Where Has Democracy Gone in UNISON’s Higher Education Service Group?

Following on from the decision of UNISON’s Local Government SGE to recommend members accept the LGPS 2014 proposals, news coming out of the Higher Education SGE meeting, also held today, should be of note to all with an interest in union democracy.

The consultation exercise in Higher Education produced over 20 branches and 1 Regional Service Group Committee in support of the proposals and just three branches saying members did not support them and would take sustained industrial action.

Yet despite the glaringly obvious conclusion from the consultation with members the Higher Education SGE voted by 8 to 6 to reject the proposals (including, it’s understood, the Vice-Chair of the SGE)!

Higher Education members must now be extremely confused – and should be extremely concerned – as democracy has clearly fallen off the curriculum for 8 of their SGE representatives. It makes you wonder who these people, elected by the members, believe they are elected to represent?