Even union leaders need a break from industrial strife, it seems. As revealed by education secretary David Blunkett at the Association of University Teachers' Summer Council, AUT general secretary David Triesman is to take time out next term to become a history professor at the University of Cambridge.
But he is surprisingly coy about his sabbatical, which came as news to many AUT members at the council.
Could this be connected to Mr Blunkett's jibe about the move making for better accountability and transparency?