Colleagues from UCU remember Hedley, who recently passed away.
Hedley first came to the University of Bath as a student in the 1970s and started as he meant to go on. He had fond memories of picketing talks by representatives of apartheid South Africa and of Salazar's Portugal, and was soon involved in political activity outside the university, leading to his election to Bristol City Council, where he had the whip removed and was denounced by name in a House of Commons Early Day Motion, for his refusal to pay the poll tax. In the 1992 General Election, despite being disowned by his party, he took a quarter of the votes in Bristol West.
For much of this time, Hedley worked in Further Education, at the City of Bath College, and in Bristol, before coming back to teach in his old school (now the Department of Social and Policy Science) at Bath. He immediately returned to his customary haunts and took up the role of secretary of the university branch of the University and College Union. In that role, he was central to the high-profile campaign for transparency on the Vice-Chancellor's pay, which led to the reforms of recent years, and established the campus trade unions as central to the governance of the institution.
At Bath, in the Department of Social & Policy Science, Hedley earned a reputation for directness and honesty, and for a deep commitment to his students and colleagues. His union work brought him into contact with colleagues at all levels across the university and we all benefited from his support and his long experience in trade unionism and the defence of workplace rights.
Hedley was dedicated to his family and particularly enjoyed watching Chuggington with his grandchildren, approving especially of the strong health and safety message. He loved Yorkshire cricket and cycling, and routinely cycled to Leeds to see a game at Headingley.
Hedley is missed by all who knew him, but especially by those of us who had the privilege of working with him in the labour movement and beyond.