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Business of the strategy and finance committee

25 May 2010

Finance and property

Motions 16-20 to be taken in private session

16 Appointment of auditors - National executive committee

Congress approves the appointment of Knox Cropper as the union's auditors for the year ending 31 August 2011.

CARRIED


17 Financial statements - National executive committee

Congress receives the union's audited financial statements for the 12-month period ending 31 August 2009 as set out in UCU/250.

CARRIED


18 Budget - National executive committee

Congress endorses the budget for September 2010 - August 2011 as set out in UCU/251.

CARRIED


19 Subscription rates - National executive committee

Congress endorses the subscription rates from 1 September 2010 as set out in UCU/251.

CARRIED


20 Regional office in Leeds - Yorkshire and Humberside regional committee

Congress notes that there are over twelve thousand UCU members in Yorkshire and Humberside Region. It calls for the establishment of a regional office in Leeds, as proposed in the resolution passed by HE Sector Conference in 2008.

It calls on UCU to do this as soon as possible, so that members can be provided with an appropriate service and UCU can relocate to the Leeds area.

CARRIED



TUC, paragraph 20

21 People's Charter for Change - Northern regional committee

Congress welcomes the adoption of the People's Charter by the 2009 annual Congress of the TUC and commits this union to taking the campaign for one million signatures out into our workplaces and communities, involving trades councils, regional TUCs, the Scottish and Wales TUCs and local campaigning groups, in particular those defending public services.

The principles and policies of the Charter, which are relevant to whichever party is in power, include:

  1. A fair economy for a fairer Britain.
  2. More and better jobs.
  3. Decent homes for all.
  4. Save and improve our services.
  5. Fairness and justice.
  6. A better future starts now.

Congress believes that a mass popular campaign for the People's Charter can help bring about a change of direction in government policy, away from the interests of big business and towards the interests of the working people.

CARRIED


22 Defend migrant workers - Lambeth College

Congress notes that many migrant workers are organising in trade unions to fight for decent pay and to improve working conditions. These workers face intimidation and victimisation by employers and the use of immigration laws for the purposes of union busting.

Congress agrees that the NEC discuss and decide on a course of action to organise and unionise migrant workers in the colleges and universities. As part of this the NEC should consider how it can give financial and logistical support to those activists, campaigns and other unions that are involved in organising migrant workers, particularly organisations such as the Latin American Workers Association and the UBS Cleaners Defence Committee.

CARRIED AS AMENDED

22A.1 - University of Hertfordshire

Insert the following at the beginning:

Congress notes the existence of 'migrant workers' in all grades in colleges and universities. Congress notes that migrant workers are disproportionately employed in lower grades and engaged in work that is more likely to be outsourced.

Delete the third sentence and substitute:

Congress agrees that the NEC and the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee (ROCC) discuss how best to work with other campus unions to support the organisation and recruitment of migrant workers.

Add after 'Cleaners Defence Committee', add 'and the Hands of my Workmate campaign'.

CARRIED

22A.2 - National executive committee

Second paragraph, after 'NEC should consider how', delete 'it can', replace with 'UCU can best work with other trade unions to'.

CARRIED

Substantive motion

Congress notes the existence of 'migrant workers' in all grades in colleges and universities. Congress notes that migrant workers are disproportionately employed in lower grades and engaged in work that is more likely to be outsourced.

Congress notes that many migrant workers are organising in trade unions to fight for decent pay and to improve working conditions. These workers face intimidation and victimisation by employers and the use of immigration laws for the purposes of union busting.

Congress agrees that the NEC and the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee (ROCC) discuss how best to work with other campus unions to support the organisation and recruitment of migrant workers. As part of this the NEC should consider how UCU can best work with other trade unions to give financial and logistical support to those activists, campaigns and other unions that are involved in organising migrant workers, particularly organisations such as the Latin American Workers Association and the UBS Cleaners Defence Committee and the Hands of my Workmate campaign.



Other issues

23 Composite Trade Union Co-ordinating Group (TUCG) - Northumbria University, Manchester Metropolitan University

Congress recognises that, while many unions co-ordinate their industrial and political campaigning outside Parliament, there is an urgent need to co-ordinate their representation within Parliament.

Trade Union Co-ordinating Group (TUCG), comprising eight medium sized and non-politically affiliated trade unions representing half a million members, was launched to give trade unions a new and stronger voice in Parliament.

Congress recognises that the TUCG was established to bring together trade unions and Members of Parliament to ensure that the concerns and aspirations of trade unionists are given a stronger coordinated political voice. 

Congress notes that without a doubt finding TU sympathetic MPs is getting increasingly harder, but we must utilise whatever means we can to enable our members voices to be heard and to influence, wherever possible, law, policy making and open debate.

Congress resolves to instruct the General Secretary to enter into discussions with current members of the TUCG with a view to UCU joining the TUCG to ensure effective representation of UCU views within Parliament and outside, to demonstrate solidarity with fellow trade unions and to work with like-minded trade unions for the repeal of anti trade union legislation.

CARRIED AS AMENDED

23A.1 - Compositing amendment (Northumbria University):

Replace last paragraph with "Congress calls upon UCU to join this group and promote political lobbying to the benefit of UCU members".

CARRIED

Substantive motion

Congress recognises that, while many unions co-ordinate their industrial and political campaigning outside Parliament, there is an urgent need to co-ordinate their representation within Parliament.

Trade Union Co-ordinating Group (TUCG), comprising eight medium sized and non-politically affiliated trade unions representing half a million members, was launched to give trade unions a new and stronger voice in Parliament.

Congress recognises that the TUCG was established to bring together trade unions and Members of Parliament to ensure that the concerns and aspirations of trade unionists are given a stronger coordinated political voice. 

Congress notes that without a doubt finding TU sympathetic MPs is getting increasingly harder, but we must utilise whatever means we can to enable our members voices to be heard and to influence, wherever possible, law, policy making and open debate.

Congress calls upon UCU to join this group and promote political lobbying to the benefit of UCU members.


24 Anti-trade union laws - Bradford College

Congress notes:

  • The failure of Labour to rescind the legislation against Luton bus strikers, Milford Haven strikers and especially BA's successful challenge to Unite's strike ballot.
  • That various groups of workers (eg. oil refinery workers and prison officers last year) successfully took action which might be considered unlawful but faced no legal challenge. In every case employers judged it not in their best interests to risk escalating action.
  • It is clear that the legislation is largely self-policing in its effect on the trade union leadership and the TUC.

Congress believes that UCU should work with the TUC and other unions to campaign effectively for the repeal of the anti-trade union laws and for a new Trade Union Freedom Bill which will provide protection for workers and their unions when deciding to take industrial action.

CARRIED AS AMENDED

24A.1 - Yorkshire & Humberside regional committee and North West regional committee

Add after Congress notes: a fourth bullet point:

• the increasing use by employers of anti-trade union legislation to challenge ballot results (e.g. by BA and Network Rail) thereby rendering effective legal industrial action much more difficult to achieve.

Add at end of resolution:

'Further Congress reiterates UCU's principled opposition to legal interference by employers and the state in trade unions' democratic decision-making about industrial action and believes anti-working class laws can be undermined through democratically-determined mass strike action and inter-union solidarity in refusing to cross picket lines.'

CARRIED

Substantive motion

Congress notes:

  • The failure of Labour to rescind the legislation against Luton bus strikers, Milford Haven strikers and especially BA's successful challenge to Unite's strike ballot.
  • That various groups of workers (eg. oil refinery workers and prison officers last year) successfully took action which might be considered unlawful but faced no legal challenge. In every case employers judged it not in their best interests to risk escalating action.
  • It is clear that the legislation is largely self-policing in its effect on the trade union leadership and the TUC.
  • the increasing use by employers of anti-trade union legislation to challenge ballot results (e.g. by BA and Network Rail) thereby rendering effective legal industrial action much more difficult to achieve.

Congress believes that UCU should work with the TUC and other unions to campaign effectively for the repeal of the anti-trade union laws and for a new Trade Union Freedom Bill which will provide protection for workers and their unions when deciding to take industrial action.

Further Congress reiterates UCU's principled opposition to legal interference by employers and the state in trade unions' democratic decision-making about industrial action and believes anti-working class laws can be undermined through democratically-determined mass strike action and inter-union solidarity in refusing to cross picket lines.


L1 Anti trade union laws - Croydon College

Congress welcomes the successful appeal against the legal judgement against Unite's planned BA strike.

However such decisions by unelected judges are an increasingly common part of progressively outlawing strike action in the UK. They flout trade union democracy and make it very difficult to take lawful strike action if the employer decides to legally challenge a ballot result.

Congress:

  • notes the law's traditional use against trade unions and strike action, and current UK anti-union legislation is the most restrictive in Europe;
  • recognises that this legislation aims to restrict resistance to cuts and job losses;
  • notes that historically workers have defeated the legislation by breaking the law;
  • notes that unofficial action by oil refinery workers last year was both successful and unchallenged;
  • reiterates UCU's demand that the anti-trade union laws be abolished and that the trade union movement's strength be mobilised to achieve this.

CARRIED AS AMENDED

L1A.1 Add at end:

Congress instructs the NEC to:

  1. Issue a public statement condemning this legal ruling and supporting Unite the Union.
  2. Make a solidarity donation of £100 to Unite to support its legal fight.
  3. Together with other trade unions and other organisations committed to a fair and just society to campaign for the repeal of anti-trade union law.
  4. Affiliate to the Campaign to Repeal Anti-trade Union Laws.

CARRIED

Substantive motion

Congress welcomes the successful appeal against the legal judgement against Unite's planned BA strike.

However such decisions by unelected judges are an increasingly common part of progressively outlawing strike action in the UK. They flout trade union democracy and make it very difficult to take lawful strike action if the employer decides to legally challenge a ballot result.

Congress:

  • notes the law's traditional use against trade unions and strike action, and current UK anti-union legislation is the most restrictive in Europe;
  • recognises that this legislation aims to restrict resistance to cuts and job losses;
  • notes that historically workers have defeated the legislation by breaking the law;
  • notes that unofficial action by oil refinery workers last year was both successful and unchallenged;
  • reiterates UCU's demand that the anti-trade union laws be abolished and that the trade union movement's strength be mobilised to achieve this.

Congress instructs the NEC to:

  1. Issue a public statement condemning this legal ruling and supporting Unite the Union.
  2. Make a solidarity donation of £100 to Unite to support its legal fight.
  3. Together with other trade unions and other organisations committed to a fair and just society to campaign for the repeal of anti-trade union law.
  4. Affiliate to the Campaign to Repeal Anti-trade Union Laws.

25 "Blacklisting" of trade unionists - UCU Wales

Congress expresses anger at the UK government's response on the "blacklisting" regulations, published December 2009. The proposals appear to give employers the opportunity to "blacklist" in certain circumstances, in particular by sanctioning the "blacklisting" of workers involved in unofficial industrial action. Congress calls on the NEC to work through the TUC to campaign to get all "blacklisting" of any trade unionist for any trade union activities made unlawful.

CARRIED


26 TUC Pensioners Committee - Northern region retired members branch

The pension position for workers continues to deteriorate, millions of workers have no access to occupational schemes and those who have, face reduced benefits and scheme closures. The need for a good state pension has never been more pressing.

The TUC by means of its Pensioners Committee, should be leading the counter attack, by campaigning that the state pension be paid at a rate above the official poverty level, to ensure that people can live in dignity in retirement.

Since December 2008, four meetings of the TUC Pensioners Committee have been cancelled, virtually closing down its work.

Congress calls on UCU to mount a campaign within the TUC, along with other sympathetic unions, to end the TUC's act of age discrimination and treat its Pensioners Committee as it does its other Equality Committees, including a TUC annual conference for retired trade union activists.

CARRIED



Colombia, Burma, Sri Lanka, and other international concerns

27 China - UCU Scotland

Congress notes the recent Scottish TUC (STUC) delegation to the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU); the participation of the UCU Scotland Past President, who also visited university staff associations in Hong Kong; ACFTU's concept of trade-union internationalism - based on no discussion of 'internal affairs'; and STUC's policy on maintaining contact.

Congress recognises the importance of Chinese HE and (in counterpoint to the view of it as a competitive threat) the need to encourage collegial dialogue - including on issues of academic freedom and independent trade unionism - with institutions in mainland China and Hong Kong.

Congress urges Executive to support initiatives (including UCU Scotland's), directly and through Education International, to further this aim.

Congress asserts that UCU will continue - as in relations with any other country -to condemn abuses of the human rights of trade unionists and others; and to promote genuinely democratic values including freedom of expression.

CARRIED


28 Haiti - University of Liverpool

Considering:

  1. The Haiti earthquake of 12 January killed at least 200,000, caused many more injuries and made millions homeless;
  2. The scale of the disaster was due not only to the nature of the earthquake but also to many decades of extreme poverty, poor health, an unemployment rate of 70-80% and an average wage one quarter of that in Brazil;
  3. University researchers, teachers and students have opposed the privatisation of the public university and the occupation by the United Nations;
  4. Batay Ouvriye is a leading Haitian labour movement federation concerned with the programme of "popular education" as many workers are illiterate.

Congress resolves:

  1. To establish links with trade unions in Haiti, including Batay Ouvriye and those in education, and to publicise the problems they face;
  2. To make a collection for the labour movement in Haiti during this Congress which is sent to Batay Ouvriye.

CARRIED


29 Burma - National executive committee

Congress notes with concern that the National League for Democracy (NLD), the leading pro-democracy party in Burma, has been unable to register as a party and is likely to be proscribed by the dictatorship in the run-up to the elections in October.

Congress calls upon the Executive to work with the TUC, the Burma Campaign, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Amnesty International to support Burma's democratic and trade union bodies, focusing on targeted sanctions, freedom of association, the release and protection of political prisoners, and abolition of forced labour and repression of ethnic minority groups.

As the most urgent priorities, we call for the release of the 2,200 political prisoners, for tripartite talks between the regime, the NLD and representatives of ethnic minorities to ensure national reconciliation and a new constitution establishing democracy and respect for human rights.

CARRIED



Middle East

30 Practical support for Palestinian academic trade unionists - National executive committee

Congress condemns the failure of the international community to confront the Israeli government over the humanitarian disaster it is continuing to perpetrate in Gaza and the continued development of illegal settlements in the West Bank.

Congress:

  • welcomes the decisions of the 2009 TUC Congress relating to Palestine and Israel, and instructs the NEC to work with the TUC, STUC, and other affiliates, Amnesty International and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), to put the recommendations into effect.
  • welcomes the Education International (EI)/Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) report on academic freedom in Palestine and Israel, and the new impetus it provides for work on this area in EI.
  • calls on the NEC to work with Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees (PFUUPE), as well as EI, CAUT and other supportive EI affiliates, to build PFUUPE's organisational and negotiating capacity within Palestine, according to the needs PFUUPE identifies, and to support its membership of EI and enable it to participate fully in EI's work.

CARRIED


31 Palestine solidarity, BDS, and Histadrut - University of Brighton Grand Parade

Congress notes

  • the successful international boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) conference hosted by the UCU in line with Congress policy;
  • the statement that emerged from that conference, and the call from the Palestinian Boycott National Committee for an isolation of Israel while it continues to act in breach of international law.

Congress resolves:

  • to reaffirm its support for BDS, and to seek its implementation within the constraints of the existing law;
  • to seek in conjunction with other trade unions, nationally and internationally, to establish an annual international conference on BDS, a trade union sponsored BDS website and a research centre on commercial, cultural and academic complicity with Israeli breaches of international law, with appropriate cost sharing;
  • to sever all relations with Histadrut, and to urge other trade unions and bodies to do likewise;
  • to campaign actively against the EU-Israel Association Agreement, and to coordinate that campaign with other trade unions and solidarity movements.

CARRIED

31A.1 - Barnet College (Barnet and Hendon)

Add, at end of 'Congress notes' section:

  • The Histadrut is an active member of the International Trade Union movement.
  • 200,000 Israeli Arabs are members of the Histadrut.
  • The Histadrut and PGFTU have signed a series of joint cooperation agreements.

Replace bullet point 3 in Congress resolves with:

  • 'to form a committee which represents all views within UCU to review relations with the Histadrut. After consulting with the TUC, its findings will be presented to Congress 2011.'

LOST


32 Ariel and West Bank Colonisation - University of Brighton Falmer

Congress notes

  • the continuing colonisation of the West Bank - construction of illegal settlements, Israeli-only roads, diversion of Palestinian water, disaggregation of the territory, disruption of Palestinian life, destruction of olive groves and separation of Palestinian cultivators from their land, denial of educational and scholarly opportunities to Palestinians, and the continuing construction of the Wall;
  • the contribution of Israel's academy in this process - scientific and social and historical research, siting of annexes on illegally confiscated land, and support for military occupation;
  • the particular contribution of Ariel College in this process - recruiting Israelis as settlers for their education - and the recent decision of Israel to recognise Ariel as a 'university centre', on the way to its establishment as a university on occupied territory.

Congress resolves to commence the investigatory process associated with the imposition of a boycott of Ariel College.

CARRIED


33 UCU's invitation to Bongani Masuku of South Africa - University of Oxford

Congress notes that:

  • UCU invited Bongani Masuku to a meeting in December 2009 to discuss Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions against Israel;
  • the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has found that at a rally at the University of the Witwatersrand in March 2009 Masuku 'uttered numerous anti-semitic remarks which were seen to have incited violence and hatred amongst the students who were present.';
  • the SAHRC has determined that these statements, and others made publicly by Masuku, amount to hate speech prohibited by the South African constitution;
  • the SAHRC finding makes it clear that Masuku does not deny making the remarks attributed to him;
  • these remarks were publicly available on the internet well before UCU's invitation to Masuku was issued.

Congress dissociates itself from Masuku's repugnant views.

LOST


L11 Emergency motion

Congress is appalled at the Israeli act of piracy in international waters on 31 May. It condemns the armed attack on the Gaza convoy and the murders of people seeking to bring aid to the people of Gaza suffering from the Israeli and Egyptian blockade.

Congress believes this constitutes a prima facie crime against humanity.

Congress believes that the senior Israeli government members and senior military and naval officers responsible for commissioning this action should be tried for this crime.

Congress demands that the UK government does not change the rules on universal jurisdiction to impede bringing the people responsible for these murders to justice.

CARRIED


34 Iran - SOAS

Following the June 2009 Presidential election in Iran, protest demonstrations have continued; the authorities have used violence against demonstrators. According to the state media, 475 people have been arrested and 21 killed. According to Amnesty International the actual figures may be much higher.

Hundreds of Iranian professors, teachers and students have been sacked and many have been arrested for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association. Those detained have not been charged. They have no access to their lawyers during detention. Their families don't know where they are held. Many of them require medical treatment and are in danger of torture and ill treatment.

Congress calls on the authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran to protect fundamental human rights, including the right to life and freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a state party.



Leyla Zana

35 Leyla Zana - Women members standing committee

Congress notes the recent information that Kurdish politician and human rights activist, Leyla Zana, has been sentenced to a further three years imprisonment by the Diyarbakir Criminal Court. Her 'crime' was to issue a plea for a peaceful solution to the 30-year long Kurdish conflict.

Today Leyla faces in total 13 years imprisonment as a result of other charges for allegedly supporting 'terrorism' in previous speeches.

On 24 December her principal lawyer, Muharrem Erbey, was also arrested and is detained in a D-type prison in Diyabakir.

Congress resolves:

  • To pressurise the British government to urgently protest in writing to the Prime Minister of Turkey, the Turkish Minister of Justice, and to the Turkish Ambassador to the UK.
  • To write to the European Court of Human Rights on the grounds that Turkey has not fulfilled the criteria to be eligible for accession to the European Union.

CARRIED



Uganda

36 Uganda - University of Bath

Congress notes that the Ugandan government is about to pass a law which would make it illegal, and punishable by death or imprisonment, to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. In addition, anyone not informing on suspected LGBT people could receive three years' imprisonment.

Congress therefore resolves that:

  1. we should protest in the strongest possible terms to the Ugandan government
  2. we should boycott Ugandan produce, in particular coffee, and ask university catering outlets to do the same
  3. we should urge all UCU members to write to their MPs. 

CARRIED AS AMENDED

CBC advice, amendments 36A.1 and 36A.2 (below): if amendment 36A.1 is passed, 36A.2 falls.

36A.1 - LGBT members standing committee

Insert after 'Congress notes':

'an increase in homophobic and transphobic activity in Commonwealth countries including Malawi, Malaysia and Uganda.'

Delete 'that'. Change, 'the' to 'The'.

Congress resolves, bullet point 2, delete 'we should boycott' and add 'If the Bill is passed the NEC should organise towards boycotting'

Create new bullet point 1 and 2 as follows:

'1 We should mount an ongoing campaign supporting LGBT rights in Commonwealth countries including awareness raising, lobbying and high profile actions

2 We should support and send a delegation to the 3rd Education International (EI)/Public Services International (PSI) Sexual Diversity Forum in South Africa in 2011'

Existing bullet points 1-3 to be renumbered accordingly.

After 'MPs' in new bullet point 5, add 'Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Embassies'.

WITHDRAWN

36A.2 - National executive committee

Insert after 'Congress notes':

'an increase in homophobic and transphobic activity in a number of countries including Malawi, Malaysia and Uganda.'

Delete 'that'. Change, 'the' to 'The'.

Congress resolves, bullet point 2, delete 'we should boycott' and add 'If the Bill is passed the NEC should organise towards boycotting'

Create new bullet point 1 and 2 as follows:

'1 We should mount an ongoing campaign supporting LGBT rights internationally including awareness raising, lobbying and high profile actions

2 We should support and ensure appropriate representation at the 3rd Education International (EI)/Public Services International (PSI) Forum in South Africa in 2011'

Existing bullet points 1-3 to be renumbered accordingly.

After 'MPs' in new bullet point 5, add 'Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Embassies'.

CARRIED

Substantive motion

Congress notes an increase in homophobic and transphobic activity in a number of countries including Malawi, Malaysia and Uganda. The Ugandan government is about to pass a law which would make it illegal, and punishable by death or imprisonment, to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. In addition, anyone not informing on suspected LGBT people could receive three years' imprisonment.

Congress therefore resolves that:

  1. We should mount an ongoing campaign supporting LGBT rights internationally including awareness raising, lobbying and high profile action;

  2. We should support and ensure appropriate representation at the 3rd Education International (EI)/Public Services International (PSI) Forum in South Africa in 2011;

  3. We should protest in the strongest possible terms to the Ugandan government;

  4. If the Bill is passed the NEC should organise towards boycotting Ugandan produce, in particular coffee, and ask University catering outlets to do the same;

  5. We should urge all UCU members to write to their MPs, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and Embassies.


L2 Greece - Manchester Metropolitan University

Congress:

  • congratulates Greek teachers, lecturers and other workers on their inspiring general strike of the first week of May and further strikes and protests against austerity measures since then
  • rejects the racist stereotypes in the international media who label Greek workers as lazy and corrupt
  • applauds Greek workers' united resistance to the bosses' attempts at savage austerity measures through the IMF and European Union which would slash jobs, pay and pensions
  • sends a message of solidarity and encouragement to the Greek lecturers union
  • asks NEC to arrange a visit and speaking tour by member(s) of the Greek lecturers union to UK colleges and university UCU branches in the understanding that the neo-liberal attack on workers' rights and conditions is international and Greek workers' spirit of resistance is an example to all those defending education and fighting pay and job cuts.

CARRIED



Rules and standing orders

37 Timing of Congress - University of Glasgow

Congress notes that holding the annual meeting of Congress on bank holidays may result in many delegates being unable to attend due to the importance of family and other commitments. Congress believes that trade union activities are part of employment and that UCU should not be assisting the employers by using our own time to organise. This Congress instructs the NEC to ensure that the annual meeting of Congress should normally take place during the working week to send a strong message of the import of trade union activities to the employers. Congress also instructs NEC to campaign vigorously for the right for trade-union activities and duties to be recognised as part of work for all UCU activists.

REMITTED



Other issues

38 Guidelines on the provision of legal support - Birkbeck, University of London

Congress notes the increasing number of personal cases and the demand for legal support for members as a result of the current crisis in our sector. Groups of staff that are subject to discrimination, such as hourly-paid and fixed-term staff, women, disabled, LGBT, and black and minority ethnic (BME) staff, may be in particular danger of redundancy, reduction in working hours, and other detriments to their terms and conditions in the current climate.

Congress further notes the devolution of the initial decision on the provision of legal support to regional offices. This devolution has however not been accompanied by specific guidelines for branches and LAs.

Congress commends UCU's campaigns for equality and against casualisation and considers the provision of legal support to be essential for the success of these campaigns. Congress calls for improved guidance for local officers on the union's provision of legal services to members fighting against inequality and casualisation.

NOT TAKEN (Out of time)


39 Application of UCU policy - Barnet College

Congress seeks to avoid the danger of UCU policies (determined by resolutions of National Congress and Sector Conferences) not being carried out, whether in timely fashion or at all.

Congress therefore instructs the General Secretary to:

  • ensure that such policies are carried out in a timely fashion.
  • arrange for detailed reports from the National Executive and all its sub-committees report on a bi-monthly basis on the progress of all such policies that apply to the appropriate committee. These updates shall be communicated to branch secretaries for dissemination to members. All policies shall remain 'live' until actioned.

NOT TAKEN (Out of time)


B21 Iraq

Congress expresses serious concern that

  1. The Iraqi government reports it will demand the Spanish government prevents International Conference on Iraqi Political Resistance organised by State Campaign Against Occupation and for Sovereignty of Iraq (CEOSI) in Spain at end June
  2. Recent reports of the deaths of seven detainees in prison transfer with concerns that they were tortured
  3. Allegations of abuse of prisoners
  4. The report in Iraqi state run newspaper Al-Sabah that 62 people have been sentenced to death in January-May 2010.

Congress instructs NEC to:

  1. Sign and encourage members to sign CEOSI petition
  2. Contact the Spanish Government to demand the conference is allowed to take place and all participants receive visas
  3. Write to Iraqi President and Minister of Human rights to demand that executions do not take place and an independent investigation of deaths of seven detainees and prison conditions is carried out.

NOT TAKEN (Out of time)

Last updated: 1 August 2016