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Dr Marion Hersh (University of Glasgow)

1 February 2019

Election address

Senior Lecturer, Engineering, Glasgow University

UCU

·       NEC, HEC, 2010-2012, 2013-2017, 2018-2019; Equality Committee  2007-2009

·       UCU Scotland Equality Officer 2018-2019

·       UCU Scotland Executive 2007-2011, 2013-2015, 2017-2019

·       USS negotiator 2011-12, 2013-2018, alternate 2018-2019 

·       Commission on Effective Industrial Action

·       Glasgow Committee from 1990

·       UCU Left

 

·       STUC LGBT Workers' Committee 2012-16, STUC Conference, Disabled Members', LGBT+ Conferences

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

As USS negotiators Carlo Morelli and I were instrumental in transforming UCU, particularly through ensuring we did not settle too early, believing in members and our ability to take action and always pushing for the best deal for members.  I continue to work on ethical and sustainable pensions and making USS communications fully accessible.   I believe in members' ability to take successful industrial action, particularly in the casualisation, equality, pay and workloads dispute.  

As UCUS Equality Officer I have worked to implement motions reviving the Equality and Human Rights and Anti-Casualisation Networks and greater involvement of Black members.  I proposed a successful International Women's Day lobby on pensions and regularly contribute to UCUS equality issues blog. 

I'm passionate about and committed to higher education.  My vision is a free, publicly-funded and accessible system which encourages people to ask awkward questions. I've participated in many campaigns against job losses, department closures and victimisation - Scottish Education Faculties, Glasgow, Dundee, Stirling, Aberdeen, Strathclyde. I'm active in disabled members' and LGBT+ networks and supporting Black members and campaigns against casualisation, points-based immigration and climate change.

If elected I'll campaign with Carlo Morelli (vote Carlo for president) and UCUS Executive members to transform UCU Scotland to draw on the energy of members and to increase their activity and engagement. We must put pressure on the Scottish Government for Scotland-wide agreements to end casualisation, manage workloads and eliminate gender and other pay inequality and significantly increase facility time, and funding with a significant proportion earmarked for staffing.   Such agreements could provide the impetus to resolving these issues throughout the UK.  As an elected member I instigated the weekly communication with members.  I will use the role of Secretary to further strengthen member involvement, including in decision making and solidarity and support for branches in dispute.  I'll improve transparency and access to information.   

UCUS should continue to work with other unions, students, anti-cuts and equality groups on wider campaigns - for migrants and refugees, EU and international staff and students, against austerity and Trident - and to defend education and access for all.  A HE system which values and rewards women, Black, LGBT+ and disabled students and staff and removes the barriers to their participation and success will enrich both itself and the whole of society.

Last updated: 1 February 2019