The Friday email: 31 May 2024

UCU Congress 2024

The union's supreme policy-making body is its annual Congress, which has been taking place in Bournemouth from Wednesday 29 to Friday 31 May:

• click here for more information including motions to be debated
• watch an introductory video from UCU president Justine Mercer
• watch the recorded Congress speech from UCU general secretary Jo Grady.

At the end of Congress 2024, Maxine Looby (Oldham College) takes over as president of UCU and becomes chair of the national executive committee (NEC). We thank outgoing president Justine Mercer (University of Warwick) for her immense contributions over the past years. Please look out for messages from our new president and from the general secretary soon.

Win at the University of Aberdeen

Congratulations to University of Aberdeen UCU who have called off their industrial action ballot and resolved their dispute after the principal ruled out compulsory redundancies at an open meeting about the university's finances last week. The branch's attention now turns to addressing high workloads after the recent voluntary severance scheme left many areas understaffed.

Reclaim Higher Education updates

The UK higher education sector is facing unprecedented threats and attacks; earlier this month UCU launched its Reclaim Higher Education (Reclaim HE) campaign. You can view a recording of the live launch event here and the campaign video here.

Please support the following university branches where UCU members are continuing to defend jobs and education:

• Edge Hill University: Edge Hill UCU is leading a campaign to stop job cuts in the Department of English and Creative Arts. The employer has confirmed that 11 out of 29 academic staff will be sacked, and that formal redundancy notices will be issued in June. Please sign this petition which has already attracted over 2,000 signatures
• Goldsmiths, University of London: in response to the employer's stated intention to levy punitive pay deductions for ongoing action short of strike in the form of a marking boycott, Goldsmiths UCU members are to take two weeks of strike action in the weeks beginning 17 and 24 June. Members demand a withdrawal of the threat of over 130 redundancies to settle the dispute and an acceptance from management that there is no financial imperative for these proposed cuts. Information about the branch support fund can be found here; an academic boycott will also begin on Monday 3 June 
• University of Lincoln: a strike ballot is closing on Tuesday 4 June; university management is targeting over 220 employees, including one in ten academic staff
• University of Portsmouth: in its ongoing campaign to defend job and education at the university, Portsmouth UCU has launched an online petition asking for the withdrawal of compulsory redundancies. Please show your support by signing the petition here
• University of Surrey: in a ballot organised by UCU and other campus unions, Surrey staff and students have overwhelmingly voted (97%) that they have no confidence in the vice-chancellor, provost and executive board. The vote was initiated because of a threat of large scale job losses
• University of Winchester: Winchester staff will strike on Tuesday 4 June over drastic job cuts (around 40 academic staff), unless the university halts plans to get rid of staff and impose excessive workloads. Action short of a strike will begin on Wednesday 5 June.

TUC project on Black women's experiences of workplace sexual harassment

UCU is working alongside sister unions to identify and tackle sexual harassment, misconduct and violence in our individual unions, and across the wider trade union movement. Any woman who self-identifies as Black is invited to participate in this survey (deadline: Saturday 15 June), which will bring Black women union members together to share experiences.

Ceasefire NOW!

UCU joins with many others in Palestine, the UK, and beyond to reiterate the demands for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, unrestricted access to humanitarian aid, and the lifting of the siege of Gaza. 

We are very concerned by the sharp rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia across the UK and beyond since October. We restate our unwavering opposition to all forms of antisemitism and Islamophobia--hate has no place on our campuses or in our society.

UCU also has a dedicated 'Ceasefire Now' web area where you can find downloads, information and resources.

UCU's LGBT+ work

Pride season fast approaches, with Birmingham being the first UCU has a stall at, on Saturday 25 May. UCU is looking for volunteers to help staff stalls. To find more information and express interest, please complete this form.

Justice for Sheku Bayoh vigil, 6 June

On Thursday 6 June there will be a mass vigil for Sheku Bayoh outside the public inquiry into his death. Sheku died while being restrained by up to seven police officers in Kirkcaldy in 2015. Individual trade unions such as UCU, and the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), have been supportive of the Sheku Bayoh campaign's work for justice, and we encourage members and branches to attend the vigil. Meet at Festival Square, Edinburgh on Thursday 6 June (08:45-10:00).