The union’s HOOK (Hands Off Our Koma) is fighting back. 

The Problem is Clear 

Universities see part-time teachers as gap-fillers—brought in to cover whatever needs the university may have at that moment. When those gaps disappear for any reason, the response is simple: “Thanks for your work, but we don’t need you anymore. Sayonara baby.” 

This isn’t solely about money—it’s about mindset. According to a 2019 OECD study, part timers make up 60% to faculty but despite this, universities treat part-time teachers as disposable, temporary fixes rather than valued educators. And they’ve gotten away with it for too long. 

 HOOK Fights Back Before the Cuts Happen 

Here’s what makes HOOK different: we don’t wait for universities to make decisions about you. 

Every year, we submit letters to universities listing our members and demanding NO KOMA CUTS for the following academic year. We use legal protections where we have them, but our message goes beyond contract types: part-time doesn’t mean disposable. 

The results speak for themselves. Over 15 years, this campaign has been highly successful. Last year alone, over 100 General Union members took our survey, and 60 members at 44 universities declared their membership and demanded protection. When cuts were threatened at four workplaces, we fought back—and won at two of them outright. In fact, since we began this campaign back in 2010 the number of member consultations – members who would come to us in December and January with a cut class – has greatly declined. Non-member consultations over cut koma are 10 times greater than member consultations. 

 You Don’t Have to Be a Union Member to Take Action 

Anyone can participate in our public campaign. 

• Take our public survey at uni.genu.cc/HOOK_open to let us know where you work and what protection you need 

• Share the campaign with colleagues who are tired of being treated as expendable 

• Order free leaflets at www.genu.cc/order to distribute at your university 

• Learn more about the full campaign at uni.genu.cc/HOOK 

  JOIN the UNION and Become a Leader at Your Workplace 

Want to make a real difference? We’re looking for people willing to spend 30-60 minutes a month helping popularize HOOK at their universities. Leadership doesn’t require experience—just the willingness to stand up and say “we deserve better.” 

Workplace leaders help by: 

• Distributing leaflets to colleagues 

• Sharing information about the campaign 

• Connecting with other part-time teachers 

• Building solidarity on campus 

  The Time to Act is Now 

Universities are already making decisions about next year. Once those cuts are announced, they’re much harder to reverse. HOOK works because we intervene during the planning phase, when universities still have flexibility. 

Don’t wait until your koma are threatened. By then, it might be too late. 

The HOOK Campaign has spent 15 years proving that part-time teachers don’t have to accept being treated as disposable. We’ve stopped cuts, won back lost koma, and forced universities to recognize that we’re not going anywhere. 

 Ready to join the fight? Start with our public survey at uni.genu.cc/HOOK_open and let’s show universities that part-time refuse to be treated like disposable products instead important members of the educational community.