Five-year survival plan

Paul Mackney starts work today as general secretary of Natfhe aware that the lecturers' union changes leaders as often as football clubs change managers. Natfhe has had five general secretaries in 28 years. But Tom Driver (1969-77) and Peter Dawson (1979-89) account for 18, Stan Broadbridge died in 1979 after just two years. Geoff Woolf, who succeeded Dawson, was ousted and replaced by John Akker who retired in May two years into his five-year term. Mackney says: "Someone the other day wished me every success in my first five years and an even more successful second term. But then he added 'if you survive that long'."