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UCU's Mary Senior becomes Scottish TUC president

18 November 2020

UCU's Scotland official, Mary Senior, has been elected president of the Scottish Trades Union Congress. Mary becomes the first UCU nominee to hold the position in the Scottish trade union movement, and will serve in the role, including chairing the STUC's General Council, until after next year's STUC Congress.

Originally from the West Midlands, Mary has two decades of working within the trade union movement in Scotland, and since 2009 has been UCU's Scotland official. Her first job in the trade union movement was as a researcher with the GMB union, and she has also worked for Unison and the STUC as an Assistant Secretary.

Commenting upon her election Mary Senior said:  'This past year has underlined the crucial role of trade unions in workplaces and wider society, in keeping people safe, and ensuring financial security for workers and their families. So it is a tremendous honour to become president of the STUC at this time.     

'At yesterday's STUC Congress the movement renewed its commitment to tackle the deep seated inequality and poverty that the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed. We also vowed to do more to address the mental health crisis facing all too many people right now'.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: 'Mary's election as STUC president is a huge honour for UCU. Mary has spent her career organising workers and supporting them to improve their livelihoods. As UCU's Scotland official, Mary leads our bargaining, campaigning and organising work in Scotland. She has been instrumental in protecting higher education staff during Covid-19, fighting against the use of casualised contracts, and democratising university governance. Her election to STUC president is well deserved.'

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: 'Both the STUC General Council collectively and I personally am delighted that Mary Senior has been elected as STUC president.  Mary's long commitment to trade unionism, to wider social justice and to equality is well-known throughout our movement.  As last year's vice-president Mary has provided me and our outgoing president Jackson Cullinane, with invaluable support, and played a pivotal role in guiding the STUC's response to the crisis. All this while faithfully serving the membership of UCU.

'As trade unions in Scotland continue to face the challenges of the pandemic and to campaign for a 'People's Recovery', I could not think of a better person than Mary to undertake the role of president.'

Last updated: 18 November 2020

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