Motion on Postgrad recruitment to UCU Branch
Branch notes:
1. There is a rising trend towards the casualisation of employment within HE
sector.
2. As apprentices in the sector postgraduate students are often disproportionately
vulnerable to casual employment practices.
3. UCU worked with NUS on creating the Postgraduate Employment Charter
which outlines the key rights postgraduate workers demand of their employers
and institutions.
4. HEC Conference at UCU congress 2012 passed motions HE17 calling for
local initiatives around postgraduate recruitment to the union, and the
highlighting of the NUS/UCU Postgraduate Charter.
5. The formation of the Postgraduate Workers Association, which is a network
within UCU of postgraduates members organizing initiatives at local, regional
and national levels around postgraduate related issues in the HE sector.
This branch resolves:
1. To support the upcoming Anti-Casualisation Committee day of action in the
autumn.
2. To build on HE17 by running a local postgraduate UCU recruitment drive, in
conjunction with Goldsmiths SU where necessary.
3. To create local Postgraduate Forums, hosted by the branch executive, where
postgraduate workers can attend for advice and support.
4. To support the creation of a local Postgraduate Working Group within the
branch that would lead in the organization of recruitment drives, forums and
any other postgraduate initiatives.
5. To distribute information from the Postgraduate Workers Association and
encourage members to take part in campaigns initiated by this network.