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Original poster

UCU - any alternative?

15 replies

LooksGood · 12/10/2021 19:37

Is anyone in academia affiliated with a different union? I think I've lost hope for UCU. I can't imagine not being in a union.

Not seeking the perfect union - at least any alternative won't be claiming to speak for me as an academic ...

OP posts:
GCAcademic · 12/10/2021 20:09

I left UCU last year and joined GMB.

Original poster
LooksGood · 12/10/2021 20:16

I left tonight. May go with GMB - thank you. Or people on women's rights thread have recommended Affinity. Have until end of month to sort it out. Would never have imagined this a few years ago. Thanks.

OP posts:
LividLackey · 12/10/2021 20:21

Does anyone have any experience of voice? It claims to be non political and seems to be mainly for teachers but also covers lectures. I don't know much about them.

GCAndProud · 12/10/2021 21:22

In my experience, UCU are pretty ineffective anyway. Loads of really bad stuff has happened at my institution and the branch officers haven’t given a shit. They’re very apathetic. If you have a real problem at work, legal expenses insurance is more likely to help you than a UCU rep. I don’t think any union is perfect but the UCU is extreme in its zealotry. I’m out.

qudylogra · 13/10/2021 07:59

UCU is the union that represents academics in the pensions discussions. I can't stomach many of their positions, nor endorse their infantile leadership, so I am not a member. But it really worries me how many sensible people have by now left UCU, leaving a very unrepresentative group to negotiate on pensions for all of us. Moderate academics need to band together and take back UCU.

GCAndProud · 13/10/2021 08:07

@qudylogra

UCU is the union that represents academics in the pensions discussions. I can't stomach many of their positions, nor endorse their infantile leadership, so I am not a member. But it really worries me how many sensible people have by now left UCU, leaving a very unrepresentative group to negotiate on pensions for all of us. Moderate academics need to band together and take back UCU.
It is worrying. The people they have negotiating on pensions seem useless and their position of ‘no detriment’ is unrealistic and the increased cost would lead to job losses. As is tying the dispute to the vague ‘four fights’ stuff. Basically, as things stand now, UCU is not going to help anyone save their pension. I also wish that sensible academics would band together but I think it’s tipped too far into crazy-land now and people are just leaving.
Original poster
LooksGood · 13/10/2021 08:24

The problem is, if sensible academics band together and declare a position that stops short of instant affirmation of all transactivist claims and demands, we know the union won't protect us. We know it will turn on us, in fact. That's what we've just seen.

OP posts:
Original poster
LooksGood · 14/10/2021 03:20

One thing I've now realised, if you want to withdraw some financial support without leaving, is that you can refuse to pay toward UCU's political fund. Different methods depending when you joined.

They dont hand it over to labour like other unions - keep it for their own lobbying

www.ucu.org.uk/politicalfund

So that's a thought - had no idea.

OP posts:
UCUNoMore · 14/10/2021 09:11

The non-political thing is a joke and a fig leaf.

tresleches · 19/10/2021 13:06

I'm planning to leave UCU and just quickly googled GMB as an option - I fear a frying pan and a fire situation

uncommongroundmedia.com/gmb-pauses-collaboration-with-mumsnet/

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3525506-GMB-Union-introduces-sex-workers-branch-and-campaigns-against-the-introduction-of-the-Nordic-Model

UCUNoMore · 20/10/2021 16:01

I’ve sent off my form to join Affinity

GCAndProud · 21/10/2021 08:46

Yeah I don’t think any trade union will be explicitly pro women’s rights. GMB’s leadership have definitely said some dodgy things. Where I think it matters is in terms of who the reps are. In UCU, you’re much more likely to get some wannabe ‘literal Marxist’ who is on an anti-women crusade. Academics are known for generally not living in the real world, whereas a union representing a whole range of jobs might be more down to Earth. If a rep started telling a bin-man about how some women have penises, it probably wouldn’t go down well so I doubt they would.
For instance, the reps in my faculty at work are possibly the least down to Earth people you could imagine. They have little or no real life work experience and a head in the clouds approach and this shows in their communications, which tend to be overly verbose and often focused on small and irrelevant points. Sometimes you expect a bibliography at the end of their emails. I wouldn’t trust them one iota to provide any real practical assistance if I had a problem.

SwordBilledHummingbird · 21/10/2021 15:58

@UCUNoMore

I’ve sent off my form to join Affinity
Same here, DH too.
Bingobango69 · 21/10/2021 21:13

Rumours abound at my place that if current case trends continue, after reading week could see a change in delivery of teaching...

Bingobango69 · 21/10/2021 21:59

@Bingobango69

Rumours abound at my place that if current case trends continue, after reading week could see a change in delivery of teaching...
Sorry, wrong thread.
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