THE head of a union under fire over a call for the UK Government to stop arming Ukraine has called the issue a “distraction” and urged members threatening to quit to stay in the organisation.
Dr Jo Grady, the general secretary of the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU), has responded to the controversy which broke out over the weekend when the party’s congress passed a motion calling for Russian troops to leave the country while condemning “NATO escalation and expansion”.
Members considered quitting the UCU over the motion and Grady has pleaded with them to say.
In a statement she said she would have opposed the motion, were she able to vote and said its passage had caused a “great deal of understandable upset and anger, and it sends the wrong message about our union”.
But her comments were criticised by some members, who accused the general secretary of undermining union democracy.
Solidarity with the people of Ukraine. I want to share some thoughts in this thread on one of the motions that was carried at UCU congress last weekend, which has caused understandable upset and anger. Please share as widely as possible.
— Jo Grady (@DrJoGrady) May 31, 2023
Dr Ashok Kumar of Birkbeck, University of London, accused Grady of rendering the votes of union members meaningless with her “undemocratic” intervention.
He said: “This is undemocratic. Our union passed a motion and an elected leader has just undermined it.
“Democracy means nothing. Our votes mean nothing. Just shut up and pay your subs so I can undermine you atop my £160k a year salary.”
In a statement posted to Twitter, Grady said the matter would be addressed at the next meeting of the UCU’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
The statement read: “This weekend a motion was passed at UCU Congress that has been used to attack the union and question our solidarity with the working class and people of Ukraine.
“I was deeply disappointed the motion passed. As general secretary I am not entitled to vote in the democratic structures and processes of UCU, but if this were the case I would have voted against the motion, and joined the many who did.
“I am acutely aware that the passing of the motion at our Congress has caused a great deal of understandable upset and anger, and it sends the wrong message about our union.
“I want to seek ways for UCU to put that right. It has also become a distraction from our industrial agenda at a critical time.
“I know that some members are thinking about resigning from the union in response. This is the last thing you should do. Please do not leave, stay. It’s with your help and engagement that we can ensure the UCU reflects the views of its members at every single level.
“I know that some NEC members are keen to ensure that this matter is debated at our next National Executive on June 16. I’ll be showing leadership at the NEC and I’m sure our elected officers and reps will too.
“I also commit to working with the NEC to regain trust in a union that has – and under my watch will continue to - put meaningful international solidarity at the heart of what we do.”
The UCU is in the middle of a sustained period of industrial action and it was recently announced members in England would be balloted in September about strikes.
