Saleem Rashid (Sheffield College)

Election address

I have been working as a main grade Lecturer at the Sheffield College since 2010. I have been teaching Maths and Computing. I have also recently started to teach with the Open University. Previously I have a worked at Bradford College, Newcastle College, Gateshead College and Northumbria University.

Union Experience

I have been an active branch member at Sheffield College.  I am the branch chair and have served as the Equality and Diversity Officer at my UCU branch for the last 5 years. I have attended the JCC meetings, supported members and attended UCU Equality Conference. I have also been a delegate to UCU Congress and TUC Black Workers Conference for the last 2 years.

I am also a member of UCU Black Members Standing Committee to which I was elected to in 2016. I am supporter of UCU Left.

I am standing to support and defend the FE sector which has been under a sustained attack by the government cutbacks and reduced funding, leading to the narrow curriculum provision with job cuts, redundancies and increased casualisation. Over time there has been an increase in zero hour contracts within the FE sector which undermines the job security of the permanent teaching staff, increasing workloads and stress, and impacts detrimentally on the quality of student learning experience.

I am committed to a branch led approach to trade unionism and it is at this level that the members must be equipped to defend their jobs and work conditions. It is essential that we keep that provision universal and inclusive, if all students regardless of class, race, gender, disability and sexual orientation are to have access to education, as is their right.

As a NEC member, I would seek that UCU campaigns:

·       to protect the working conditions and pay for its members;
·       to challenge increasing casualisation of staff.
·       to promote equality, diversity and inclusion and challenge racism, bigotry and discrimination.
·       to challenge and deter the employers' continuing to engage in unfair and oppressive practices and conduct towards members by taking collective action and test cases of members to the Employment Tribunal. This is a more effective deterrent than compromise agreements which allow the employers to continue as before.
·       to fully support members who have been victimised for trade union activities.
·       to stem the increasing marketisation of education leading to increase pressures and workloads, pay cuts, job insecurity and uncertain future for members.
·       to work with other trade unions to promote and protect rights of workers.

I will work constructively within the union to make it more effective in representing you and keeping it democratic and accountable to all its members.