Sally Hunt


Policy briefing


What can UCU do for academic related members


Background


Academic related staff were a key part of the AUT, comprising some 20% of the total membership. Their pay and grading in the pre-92 universities has traditionally been linked to that of academic staff in recognition of their professional role within the institution.


NATFHE had very few such members either in FE or HE. AUT also had a smaller number of AR members in the post-92 universities.


There is no such thing as a typical academic related role because much of the work is so specialised but a (very) non exhaustive list taken from the AR Manifesto would include jobs like learning facilitators, administrators, librarians, some teachers, archivists, computing staff, web team managers, international officers, alumni officers, editors, brand managers, lab managers, safety officers, technical services managers, housing officers, faculty managers, transport managers, regional development managers, careers officers, student advisors, student union managers, and planning officers.


The one thing that AR staff do have in common is that their role is key to supporting the overall academic process in our universities and many AR staff are middle or senior managers as well as being committed UCU members.


What I believe


I believe that our union is stronger because of the link between academic and academic related staff, despite persistent attempts by our employers to undermine the relationship by de-professionalising roles, downgrading pay or seeking making job cuts.


The link is a reminder that universities tick not just because of the academic staff but also because of the work done to support of that process.


In 2005, at the launch of the AUT Academic Related manifesto (see below) I said:


'Our academic-related members are fed up with universities treating them like second-class citizens, especially on pay and staffing levels……[AUT] calls on every university to treat its academic-related members of the academic team with the dignity and respect they deserve.”


The manifesto, which was written by academic related staff themselves, makes a compelling case for:

 

Bringing our different traditions together


AR staff are part of the academic team, and we are stronger together in my view. NATFHE had a small number of academic related or equivalent members working in post-92 institutions. However, traditionally they have not sought to recruit senior administrative professionals and it is perhaps not surprising to see former NATFHE colleagues suggesting that in further education, “middle and senior managers” have somehow gained at the expense of teachers.

 

Senior managers can be good trade unionists too and I think it is unhelpful and divisive in either FE or HE for teaching staff and managerial grades to be blaming each other when it is those at the very top who are the ones making the decisions.


Many academic staff in HE tell me that they are overburdened with administration and that this is partly the result of cuts in AR staffing and other support. Administrators and managers have a key role to play alongside their academic colleagues and we need more of both – not one or the other.


My track record


In May 2005, I was proud to launch the AUT Academic Related Manifesto. The manifesto reflected the professional commitment of UCU members and their wish for a higher profile within the new union and a better deal at work.


In 2004, I led our campaign against the national university employers’ original framework proposals which, while bad for all staff, were aimed at removing the link between the pay of AR staff and their academic colleagues.


Our industrial action won the agreement known as the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which preserved the link in pre-92 institutions and also turned would originally have led to cuts in career earnings into benefits for staff by retaining the number of increments required to get to the top of each scale.


Where universities have sought to break the agreement or not negotiate properly with the union on the job evaluation of AR staff as at Leeds earlier this year UCU has under my leadership provided strong support to local associations and branches.


I fought hard during the merger negotiations to ensure that there would be guaranteed representation for AR staff on the new union’s national executive.


What our policy should be


As general secretary of UCU, I believe that:


  1. the new union needs to recognise the positive role played by AR staff and their equivalent in our universities and the benefits provided overall by the academic team


  1. continue to defend members who fall victim to the misapplication of the job evaluation process


  1. promote a positive culture where middle and senior managers who are UCU members are seen as colleagues rather than enemies


  1. campaign for the implementation of the Academic related manifesto


About me


I am the joint general secretary of the UCU, having been general secretary of the Association of University Teachers since 2002. I have spent the majority of my working life supporting education professionals, and was instrumental in negotiating the merger between AUT and NATFHE to form UCU. If you want to know more about my experience go to my biography.


Join the debate


Nobody has all the answers. I believe that if we are to move forward together we have to listen to each other to establish common ground. If you have any comments about this paper or want to suggest ways of improving our union go to http://sallyhuntucu.blogspot.com/ and join the debate.


Become a supporter


Together we can build a better, stronger union. To become a Sally Hunt supporter email sallyhuntucu@googlemail.com