2026/27 Elected Members’ Candidate Statements

Bill Booth — Anti-Casualisation Officer

I have been at UCL for seven years on successive short-term contracts across two departments; I have been an active UCU member throughout that time. As a departmental rep I have – unfortunately! – had a good deal of experience of redundancy and redeployment cases, and this year as a member of the Executive Committee I have begun to work on issues around breaches of policy as well as non-compliance with the Teaching Concordat. I seek to continue that work as Anti-Casualisation Officer next year.

Saladin Meckled-Garcia — Executive Committee Member

Saladin has been the President, Branch Secretary, Vice President, and Comms officer of the branch in the past. He led a comprehensive restructure of admin activities and establishing a permanent post for Branch Admin during his time as Branch Secretary. He has, with other officers, lead the branch in industrial action through significant disputes, such as those over the USS pension scheme, and pay, and has acted as a negotiator with management on local issues including academic staff terms and conditions. He is a prominent voice within the governance structures of the university, especially on academic freedom and academic governance.

Maria-Novella Mercuri — Executive Committee Member

I have been at UCL almost continuously since 1986, when I arrived for my Year Abroad in the English Department, to then continue as MA student (Philosophy), PhD student (German) and PGTHE student (CALT). I have been a member of UCU (and before of NATHFE as a Lecturer at University of Central Lancashire) since I started working at UCL as Academic Administrator and Teaching Fellow (Italian), Undergraduate Officer and Teaching Fellow (SELCS) and Lecturer (Teaching) (SELCS). I have represented Teaching Fellows in the Academic Board, in the SELCS Management Team and in the Concordat working group and now I hope that this combined experience may be of some use as Anti-Casualisation Officer.

I believe that it is in the interest of everybody—teachers, researchers, students, the institution and the union—to go back to the one academic contract that once existed, and that recognised the academic job in its integrity as a three-pronged one made up of equally valued involvement in teaching, research and administration. I believe that the bracketed ‘Teaching’ definition is derogatory as well as misleading, because there is no teaching that can be done at UCL without continual activity as a researcher in a chosen field. I am also concerned that the current sub-categorization has increased casualisation and, in the current climate of attack to freedom of expression and freedom of teaching, created a sub-class of vulnerable academic workers.

Benet Salway — Executive Committee Member

I have been a member of the branch Executive Committee for two years now but of UCU (and before it the AUT) since September 1994, when I started my first lecturing job at the University of Manchester. I have been at UCL (in the History Department) almost continuously since 1995 as Research Fellow, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, and Professor. In that time I have taken on various senior administrative roles at departmental and Faculty level, and governance roles on Academic Board and Council but, until 2024, had never before stood for membership of the UCU Executive Committee. Since then I have undertaken training to become a union rep and have supported members in departments across the full breadth of the institution, represented UCU in various consultations on policy revisions, and even presented one of our branch motions to UCU Congress in 2025.  Although I am undeniably overcommitted, I hope to still have enough time to continue to be useful to the Executive Committee.

Victoria Solomonidis-Hunter — Executive Committee Member

My commitment to unionism began as an undergraduate at the University of Athens in the 1970s. Organising under a military dictatorship taught me the vital importance of collective action and democratic representation. During my subsequent 35-year career in the Greek foreign service, I remained a dedicated union member, serving for five years as Secretary General of my union. This role provided practical experience in high-level negotiation and institutional mediation within complex environments.

Transitioning to academia in 2013, I volunteered as a Departmental Union Representative in 2024 and joined the Executive Committee in 2025. My concurrent membership of the departmental EDI committee reinforces my commitment to advocate for member equity. In addition, I know firsthand how casualisation impacts many of my colleagues who are on low FTE contracts, making anti-casualisation a key issue for me. I am standing for re-election because the union remains our most essential vehicle for navigating the current difficulties facing the university sector and beyond. It is my intention to use my background in institutional mediation to support the Executive’s ongoing efforts to protect member interests.

Anca Tacu – Treasurer

I have chosen to stand as the Treasurer of our branch, having been on the Executive Committee for a number of years, mostly as the Environment Officer. My time in the leadership of our branch has encompassed a period of fraught industrial relations and attendant challenges for our members. 

Throughout my time in branch leadership I have worked collegiately to ensure the branch focussed on our core function of protecting and expanding our members’ terms and conditions. I have proactively engaged with the employer and supported building our capacity to challenge ‘initiatives’ that would have a disproportionately negative impact on our members. 

I seek to continue this approach in the important position of branch treasurer if I am elected and contribute to keeping pressure on management as we face multiple systemic threats to our collective wellbeing and job security. I will also continue to be an active caseworker. 

In case you don’t know who I am, I work in STEaPP with my day job being focussed on policy engagement. I am currently in the process of studying for a doctorate, meaning I have a viewpoint that combines staff and student perspectives. I am strongly committed to the aims and values of UCU and hope to be elected as Treasurer to continue my contribution to our branch. 

I welcome anyone who wants to ask me questions in advance of the AGM to contact me.