Dyfrig Jones (Bangor University)

Dyfrig Jones (Bangor University) 

Election address 

UCU is a vital force for good across the post-16 education sector, and I'm proud to be an active member of our union. We do best when we are united, and I'm asking you to support me for Vice President so that I can be part of a leadership team that will work together to deliver for all our members.  

Political Priorities  

The entire education sector is in crisis following 14 years of Tory misrule, and decades of mismanagement and marketisation. There is an urgent need for UCU to fight, in unity, to:  

• Address historic inequalities across the educational workforce.   

• Tackle excessive workloads.   

• End zero-hour contracts, the unfair use of fixed term contracts, and other forms of casualisation.  

• Stop the cycle of restructuring and redundancy that has driven thousands out of our profession.  

• Ensure safe and stress-free working conditions for all.  

Labour is now in power in Westminster, and I see this as a golden opportunity for UCU to work constructively with government to:  

• Negotiate a long term, binding framework to tackle casualisation and excessive workload throughout the post-16 sector.  

• Reshape HE, creating a fair funding and student distribution model that provides long term stability for all.  

• Establish meaningful sector-wide bargaining for FE, following the model that UCU Wales has pioneered.   

• Create a National Prison Education service overseen by the Department for Education.  

• Rebuild Adult Continuing Education as a properly funded public good.  

• Harness educational expertise to address the climate crisis.  

Reforming UCU  

UCU will be 20 years old in 2026. This is a chance to take stock and think about how to build a better union, asking:  

• How can we take strategic industrial action that commands broad support, and delivers meaningful wins?  

• How can we open our democratic structures, so that more of our members contribute to debates within UCU?    
• How can we ensure the union's elected representatives better reflect our members' political and ideological views?  
• How can we ensure that all members are treated with equity and respect?  

My background  

I'm a Senior Lecturer in Film at Bangor University.   

Within UCU, I've served as:  

• Branch President.   

• Caseworker and Casework Coordinator.  

• Member of NEC.   

• Vice-Chair, Conduct of Members Committee.  

• Member, Legal Support Panel.  

• Congress Delegate.  

As Branch President I've led prolonged negotiations during challenging times. In 2020, Bangor was threatened with 200 compulsory redundancies, a threat that we managed to stave off. Since then, we've negotiated a raft of new policies that have strengthened protections for those on casual contracts, among other improvements.   

My name is pronounced dəvrɪɡ (or "Dove-rigg"), and I use he/him pronouns.   

I'm supporting Andrew Feeney for Honorary Treasurer.  

For a list of other candidates I'm supporting, see www.dyfrigjones.com  

@dyfrigjones.bsky.social