Saira Weiner (Liverpool John Moores University)

Election address

Experience:

Branch Secretary Liverpool John Moores University (2018 - present)
Chair LJMU (2015 -2018)
NEC NW elected member (2019 - present)
Chair Recruitment, Organising and Campaigns Committee
Chair NW UCU Regional Committee  (2021- present)
Vice Chair North West UCU Committee  (2020-2021)
NEC Women's seat (2014-2016)
Chair Women's Standing Committee (2015-2016)

I'm senior lecturer in Education Studies at LJMU

Equality must remain central to UCU work.
Defend Trans rights, all LGBT+ rights and Women's rights.
Rights for Disabled people are Human Rights. I am Disabled by society not impairments.
Stop the Racist Onslaught. Refugees are welcome here! Supporter of Stand Up to Racism, and, Unite Against Fascism.
I'm an anti-Zionist Jew, proud of UCUs support for Palestine.
I support UCULeft and the UCU Solidarity Movement.

Equality Pay gaps, workloads and casualisation are wreaking havoc on staff morale and well being. And they're stealing our retirements. Thousands of staff are at breaking point. The focus on buildings, not people , is harming all of us. Our rightful pay goes straight  into the pockets of employers and  capital builds projects while our members use foodbanks. These mean that we are right to fight, and we need to ensure we win. For ourselves, our students and the future of post 16 Education.

I voted at Higher Education Committee (HEC) for hard hitting, rapidly escalating industrial action. We can't have drawn out disputes, with limited action for our employers to sit out. We can't wait. The crisis is impacting on us all now. Hopefully by the time this is published, HEC decisions have been implemented and we will have won the UCURising disputes.

UCU must be more democratic:  branches and members need to have access to and influence UCUs democratic structures effectively, through Branch Delegates Meetings where proper debate and discussion is fostered, mandated decisions are carried out and activists  listened to and valued. HEC decisions must be implemented. Members need to be kept informed about decisions made and strategies agreed and discuss those decisions. Our Union must be member led, not top down. Democracy must be a priority.

We are workers, with everything in common with workers both here and around the world. We must work together, fight together and continue to make links at grass roots, nationally and internationally. The fight of Iranian women, and Sudanese workers are ours too!

Solidarity is everything and we have a world to win. The World is dying as profits are prioritised over saving the planet. This must be central to the work of our Union

We must not let those blaming refugees and migrants for the ills in society divide us. Refugees are welcome here!

Please vote for me and other UCULeft candidates