The activist experience

Looking at how UCU branches and local associations are successfully organising to improve their local union.

• UCU Young Members' Conference

  The first ever UCU Young Members' Conference was an important milestone for the union.
• Salford survey success

  Salford UCU has had a great response to their survey on bullying and workload. About 350 staff replied to the questionnaire. This is approximately 25% of all academic and academic-related staff.
• Growth of department reps at Sussex

  The UCU executive committee at Sussex took a decision in 2007 to make a concerted effort to increase the amount of department reps which will lead to improved communications with members and potential members.
• Campaigning over pay at Craven College

  When told that their college wouldn't be fulfilling a national pay agreement, members at Craven College were forced into action. Here's how they got a result.
• Personal approaches at Oxford

  Oxford UCU has been very successful in finding more committee members and members willing to help with individual problems.
• Rebuilding the committee at Essex

  At Essex UCU we have struggled to get a good turnout at meetings and to attract new committee members, the few committee members we do have are very busy both with their day jobs and UCU work.
• Rebuilding a branch/LA

  Southampton is a case study in how the new conditions in higher education can revitalise a struggling branch or local association (LA). It is also a case study in how even a small group of activists can be vital to this process.
• Coping with meetings

  Only a very few of us actually enjoy meetings - for the rest, it is something like torture to sit through the long, repetitive, self-important ramblings of committee members who turn up for meetings and do little else.
• Getting organised at Newcastle

  As branches and local associations are getting more organised, I'd like to take a look at Newcastle UCU and how it has been tackling the challenges of implementing the pay framework agreement by taking the opportunity to reinvigorate its own structures.