Endorsements

I am grateful to the following who have offered their endorsements of my candidacy.

UCU University of Westminster Co-Ordinating Committee and UCU University of Westminster branch

At our branch meeting in January, UCU University of Westminster branch passed the following motion overwhelmingly:

This branch endorses Maria Chondrogianni for Vice President and recommends that all members vote for her in the forthcoming UCU elections.

Dr Elizabeth Lawrence, UCU National President 2014-16

I have known Dr Maria Chondrogianni as a union colleague for many years.  She is a committed and hardworking union activist at branch, regional and UK-wide level, with substantial local and national negotiating experience.  I believe that Maria will make an excellent President.  She combines experience with wisdom and sound judgement.  Maria strongly supports building an effective, fighting union which can deliver for members in terms of jobs, pay, pensions and working conditions.  She appreciates the need to link educational and employment issues, building unity with students.  Maria will be an active champion for reducing workloads, ending casualisation and supporting UCU’s equality and international work.  Please elect her as VP.

Back to top

Grant Buttars, President UCU University of Edinburgh, member of NEC and UCU Scotland Executive

I am endorsing Maria’s candidacy for Vice President HE.

Maria is an excellent union activist who is member-focussed and committed to making UCU a truly member-led union. As a fellow member of HEC, I have seen Maria take the chair on a number of occasions, including when discussion has been heated.  She has always carried out these duties impeccably, and always in a calm, considered and comradely manner.  Maria takes and advocates principled positions and does so in the same manner, showing a clarity of thought and articulation while remaining respectful and non-condescending towards others who take a different view.

I am not a member of UCU Left but have no hesitation in endorsing Maria.  Her attributes and approach, as outlined above, are exactly what we need in a Vice President and subsequently President of UCU.

Back to top

Marina Prentoulis, Vice Chair, UCU University of East Anglia

I have known Maria Chondrogianni from Greece Solidarity Campaign. She is a committed  activist and  campaigner and has immediately offered support to our branch when UEA just recently announced potential redundancies. I am convinced she will be a great UCU Vice-President.

Back to top

Juliana Ojinnaka, Sheffield College, Chair of UCU Black Members Standing Committee

Hello, my name is Juliana Ojinnaka-I am the chair of UCU Black Members  Standing Committee (BMSC). I am endorsing and voting for Maria Chandrogianni for UCU Vice President because I have worked with her in the Women’s Members Standing Committee and in other capacities in the UCU. My experience of working with Maria convinced me that she would be an excellent candidate for UCU VP in her work with all sectors of our union. Vote for Maria and see standards in all sectors of post 16 education and rights of members in UCU strengthened in the fight for better pay and closure of all pay gaps

Back to top

Lucia Pradella, Vice President UCU King’s College London

I am endorsing and voting for Maria Chondrogianni for Vice-President of UCU because she is an experienced trade unionist who has helped strengthen the Westminster UCU branch and is giving an important contribution to the national union too. I have worked with Maria coordinating the strikes over the last few years and I believe she is a fierce, honest and principled person, deeply committed to the union and strike action: all the qualities we need if we want to win these disputes and change the Higher Education Sector for the better.

Back to top

Peter Evans, LGBT+ FE NEC member, Vice Chair UCU Equality Committee

I will be voting for Dr Maria Chandrogianni who is standing for the position of UCU Vice President. Not only because I have worked with her for many years, but also because Maria, working at a Post 92 inner city university, understands the link between FE and HE in some of the most disadvantaged communities in our nations.  This enables Maria to understand the challenges facing colleagues across all sectors of education including ACE and offender education.  Maria arrived in the UK as an immigrant and is able to empathise with all of us who welcome refugees and wish to support them into new lives through education.  Finally, I am pleased to see Maria showing solidarity for Unite comrades working at HQ, who don’t always feel valued by the present leadership.

I believe that Maria will be an excellent Vice-President and would kindly ask you to vote for Maria.

Back to top

Prof. Sean Griffiths, UCU University of Westminster School of Architecture and Cities rep

I have worked closely over the last year with Maria on day to day UCU business and in preparing for the ballot and the recent industrial action. Maria lives and breaths the union and is its driving force at the University of Westminster. Her commitment is demonstrated not only by the multiple roles she takes on, but by the enthusiasm and commitment she inspires in everyone else. She is hugely experienced in matters concerning the union, thoroughly knowledgeable about all things to do with the needs of members in relation to their employers and is the person everyone turns to for advice. She acts with authority but always democratically. She speaks a lot in inspiring members and reps but also listens and takes on boards the concerns of others. Her dedication to the union is second to none. She would make a fantastic president of the UCU and I fully endorse her candidacy.

Back to top

Raine Smith, UCU University of Westminster, Harrow campus branch chair

Back to top

Rob Macmaster, UCU University of Westminster, Regent campus branch secretary

Maria is a stout defender and promoter of our union’s principles. She always stands up for members to ensure that policies that negatively impact them are revised before or soon after implementation. Maria is particularly successful at engaging members, responding to individual needs, and building up branches at the University of Westminster by increasing membership and the number of reps and, through her leadership, winning the recent votes for industrial action. She ensured the picketing of all sites by increasing cross-site support through developing social media and in-person collaboration. Maria is our focal point at Westminster. She will lead UCU as Vice President and President with the same dynamism to build the union’s presence and effectiveness.

Back to top

Prof. Pippa Catterall, UCU University of Westminster, Regent campus branch chair

Unions always require leaders who have a clear sense of our goals and a ready willingness to respond to members and set a direction for achieving our aspirations. In present circumstances we need that more than ever. Combined with eloquence and persuasiveness and negotiating skills, these are very much the qualities we need now in the leadership of UCU and that is why I am supporting Maria’s campaign to become Vice-President.

Back to top

Ewan McGaughey, President of UCU King’s College London

Dr Maria Chondrogianni understands and believes that university staff pay and pensions need to go up, not down, that we need to make our institutions democratic through getting votes back for our governing bodies, restoring real collective bargaining, job security and structural reform to end the gender, race, and disability pay gaps. She has my wholehearted support.

Back to top

Rhiannon Lockley, chair UCU Birmingham City University, member of NEC

As a rep, GTVO lead & regional NEC, Maria Chondrogianni has my support. Maria is a seasoned organiser & voice for struggle *from* the workplace – a sharp, effective strategist – a rep who understands democracy must drive decisions & solidarity from leadership is vital (via twitter).

Back to top

Aris Katzourakis, Hon. Treasurer, UCU University of Oxford, member of NEC

Maria is a dedicated and highly capable trade unionist, with a long history of engagement in the labour movement. I have interacted with her during my approximately two year time on NEC, and have experienced her carrying out roles as Education Committee chair and HEC Vice-Chair, as well as NEC member. She is a fair and inclusive chair that seeks consensus, and puts in the hard work before meetings to ensure they are effective and can synthesise diverse views. She will put members first and be an excellent VP.

Back to top

Mark Abel, Chair of UCU University of Brighton

Nicola Field, Solidarity Officer, UCU Kingston University branch committee

I would like to add my name to the list of UCU members backing Maria for VP.  Maria’s fearless compassion and willingness to fight to give members the information and courage we need to run our own disputes with a winning strategy, shines out of all her work.  Her commitment to accountability, democracy, fairness and militancy make her the best person for this position.  I hope you win, Maria.

Marian Mayer, UCU Bournemouth University co-chair and Health and Safety officer, co-secretary UCU Southern Region, UCU national negotiator, UCU NEC Disabled members rep, chair Disabled Members Standing Committee

Having worked with Maria on the National Executive Committee and as a National Pay and Equalities negotiator, I have no hesitation in endorsing her candidacy for Vice President of our union. Of course I am not the first to endorse Maria, Westminster UCU branch, which Maria chairs recently overwhelmingly endorsed her.

As a highly experienced and skilled negotiator, Maria very well understands how our union operates, especially the commitment required to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of Vice President.

Maria is one of the most thoughtful and considered UCU representatives with whom I have worked. Often, Maria is the last to speak in meetings, and it took a short while for me to realise that this is because she exercises great patience, and willingness to consider the arguments and discussions under debate. Maria has all of the qualities required for leadership, particularly in the very difficult times we as union members face. 

Now more than ever our union needs a Vice President who can bring people together in consensus, in the best interests of the people who elect us, UCU members. Maria will do this.

I admire Maria in very many ways, know her to be genuinely democratic and truly believe that  her ability to work with people in all of the sectors and groups within our union is what will make her an excellent Vice President. Please vote for Maria, and above all, be sure to vote in the NEC elections. This way we enhance democracy in our union.

Back to top

Deevia Healeas, UCU University of Westminster Marylebone Campus Anti-Casualisation Officer

I have no hesitation in endorsing Maria Chondrogianni as a candidate for Vice President in the forthcoming elections.  In my experience, Maria is a highly knowledgeable and accessible person, who is always willing to give her valuable counsel and the benefit of her considerable experience to all.  She is highly committed to our union, its members and its democratic bodies and processes.    

As an elected UCU anti-casualisation officer, I have seen Maria working tirelessly, both in successful negotiations with management, in branch meetings and in case work, to support hourly paid members to improve our pay and conditions.  

In the current climate of political assault on public services and the sector in general under the guise of austerity, I feel it is vital that we act strongly and decisively in conjunction with our sister unions to prevent the wholesale dismantling of the public sector.   

I believe that Maria has the determination and enthusiasm to be able to work to this end, and as such would make an excellent Vice President. She would prove to be a huge asset and I wholeheartedly support her. 

Back to top

Darrell Kofkin, UCU University of Westminster

We are proud to endorse you as UCU VP. You have given me such great advice and support on issues. Thank you and onwards! (via Twitter)

Back to top

Christina Paine, UCU London Metropolitan University, UCU London Region HE Vice-Chair

As a casualised member and former HE casualised NEC rep I would fully recommend Maria for Vice President. I have worked with Maria within UCU for the last 10 years particularly both in London Region UCU;  and through the UCU Women’s committee. Maria has played a strong and significant role in all ways within London Region UCU for as long as I have been in the union.She has always stood up so fiercely for matters of equalities and casualisation in all arenas, highlighting the importance of these issues within our union at every opportunity. This support for casualisation and equality has helped to give a strong voice to these matters. Maria defends her university; the HE sector (and the wider issues of pay and pensions) with such direct clarity and vigour. She is a very loyal and well regarded colleague.  She is an inspiring leader and will take our union on a path to achieve fullest equality with a passion which has won her much support in the union.  It is my privilege to endorse Maria for VP. 

Back to top

Bob Jeffery, Membership Secretary, UCU Sheffield Hallam University and President, Sheffield TUC

Maria is a hardworking union activist, with a track record of fighting locally on anticasualisation and in defence of the post-92 contract, and nationally on UCU’s Higher Education terms and conditions disputes – including her work as a national negotiator. I welcome Mara’s emphasis on strengthening democracy within the union, and trust in her determination to pursue the best outcomes for our members. I have no hesitation in recommending Maria for the position of national Vice-President.

Back to top

Oscar Brito, UCU University of the Arts London

I am endorsing Maria Chondrogianni for Vice President of UCU

In her long-standing activism at UCU, Maria has always shown the upmost degree of dedication to our union, at its different levels and campaigns, and her fellow members, being an inspirational example of consistency, reliability and integrity. Maria’s vast knowledge and experience on negotiations in defence of our rights, working conditions and equalities issues has proven invaluable at her branch and region over the years. 

I know this by direct experience, Maria has provided me with keen advice and support, even if I was not a member of her branch. I count on Maria to contribute in a thoughtful, respectful and knowledgeable manor to bring consensus – ideal attributes for a vice-president. 

I am recommending to all members of my branch to support Maria for Vice President. 

Back to top

Elisavet Mantzari, UCU University of Birmingham

I am endorsing Maria Chondrogianni. She would be an excellent vice-president.  As a member of the UCU Westminster Coordinating Committee in the past, I have witnessed Maria devoting herself to our members, to our union, consistently, reliably, with integrity. Her knowledge and experience on negotiations, both local and national, on pay, pensions, contracts, workloads, and equalities issues has proved, time and time again, to be vast and invaluable. Maria has made significant contributions, for instance, to workload development and has helped and supported members with workload issues at local level.

Maria is incredibly committed and you can always count on her to contribute to any discussion in a thoughtful and knowledgeable way – just what we need in a vice president. 

I enthusiastically support Maria’s candidacy and I urge all members in my current institution to support Maria for Vice President

Back to top

Lara Rettondini, UCU Leeds Beckett University

I am endorsing Maria Chondrogianni for the UCU Vice President position, as I am certain she would make an excellent Vice President. I have known Maria since I was employed at the University of Westminster, where she has been chair of the UCU Westminster Coordinating Committee. Over the years, Maria has worked tirelessly and passionately, devoting herself to our members, to our union, with exemplary consistency, reliability, and integrity. Her expert knowledge and experience on negotiations, both local and national, on pay, contracts, workloads, and equalities matters has proved, time and time again, to be vast and invaluable. Maria has made significant contributions, for instance, to workload development and has helped and supported our members with workload issues at local levels. Multiple times Maria offered me and other members invaluable advice as part of case work. I am now employed at Leeds Beckett University, and her unwavering strength continues to be an inspiration for the work I do together with other dedicated organisers in my UCU branch. Recently, a new colleague mentioned that Maria gave their former branch at Staffordshire University great support when members went on strike over pay and pensions. This is testament to her expanded commitment and steadfast dedication to our union. You can always count on Maria to contribute to any discussion in a thoughtful and knowledgable way – just what we need in a Vice President.

I am advising all members of my current institution to support Maria Chondrogianni for UCU Vice President in the NEC elections 2023.

Back to top