Sally Hunt

Sally Hunt is the General Secretary of the University and College Union (UCU). Prior to the UCU coming into existence on June 1, 2006, she was the last General Secretary of the Association of University Teachers (AUT), having held that post since 2002. The AUT merged with the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (NATFHE) to form the UCU.

As head of the AUT, she and Paul Mackney (Head of NATFHE), led industrial action, over three years until 2006, in support of a pay rise for higher education staff exceeding 20%.[1] The actions disrupted university exams and provision of marks across the UK. In the end members voted heavily in favour of accepting a rise of 13.1% phased over the three years, with the final year's figure subject to further increase in line with inflation. The final year's figure was to be "2.5% or RPI, whichever is greater". In the end, the RPI was at its peak and was 5%, resulting in that being the level of the final year's pay rise.

Sally Hunt was elected as the first General Secretary of UCU on 9 March 2007, narrowly beating main challenger Roger Kline (ex-NATFHE, and UCU Head of Equalities) by some 1,346 votes after the second preference votes of third candidate Peter Jones were allocated after Jones was eliminated in an inconclusive first round. The election turnout was 13.9% out of an electorate of just over 116,000 UCU Members. Hunt is the UCU representative to the TUC and a member of the TUC general council. Her first union job was as a senior research officer with the union later known as ACCORD.[2]

Sally Hunt is a graduate of The University of Sussex which she attended from 1983 until 1987.[3]

A report by the Taxpayers' Alliance highlighted the 38 Trade Union General Secretaries and Chief Executives on remuneration exceeding £100,000 in 2008/9. Sally Hunt was placed at number 33 with a salary and benefits package worth a total of £106,782.[4]

References

  1. ^ [1] "BBC report on the outcome of the industrial action"
  2. ^ Ashley, Dan (9 March 2007). "Sally Hunt is elected first general secretary of UCU". http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=2401. Retrieved 23 December 2010. 
  3. ^ http://www.sussex.ac.uk/alumni/notablealumni
  4. ^ [2] "Trade Union Rich List"

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
David Triesman
General Secretary of the Association of University Teachers
2002–2006
Succeeded by
Position abolished
Preceded by
New position
General Secretary of the University and College Union
2006–present
with Paul Mackney 2006-2007
Succeeded by
Incumbent