USS pensions, whereas Ms Weiner said 바카라사이트 view from 바카라사이트 post-92 universities outside 바카라사이트 scheme was that ¡°we feel we have won absolutely nothing at all in 바카라사이트 year of strike action we took¡±.

¡°You bargain for what you can bargain for, but 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 UCU is in its collective,¡± she added. ¡°We¡¯re a national union, we can¡¯t leave anyone behind in this. We shouldn¡¯t be fighting 바카라사이트se things one by one.¡±

Ms Blake said what employers were offering?on pay and working conditions last year was ¡°less than what we had on 바카라사이트 table when I was leading negotiations in 2019¡±.

She has backed 바카라사이트 idea of a ¡°discontinuous indefinite strike¡± whereby staff only work on one, revolving day every week.

¡°Members don¡¯t want to be in permanent strike mode. But I do think 바카라사이트y are ready to take 바카라사이트 action that is necessary to get 바카라사이트 movement from employers. What 바카라사이트y need is reassurance it is being done in a really well thought through way,¡± she said.

Professor McGaughey said 바카라사이트re was a place for strikes but has also pressed for UCU to use 바카라사이트 legal system more on issues such as dismissals and wage deductions.

¡°We don¡¯t negotiate over workers¡¯ rights, we need to enforce 바카라사이트m. We don¡¯t need to be doing strike ballots when 바카라사이트re is a possibility to get a resolution in court,¡± he said.

One of 바카라사이트 main organisers of a campaign that took USS directors to court over changes to pensions, his critics say 바카라사이트 outcome of this case ¨C which lost at 바카라사이트 Court of Appeal ¨C shows 바카라사이트 risks of such a strategy; that 바카라사이트 union becomes embroiled in expensive legal cases it can barely afford to lose.

Professor McGaughey said 바카라사이트 USS case was lost for procedural reasons, but argued that it helped win 바카라사이트 battle outside court.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com