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Further education sector conference

15 May 2009

09:30, Thursday 28 May 2009

FE1  Election of National Negotiators for FE in England - Further Education Committee

Conference agrees to adopt the formula outlined in circular UCU/179 for the election of negotiators to the FE National Joint Forum for England.

CARRIED

FE2  Stopping the break up of further/adult education - Composite (City and Islington College Camden Road, Barnsley College, Further Education Committee)

Conference notes:

  1. the Leitch Review and Train to Gain
  2. a recent survey shows that 50% of large companies training budgets will be cut
  3. the government's 14- 19 strategy and Machinery of Government proposals.

Conference believes:

  1. the government's strategy based on the Leitch review, no longer fits in a period of rising unemployment
  2. the 14–19 strategy will continue to roll out the market into education and, along with raising the school leaving age, will not meet the needs of young people.

Conference resolves:

  1. to oppose the 14-19 strategy and machinery of government proposals
  2. to campaign for further and adult education to be fully brought back under Local Authority control, including governance with regional overarching structures
  3. to campaign for real planning of further and adult education, a broad curriculum and training based upon general, vocational and transferable skills, and not just  'skills'
  4. to campaign for statutory rights to paid educational leave and to workplace training committees.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE2A.1  - Further Education Committee

Delete

'1. To oppose the 14-19 strategy and machinery of government proposals.'

Insert

'We have serious reservations about the 14-19 strategy and machinery of government proposals, continue to oppose a compulsory raising of the school leaving age and a market driven system' before 'Conference resolves'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

Conference notes:

  1. the Leitch Review and Train to Gain
  2. a recent survey shows that 50% of large companies training budgets will be cut
  3. the government's 14- 19 strategy and Machinery of Government proposals.

Conference believes:

  1. the government's strategy based on the Leitch review, no longer fits in a period of rising unemployment
  2. the 14–19 strategy will continue to roll out the market into education and, along with raising the school leaving age, will not meet the needs of young people.

We have serious reservations about the 14-19 strategy and machinery of government proposals, continue to oppose a compulsory raising of the school leaving age and a market driven system.

Conference resolves:

  1. to campaign for further and adult education to be fully brought back under Local Authority control, including governance with regional overarching structures
  2. to campaign for real planning of further and adult education, a broad curriculum and training based upon general, vocational and transferable skills, and not just  'skills'
  3. to campaign for statutory rights to paid educational leave and to workplace training committees.

FE3  The 'market' in time of recession – challenging the Leitch report - North West Region FE Committee

Conference notes that the Leitch review was produced during a period of economic optimism, resulting in the production of narrow employer-led training and limited opportunities for working people to access good quality education and training programmes. The recession has forced the government to re-examine the Leitch review – its narrow demand-led approach being revealed as insufficient even in the government's own terms.

Conference calls on the FEC to campaign for:

  1. a full review of Leitch and a re-examination of the implementation plan
  2. a broadening out of the skills agenda that will have at its core an entitlement for adults to access properly funded education and training at all levels.

CARRIED

FE4  FE Funding - London Region FE Committee

Conference is concerned about the impending fragmentation of funding for FE with local authorities, a new skills agency and other funding streams pursuing separate priorities.

In London, where there is a large amount of cross borough student movement, there is a real danger of local authorities pursuing their own particular interests to the detriment of students and colleges.

We call for the creation of democratically accountable bodies to plan for the overall provision of education in metropolitan areas in the interests of students and financially stable colleges. Conference instructs the General Secretary to make formal proposals and instigate talks with the Department for Skills in order to achieve this.

CARRIED

FE5  The Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning - College of North East London

Conference congratulates CALL for its parliamentary lobby and recognises UCU's pivotal role.  CALL exposes the contradictions in government policy concerning community cohesion and access to higher education

Conference notes

  • the number of economically inactive people of working age in the UK reached 7.86m in December 2008. Unemployment is at 6.3%, and redundancies at their highest point since records began.
  • 1.4 million places in adult and community education have been lost over 2 years
  • as the UK enters a depression educational opportunities are more necessary than ever
  • 163 MPs have signed Early Day Motion 533.

Conference resolves to campaign with CALL for

  • free entry-level ESOL and basic skills courses
  • free access courses to higher education
  • reversal of government policy that removed funding for ELQ
  • Train to Gain budget under-spend allocated to meet adult learner demand
  • reversal of adult and PCDL budget cuts.

CARRIED

FE6  College building programme - Composite (Yorkshire and Humberside region FE committee; Oxford and Cherwell Valley College)

FE sector conference deplores the fact that many FE colleges have been put into financial difficulties because of the government's encouragement of new build.

We note that where new build has taken place, despite new technology and some showpiece features, the pressure to maintain financial security has resulted in a worsening of pay and conditions for staff and damage to the quality of education.

While we welcome investment in FE colleges to offset the poor physical state of the buildings in the sector due to lack of investment in the past, we note the decision of the LSC to delay making decisions on funding new build which is causing uncertainty in the sector and possible financial penalties on colleges as building costs escalate and the value of land declines.

FE should be prioritised for investment during the recession so that we have a generation prepared to face the new challenges of the future.

However we note:

  • the loss of space in many of the new builds and fears for the quality of building programmes
  • the risk that the new buildings are focused on the marketing aspect of attracting new students rather than the quality of the teaching and learning environment
  • the risk that refurbishment of existing buildings could be neglected
  • the risk that PFI type schemes will increasingly be used as a substitute to direct public sector funding.

Conference therefore demands that:

  • the government puts financial support in place to maintain the quality of FE for both staff and students
  • FE building programmes, where needed, should be fully planned and funded.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE6A.1  - South East Regional FE Committee

Add new bullet point at the end: 'the FEC develops a campaign that identifies and highlights the Health, Safety and Welfare problems facing staff and students in new buildings.'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

FE sector conference deplores the fact that many FE colleges have been put into financial difficulties because of the government's encouragement of new build.

We note that where new build has taken place, despite new technology and some showpiece features, the pressure to maintain financial security has resulted in a worsening of pay and conditions for staff and damage to the quality of education.

While we welcome investment in FE colleges to offset the poor physical state of the buildings in the sector due to lack of investment in the past, we note the decision of the LSC to delay making decisions on funding new build which is causing uncertainty in the sector and possible financial penalties on colleges as building costs escalate and the value of land declines.

FE should be prioritised for investment during the recession so that we have a generation prepared to face the new challenges of the future.

However we note:

  • the loss of space in many of the new builds and fears for the quality of building programmes
  • the risk that the new buildings are focused on the marketing aspect of attracting new students rather than the quality of the teaching and learning environment
  • the risk that refurbishment of existing buildings could be neglected
  • the risk that PFI type schemes will increasingly be used as a substitute to direct public sector funding.

Conference therefore demands that:

  • the government puts financial support in place to maintain the quality of FE for both staff and students
  • FE building programmes, where needed, should be fully planned and funded
  • the FEC develops a campaign that identifies and highlights the Health, Safety and Welfare problems facing staff and students in new buildings.

FE7 London Region FE Committee

FE conference notes the budget allocated some additional FE funding but has grave concerns that:

  • colleges which have invested in new builds may not receive this extra funding
  • additional resources to guarantee either a job or training to those under 25 and unemployed for 12 months will be linked to sustainable employment which colleges cannot deliver
  • 'efficiency' savings being demanded by government will mean £400 million cuts by DIUS
  • while government bails out bankers, it aims to make workers pay through job losses and pay cuts. Labour remains wedded to neo-liberalism and marketisation in FE. Jobs, conditions and pensions would be severely hit.

Conference resolves to:

  • step up campaigning for more F/AE funding and against marketisation
  • organise regional forums to map out strategies to secure our aims
  • resist FE cuts and job losses through action up to and including national strike action.

CARRIED

FE8  Further and adult education pay in a time of recession - Further Education Committee

Conference notes:

  • the unprecedented sums of public money given to bail out bankers, while public sector workers' pay remains under tight control.
  • FE lecturers remain among the lowest paid teachers across all sectors.

Conference believes:

  • that investment in FE is vital to rebuilding our economy and society during a recession.
  • FE lecturers should not pay the price for the crisis of the system. 'Bail out the workers not the bankers.'

Conference resolves:

  • to campaign for a national pay deal that closes the pay gap between FE lecturers and our colleagues in schools and HE.
  • to instruct the FEC, in the event of a breakdown of negotiations, to organise effective industrial action, seeking to unite with other unions in our sector and other public sector workers.
  • to congratulate members involved in the 'IOU' campaign and continue this fight for full implementation of national pay agreements in all FE colleges.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE8A.1  - Women Members' Standing Committee

Insert after bullet point 6, new bullet point:

  • to further instruct the FEC to ensure that including equal pay audits and the implementation of the gender equality duties are necessary to ensure that in any negotiations women's rights are retained as a bargaining policy.

CARRIED

FE8A.2  Sheffield College (Norton)

add at end:

  • that the pay year should be changed to run from 1st February to 31st January
  • to instruct the FE negotiators to pursue an interim 18 month Pay Award as soon as is practicable so that the pay year can be changed without members losing 'back pay'

LOST

Substantive motion:

Conference notes:

  • the unprecedented sums of public money given to bail out bankers, while public sector workers' pay remains under tight control.
  • FE lecturers remain among the lowest paid teachers across all sectors.

Conference believes:

  • that investment in FE is vital to rebuilding our economy and society during a recession.
  • FE lecturers should not pay the price for the crisis of the system. 'Bail out the workers not the bankers.'

Conference resolves:

  • to campaign for a national pay deal that closes the pay gap between FE lecturers and our colleagues in schools and HE.
  • to instruct the FEC, in the event of a breakdown of negotiations, to organise effective industrial action, seeking to unite with other unions in our sector and other public sector workers.
  • to congratulate members involved in the 'IOU' campaign and continue this fight for full implementation of national pay agreements in all FE colleges.
  • to further instruct the FEC to ensure that including equal pay audits and the implementation of the gender equality duties are necessary to ensure that in any negotiations women's rights are retained as a bargaining policy.

FE9  National pay and conditions in FE - Barnet College (Barnet & Hendon)

Conference notes the absurdity of 300 colleges in England conducting separate local negations on conditions. Similarly, Conference notes the absurdity of national FE pay deals that are not always honoured locally.

Countless thousands of working hours could be saved and damaging disputes avoided by adopting locally-binding national negotiations, as is standard in much of the public sector. Meanwhile the resources saved could be diverted to improving both working conditions and educational quality.

Conference instructs the general secretary to make formal proposals and to instigate talks urgently with the minister for skills and the Association of Colleges in order to achieve this.

CARRIED

FE10  Pay Banding - Liverpool Community College

Sector conference notes the increasing tendency for colleges to avoid the full adoption of nationally agreed pay structures by resorting to the use of banding which caps the potential salaries of staff. This is often justified by the argument that teachers should not be able to progress to the top of the salary scale without taking on additional responsibilities, which overlooks the fact that these are nationally agreed TEACHING scales.

This is an increasing and worrying development, which potentially threatens to undermine national pay and conditions structures.

We further note the rejection of banding schemes within UCU national proposals for this year's pay negotiations. We call on UCU nationally to see banding schemes as of equal importance to the targeting of colleges that have not yet adopted the 8 point pay scale, and to co ordinate and lead a national campaign against such developments.

CARRIED

FE11  FE pay and conditions of service  - South East Region FE Committee

Sector conference instructs the FEC to agree strategies that:

  • restore national conditions of service with levels at least as good as those that were in the 'Silver Book'
  • restore pay levels to at least parity with school teachers
  • include pay increases for 'Silver Book' staff in all future pay claims
  • achieve parity of funding for courses between FE and schools
  • end the present Byzantine 'claw back' by funding bodies.

REMITTED

FE11A.1  Anti-Casualisation Committee

Add bullet point at end: 'Discourage the use of agencies and encourage direct employment instead'.

REMITTED

FE12  London Weighting - London Region FE Committee

Conference fully supports its London members in their campaign for a realistic London Weighting which fully reflects the extra cost of living in London and calls on the NEC to do all in its power to ensure the success of this campaign. Conference instructs full-time and lay FE national negotiators to make a claim for improved London Weighting every year until this is achieved.

CARRIED

FE13  Publication of FE pay scales and significant terms and conditions - Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology

This conference seeks that UCU publishes on an annual basis, the details of pay scales and significant terms and conditions (eg, holiday entitlement & annual teaching hours) for all FE colleges, with a view to promoting a greater awareness between members in order that a more effective coordinated approach to any industrial action be achieved in the pursuit of proper and full implementation of all national agreements on pay and/or terms & conditions.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE13A.1 - Further Education Committee

Add after annual teaching hours in first sentence (bracketed) – 'and remission'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

This conference seeks that UCU publishes on an annual basis, the details of pay scales and significant terms and conditions (eg, holiday entitlement, annual teaching hours and remission) for all FE colleges, with a view to promoting a greater awareness between members in order that a more effective coordinated approach to any industrial action be achieved in the pursuit of proper and full implementation of all national agreements on pay and/or terms & conditions.

FE14  Pay disparity - Lambeth College

In the light of pay disparity, this conference agrees to call for a reduction in pay for all principals, to not more than twice that of lecturers' pay.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE14A.1 - Further Education Committee

Add at end

Conference notes the LSC data for 2007/8 with disgust. The data reveals the annual orgy of pay hikes for English FE principals. Meanwhile data for staff pay rises have been omitted to attempt to obscure embarrassing comparisons.

Conference instructs the general secretary to write again to the FE minister to

  • draw attention to data
  • demand that full data regarding college pay rises are published immediately
  • demand a government enquiry into FE pay.'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

In the light of pay disparity, this conference agrees to call for a reduction in pay for all principals, to not more than twice that of lecturers' pay.

Conference notes the LSC data for 2007/8 with disgust. The data reveals the annual orgy of pay hikes for English FE principals. Meanwhile data for staff pay rises have been omitted to attempt to obscure embarrassing comparisons.

Conference instructs the general secretary to write again to the FE minister to

  • draw attention to data
  • demand that full data regarding college pay rises are published immediately
  • demand a government enquiry into FE pay.

FE15  Workloads - Composite (Lambeth College, Richmond upon Thames College, Barnsley College, Chesterfield College)       

FE sector conference believes that workload, stress and bullying are major issue facing our members. The marketisation of education has encouraged a management ethos defined by hollow notions of 'economies of scale' and 'cost efficiency' and other jargon, used to erode the human element in teaching and working conditions for teaching and support staff.

We propose that UCU adopt a campaign on workload similar to that of the successful NUT campaign a few years ago

FE sector conference notes:

  1. workloads are out of control
  2. a bureaucratic education structure and culture of testing and monitoring are harming our member's health and students learning.
  3. public sector workers work on average 7 hours a week of unpaid overtime
  4. the narrow criteria of success in education limited to employability and skills neglecting community cohesion and the learning experience
  5. teachers, parents, students and the community have little say in how our colleges are run and what they are for.

We agree that in future, with all work-related tasks, we should ask:

  1. does it need to be done, and
  2. if so, does it need the skills of a trained teacher.

If A applies, but not B, the work should be covered by college support staff.

We further agree to:

  1. initiate a strong national campaign of action over workload, with industrial action if necessary
  2. call for this issue to be a regular feature in our magazine
  3. to roll out Manifesto meetings: 'Another education is possible?'
  4. produce a toolkit for branch reps 'Fighting workloads; getting organised'
  5. organise regional conferences where activists can share experiences, outline priorities and discuss plans of action.
  6. campaign alongside Unison and NUS to demand that administrative, student welfare, and other support staff posts which have been lost to cuts, are reinstated.
  7. call a national day of action: 'Workloads red alert - let us teach!
  8. to call a protest at the Learning Skills Council
  9. publicise all victories and best practice.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE15A.1 - Lambeth College

Add new point 10: campaign alongside the NUT

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

FE sector conference believes that workload, stress and bullying are major issue facing our members. The marketisation of education has encouraged a management ethos defined by hollow notions of 'economies of scale' and 'cost efficiency' and other jargon, used to erode the human element in teaching and working conditions for teaching and support staff.

We propose that UCU adopt a campaign on workload similar to that of the successful NUT campaign a few years ago

FE sector conference notes:

  1. workloads are out of control
  2. a bureaucratic education structure and culture of testing and monitoring are harming our member's health and students learning.
  3. public sector workers work on average 7 hours a week of unpaid overtime
  4. the narrow criteria of success in education limited to employability and skills neglecting community cohesion and the learning experience
  5. teachers, parents, students and the community have little say in how our colleges are run and what they are for.

We agree that in future, with all work-related tasks, we should ask:

  1. does it need to be done, and
  2. if so, does it need the skills of a trained teacher.

If A applies, but not B, the work should be covered by college support staff.

We further agree to:

  1. initiate a strong national campaign of action over workload, with industrial action if necessary
  2. call for this issue to be a regular feature in our magazine
  3. to roll out Manifesto meetings: 'Another education is possible?'
  4. produce a toolkit for branch reps 'Fighting workloads; getting organised'
  5. organise regional conferences where activists can share experiences, outline priorities and discuss plans of action.
  6. campaign alongside Unison and NUS to demand that administrative, student welfare, and other support staff posts which have been lost to cuts, are reinstated.
  7. call a national day of action: 'Workloads red alert - let us teach!
  8. to call a protest at the Learning Skills Council
  9. publicise all victories and best practice
  10. campaign alongside the NUT.

FE16  Lesson observation disputes - Westminster-Kingsway College

Sector conference notes that lesson observations remain an issue in dispute in a number of colleges. We support the action taken at Westminster-Kingsway and any other college to resist the imposition of divisive and punitive schemes which are seriously exacerbating stress levels and workloads of lecturers and driving some out of the profession. We call on the NEC to give this issue a much higher priority than it has received and to circulate guidelines on best practice in the sector.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE16A.1  - North West Regional FE Sector Meeting

At the end of the first sentence:

'in dispute in a number of colleges.....'

Insert:

'and of concern to all FE lecturers.  The introduction of repeated and/or unannounced 'walk through' observations constitutes yet another fundamental worsening of the conditions of our members. 

Along with other detrimental measures being pursued by college managements at the behest of the LSC, Ofsted and sundry government agencies, these observations introduce new opportunities for bullying, intimidation and victimization.  They thereby threaten both our members' livelihoods and the quality of educational experience for our students.'

CARRIED

FE16A.2  London Region FE sector

Add at end:

Much of this problem arises from college managements acting unilaterally to corrupt the rationale of teaching observations. Conference instructs the head of colleges and FEC to instigate negotiations with the AoC and Ofsted in order to establish a national collective agreement on observations which protects lecturers from:

• excessive observations

• persecution when achieving a 'satisfactory' grade

• unilateral impositions of punitive observation schemes

CARRIED

FE16A.3 Westminster Kingsway

Add 'We welcome the draft guidelines on the questions of observations but believe they need to be made more precise and it should be national policy to have:

a) the same incidence of observations for all

b) notification of the lesson slot to be observed.'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

Sector conference notes that lesson observations remain an issue in dispute in a number of colleges and of concern to all FE lecturers.  The introduction of repeated and/or unannounced 'walk through' observations constitutes yet another fundamental worsening of the conditions of our members. 

Along with other detrimental measures being pursued by college managements at the behest of the LSC, Ofsted and sundry government agencies, these observations introduce new opportunities for bullying, intimidation and victimization.  They thereby threaten both our members' livelihoods and the quality of educational experience for our students.

We support the action taken at Westminster-Kingsway and any other college to resist the imposition of divisive and punitive schemes which are seriously exacerbating stress levels and workloads of lecturers and driving some out of the profession. We call on the NEC to give this issue a much higher priority than it has received and to circulate guidelines on best practice in the sector.

Much of this problem arises from college managements acting unilaterally to corrupt the rationale of teaching observations. Conference instructs the head of colleges and FEC to instigate negotiations with the AoC and Ofsted in order to establish a national collective agreement on observations which protects lecturers from:

• excessive observations

• persecution when achieving a 'satisfactory' grade

• unilateral impositions of punitive observation schemes

We welcome the draft guidelines on the questions of observations but believe they need to be made more precise and it should be national policy to have:

a) the same incidence of observations for all

b) notification of the lesson slot to be observed.

FE17  IFL - South East Region FE Sector Committee

Sector conference:

  1. recognises the importance of a professionally qualified workforce but is concerned that IFL, despite significant funding, is not widely accepted as a truly supportive, independent and representational body. Staff:
    • are unsure about what exactly IFL stands for
    • have concerns IFL is becoming another tier of management and a government puppet
    • see CPD requirements as another onerous set of hoops to jump through
    • feel membership does not give staff the professional status they deserve
    • are worried they may fall foul of IFL regulations, either wittingly or through allegations of misconduct, disenfranchising them from the teaching profession
    • are suspicious colleges may use IFL membership in a negative way and have questioned the writing of IFL membership into contracts of employment
    • want to restore parity with School teachers as part of their professionalism
  2. instructs the FEC to review IFL operations to date and to report back in the autumn with recommendations.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE17A.1  - South East Regional FE Committee

Insert new paragraphs (2), (3) and (4) and renumber old (2) to become (5):

'2. congratulates the IFL on identifying some of the serious problems faced by FE teachers;
 3. feels disappointed in the IFL failure to propose any actions to deal with these problems;
 4. urges the IFL to set up a working party to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat those problems.'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

Sector conference:

  1. recognises the importance of a professionally qualified workforce but is concerned that IFL, despite significant funding, is not widely accepted as a truly supportive, independent and representational body. Staff:
    • are unsure about what exactly IFL stands for
    • have concerns IFL is becoming another tier of management and a government puppet
    • see CPD requirements as another onerous set of hoops to jump through
    • feel membership does not give staff the professional status they deserve
    • are worried they may fall foul of IFL regulations, either wittingly or through allegations of misconduct, disenfranchising them from the teaching profession
    • are suspicious colleges may use IFL membership in a negative way and have questioned the writing of IFL membership into contracts of employment
    • want to restore parity with School teachers as part of their professionalism.
  2. congratulates the IFL on identifying some of the serious problems faced by FE teachers
  3.  feels disappointed in the IFL failure to propose any actions to deal with these problems
  4. urges the IFL to set up a working party to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat those problems.
  5. instructs the FEC to review IFL operations to date and to report back in the autumn with recommendations.

FE18  Way forward for fractionalisation - Tower Hamlets College

Conference notes:

  • the large number of FE colleges that employ a substantial proportion of their teachers on hourly paid fixed-term contracts or use temporary agency workers.
  • that some branches are successfully challenging this.

Conference believes:

  • that hourly paid staff are discriminated against in relation to comparable lecturers on permanent contracts in terms of pay and job security
  • that teaching staff should have the same pay and conditions
  • that a two tier workforce strengthens management by opening up the workforce to tactics promoting competition between members for teaching hours

Conference resolves:

  • to support branch campaigns for the fractionalisation of hourly paid staff
  • to provide campaign materials including successful cases of fractionalisation.
  • to facilitate the exchange of information between branches involved in these campaigns
  • to 'twin' branches to help achieve above resolve.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE18A.1  - East Midlands Regional FE Committee

Conference notes:

Add:

The policy of some colleges to deliberately 'under-fractionalise' lecturing staff, leading to further serious discrimination.

Insert in Conference Resolves bullet point 1. 'full' between 'the' and 'fractionalisation'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

Conference notes:

  • the large number of FE colleges that employ a substantial proportion of their teachers on hourly paid fixed-term contracts or use temporary agency workers.
  • that some branches are successfully challenging this.
  • the policy of some colleges to deliberately 'under-fractionalise' lecturing staff, leading to further serious discrimination.

Conference believes:

  • that hourly paid staff are discriminated against in relation to comparable lecturers on permanent contracts in terms of pay and job security
  • that teaching staff should have the same pay and conditions
  • that a two tier workforce strengthens management by opening up the workforce to tactics promoting competition between members for teaching hours

Conference resolves:

  • to support branch campaigns for the full fractionalisation of hourly paid staff
  • to provide campaign materials including successful cases of fractionalisation.
  • to facilitate the exchange of information between branches involved in these campaigns
  • to 'twin' branches to help achieve above resolve.

FE19  Agency Workers - Anti-Casualisation Committee

This meeting deplores the exploitation of agency workers in the FE sector, including low pay and denial of access to an occupational pension, and calls on the FEC to work vigorously for:

  1. the full implementation of the European Agency Workers' Directive into UK law in a way that fully covers agency workers in FE/adult and community education 
  2. agreements in our sector that agency workers receive the same terms and conditions as directly employed staff, including pay, from day one, which would bring agency workers' terms and conditions under national and local bargaining agreements
  3. the enforcement of any new legal requirements for agency workers to receive equal pay to colleagues
  4. the recognition of UCU branches as representing agency workers in the institutions where they represent staff
  5. access for agency workers to the Teachers' Pension Scheme.

CARRIED

FE20  Contracts for Services in the FE sector - Anti-Casualisation Committee

FESC notes the important legal distinctions between 'employees' and 'workers' under EU and UK law, and that some employers in the FE sector use 'contracts for services' to define staff as workers rather than employees. This is used to maintain a casualised workforce and to justify unequal treatment, including denial of the rights to redundancy consultation and pay.

FESC calls on FEC to:

  1. oppose the use of contracts for services for staff in adult and community education, and elsewhere in the sector
  2. seek contracts of employment for members on contracts for services, unless the members do not want contracts of employment
  3. seek equal treatment for members on contracts for services, including equal access to the Teachers' Pension Scheme.

CARRIED (AMENDED)

FE20A.1 - Anti-Casualisation Committee

In point 2, delete all after 'seek contracts of employment for members on contracts for services'

CARRIED

Substantive motion:

FESC notes the important legal distinctions between 'employees' and 'workers' under EU and UK law, and that some employers in the FE sector use 'contracts for services' to define staff as workers rather than employees. This is used to maintain a casualised workforce and to justify unequal treatment, including denial of the rights to redundancy consultation and pay.

FESC calls on FEC to:

  1. oppose the use of contracts for services for staff in adult and community education, and elsewhere in the sector
  2. seek contracts of employment for members on contracts for services
  3. seek equal treatment for members on contracts for services, including equal access to the Teachers' Pension Scheme.

FE21  Local branch levies - Harrow College

This conference welcomes the provision under section 7.3 of the UCU rules, which allows FE branches to collect a local levy, as had been the case for HE branches in the former AUT for many years.

However, this conference regrets the fact that very few FE branches have taken advantage of this opportunity to raise extra funds to support the activities of their branches, since the formation of UCU.

Conference therefore urges all FE branches to recommend to their members at the next AGM, that a local levy of at least 50p per month per member be implemented.

LOST

Last updated: 28 May 2009