Dr Marion Hersh (University of Glasgow)

Election address

Senior Lecturer, Engineering, Glasgow University

• NEC 2007-2009, 2010-2012, 2013-2017, 2018-21,
• Equality Committee  2007-2009, 2010-2012, 2013-2017
• UCU Scotland Equality Officer 2018-2019
• UCU Scotland Executive 2007-2011, 2013-2015, 2017-2019
• USS negotiator/alternate 2011-12, 2013-21 
• Commission on Effective Industrial Action
• Glasgow Committee 1990-2021
• UCU Left

Lifelong anti-racist, anti-fascist, anti-war campaigner, campaigner for social justice.

I'm passionately committed to (higher) education.  My vision is a free, publicly-funded and accessible system that values the contributions of BAME, women, non-binary, Disabled, LGBT+ people and encourages awkward questions.

I proposed the NEC motion that led to the Fund the Future campaign and the HEC motion that led to the Five Tests.  I've got my institution to use non-binary-aware language in Senate standing orders and take seriously making on-line teaching accessible to disabled staff. 

As a USS negotiator I've been instrumental in the transformation in UCU.   I continue to support member interests and a wide-ranging campaign, including industrial action if necessary, against the current threat to pensions.  My work has resulted in the ethical/sustainability section of the negotiators' report and I'll continue to campaign for USS to have a strong ethical investment policy.  I've made USS agree to make its website and communications fully accessible and continue campaigning for practical implement of this commitment.

Inequality, discrimination and oppression, both within and beyond HE, anger me.    I campaign actively, promote collective approaches to equality and anti-casualisation and prioritising the rights of casualised, Black, minority ethnic, Disabled, LGBT+, women, other minorities.  This includes trying to generalise from individual cases and campaign for policy changes in my institution or throughout HE. I'm active in the Trade Union Climate-Change Network, anti-racist campaigns and campaigns to support refugees. 

I campaign against marketisation and commodification and am alert to opposing sneaky backdoor moves towards marketisation.  I teach students not serve clients.  I oppose REF, TEF and support a boycott of them.  I promote academic freedom in teaching and research and oppose its misuse as a pretext to undermine the rights of minority groups, most recently trans people. 

Solidarity and support are essential to active trade-unionism.  I continue to support campaigns against unsafe working conditions, job losses, department closures, victimisation, casualisation - Heriot Watt, Northumbria, UEL, London Met, Brighton ...  

I've successfully proposed action to NEC, Congress and HE Sector Conference on global climate change, supporting EU and international staff, pensions, TU bill, stress, victimised reps, points-based immigration, equality impact assessments, human rights act, Trident,  Stop the War, Holocaust Memorial Day, non-binary gender.

We should work with other unions, students and anti-cuts groups on wider campaigns and to defend education and access for all.  HE and knowledge generation must be open to all to transform society for the better.