Dr Steve Clark from Nottingham Trent, one of the ten people standing for the UCU NEC, makes the following observation in his election address:
I am not a member of any political party/grouping and am concerned that perennial effort (and union funds) expended debating political fringe issues (like the proposed Israel boycotts) saps time, energy and resources from the real issues of membership concern.
Hat Tip to Sarah Annes Brown.
Engage supporters have been emailing Engage with regard to the forthcoming UCU elections.
Broadly there are two factions within UCU. One, is ‘UCU left’ which is dominated by the Socialist Workers Party. UCU left has consistently supported candidates who support the exclusion of intellectuals who work in Israel from British universities.
The other faction is a soft-left faction which has, by and large, opposed the boycott, although it has been ineffective in opposing it and it has been ineffective in standing up to antisemitism in the union. Their letter is below :
Dear all,
We are writing to you about the current round of UCU elections. We would encourage you to take the time to vote as those elected will be responsible for determining the direction of the union in what is certain to be a difficult period.
Attached below is a list which we hope you take into consideration when voting. We believe that those listed will work to ensure that the union focuses on a core, trade union agenda in a non-sectarian manner. All are standing on their own platform with no pre-selection or manifesto screening.
With funding cuts and job threats, we believe the union must take practical measures to protect members. Employers will, of course, seek to exploit the situation to hold pay levels down and we must be prepared to take all reasonable and possible measures to protect the interests of members. Equally, however, we must not allow ourselves to be provoked into ill considered, knee jerk reactions on pay. Indeed, given the severity of the threatened cuts, we must seek to put ourselves at the head of the widest possible coalition to defend FE and HE. This will, necessarily, involve a willingness to work with all stakeholders – with universities and colleges as well as with our more traditional allies in the student movement, professional bodies and other trade unions. UCU should throw down a challenge to VCs and principals to follow our lead in a joint endeavour to fight the cuts and defend education.
This year, there is an election for the Vice-President (Further Education) and all members, FE and HE, are entitled to vote in this election. The winner of this election will become overall President in two years. Thus, we would particularly encourage members in higher education to vote in this election, even though it appears as an FE election. We strongly recommend voting for KATHY TAYLOR. Kathy has much experience in FE and has also sought to understand the culture and context of industrial relations in Higher Education and supported those of us in HE where possible. In addition, Kathy has shown an acute understanding of the wide variety of members in UCU- FE academic staff, HE academic staff, Academic-related staff, women- as well as understanding the needs of those in each of England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland.
We hope you find this of assistance
Alan Carr- Open University, National
Treasurer UCU
John McCormack, Northland College,
NEC (FE)
Joanna DeGroot- University of York and
NEC(HE)
Anne Bainbridge – Bishop Auckland
College Branch Secretary (FE)
Roger Brooks, President Liverpool UCU
and NEC
Angela Roger- University of Dundee,
UCU Scotland Honorary Secretary and
NEC(HE)
Simon Renton- UCL and NEC (HE)
David Limb, North Western Regional
College UCU, N. Ireland Region
Secretary, NEC(FE)
Roger Walters, President Open University
UCU and NEC (HE)
Tricia Gott- Bradford College Branch
Secretary, NEC
Jimmy Donaghey- Queen’s University
Belfast and NEC(HE)
Pauline Collins- Open University,
NEC(HE)
Terry McKnight- University of Ulster and
NEC(HE)
Cath Hepburn – Sunderland College and
Northern Region FE Committee
Secretary (FE)
David Branson – Middlesbrough College
and Northern Region FE Committee
Chair (FE)
Roger Undy, President Oxford UCU
Ian Cusack – Tyne Metropolitan College
Branch Secretary(FE)
Joe Gluza, Treasurer Cambridge UCU and
NEC
Jonathan Spink – South Tyneside College
Branch Secretary (FE)
Dave Guppy, UCL UCU and NEC(HE)
Mavis Taggert – Northumberland College
Branch Secretary (FE)
Steve Clark, Nottingham Trent UCU,
NEC(HE)
John Perry St. Austell College NEC FE
member for the South (FE)
Steve Snowball – Branch Secretary
Newcastle University, (HE)
Angi Lamb, LA President Edinburgh
UCU(HE)
Philip Burgess, University of Dundee and
NEC(HE)
Bob Langridge, Oxford Brookes Branch
Secretary (HE)
Recommendations
Note: in most constituencies there are fewer recommended candidates than seats available- this reflects that it is important to maximise the vote for the candidates listed. Feel free to continue preferences to as many as you see fit. In most elections, there is no advice on ordering candidates but it is important members extend their preferences to all the candidates listed below.
In the VP (Further education) and the HE/FE Women’s seats, all members may vote and we would strongly encourage you to vote even if the election is in the other sector
Vice-President who is a member of the further education sector
Kathy Taylor (Newcastle College)
Geographically-elected members of the National Executive Committee (NEC)
North East, further education sector (two members to be elected)
David O’Toole (Newcastle College)
North East, higher education sector (three members to be elected)
Dr Joanna de Groot (University of York)
London and the East, higher education sector (four members to be elected)
Simon Renton (University College London)
Dr Steve Sangwine (University of Essex)
4 UK-elected members of the National Executive Committee (NEC)
John McCormack (Newcastle College)
UK-elected members, higher education (seven members to be elected)
Roger Brooks (University of Liverpool)
Dr Steve Clark (Nottingham Trent University)
Angi Lamb (University of Edinburgh)
Bob Langridge (Oxford Brookes University)
Bethan Norfor (Open University)
Gordon Watson (University of Strathclyde)
Representatives of women members from the further education sector (two members to
be elected)
Mrs B Monica Goligher (Belfast Metropolitan College) #1
Sheila Smith (Birmingham Metropolitan College) #2
We recommend giving first preferences to B Monica Goligher and second preferences to
Sheila Smith
Representatives of women members from the higher education sector (three members
to be elected)
Pauline Collins (Open University)
Ann Blair (University of Leeds)
Casual UK –Elected member of the NEC (Higher Education)
Dave Guppy (University College London)
Engage 