Jacqueline D'Arcy (Warwickshire College Group)

Election address

Qualifying Employment:Lecturer (FE), AS and A levels

Trade Union Service

I am standing as an independent candidate who will always put member's interests first.

I have been a proud member of our union since I started teaching 30 years ago.

I have wide experience representing members both individually as a case-worker and collectively as a negotiator.

I am the branch secretary of WCG (Warwickshire College Group) branch, a multi-site employer.

I am currently the Chair of West Midlands Regional Executive Committee and Regional Committee.

I have previously served on the NEC for the Midlands and sat on committees such education and legal panel (2012-2016).

I was on the Democracy Commission (formed 2018).

I am currently elected to FE UK elected and I also sit on the legal panel.

I am one of two vice-chairs on FEC.

Election Statement

As lecturers in FE, we are facing attacks on our professionalism, both from within and outside the sector. We are facing these challenges both from government and our employers. We are continually facing erosion of our pay, increasing workloads, more casualization and attacks on our hard fought for terms and conditions of service including our pensions. These are the everyday realities in my college and in yours. I believe the most effective way to meet these challenges is by working together as a united and effective union that represents all of its members. Our focus now must be on improving and protecting out terms and conditions and ensuring that all our members have a voice in which they can challenge the employer.

My branch record shows that I can contribute positively to achieving gains for our members. I have:

• Led a successful branch boycott of lesson observations
• Negotiated the introduction of ungraded lesson observations
• Organised a winning campaign to get our members pay increases, including the adoption of the nationally agreed pay scales
• Opposed the setting up and development of a subsidiary company within the WCG
• Supported individual members and ensured that our members have always had union support when needed

If you elect me, I will argue for a union that places rank and file members at the heart of our union. If you elect me I promise to work on behalf of every member whatever their views. There can be no greater honour than being elected by your peers to represent them.