Not much in the way of union

Unity seems to be distinctly lacking at theJrecently merged University and College Union, where officials from the former Association of University Teachers appear not to be in regular communication with their colleagues from the former lecturers' union Natfhe.

Peep has it on reliable authority that Paul Mackney, joint UCU general secretary and former Natfhe head, knew nothing of a much trumpeted plan by the UCU to launch the "2007 Life changers' Awards" until he saw the half-page advertisement that UCU had placed in The Times Higher last month.