Matt Perry (Newcastle University)

Prof in Labour History, History, Classics and Archaeology, Newcastle University 

Election address

I'm a Labour Historian at Newcastle University and a committed trade unionist, socialist and UCU Left supporter.  

I have experience of being a union representative almost uninterruptedly at Wolverhampton, Sunderland, and Newcastle Universities since 1990, i.e. both sides of the 1992 divide. I spent five years in fixed-term or hourly-paid work at Wolverhampton. At Sunderland University, I joined the branch committee shortly after arrival, ultimately becoming branch secretary. Three times we prevented compulsory redundancies through balloting for and in one instance taking industrial action.  

Since joining Newcastle University in 2006, I have served as a rep, committee member, secretary, membership, and am now chair. I played a prominent role in successful industrial action against performance management in 2016, writing this up for a Labour Research pamphlet. I helped to navigate the branch through the years of industrial action since 2018. We made gains in the 2022 MAB over workload and anti-casualisation and negotiated a joint USS statement anticipating the 2024 restoration of benefits.  

I take a transparent approach to HEC membership, being available to regional committees, branch committees, and branch meetings for questions, advice and solidarity. I have represented the union on public platforms and in the press over pay, redundancies, trans rights, Palestine, anti-racism.  

About 15000 jobs were lost in HE last academic year, redundancies can be beaten but the union needs to do more to help branches at the sharp end. I have put motions to HEC to make policy to help branches to move quickly to industrial action when timelines for minimum redundancy consultations are so short. I am campaigning for better access to the fighting fund in the case of industrial action against the current employers' offensive and networking meetings so branches can learn from each other's campaigns.  

Last academic year, Newcastle University UCU took 44 days of strike action and prevented a two-year threat of compulsory redundancies. Our action resulted in the university paying £2.7m in student compensation. This precedent makes it harder for employers to simply sit out serious industrial action with no consequences for themselves.  The recent UK ballot result makes supporting individual branches fighting back all the more essential. 

Our branch membership and density has grown significantly through emphasizing grassroots campaigning and dialogue, through unit meetings and building the reps structures. I initiated regular reps meetings, launched the anti-casualisation campaign in 2015, and ensured that we have meetings for our Professional Service staff.  

We should jointly campaign with students over equality, the planet, global injustice and Palestine.  

Finally, solidarity and action make unions. Our membership have shown tremendous strength and spirit in the last five years. Effective strategy is made democratically from the bottom up and needs to be implemented.