Dear subscribers,
Another week is almost over already, and we’ve had some much-needed good news about UCEA agreeing to talks with UCU and the other unions at ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) next Monday and Tuesday. This means it’s more important than ever to keep the pressure up and our picket lines strong today.
One thing we’ve all seen - and called out - time and time again is our Academic-Related Professional Services colleagues being left out of media coverage of our union. Today, we’re introducing Francis Clarke, who is running for a UK-wide and a Midlands seat on the NEC. Francis has a diverse professional background and since 2017 he has worked in Professional Services at the University of Birmingham. As a proud member of ARPS staff, he’s passionate about using health and safety policy to address the chronic workload issues in the Higher Education sector. His other interests include:
Building and sustaining alliances in the wider labour movement
Running effective campaigns
Recruiting and developing members
You can read Francis’s election statement on our website, or as ever you can scroll on down to read it below.
If you’ve had a chat with colleagues recently about voting, why not check in with them on the pickets or over coffee today, to check they’ve voted? We need as high a turnout in these elections as possible, and every last vote counts.
In solidarity,
UCU Commons
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Election Address | Francis Clarke | Midlands and UK-wide HE [ARPS]
I am a dedicated academic-related professional services (ARPS) member of UCU. I would be proud to serve as an NEC member and support our union’s collective efforts to create a higher education system that works for staff, students and the public good.
In 2017, after over a decade working in public, private and charity sector roles, including as an Equality Officer in local government, I secured my first job in higher education. I joined UCU a few months later, after being promoted into the ARPS role of Web Marketing and Communications Officer, and have been an active member ever since.
I have held various leadership roles within my branch, including Co-Chair, Communications Officer and, perhaps most significantly, lead Health and Safety Officer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this time I have also supported members as a caseworker. I have recently returned as branch Health and Safety Officer.
Through these roles and as a rank-and-file member of UCU, I have gained important skills and experience which I would share as an NEC member. These include: recruiting and developing members; delivering successful ballot campaigns; organising and speaking at strike days; working collaboratively with other trade unions; securing support for campaigns from local MPs, councillors, trade unions and other stakeholders; and communicating effectively with national and local journalists.
I am especially proud of my contribution as Communications Officer in opposing the controversial University of Birmingham Dubai campus. This culminated in a boycott, which received widespread national media coverage. Our campaign centred on protecting the safety and dignity of LGBT+ staff and students, including exposing serious concerns over Stonewall’s involvement in the project. We also educated people about other problems with the project, including the treatment of migrant workers, the prohibition of trade unions and the lack of academic freedom for colleagues working in Dubai.
If we are going to successfully advocate for the transformative power of education, we will need to build and sustain as many alliances as possible. As the elected Trade Union Liaison Officer (TULO) for Selly Oak Constituency Labour Party (CLP), I have experience of doing just that. As TULO, I have worked hard to strengthen links between the Labour Party, UCU and other trade unions. I have also successfully encouraged my fellow UCU members to really get behind other disputes, such as GMB Midland’s campaign for equal pay at Birmingham City Council and the ongoing CWU postal workers’ strike.
I’m standing alongside other excellent UCU Commons candidates, including Emma Battell Lowman for vice-president and David Harvie for Honorary Treasurer.
Twitter: @francisclarke and @ucuCommons
Website: https://ucucommons.org/
