A tiny core of activists at the Association of University Teachers' annual conference in Eastbourne stood firm against the tide of support for a merger with lecturers' union Natfhe. Someone suggested that as The Times Higher supported it, the union should, on principle, oppose it, while someone else pointed out that AUT members would have to stomach an astonishing £3 hike in subscriptions. The naysayers were defeated by about 300 to 6. A call for names for the super-union will be put on both unions' websites. AUT general secretary Sally Hunt has promised that no expensive consultants will be hired and no Latin names, such as veritas , will be accepted.