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[qrypt]

I can't believe the UCU just voted again to boycott Israeli universities, after experiences in previous years and knowing that the legal staff of the union would immediately negate it.   The union is a massive unfunny joke: they can't manage a proper pay campaign, they can't protect jobs, all they can do is sully themselves with these ridiculous boycott motions. 

I'm strongly in favor of a Palestinian state -- I'm perfectly happy for my Zionist friends to get thoroughly vexed with me on political issues -- and I'm in favor of tactics that might actually work to improve the situation both for Palestinians and for Israelis.  But this boycott nonsense has become a travesty, a real embarrassment to British academics. 

I really thought we were done with this business -- how naive of me.

[expatinuk]

The Union is a total joke. Not just on this issue but on most things.

[science_expat]

The pay claim is ridiculous!

I'm soooo glad I'm not a member....

[genevoise]

The UCU are about as useful as t*** on a bull.

[snape]

I left the UCU last year over their support for unrestricted access to abortion. The whole Israel boycott annoys me too (I have no vested interest). I am also annoyed about going on strike (having voted against the strike), while colleagues who voted for the strike went to work.   The assessment boycott thing last year was a disaster for the public reputation of the profession. Minimal turnout in elections for UCU president.

The UCU leadership believe that they somehow represent academics on war in the Middle East, IVF treatment, the question of a Palestinian state. They tell us that these are important issues that academics should discuss-- they are right of course, but instead of permitting us to discus them, they take a position which apparently 'represents' all of us.

I suspect that this is all the result of an apathetic majority paying their subs for a handful of individuals, who seem to think that they live under the Heath administration, can spout a load of nonsense.

Unions (including the UCU) do a lot a good work for their members, but the leadership seems focused on anything other than higher education.   

Sorry for the rant. Good to get it off my chest!

[observer3]

I have found local consultation on employment matters to be very useful with the union. I think there are a lot of good people who care about those things at the local level.

But at these national meetings, well, my best guess is that a bunch of people with nothing better to do attend and think they will somehow change the course of world politics by voting for things like the boycott. Needless to say, that is pathetic and it is really hurting the good things the union does. Unless it sticks to employment matters, even people like me will start leaving. Because messing with politics is really hurting union credibility generally, and thus the ability for the union to bargain or do much on the employment matters that should be the focus.