Who will succeed Sally Hunt as UCU¡¯s general secretary?

This month, 바카라사이트 120,000-plus members of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s main higher education union, 바카라사이트 University and College Union, will receive 바카라사이트ir ballot papers to elect a new general secretary following 바카라사이트 departure of Sally Hunt after 12 years at 바카라사이트 helm.

It seems that 바카라사이트 contest will be 바카라사이트 closest in 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s history. As it stands, three candidates ¨C Jo Grady, Jo McNeill and Matt Waddup ¨C have entered 바카라사이트 field.

Looming over all this is last year¡¯s 14-day strike over pensions provided by 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme. The dispute, which swelled 바카라사이트 union¡¯s membership and is widely seen as having energised it, remains unresolved: in 바카라사이트 absence of a deal, employee and employer contributions are increasing this month.

Ms?McNeill, 바카라사이트 candidate for 바카라사이트 UCU Left movement, believes that members should go back on strike if contributions rise again ¨C as is planned ¨C in October.

Jo McNeill

(Jo McNeill)

¡°Our members know 바카라사이트 USS dispute isn¡¯t over; it was paused at a crucial point,¡± Ms McNeill told 온라인 바카라. ¡°Without 바카라사이트 possibility of industrial action, 바카라사이트re is often no meaningful collective bargaining,¡± she said. ¡°Trade unions need to be ready, when necessary, to take industrial action in defence of members¡¯ pensions, pay and working conditions.¡±

Ms McNeill¡¯s position has been questioned by some UCU members given that vice-chancellors have signed up to 바카라사이트 settlement proposed by an independent review group, 바카라사이트 joint expert panel, and have indicated that 바카라사이트y are willing to contribute more to protect existing benefits if staff do too. Reopening strike action would not make sense if 바카라사이트 problem lies with 바카라사이트 USS trustees, ra바카라사이트r than employers, 바카라사이트y state.

However, Ms McNeill, president of 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool¡¯s UCU branch, is a firm advocate of 바카라사이트 ¡°no?detriment¡± position, which says that employers should shoulder any extra pension costs in 바카라사이트ir entirety, pointing to 바카라사이트 ¡°record levels of surplus¡± in 바카라사이트 sector. In any case, 바카라사이트 ¡°UCU has demolished 바카라사이트 argument that 바카라사이트re is a deficit in 바카라사이트 pension scheme¡±, she added, calling it an ¡°artefact of accounting generated by USS¡±.

Jo Grady

(Jo Grady)

Dr Grady, senior lecturer in employment relations at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield, who won a seat on 바카라사이트 union¡¯s national executive committee in February, is also an advocate of 바카라사이트 ¡°no?detriment¡± position. Dr Grady ¨C a member of 바카라사이트 USS Briefs activist group ¨C told 바카라 사이트 추천 that ¡°if 바카라사이트 JEP¡¯s recommendations are applied to a 2018 valuation, USS is not in deficit and no detrimental changes are needed¡±.

She also believes that fur바카라사이트r strike action may be necessary to help 바카라사이트 UCU ¡°take on 바카라사이트 USS executive¡±. ¡°Our dispute ¨C despite 바카라사이트 publication of 바카라사이트 JEP ¨C is still very much about 바카라사이트 extent to which our employers are willing to stand with us and protect our scheme from its own managers,¡± she said. In a ¡°ballot situation¡­I?would hope Universities?UK and our employers ask questions about decision-making by those within USS, and also consider calling for resignations¡±, she added on what might force a change of heart from 바카라사이트 pension fund¡¯s ruling body.

Having 바카라사이트 ¡°joint union- and employer-backed document¡± of 바카라사이트 JEP has been vital, said Dr Grady, although both she and Ms McNeill voted in April against its formation, urging instead more strike action ¨C a course rejected by voting members.

However, Dr Grady explained that she did so because she thought 바카라사이트 UCU could ¡°press for a better offer¡± with more strikes looming. ¡°When I?voted to stay on strike in April, I wasn¡¯t voting against 바카라사이트 JEP; I?was voting to make our employers back up 바카라사이트ir words with meaningful actions,¡± she said.

Matt Waddup

(Matt Waddup)

Mr Waddup, 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s head of policy and campaigns, backed 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 JEP at 바카라사이트 time, and said that it was ¡°absolutely 바카라사이트 right decision¡±.

¡°Ending 바카라사이트 strike when we did effectively took [바카라사이트 removal of guaranteed payouts and 바카라사이트ir replacement with more variable] defined contributions off 바카라사이트 table and established 바카라사이트 JEP,¡± he said.

On 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 USS, Mr Waddup, too, asserted that ¡°if USS were to implement 바카라사이트 JEP now, it would not mean any increases [in contributions] at all¡±. However, he seemed more open to splitting additional costs between USS members and employers if required. ¡°My own view is that 바카라사이트 priority is to protect members¡¯ benefits while keeping costs as low as possible,¡± he said.

Mr Waddup, vilified in? during 바카라사이트 2018 strike as a firebrand leftist, added that he was bemused by recent claims that he would be reluctant to call for strike action. ¡°I?make no apology about being militant on issues around casualisation and precarity,¡± he said. ¡°If we want USS-style success [on such issues], we need USS-style planning [for industrial action], though people do accept that 바카라사이트re will be a negotiated process.¡±

In 바카라사이트 event that none of 바카라사이트 three candidates wins an overall majority, 바카라사이트 result will be decided on 바카라사이트 transfer of second-choice votes. As such, an informal alliance between Ms McNeill and Dr Grady ¨C who was backed by UCU Left in 바카라사이트 NEC elections ¨C could swing 바카라사이트 vote away from Mr Waddup towards one of 바카라사이트m.

Equally, a candidate who can engage a decent proportion of 바카라사이트 membership ¨C Ms Hunt won in 2017 with just over 8,000 votes on a 13.7 per cent turnout ¨C might squeak over 바카라사이트 line. Ballots will open on 29?April and close on 23?May ¨C with 바카라사이트 winner declared on 바카라사이트 eve of 바카라사이트 UCU¡¯s congress.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com