Grant Buttars (University of Edinburgh)

academic-related

Election address

I am an archivist at the University of Edinburgh, have been a member of our union for around 20 years and active in my branch for over 10 of these, serving as ordinary committee member, Communications Officer and as Branch President 2018-2023.  In that time, our branch has, amongst other things, roughly doubled in size, made major gains in fighting casualisation and taken a strong stand against transphobia on campus. 

Having served as an ordinary elected Executive member  of UCU Scotland Executive, I am currently Vice President. I have been on NEC since 2021 and have served on Recruitment Organising and Campaigns Committee (ROCC) and Education Committee.  I have recently also been co-opted onto our Academic Related Professional Staff (ARPS) Committee. 

Being a member-led union needs to be more than rhetoric.  Members have been justifiably concerned about how decisions have been made and how they have or have not been implemented. Members are not passive participants in our union but key to our strength.  As such, their voices must be heard and we need to enable this culturally and procedurally. The purpose of procedure is to ensure decisions are implemented, not to be used as obstruction to prevent or delay. 

Those in elected office must be open about the decisions they make and accountable for them. I have voluntarily published my voting record for my time to date in relation to NEC and HEC and commit to continue to do so. 

NEC must become more transparent to members. It should not be seen as something that happens elsewhere but something that is aligned with and responsive to what is happening on the ground at branch level. 

Equalities issues are an important and essential part of our union and how we function.  These must be at the heart of everything we do.  A strong union can only be so if it is inclusive. I support giving a greater voice to our standing committees, interpreting their advisory role in the broadest sense possible. 

A trade union must be an exemplary employer. The ongoing dispute with the recognised staff union impacts negatively on how our union is seen by members and the wider movement. I have been openly supportive of our staff and will continue to be so. 

Our win on USS is a testament to the dedication, resolve and sacrifice made by members.  Repeated action has forced a significant back down by the employers.  This approach must now be applied to the Four Fights dispute and beyond.   

Further information 

More information about me, my voting record, endorsements and recommendations on who else to vote for is or will be on my website - https://grantbuttarsucu.wordpress.com/