Dr Richard Wild (University of Greenwich)

Dr Richard Wild (University of Greenwich) 

Election address 

I am a Principal Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Greenwich. I have previously worked at pre- and post-92 universities for over 30 years. I am Branch Co-Chair at UCU Greenwich and HE Secretary UCU London Region.

Although a long-time member of UCU, it was my experience acting as Department Rep before, and running pickets during, the last disputes that encouraged me to step up and actively build the union. I want to strengthen our union and build democracy through what are undoubtedly very challenging times. Locally we fought hard to protect our members with the pivot to online delivery, demanding employers provide a safe working environment.  Unions can make a real difference. 

I have always volunteered alongside my teaching and research most recently working with The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC) but previously for over ten years with the Fédération Internationale des ligues des Droits de l'Homme (FIDH), an international human rights organisation, against the death penalty worldwide and against terrorism. I was recently elected to the board of Amnesty International UK.   

This activism, I believe, coupled with my research interests around critical pedagogy, social justice and the impact of neoliberalism in the criminal justice system complement my approach to union activism in universities.

I believe that UCU is only as strong as its members. I am post-92 but represent all members. We need to get organised to face the challenges together; fighting for a fully-funded pay rise, for equality, against casualisation and ever-increasing workloads that dehumanise us, put colleagues under intolerable pressure, imperil our physical and mental health, and degrade university education for everyone.

I listen to a variety of members through UCU London Region, UCU Left, and UCU Solidarity, and support the principle of a strong active member-led union defending our collective rights and the values of a free public higher education system rather than a marketised, exploitative system driven by a competitive, financialised culture.

I ask you to elect me to your NEC so that I can speak for you in defence of terms and conditions, academic freedom and our pensions including TPS. We must embody the values that we stand for namely equality, anti-racism, and fairness. These should be reflected in the way we speak and act driving real change for all members.     

I also need to mention our students and the wider community we support through our teaching, research, tutoring and activism. This is all at threat like never before, brutally evidenced through austerity, Brexit, Covid, the environmental catastrophe and now Trump.  We must work with our students, other trade unions and local communities to tackle these threats and build a sustainable education system for the future.