UCU Congress prepares the ground for a fight to defend Post 16 Education.
This year's UCU congress prepared the ground to put the union at the forefront of the
campaign to defend Post 16 Education. Despite the conference being cut short by a day, due
to the RMT proposed strike, delegates passed a raft of motions that provided a frame to
launch a real campaign to mobilise members in defence of Further, Adult and Higher
Education involving demonstrations, lobbies, strikes and conferences.
Defending Post 16 Education.
Despite the sobering fact of another five years of continuing Government attacks on both
sectors there was a real determination at congress this year to mobilise members in the
universities and colleges. A motion calling upon UCU to organise a national demonstration
in defence of post 16 Education was passed unanimously. In the Further and Higher
Education Sector conferences a motion was passed to support ‘Saving Lifelong learning' and
Defend the Public University conferences as part of this campaign.
Delegates were enthusiastic about building the lobby of Parliament on the 16th June to stop
the 24% cut in the Adult Education budget. Sally Hunt, General Secretary, made clear the
whole union was behind this campaign. She told congress that the union would fund
coaches to take people to the lobby and urged branches to fill them. A motion was passed in
support of the People’s Assembly demonstration on the 20th June and delegates
encouraged branches to be a part of the UCU Save Lifelong Learning contingent on the
demonstration.
Motion: Education from cradle to grave and call for a national demonstration in defence of
post-16 education
Coordinating action to save every job and every student place.
Across the country branches and associations are facing a wave of S188 notices. Delegates
told Congress and sector conferences of plans to attempt to coordinate strike action. In
London 12 FE Education branches and London Metropolitan University either have or are
about to start balloting their members for strikes and the first day of coordination in the
capital will be on 23rd June.
There is also a second day of nationally coordinated strike on the 30th June which could see
branches from Wales and Yorkshire and Humberside Region join the day.
Coordinate to defend jobs and courses
Pay
Both sector conferences voted to ballot members over this year's pay claims if the
employers fail to meet UCU's demands. In Further Education a campaign to win £1 extra per
hour was launched and a national ballot will take place as soon as possible on the 2015/16
claim. In HE delegates voted to recommend to reject a 1% pay offer and to ballot members
for strike action to pursue their claim.
Motion for a FE pay ballot
Motion for a HE pay ballot
Anti-casualisation
The anti-casualisation campaign had a high profile at conference and a number of important
motions were passed calling on UCU to organise a joint lobby of Parliament. Congress
supported a motion in support of the national demonstration at Warwick on June 19th against
casualisation and Teach Higher.
No2TeachHigher model motion and demonstration details
Motion carried for a Joint lobby of Parliament on casualisation
Political representation conference
Congress debated a motion that called upon UCU to organise a conference to start a
discussion about political representation. A brief but interesting debate was had where the
mover of the motion argued that what the general election showed was that all mainstream
parties have lost the ability to address the concerns of working people. The mover
continued to argue that the SNP's landslide victory in Scotland, Syriza’s success in Greece
and the rise of Podemos in Spain show that new political formations espousing a clear anti austerity case are starting to develop. The motion was passed by a margin of 2:1.
Motion calling for a conference on working class representation
International: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions.
Congress discussed a Boycott Divestment and Sanctions motion in solidarity with Palestine.
The General Secretary read out legal advice stating that according to union solicitors, if the
motion were passed it could not be implemented. The chair informed the Congress that the
motion would be null and void. Despite this the motion was discussed and passed by an
overwhelming majority placing UCU at the forefront of the campaign to support the
Palestinian people. Motion on UCU and BDS campaign.
Congress passed a motion condemning the cancellation of the Southampton conference as
an attack on academic freedom.
Immigration
Motions were passed overwhelmingly to ensure UCU has clear policy to challenge the antiimmigrant hysteria during the election. In particular to promote and use the excellent
UCU/CLASS pamphlet, Why Immigration Benefits us all that exposes the myths and lies that
surround immigration. The motion called upon UCU to produce a multiculturalism teaching
resource pack.
Motion: Resisting the politics of austerity, hate and injustice
Boycott Prevent
One of the more contentious issues at Congress was about how to oppose the
Government's Prevent strategy. Motions called for a boycott of Prevent. Delegates spoke
passionately in support of the motion arguing that they did not want to act as Government
spies and lose the trust of their students. As one speaker put it, 'Every time you hear the call
to uphold British Values, you know it is a call for racism and xenophobia'. The General
Secretary gave legal advice from UCU lawyers, of the difficulty and complexity of organising
a dispute on the issue. However, it was agreed following overwhelming support for the
position that the Recruitment Organising and Campaigns Committee would oversee a way
to implement the demands of the motion.
See link to footage of UCU General Secretary Sally Hunt talking about the Prevent agenda on
Channel 4.
Prevent motions
BME
Delegates brought motions to Congress expressing the frustration and anger of black
members at the widespread institutional racism they face in the sector. Motions were
passed calling on the union to train and develop more BME reps and ensure proper
representation at all levels within the union.
End racism and marginalisation of black members
LGBT
The announcement, by the chair of UCU's equality committee, that the Irish people
had voted in their referendum to make legal gay and lesbian marriage sent a wave
of excitement and joy around the congress room.
Victimisations
There were many motions
brought to conference and
passed unanimously in defence of union activists who have been victimised as a result of
resisting cuts. Congress heard of a growing list of victimisations including the sacking of
union reps; the Markey’s at Bolton University, at Salford University; the sacking of Michael
Starrs from the College of North West London and the victimisation of Sean Vernell at City
and Islington. Congress delegates argued that we need a rapid response to these
victimisations and the union must throw all its weight behind all anti-victimisation
campaigns to ensure that branches provide maximum practical solidarity.
BBC news report: University of Salford staff strike over sackings
Hands off London Met
Motion on trade union victimisation
Austerity and the curriculum
Motions were passed that challenged ‘austerity of the mind’ and how UCU can respond to
the ideological attacks on the curriculum, such as a symposium to bring together English and
Maths teachers to discuss the curriculum.
Austerity and the curriculum: English and maths
All Congress and conference motions
There were many important debates on issues of equality, the REF, lesson observations,
workloads, Prison, ACE and many more. Click here to see all motions that were passed at
Congress and Sector conferences.
Key dates and events
June 3rd Defend Post 16 education rally at Hackney College, London.
June 16th Lobby of Parliament to defend adult education. Contact UCU to book coaches
now.
June 19th National demonstration against TeachHigher and casualisation. Warwick.
June 20th National People’s Assembly demonstration to ‘End Austerity’. London.
June 23rd / 30th coordinated action to defend jobs threatened as a result of the 25% cut to
adult education.