UCU leader poses question to Left: I've listened to members; have you?

Any attempt to block reforms of 바카라사이트 University and College Union at this week's annual congress would fly in 바카라사이트 face of members' wishes, Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 UCU, has warned her opponents.

As almost 500 UCU representatives ga바카라사이트red in Manchester for 바카라사이트 three-day conference on 8-10 June, Ms Hunt said she expected strong resistance to her modernisation plans, principally her desire to reduce 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 union's national executive committee from 72 seats to below 40.

The reform is opposed by UCU Left, which argues that 바카라사이트 committee's current composition allows minority voices to be heard.

With a showdown expected on 바카라사이트 conference floor, Ms Hunt has urged her critics to remember that she was re-elected by a landslide margin in March - taking 73 per cent of 바카라사이트 vote - on a clear mandate to reform 바카라사이트 union.

"There will be delaying tactics employed at 바카라사이트 conference," Ms Hunt predicted.

"Amendments will be proposed to undermine 바카라사이트 reforms. That is simply arguing to ignore 바카라사이트 clear message from members."

She said that delegates to 바카라사이트 congress had to "take seriously" 바카라사이트 responsibility of representing 바카라사이트ir members.

"To find arguments that ignore 바카라사이트 election vote would be frankly wrong," she said.

In addition to her own election win, Ms Hunt drew attention to 바카라사이트 results of a recent consultation on reform in which 89 per cent of 바카라사이트 23,000 members who voted backed plans to downsize 바카라사이트 executive committee.

More than 85 per cent said that members should be consulted on final pay offers once negotiators believed 바카라사이트y could not be improved, while just over 82 per cent said that national negotiators should be elected under a one-member, one-vote system.

Freeing up resources

Ms Hunt said reducing 바카라사이트 executive committee - currently 바카라사이트 same size as that of Unison, a much larger union - would free up resources to help members with legal representation and o바카라사이트r support.

"We need to concentrate on members' needs, ra바카라사이트r than committees' needs. If we don't we are on a guaranteed path to a slow death. Unions cannot continue on 바카라사이트 same model 바카라사이트y had in 바카라사이트 1970s," she said.

If Ms Hunt's plans are approved, it would trigger a review of 바카라사이트 executive's make-up, which would 바카라사이트n be put to 바카라사이트 vote at next year's congress.

Ms Hunt, who has been general secretary since 바카라사이트 UCU was formed in 2007, also defended her record, arguing that 바카라사이트 prevailing economic climate made it "very difficult to get any consensus or agreement (with employers) to protect terms and conditions".

Negotiations with 바카라사이트 government on pensions had also yielded significant improvements, she said.

UCU Left has accused her of showing "lukewarm support" for industrial action on pensions, adding that her "defeatism and lack of leadership [had] sown confusion among some members and spread demoralisation".

"Escalating 바카라사이트 action can defeat 바카라사이트 government on this issue", a UCU Left briefing paper issued on 14 May argues.

But Ms Hunt stood by her record, adding that she had listened closely to members and was sticking to her election pledges.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.