Absolutely done with the UCU - which alternative union to join?

[Bupster]

Hi everyone,

I've come to the absolute end of my tether with the UCU - not just the relentless anti-GC nonsense but now the frankly antisemitic positioning over Israel/Gaza. And don't get me started on the strikes.

However, as a long-standing Labour Party member, I don't want to be without a union. I'm looking at two at the moment and was wondering if anyone had any experience or advice.

Affinity is making some good noises on HE but it seems very small and there isn't much information about it. I like smaller unions but I don't want to be the only member in my city (Lincoln). The other union is the GMB, which seems very sensible, and has an HE presence, but I don't know whether it's negotiating/representing academic rather than professional staff. Any ideas?

Thanks loads in advance for any advice :)

Unison emailed me as a new member of academic staff to invite me to join. They seem to be trying to recruit beyond non-academic staff on campus here. Worth a look?

Unison has some of the same anti-woman and anti-Semitic policies (or tendencies) as UCU, I think?

Sibyl Ruth - an editor & writer who just won a settlement against an employer for sacking her for being a feminist (GC but that's my definition of feminism) is on record as saying she was advised & supported by the Free Speech Union.

I'm in the same position, Bupster. We spoke on the Jewish Mumsnetters section and I came here to start a similar thread here.

I don't think the Free Speech Union is a union as we'd normally understand it.

My Jewish colleague left UCU at least 15 years ago over their stance on Israel (boycott of academic visits etc.).

I think I'm probably alone in having good local union representation but we are robust no-nonsense spade-is-a-spade Northerners where I live and we are also quite an "old" lecturer population (lots of colleagues from a big round of hiring when the university expanded are only nearing retirement).

I don't think the Free Speech Union is a union as we'd normally understand it.

Yes, I get that - it's not there fighting re pensions & salaries.

And yes, to the pension negotiators being brilliant. They've achieved so much, in the face of so much tom foolery by the Exec.

I had to think long & hard about leaving - I've never not been in a union. It took me 6 months to decide, but the combination of the anti-woman stance, the anti-Semitism and the lack of a clear strategy for industrial action pushed me in January.

I'm with Affinity https://workaffinity.co.uk/. They don't do collective bargaining or political campaigning. They do offer some protection if your boss or students take a dislike to you, they deal with grievances or disciplinary issues. And their website has a recent newsletter page about academic free speech (I can't think why.....)

With smaller unions like Affinity can they provide case workers?
I don't trust Unison etc. (GC PS worker colleague agrees) on anything to do with feminism/free speech.

Affinity say they can, I haven't had to put it to the test.

Thanks to those pointing out Unison issues! (have to admit I did no further research when approached as our local UCU were good enough to offset my national annoyances when I was restarting)

I work for the Local Authority in South Yorkshire and was going through some problems with management at work in June/July 2023. I was a member of Unison at the time, but found that my union rep was very unsupportive - he was understanding of my concerns and told me that he did not agree with the managers who were very unpleasant to me, but refused to go to a meeting between me and the managers and offered no other support. This led me to leave Unison in October. I am now looking to join another union but have concerns about being in a similar situation again and ending up with a union rep who doesn’t seem to be that interested in supporting me. Would GMB be any better?

I have also heard about Affinity. I came across another discussion where someone warned against Affinity on the basis that membership is more of an insurance policy and that I would need legal cover on my home insurance in case I end up in an employment tribunal. Can anyone offer any advice on which union I would be best joining? Am I overthinking the worries about joining Affinity? And what if I end up being the only person in my organisation who is a member of Affinity?

The NEU is the biggest in our place, would that be of interest?

Unfortunately I don’t think that would be an option for me, as I don’t work in education. I did end up joining Affinity (https://workaffinity.co.uk/) after having a phone call with them, although I still know very little about them. I had just lost all trust in Unison and felt I needed to leave.