UCU members tend not to vote in NEC leadership elections – and this is one factor behind the dominance of UCU Left. So this is a reminder to our readers who work in HE and FE that ballot papers have to be in by noon on 4 March. Engage has just published a useful link to the UCU Broad Left Slate – members who will work for a more inclusive union. I’d already voted when I saw this link, but it seemed to dovetail with my own choices which were: Renton, Walters, Jennings and Thakoordin in their respective contests and Gluza, Donagey, Whyley (1,2,3) for NEC.
I recently came across a suggestion that union members who agitate in favour of Israel boycotts and those who work against them are both wrong to focus so much on Israel. But my own concern with this issue is purely reactive – I took no great interest in either unions or Israel until I became aware of the boycott move which seemed to represent an extreme position, wrong in itself (in my opinion), divisive for members, and a distraction from the real problems which the sector faces. I liked this statement from Donaghey:
Resources must be concentrated on these key industrial issues that unite the membership. We annot afford to be distracted from core objectives by divisive posturing on peripheral issues.
Hat tip: Engage
