In recent years, it’s been tough being a trade unionist in education. Under former education secretary Michael Gove, union members were labelled “Trots” and “enemies of promise”. Last year, the Trade Union Act was introduced to make it more difficult for unions to call a strike.

The FE sector, however, is overseen by a minister - Robert Halfon - who is far more warmly disposed. He describes the Tories as a “modern workers’ trade union”, and was instrumental in setting up the Conservative Workers and Trade Unionists organisation.

Dwindling membership

In his first ministerial interview, he told me that he “would love to work with any trade union”; all the main FE unions were given warm mentions in his speech at the Association of Colleges’ annual conference in November.

The minister told me that he would love to work with any trade union

The main threats to the UCU, however, appear to be closer to home. Its dwindling membership appears likely to continue as area review-driven mergers reduce the college workforce. The prospect of a merger between the ATL teaching union - currently the UCU’s main rival in FE - and the far bigger NUT could also make it more difficult for the UCU to remain the dominant union in FE.

Incumbent Sally Hunt is the favourite to retain her job by winning the vote for general secretary - not least after her overwhelming victory at the last contest in 2011 (albeit on a low turnout). But irrespective of whether Jo McNeill manages to go one better, whoever becomes UCU’s next general secretary has a tough job on their hands.

@stephen exley