Business of the strategy and finance committee

18 May 2009

14:00, Wednesday 27 May 2009

To be taken in private session until the conclusion of motion 20.

Finance and property (paragraphs 1-4)

13 Audited Financial Statements - National Executive Committee

Congress receives the union's audited financial statements for the 12-month period ending 31 August 2008 as set out in UCU/168.

CARRIED

14 Subscription rates - National Executive Committee

Congress endorses the subscription rates from 1 September 2009 set out in UCU/178.

CARRIED

15 Budget 2009-2010 - National Executive Committee

Congress endorses the budget for September 2009 - August 2010 as set out in UCU/178.

CARRIED

16 Appointment of Auditors - National Executive Committee

Congress approves the provisional appointment of Knox Cropper as the union's auditors for the year ending 31 August 2010.

CARRIED

17 Strike fund and strike pay - Richmond upon Thames College

Congress believes that strike pay could be crucial to winning important disputes. Congress therefore agrees:

to establish a permanent strike fund
a minimum 1% of all members' subscriptions will be paid into this fund
£1 million minimum will be kept in this fund till it is drawn upon
a minimum £1 million will be re-established in the strike fund rapidly whenever the fund is drawn upon
strike pay will be £50.00 a day
all these figures will be reviewed annually by congress
this fund will be used for strike pay purposes only
the NEC will agree when strike pay will be paid.

CARRIED

18 Sustentation Fund - London Regional Committee

Congress believes that in order to mount an effective campaign to improve pay and conditions, it is necessary for our union to be able to provide financial support for members who are called upon to take strike action. Congress instructs the NEC to ensure that one million pounds is always available in the sustentation fund.

WITHDRAWN

19 Sustentation and sustentation fund - University of Brighton Eastbourne and South East Regional Committee

Congress recognises that

political and economic instability, and FE/HE financial disruption, will increase defensive industrial action
action creates disproportionate hardship, and a hardship fund must be considered in all disputes
use of the sustentation fund for national disputes, or for the first three days of industrial action, is unsustainable financially, and undesirable politically
industrial action cannot become dependant on availability of sustentation.

Congress endorses the key conditional guidelines of the SFC for the payment of sustentation outside exceptional circumstances:

a rate of £30 per day
where members have already lost three days' pay
for disputes of strategic importance.

Congress instructs the NEC to investigate the:

increase of subscription allocations to the fund from 1% to 2%
introduction of an hypothecated increase of subscriptions
building a tradition of, and infrastructure for, regional levies and strike collections across the sectors for regional disputes.

CARRIED

Legal services (paragraph 6)

20 Membership entitlement to UCU support in individual casework - Kingston on Thames University

The UCU policy on a new member's entitlement to casework support by branch officers and regional officials should be clearly stated on membership application forms. These should make clear that no casework support will normally be provided to new members who have joined after they became aware that they were facing action from line managers, colleagues or students which requires UCU support. This is necessary to deter 'freeriders' and to reduce the burden on branch officers and regional officials.

LOST

Public affairs (paragraphs 7- 14)

21 United Campaign Against Police Violence - Composite (Northern Regional Committee; University of Leeds; East Midlands Regional Committee; Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee)

Congress notes:

the tragic death of Ian Tomlinson on 1 April after he was pushed to the floor by police involved in the G20 demonstrations
there have been numerous complaints against police violence and restrictions on recent demonstrations, including 'kettling'
many families who have lost loved ones at the hands of the police are involved in long campaigns for justice
the formation of the United Campaign Against Police Violence (UCAPV), set up around the slogans, 'Remember Ian Tomlinson', 'No more deaths in police custody', 'Freedom to protest' and 'Defend civil liberties'.

Congress believes:

evidence suggests that aggressive police behaviour is not the result of individual officers, but is an institutional issue
there is a need for a broad-based active campaigning strategy around these questions.

Congress resolves:

to support UCAPV and future actions it is involved with
to affiliate to UCAPV at a cost of £100.

CARRIED

European and international work (paragraphs 19-28)

22 Economic development and the Lisbon Treaty - Northern Regional Committee

In light of the current economic crisis and the need for direct government intervention in the economy to support our manufacturing industry, UCU Congress calls on the government to work for the repeal of the Lisbon Treaty and specifically those sections of it which:

give legal primacy to the free market and competition
make state aid illegal
give the EU commission sole control over trade
guarantee capital freedom of movement
remove the democratic freedom of the parliaments of the member states to develop programmes of economic recovery involving comprehensive strategic planning and the public ownership of utilities.

LOST

22A.1 Manchester Metropolitan University

Add following paragraph to end of motion:

'Congress demands that a campaign against the Lisbon Treaty should be based on principles of international solidarity and reject nationalist slogans such as 'British jobs for British workers', which fuel racism and give succour to Europe's fascist parties like the BNP.'

CARRIED

23 Colombia - National Executive Committee

Congress believes that the systematic criminalisation of trade unionists by the Uribe government and its agents should be condemned.

Congress further believes that the forced removals of people from their land and terrorisation of the poor is a fundamental attack on their human rights.

Congress supports the call for a political solution, the release of those kidnapped, and a cessation of violence

Congress agrees to:

establish rapid links with Colombian academic unions to provide support when their members are threatened
maintain pressure on the British government to withdraw aid not specifically for human rights work
offer support to JfC (Justice for Colombia) staff members targeted by Colombian intelligence services
encourage local branches and LAs to affiliate to JfC
work with JfC to formulate a motion to TUC Congress to confirm our opposition to any free trade agreement resulting from the EU-Colombia negotiations held in May 2009

CARRIED

Late motion L1 Call for solidarity with Leyla Zana (National Executive Commitee)

Congress notes that

- Leyla Zana, Sakharov Laureate and the first Kurdish woman elected to the Turkish Parliament, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 1991 because she spoke Kurdish in the Turkish Parliament.

- she is likely to be sentenced to a further 10 years in prison on June 2 2009 for the 'crime' of speaking at a meeting called by the Kurdish Society at SOAS in May 2008.

Congress resolves:

- to instruct Executive to mount a campaign to secure the release of Leya Zana. This includes:

raising the issue with other trade unions
calling on MPs and MEPs to protest to the Turkish government
calling on the Principal of SOAS and the Vice Chancellor of London University to defend the rights of academic freedom and to communicate this in the strongest terms to the Turkish Embassy
participating in the newly formed solidarity campaign.

CARRIED

Late motion L2 Stop the Massacre of Tamils (National Executive Commitee)

Congress notes:

The appalling humanitarian crisis among Tamils in Sri Lanka resulting from the Sri Lankan army's offensive against the Tamil Tigers. The UN estimates over 250000 in refugee camps and over 7000 civilians killed.
The Sri Lankan army's use of weapons supplied by Britain (worth £7 million last year).
That the military destruction of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) will not resolve the long standing discrimination suffered by the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

Congress calls on the British government to condemn the indiscriminate and brutal attacks on civilians by the Sri Lankan army in the recent offensive.

Congress calls for an immediate ban on arms sales to Sri Lanka.

Congress instructs the NEC to investigate relevant links with Tamil & Sri Lankan trade union and civil society organisations to seek practical steps to provide support and solidarity for educators and students caught up in the crisis.

CARRIED

24 Solidarity with Palestinians - Composite (National Executive Committee; Westminster-Kingsway College; Derwentside College)

Congress condemns the recent military attacks on Gaza. The continuing blockade of the Gazan people and the occupation of the West Bank highlight the importance of international union solidarity with the Palestinian people. Congress also condemns the use of rockets against Israeli civilians.

Congress endorses the actions of the general secretary and SFC in relation to the implementation of Motion 25 from Congress 2008.

We welcome the progress on twinning and exchanges with international post-school education unions and institutions including those in Palestine and support the continuation of this solidarity work and other solidarity work within the law. We note the success of twinning in raising awareness of the ongoing military occupation in the West Bank and the blockade of Gaza.

We welcome the role of such groups as Camben-Abu Dis Friendship Association in building such links between educational institutions here and in the occupied territories. We call on UCU to affiliate to the national twinning campaign.

Congress also notes that 29 November is designated annual United Nations International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People and instructs the NEC to promote activities in the branches - both curricular and non-curricular - to mark this day.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

24A.1 - London School of Economics

Add after paragraph 3

Congress instructs the NEC to collect information on Palestinian academics prevented from travelling abroad to conferences or visiting positions; on overseas academics refused permission to take up, or remain in, positions in Palestine; and on students who have places in overseas universities that they are unable to take up through travelling restrictions and publicise the information; inform Education International; and press the Israeli Government to allow freedom of movement for Palestinian academics and students.

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

Congress endorses the actions of the general secretary and SFC in relation to the implementation of Motion 25 from Congress 2008.

25 Disabled people and conflict - Disabled Members' Standing Committee

Congress notes that armed conflict is one of the biggest causes of impairment globally and that hundreds of thousands of people are injured and impaired annually due to wars.

Congress is appalled by the recent conflict in Gaza which has resulted in the deaths, injury and impairment of over a thousand people, including 300 children and countless others.

Congress resolves to support practical initiatives to show solidarity with disabled people and their organisations in Palestine.

CARRIED

26 Palestine and Israel - UCU Scotland

UCU Congress welcomes the visit of the President of UCU Scotland to Palestine and Israel as part of an STUC delegation in March 2009. Congress agrees to disseminate his report as widely as possible to members.

UCU Congress welcomes the campaign amongst students in Scottish HEIs for disinvestment from arms companies such as British Aerospace and congratulates Dundee and Strathclyde's victories in this respect.

CARRIED

27 Gaza - Black Members' Standing Committee

Congress strongly condemns the Israeli invasion in Gaza. Over 1300 children and women were massacred and over 5000 people were seriously injured. Indiscriminate killings, attacks and destruction of educational institutions, UN properties, hospitals and infrastructure in Gaza amount to crime against humanity.

Congress strongly condemns the use of banned substances, white phosphorus and depleted uranium on defenceless people.

The Congress strongly condemns the BBC and much of the Western media for biased reporting of the atrocities committed against civilians by the Israeli Army. Also the UN and countries that vacillated and allowed the army time to destroy the infrastructure of Gaza.

Congress demands:

ending of apartheid and lifting of all barricades in Gaza
recognition of the democratically elected Gaza government
establishment of free independent Palestine
respect for human rights in Palestine
stop killing of defenceless Gazans
Israel tried for human rights violations
lasting peace in Palestine.

CARRIED

28 Gaza - Composite (Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee, North West Regional Committee)

Congress notes:

the deaths, injuries and destruction caused by the Israeli government's assault on Gaza
the sale of over £18.8 million of British arms to Israel in 2008, up from £7.5 million in 2007.

Congress condemns:

the Israeli attack on Gaza and refusals by the US and UK governments to condemn it
the total support for Israel by the US government
the siege of Gaza by the Israeli government in breach of international law.

Congress resolves:

to congratulate student unions who have occupied and protested over Gaza
to call for an immediate lifting of the siege
to demand the British government end its complicity in denying Palestinian rights
to demand the British government bans arms sales and economic support for Israel
to support self-determination for the Palestinian people
to call for a ban on imports of all goods from the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories
to demand the British government expels the Israeli ambassador
to donate to the special Stop the War fund for Gaza.

CARRIED

Amendment 28A.1: The union received advice from Leading Counsel that to pass this amendment would be unlawful because it is likely to be viewed by a court as a call to boycott Israeli academic institutions. The union has previously followed advice from Leading Counsel that such a call would be outside the powers of the union to make. If the amendment is further amended to remove the affirmation of support for the Palestine call for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign, Leading Counsel has advised the union may lawfully pass this amendment. If the amendment is passed in its unamended form the President has been advised that she will have to treat it as being void and of no effect.

28A.1 - North West Regional Committee

Add at end:

'Congress affirms support for the Palestinian call for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign.'

CARRIED

Motion 29: The union received advice from Leading Counsel that to pass this motion would be unlawful because it is likely to be viewed by a court as a call to boycott Israeli academic institutions. The union has previously followed advice from Leading Counsel that such a call would be outside the powers of the union to make. If the motion is amended to remove the affirmation of support for the Palestine call for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign, Leading Counsel has advised the union may lawfully pass this motion. If the motion is passed in its unamended form the President has been advised that she will have to treat it as being void and of no effect.

29 Composite (University of Brighton Grand Parade, College of North East London, University of East London)

Congress notes:

targeting by Israel of civilians, homes, hospitals, UN facilities, university and school buildings to overthrow a democratically elected government
blockade of medicine, food, fuel, trade and education of Gaza, and continued occupation and settlement of the West Bank
complicity of Israeli educational institutions in colonisation and military preparation
student occupations globally demanding justice and solidarity.

Congress believes:

a solution is impossible until Israel dismantles illegal settlements, withdraws to 1967 borders, and negotiates with Hamas
international pressure is necessary to force Israel to abide by international law.

Congress affirms support for the Palestinian call for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign.

Congress resolves to:

intensify solidarity and renew urgently its call to members to reflect on the moral and political appropriateness of collaboration with Israeli educational institutions
support those Israelis who refuse to collaborate with Israel's war against Palestinians
demand that the British Government condemn Israeli aggression and ban arms sales to Israel
host an Autumn international, inter-union conference of BDS supporters to investigate implementation of the strategy, including an option of institutional boycotts.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

Late amendment 29A.1 (University of Brighton Grand Parade)

Insert 'the lawful' before 'implementation' in the final bullet-point of 'Congress resolves', to read

host an Autumn international, inter-union conference of BDS supporters to investigate the lawful implementation of the strategy, including an option of institutional boycotts.

and

replace 'affirms support for' with 'urges branches to discuss prior to Congress 2010' in the 'Congress affirms' passage, to read:

Congress urges branches to discuss prior to Congress 2010 the Palestinian call for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign.

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

Congress notes:

targeting by Israel of civilians, homes, hospitals, UN facilities, university and school buildings to overthrow a democratically elected government
blockade of medicine, food, fuel, trade and education of Gaza, and continued occupation and settlement of the West Bank
complicity of Israeli educational institutions in colonisation and military preparation
student occupations globally demanding justice and solidarity.

Congress believes:

a solution is impossible until Israel dismantles illegal settlements, withdraws to 1967 borders, and negotiates with Hamas
international pressure is necessary to force Israel to abide by international law.

Congress urges branches to discuss prior to Congress 2010 the Palestinian call for a boycott, disinvestment and sanctions campaign.

Congress resolves to:

intensify solidarity and renew urgently its call to members to reflect on the moral and political appropriateness of collaboration with Israeli educational institutions
support those Israelis who refuse to collaborate with Israel's war against Palestinians
demand that the British Government condemn Israeli aggression and ban arms sales to Israel
host an Autumn international, inter-union conference of BDS supporters to investigate lawful implementation of the strategy, including an option of institutional boycotts.

Points-based system for immigration (new heading after paragraph 28)

30 Points-based system for immigration - Composite (West Midlands Regional Committee, National Executive Committee, Academic-related Staff Committee)

Congress strongly condemns the points-based system for immigration (PBSI), which requires international staff and students to carry biometric ID cards and institutions to monitor them, report absences to the Home Office and check biometric data bases.

Under the PBSI, HE and FE Institutions are mandated to have a UK Border Agency sponsor's licence effectively making them agents of the Home Office.

As a result individual UCU members (both academic and academic-related) will be required to carry out policing and surveillance duties on behalf of the Home Office. Individuals could be liable to substantial fines and possible jail sentences for failure to comply.

This UK Border Agency-directed policy will impose additional workloads on UCU members and will ride roughshod over any individual's moral objections to collaborating in such distasteful surveillance activities

Colleges and universities are being forced to police the movement of international students and staff - or lose the ability to recruit internationally. International staff and students form an essential part of world class teaching and research. This system makes educators into immigration snoopers which could damage UK education irreparably.

Congress believes PBSI is:

discriminatory and an attack on the civil liberties of international staff and students
likely to lead to draconian absence and sickness policies being introduced and members being disciplined if they do not report absences of international staff and students
likely to severely damage the international status, and quality of education and research in institutions due to the loss of overseas staff and students
counter to our core values of academic freedom and equality
not part of our duties.

Congress deplores this pandering to anti-immigration racism and agrees to:

campaign against the implementation of the points-based immigration system
lobby government to explain the detrimental impact on key sectors
lobby all relevant bodies and individuals to secure short-term amendments of PBSI legislation to ensure that UCU members are released from the existing requirements to act as unpaid and unconsulted agents of the UK Border Agency
instruct the NEC to campaign jointly with S/TUC, NUS, employers, and other organisations to put pressure on the government to repeal this legislation
work with all relevant groups to continue the campaign against ID cards

CARRIED (AMENDED)

30A.1 - University of Liverpool

To add as a bullet point after the last bullet point in section 5:

'The UCU immediately launching a campaign of non-compliance with all such policing and surveillance duties (including recording details from foreign national students; supplying personal details to other institutions in our capacity as external examiners, assessors and lecturers; and refusal to request such details on behalf of our own institutions from external examiners, assessors and lecturers). The UCU will give unqualified support to any member disciplined or victimised as a result of this campaign.'

CARRIED

30A.2 - North West Regional Committee

Add at end:

'Congress agrees to assist branches in supporting members in their refusal to monitor or track international students and staff.'

CARRIED

30A.3 - Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee

Add at end of motion:

'UCU will provide all possible support for any member who refuses to implement the processes of the PBSI.'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

Under the PBSI, HE and FE Institutions are mandated to have a UK Border Agency sponsor's licence effectively making them agents of the Home Office.

Congress believes PBSI is:

discriminatory and an attack on the civil liberties of international staff and students
likely to lead to draconian absence and sickness policies being introduced and members being disciplined if they do not report absences of international staff and students
likely to severely damage the international status, and quality of education and research in institutions due to the loss of overseas staff and students
counter to our core values of academic freedom and equality
not part of our duties.

Congress deplores this pandering to anti-immigration racism and agrees to:

campaign against the implementation of the points-based immigration system
lobby government to explain the detrimental impact on key sectors
lobby all relevant bodies and individuals to secure short-term amendments of PBSI legislation to ensure that UCU members are released from the existing requirements to act as unpaid and unconsulted agents of the UK Border Agency
instruct the NEC to campaign jointly with S/TUC, NUS, employers, and other organisations to put pressure on the government to repeal this legislation
work with all relevant groups to continue the campaign against ID cards
The UCU immediately launching a campaign of non-compliance with all such policing and surveillance duties (including recording details from foreign national students; supplying personal details to other institutions in our capacity as external examiners, assessors and lecturers; and refusal to request such details on behalf of our own institutions from external examiners, assessors and lecturers). The UCU will give unqualified support to any member disciplined or victimised as a result of this campaign.

Congress agrees to assist branches in supporting members in their refusal to monitor or track international students and staff.

UCU will provide all possible support for any member who refuses to implement the processes of the PBSI.

31 Points based immigration - University of Brighton, Falmer

Congress condemns the points based immigration system

monitoring and tracking international staff and students is implicitly racist, undermines civil liberties, and could produce draconian absence and sickness policies
biometric ID cards for international staff and students is a backdoor route to their general introduction
losing students could threaten the survival of many educational institutions
employees could face intimidation for refusing to monitor or inform on colleagues.

Congress agrees to:

campaign with others against this system, and to monitor its impact
advise members that they are not contracted as immigration officers of the Border Agency or informants for the special branch
to assist branches in supporting members in their refusal to monitor or track international staff and students
write to principals and vice-chancellors encouraging them publicly to oppose to this xenophobic and proto-racist measure
intensify the recruitment of international staff eligible for membership
urge the TUC to condemn this system.

CARRIED

32 The campaign against points-based immigration - National Executive Committee

Congress strongly condemns points based immigration and believes PBI is against our core values of academic freedom and equality.

Congress instructs NEC to

campaign jointly with TUC, NUS, employers, and other organisations to put pressure on the government to repeal this legislation
make public statements opposing PBI
submit a motion to TUC condemning PBI and asking TUC and its affiliates to join the campaign
directly inform all members of UCU policy on PBI, encouraging them to use passive resistance and other creative and legal acts of non-participation to show that the system is unworkable
to encourage branches to ballot to boycott PBI
organise a national demonstration and lobby of parliament and encourage a sympathetic MP to put up a private member's bill
produce campaigning resource materials for branches and actively recruit international staff and students.

CARRIED

33 Opposition to new Home Office regulations on international students - Goldsmiths University of London

We wish to express our opposition to the new Home Office regulations that require staff to monitor the attendance of international students. We are opposed to these regulations for the following reasons.

First, they represent a possible breach of Article 8 (right to privacy) and Article 3 (degrading treatment) of the ECHR and the 1998 Human Rights Act.

Second, such regulations will harm the relationship of trust between students and lecturers. The regulations treat international students as potential suspects who have come to the UK with the specific goal of abusing the immigration system.

Third, the work involved in monitoring international students will add unnecessarily to our workloads.

Congress agrees

to reaffirm its opposition to the new Home Office regulations
to ask members not to commence implementation of these regulations until the human rights and workload issues that arise from the new regulations are appropriately dealt with.

CARRIED

Late motion L11 Free the North West 10 - University of Liverpool

On 8 April 2009, armed police carried out a number of raids in the NW of England and arrested 12 students as terrorist suspects.

After intense interrogation not a shred of evidence could be found against them. By the third week of May Manchester police conceded that they were innocent. However, ten were immediately detained under immigration detention provisions.

They are now being moved from prison to prison, some being moved every night.

Recently Justice for North West 10 campaign has been formed.

Congress agrees to:

1. Demand the ten students are released immediately and allowed to complete their education

2. Support the Justice for North West 10 campaign

3. Write to the Home Secretary demanding the deportation is stopped and released.

CARRIED

Rules and standing orders (paragraph 29)

34 Discontinuation of honorary membership - South East Regional Committee

Congress is concerned:

about the NEC decision that it would not seek to make any recommendations for honorary membership this year or in the future on the basis of service to the union as this is a misinterpretation of Rule 3.1.3
that this year nominations have not been considered at all
that this has created embarrassment for nominees that have been put forward this year but not considered
that this may have created a precedent whereby the NEC has, in effect, altered a rule without putting a rule change to Congress.

Congress therefore instructs the NEC to:

make arrangements to consider those nominations for honorary membership put forward this year
facilitate a full consultation with its members about the principle of honorary membership and how any such honorary membership could be awarded
bring appropriate rule changes to congress 2010.

CARRIED

Last updated: 30 October 2015

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