A message from Roger

The UCU general secretary ballot result has now been declared and Sally Hunt has been elected. The union and our members face major and difficult challenges from employers and government in almost every aspect of our working lives. The turnout was just 13.9 per cent which in itself suggests the scale of the challenge the union faces. I wish Sally Hunt very well in meeting those challenges. To meet them successfully will require a clear strategic vision and a determined articulate response which members can have confidence in and ownership of. I will seek to play my part in ensuring that is the case through my continuing role as Head of Equality and Employment Rights Finally I would like to sincerely thank the hundreds of members who sent messages of support and campaigned during the election.

Monday, 22 January 2007

Saturday 20th January

“What do you think the two most important competencies for the job of general secretary are?”

Question asked at the Cardiff hustings


The first one is the proven ability to work collegially – less “I” and more “we”. We have to apply to ourselves the standards of management and governance we expect of those we negotiate with – or we stand accused of being hypocrites.

That means encouraging debate and criticism, delegating authority, and treating colleagues with respect at all times, whether they are members or UCU staff. There is no place whatsoever in a trade union, for example, for the bullying of staff. I will ensure that is the case in UCU.

The collegial approach often takes longer but reaches better and more lasting decisions in which more people have ownership.

The second one is an understanding of the appropriate relationship between the national office, the local reps and the members when there is a need to take action. Let me illustrate by recalling a conversation I had with a branch secretary in a northern university when I was head of higher education at NATFHE.

A language centre was facing privatisation. The branch committee had run a successful ballot. I spoke with the branch secretary and asked if he was confident members would take action. He said they would – as long as they were convinced the national union would back them to the hilt. I said we would. He conveyed that to the members whose resolve was firmed up and the branch challenged the contracting out.

When members are confident that the issue is right, and the action is justified, it is the responsibility of the national union to take risks and back members even when it is not certain they will win. To do otherwise is an abdication of responsibility. We should never force members to take action – a thoroughly self defeating exercise – but our demonstrable willingness to back up members considering action on the right issues is crucial.

Members will have to decide who best has these two competencies amongst the GS candidates.

Quote of the day

Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious

Anonymous (an early advocate of openness and transparency?)
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A trade unionist all his working life. An activist and a proud campaigner, Roger has consistently worked to defend human rights of workers. As the leader of the Equality and Employment Rights team in the newly formed UCU he continues to unite the movement around equality and keep employment rights at the top of the agenda.