Nina Doran (City of Liverpool College)

Election address

My background

I have worked in Further Education, including Adult education, for over 25 years and I have been an active member of UCU for approximately 10 years representing members mainly in a variety of roles in my local branch and also Secretary to the Regional North West Committee in 2018/19. I was also the North West elected member of the NEC in 2016/17.  

My role currently 

I am currently the Health and Safety representative at the college. Workload issues are a major contributor to worsened stress at work and ill health.  This is one of the major issues for FE staff.   In this role I can see many opportunities to be organising members around a common goal of health, safety and wellbeing.  This has currently been received well at my workplace and I hope it will also attract new members of staff to UCU.   

The focus - workload & pay 

If you were to vote for me, I would like to pursue these issues on behalf of the membership at the national level on the FEC and the NEC.  The research on workload has already been conducted by UCU and the campaign materials are extensive.  I now hope to progress and sharpen the focus for UCU policy to one that continues to include and allow for more proactive campaigning and actions that will benefit union members.   

We have seen some excellent gains on pay in some of our colleges and I note how the fight continues with our comrades in HE. There is still a way to go on pay but I feel due to the sacrifices and the successes of our sisters and brothers, including branches in London, and in the Midlands and North West, we may be entering a new climate on pay: with your vote,  I would like to refocus the debate on what can be achieved when we take bold action with the strength of UCU behind us.