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.

Tuesday, 30 January 2007

Tuesday 30th January

UCU members stand up for disabled children – support the lobby

Before Xmas I spoke at a tremendous public meeting in Redhill Surrey at the invitation of our members working at the RNIB Redhill College. The meeting, which was packed with local people and parents, heard a sorry tale about how the Royal National Institute of the Blind is trying to close part of one of its two further education colleges.

The meeting heard from parents and past students as well as a spokesman from RNIB who turned out to be the author of the plan. The RNIB have been unable to provide a convincing explanation of the plans other than accepting that in part it is down the bizarre failure of the RNIB to ensure its building comply with disability legislation and that they had not bothered to make an application for public funding to remedy this.

Staff, including the staff governor, are convinced the partial closure is the prelude to a complete closure of a site that stands on valuable land.
Today’s Guardian at http://education.guardian.co.uk/further/story/0,,2001440,00.html has an excellent report. As I told the Guardian – and the public meeting:
“The changes mean about half of the 140 staff, including 20 teachers, are likely to lose their jobs this summer. It is hard to say whether there has been a deliberate policy of closure, but the RNIB have not yet provided a credible alternative explanation for what is happening. It is not just about jobs. It is about an important facility for people with visual impairment and other disabilities."

Lynn Chamberlain, UCU rep at Redhill has circulated the following appeal:

“At the campaign meeting to save RNIB Redhill College, Weds 19 January, we agreed that half term was a good time to picket RNIB Judd Street and hand in the petitions. We did actually decide on the Monday but following my discussion with many other people, some in the media, AFTER the meeting many of those thought that Weds 14 February, being Valentine's Day would be a good idea. So! This is the date.

We will be joined on the picket with Sasha Callaghan. Sasha is registered partially sighted and has had many dealings with the RNIB as a client not as a member of staff. Sasha is also standing as Vice President for the union elections next year. I asked her if she could attend as she would be an EXCELLENT spokeswoman for us on the day. I do hope you all agree with that.

We will meet first of all in the main concourse of Kings Cross station at 11.30 - mainly to get ourselves together but also, of course, to assist any of our VI supporters who we hope will be there.”

Messages of support to Lynn Chamberlain via Ed Bailey at ebailey@ucu.org.uk
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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.