Grant Buttars (University of Edinburgh)

Archivist; Library & University Collections, University of Edinburgh

Election address

I am a current member of NEC, standing for re-election. Since first being elected to NEC, I have served on Recruitment Organising and Campaigns Committee, Education Committee and Academic Related Professional Services Committee in my NEC capacity. More recently, I have been elected to directly to Academic Related Professional Services Committee and am current co-Chair. I am also currently one of the Vice Chairs of Higher Education Committee and, as such, one of the negotiators who meet with UCEA and coordinate with other sector trade unions.  

My branch is University of Edinburgh, where I have served as ordinary Committee member, Academic Related Professional Services Committee Rep, Communications Officer and President. I have also served on UCU Scotland Executive, including as Vice President.  

While I am not a member of any faction within UCU, I am firmly on the left of the union. I believe our union has to be truly member-led - in practice, not just rhetorically. That means that  

The crisis in post-16 education needs a robust response. We need to be better supporting branches in the many disputes that are ongoing and to come. We also need to joining the dots far more effectively and better coordinating branch-level and wider action. Our strength is as a collective and an injury to one (branch) is an injury to all.  

We also need to be more alert to and more actively participating and supporting initiatives within the wider movement, particularly though not restricted to opposing racism and the growth of the far right. Many members are at the forefront of these struggles, defending in both workplaces and communities and need the weight of the whole union behind them.  

The internal issues which have been plaguing UCU in recent years need to be sorted and NEC needs to be allowed to play its proper role in this. Union workers are workerss and, as trade unionists, we stand with our fellow workers. A trade union which is not an exemplary employer undermines its own abilities to deliver for its members.  

Outside of UCU, I am active in anti-war and anti-racist/anti-fascist campaigns. I am a member of rs21 and Your Party.