Mark Pendleton for VP

Every year, UCU elects its lay leadership to help shape the union’s strategic direction, head up our democratic structures and lead on UK-wide negotiations over things like pay and pensions. But very few members turn out to vote.

I am asking you to vote for me in this year’s election for two important reasons.

First, we all know that our sectors are continually under attack and that we urgently need effective strategies to fight back. In order to do that, we need to build member confidence that we can and win change in post-16 education. I know from my branch and campaigning work that this is not easy. But winning change is possible if we build together. That means we have to respect the inevitable differences across a union membership as diverse as ours, but also build strategies that can attract the widest possible member support and engagement. 

Mark with Suzi.

Second, instead of one vice-presidential election as in a typical year, this year there are two vacancies. Your votes will elect one VP from further education and one from higher education. It is essential that all members, whatever sector you work in, vote in both elections - I support Suzi Toole for the FE role. 

In Higher Education, the successful candidate in this election will also play a key sectoral role for longer than normal. They will chair our key higher education committees and lead on pay and pensions negotiations for the next three years, rather than the usual two, before becoming President of the whole union. That means we need an experienced leader with the ability to do that difficult work of building widespread support, who can work with the union’s staff and leadership and key figures in the sector, and help build an effective industrial, political and campaigning strategy for change in higher education.

Of the three candidates in this election, I bring the most experience across all the areas needed for this role - chairing key committees, working with key sectoral bodies, negotiating on both pay and pensions and building multiple winning campaigns. 

I hope to convince you that I am best placed to lead on the important work of building UCU into the effective, democratic and responsive union that it can and must be if we are to turn the corner in post-16 education. 

I hope to not just win your vote, but your support for that goal over the coming years. 

Take a look around this site and feel free to reach out at markpendletonucu@gmail.com if you’ve got any questions or if you’d like any more information to distribute in your branch or workplace. 

I am ready to get to work for you and help UCU be the best it can be. 

Mark