Secret UCU

There’s a lot more that could be picked over, such as how complaints about the GS go to the president, so ensuring a ‘sympathetic’ president is important.

But, for now:

www.ucu.org.uk/media/15531/...

www.ucu.org.uk/media/14008/...

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1358...

www.ucu.org.uk/article/1358...

So next time a management bureaucrat spouts drivel as to why you can’t discuss in its democratic forums how UCU is run, but can’t name the rule that forbids it (beyond 'you'll upset any scabs in the room'), think about UCU's actual rules, and ask how the GS is held accountable beyond, say, Rule 13.

Finally, the GS has: overall responsibility for the general administration of UCU in accordance with policies agreed by Congress & the NEC.

So the Congress policies which told the GS to resolve the Unite dispute? The ones it was declared weren't in order?

If not Congress or NEC, then who?

On that last see also rule 6.1: All members [of which the GS must be one] and student members have an obligation to abide by the Rules of the University and College Union, and shall refrain from conduct detrimental to the interests of the Union

Who was it who said rules are meant to be broken?

Statement from the guy Jo Grady libelled about the outcome of his court case and how she agreed to pay huge amounts in damages. (FYI for those reading - apparently she repeated libellous comments internally after paying damages.)

The GS is also: to proactively represent UCU to external audiences nationally and internationally & to facilitate a positive image for UCU.

One of my favourites, because remember when the current GS libelled someone on Twitter & had to cough up huge amounts in damages? Very positive.

The GS has: overall responsibility for the effective management & development of UCU staff in accordance with UCU’s employment policies & procedures.

Including TU victimisation?

And (don’t laugh) the GS has: overall responsibility for negotiations with UCU’s staff union(s).

'Responsibility'

The GS has: overall responsibility for ensuring UCU develops and implements best employment practices.

No comment.

As well as: overall responsibility for the efficient and effective allocation of UCU staff to enable UCU’s strategic and operational aims and objectives to be met.

Back to rule 2.1.

The GS must: ensure UCU meets its statutory & legal obligations & operates within trade union law, employment law, H&S law, financial regs, data protection & UCU Rules & take such measures as are necessary to protect members’ interests & UCU resources in the event UCU breaches such obligations.

🤨

The GS is also meant to: develop management and organisational structures and processes that enable UCU to deliver its strategic aims and objectives.

Remember rules 2.1 and 29.2 and how management's actions in their ongoing attack on their staff union are now directly undermining UCU members?

The UCU code of conduct now wielded to silence members says “questions on the day-to-day running of UCU must be channeled through the General Secretary”.

OK. What does the GS job description say?

1. To undertake the duties & responsibilities specified by the Rules of UCU.

The rules quoted above?

Then there's rule 2.4. Aim: To promote equality for all including through ..… the Union's own employment practices.

What ever happened to the investigation that had been agreed into UCU's institutional racism? Was this another in a long line of hollow commitments?

How about rule 2.1? Aims: To protect & promote the professional interests of members individually & collectively, to regulate the conditions of their employment & the relations between them & their employers, & to safeguard their interests.

How does SMT's overt union-busting safeguard UCU members?

Rule 29.2 definitely jumps out: Employees shall be engaged under conditions of employment agreed by the National Executive Committee.

🤔

Did NEC agree to break Unite's recognition agreement? To impose a return to offices? To deduct for ASOS? To victimise a rep? To allow high workplace stress?

What with UCU's desperate effort to silence striking staff and prevent its own members from asking about the victimisation of Unite’s H&S rep - including, I hear, telling staff to grass on any UCU member who breaks the ‘rules’ - I thought I'd take a closer look at what UCU rules really say.

🧵

An ‘embarrassing event’ doesn’t even begin to describe recent UCU history.

Jo Grady’s first election manifesto where she says she wants the GS to be more accountable to members

Staff aren’t allowed to say they’re on strike.

UCU members aren’t allowed to mention it to strike-breaking staff.

Regional committees can’t talk about it.

The NEC can’t talk about it.

Congress can talk about it but motions are declared out of order.

Is this the accountability Jo was meaning?

Your starter for 10: as well as shutting down the regional meeting, what other role does this particular regional official have in this whole distasteful saga?

No “trade unionist” should ever cross a picket line. But there’s a special place in trade union hell reserved for union managers who intimidate or encourage staff into doing so in order to protect the vindictive bullies in their midst. They actively sow deep and damaging division. Beyond shameful.

Just SMT claiming ownership of UCU’s website

So called trade unionists encouraging strike breaking.

I’ve just been reading a copy of the latest email sent to UCU staff by SMT (ie, unelected Greg). There’s a lot to unpick, but referring to the website as if it’s SMT’s personal property is revealing.

Trade union victimisation is notoriously hard to prove. Unite wouldn’t back Marie without clear evidence.

So is SMT blindly backing a vindictive manager? Why? Greg Barnett is the manager’s line manager - what’s his role in this?

Shit behaviour and toxic ‘leadership’ any way you look at it.

Also, not being funny, but where the fuck are @unitetheunion.bsky.social and @unitesharon.bsky.social?

Have I missed the vocal support for their members at UCU facing ongoing blatant attacks? Does being part of the trade union GS clique mean turning a blind eye to the shit employers in your ranks?

UCU management are destroying the union under cover of branches too busy fighting against sector meltdown. It’s about time those NEC members and UCU branches horrified at what’s being done in their name demanded accountability.

Oh, and maybe take a closer look at the accounts while you’re at it.

Another thing the “excellent employer” UCU has in common with bad university employers.

Has Birmingham Uni also heavily implied that staff are well paid so they should simply suck it up?

I’m also told this news was buried in a staff email which also bids farewell to a couple of the fixed-term staff appointed to undermine Unite’s strike action. Classy.

Wow! I hear we need to send massive Christmas cheers to UCU, the toxic trade union employer which has today succeeded in bullying three Unite reps into leaving.

At least Grady can be proud of one thing she’s achieved this year. Because fuck knows she’s done nothing significant for UCU members.

The same UCU which has made 100% pay deductions for every day staff take “I’m working from home” ASOS?

Without even a notional justification that any part of their job isn’t being done?

That UCU?

UCU’s outsourced HE ballot strategy.

An outsourced strategy which delivered only misplaced confidence.

Even if it was always doomed to failure, outsourcing your entire HE ballot strategy to a print & events company, whose main idea was to put Grady front & centre, all underpinned by terrible branding, really won’t have helped!

But why did UCU even need outsource one of its core functions?

After all this time it’s calling out the management hypocrites that finally gets me blocked by @ucu.org.uk

Symbolic.

Being encouraged to vote for strike action by individuals willing to cross picket lines while their boss is engaged in full-on union busting. The same boss who has undermined any future action short of a strike taken by UCU members after deducting pay from its own staff.

Toxic hypocrites.