Dr Carlo Morelli (University of Dundee)

Election address

Vote Carlo Morelli (he/him) for UCU Scotland Honorary Secretary

Employment & Trade union experience

Current:

• Employed as a Senior Lecturer in Economics in the Dundee University Business School,
• Co-President Dundee UCU and immediate Past President of UCU Scotland,
• Member of UCU Left and Stand Up To Racism.

Previous:

• USS negotiator on USS JNC,
• Member of UCU national executive for 6 years,
• Past President for Dundee AUT & Dundee UCU,
• Delegate to the UCU Congress, STUC and TUC.

Defending Higher Education

The confidence for industrial action within the working class has not been seen in a generation. The government is in disarray and we need to drive home our advantage with the support members have for halting the cost of living crisis.  This means focusing upon co-ordinating and escalating industrial action across the union movement rather than reaching the below inflation settlements made in some disputes. We don't need to settle for crumbs and promises for the future in the USS pension dispute. We can win real gains now.

Within FE and HE the market is driving institutions to bankruptcy while others expand to gain ever greater slices of the global pie for higher education. UCU can be part of a coalition which forces the abandonment of student tuition fees while funding of students living costs. This is something I benefitted from, and today's students should too.

United We stand

The 'hostile environment' demonstrates that the Tories are consciously using racism to divide opposition to their policies. We need a UCU that takes an unflinching opposition to all forms of racism and joins with all those opposed to the Tories' policies. The IHRA definition has been used to silence supporters of Palestine and erode anti-racist initiatives in the sector. Similarly, the Tories use culture wars to deflect the anger in society towards vulnerable minorities. I stand with our transgender siblings against the bigotry of those wishing to restrict the fight for equality.

Workloads and casualisation

Employers will not voluntarily deal with the problems of excessive workloads or use of casualization. Our action can ensure we have national agreements on workloads and the ending of casualisation. I oppose trading off improvements for one set of members while accepting worsening conditions for others. The Four Fights campaign means wins in All of the four fights.

UCU Scotland

UCU Scotland needs a louder voice in UCU and within Scotland itself. We need the Scottish Government's Fair Work Agenda to be more than nice words. It also requires UCU Scotland, along with UCU in other nations, administrations and regions to be adequately from UCU at the UK level.