Business of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee 2016 (open session)

Motions have been allocated to a section of the NEC's report to Congress (UCU712). Paragraph headings refer to paragraphs within this report. CBC has added some new paragraph headings to facilitate the ordering of motions.

Section 6 of the NEC's report to Congress

Motions:

73 - Build the union
74 - The law, parliament and casualisation
75 - No to zero hours contracts and casualisation
76 - Casualisation beyond education
77 - Protecting national pay agreements
78  - Paying the hourly-rate independently set by the Living Wage Foundation
79  - Equality for hourly paid lecturers (HPLs)
80 - Celebrating and developing the role of regions
81 - Lack of membership communication in UCU
82 - Defend our NHS
83 - The crisis in social care
84 - Campaigning for improved state pension
85 - ​No to Trident renewal
86 - Threats to democracy
87 - TUC national demonstration at the Conservative Party Conference 2016
L3 - Redundancies and trade union victimisation​

(EP) advisory marking denoting UCU existing policy

Building the union, paragraph 2.1

73 (EP) Build the union - National Executive Committee

Congress notes and welcomes the continuing work undertaken by ROCC in supporting members in local and national disputes; political campaigning for public education from cradle to the grave; and the development of an effective organising and recruitment strategy.

Congress believes that at a time of government attacks on comprehensive, accessible post-16 education and on the trade union movement, it is vital that members more fully participate in their branches and in the wider democracy of the union. Congress therefore requests ROCC to use all means at its disposal to encourage greater and effective member activity.

Carried as amended

73A.1 National Executive Committee

In the second paragraph after 'democracy of the union' add: ', as well as on equality issues and the relatively low participation rates of members from the equality strands'.

Add at end: 'Congress requests ROCC to pay particular attention to measures to encourage and remove barriers to the participation of black and ethnic minority, disabled and LGBT+ members and members on casualised contracts and all members in relation to equality issues.'

Carried

73A.2 South East Regional Committee

Add at end: 'Congress also asks ROCC to prioritise the securing of facilities time for officers and representatives of UCU.'

Carried

Substantive motion

Congress notes and welcomes the continuing work undertaken by ROCC in supporting members in local and national disputes; political campaigning for public education from cradle to the grave; and the development of an effective organising and recruitment strategy.

Congress believes that at a time of government attacks on comprehensive, accessible post-16 education and on the trade union movement, it is vital that members more fully participate in their branches and in the wider democracy of the union, as well as on equality issues and the relatively low participation rates of members from the equality strands. Congress therefore requests ROCC to use all means at its disposal to encourage greater and effective member activity.

Congress requests ROCC to pay particular attention to measures to encourage and remove barriers to the participation of black and ethnic minority, disabled and LGBT+ members and members on casualised contracts and all members in relation to equality issues.

Congress also asks ROCC to prioritise the securing of facilities time for officers and representatives of UCU.

Building the Union (anti-casualisation), paragraph 2.1.3

74 The law, parliament and casualisation - Anti-Casualisation Committee

Congress notes:

1. UCU's success in raising concerns about ZHC [zero hours contracts] with the Labour Party
2. that many staff in post-16 institutions remain on fixed-term contracts without proportionate objective justification
3. that charging fees upfront at ETs has resulted in huge reductions in claims, part-time regulations cases dropping 71 per cent
4. that cases are not being brought because of the risk to future employment
5. the removal of fixed-term staff from collective consultations on redundancy.

We call on the NEC, in consultation with ACC to:

1. list legal changes that would improve job security
2. lobby political parties, ascertain their policies on these points if elected, and publicise this information to the electorate
3. analyse cases referred to UCU, determine how far members on precarious contracts are affected by these issues, and design a plan of action to support them
4. co-ordinate protest on these issues for the 2017 Anti-Casualisation Day of Action.

Carried

75 No to zero hours contracts and casualisation - University of Leicester

Figures from the ONS show over 800,000 workers in the UK on zero hours contracts. TUC figures show the average weekly wage of workers on zero hours is £188 against £479 for permanent contracts.

Combating the rise of zero hours contracts and the casualisation of post-16 education is crucial to UCU's future as a union. The ban on zero hours contracts in New Zealand and opposition from Jeremy Corbyn and Labour makes an anti-zero hours campaign more achievable.

Congress instructs NEC to:

1. approach other unions, TUC, Labour Party and campaigning organisations like Fast Food Rights Campaign, People's Assembly and Unite the Resistance to organise a national conference against zero hours contracts and casualisation;
2. initiate and approach other unions, TUC campaigning organisations to join a national lobby of parliament in the autumn term calling for the banning of zero hours contracts.

Carried as amended

75A.1 Anti-Casualisation Committee

Add at end of second paragraph: 'The sustained and hard-hitting campaigning of BFAWU members has yet again, as at Wigan, achieved victory for those on ZHC. Labour NEC's action, excluding McDonald's from their conference, together with the recent ban on ZHC in New Zealand, shows that workers' action together with union pressure can win this fight.'

Add at end of Congress instructs 1.: 'and for the transfer of all staff on ZHCs to permanent fractional contracts;'

Carried

75A.2 Composite: Anti-Casualisation Committee, National Executive Committee

Add at end of Congress instructs 2.: 'and for the transfer of all staff currently on zero hours contracts onto negotiated, permanent, pro-rata fractional contracts without loss of de facto hours.'

Carried

Substantive motion

Figures from the ONS show over 800,000 workers in the UK on zero hours contracts. TUC figures show the average weekly wage of workers on zero hours is £188 against £479 for permanent contracts.

Combating the rise of zero hours contracts and the casualisation of post-16 education is crucial to UCU's future as a union. The ban on zero hours contracts in New Zealand and opposition from Jeremy Corbyn and Labour makes an anti-zero hours campaign more achievable. The sustained and hard-hitting campaigning of BFAWU members has yet again, as at Wigan, achieved victory for those on ZHC. Labour NEC's action, excluding McDonald's from their conference, together with the recent ban on ZHC in New Zealand, shows that workers' action together with union pressure can win this fight.

Congress instructs NEC to:

1. approach other unions, TUC, Labour Party and campaigning organisations like Fast Food Rights Campaign, People's Assembly and Unite the Resistance to organise a national conference against zero hours contracts and casualisation and for the transfer of all staff on ZHCs to permanent fractional contracts
2. initiate and approach other unions, TUC campaigning organisations to join a national lobby of parliament in the autumn term calling for the banning of zero hours contracts and for the transfer of all staff currently on zero hours contracts onto negotiated, permanent, pro-rata fractional contracts without loss of de facto hours.

76 Casualisation beyond education - Anti-Casualisation Committee

Congress notes:

The work achieved by Fast Food Rights set up by the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) and supported by GMB and Unite and campaigning groups including National Shop Stewards Network, Youth Fight for Jobs, Unite the Resistance and People's Assembly. 

The campaign has highlighted and protested the use of zero hours contracts and casualised labour in all industries.

The need to recruit and organise workers in non-unionised workplaces and for a united trade union fight against casualisation;

Congress resolves:

1. to encourage branches and regions to organise meetings with BFAWU, other unions and organisations committed to fighting casualization
2. to affiliate to Fast Food Rights
3. to attempt to organise a national conference with BFAWU and other willing unions to fight casualisation
4. to call on BFAWU and other willing unions to organise a national lobby of parliament against casualisation.

Carried

Building the Union (national salary campaigns), paragraph 2.1.13

77 Protecting national pay agreements - Southern Regional Committee

Congress is gravely concerned at the growing number of attacks on nationally negotiated pay agreements in post-16 institutions, with many employers varying such agreements to the detriment of staff.

Congress therefore instructs NEC to:

1. gather together information from across FHE to identify the scope and scale of such attacks
2. mount a national campaign to raise awareness of the extent and nature of these attacks, so that branches can be better prepared to resist
3. name and shame the employers responsible for such deterioration in agreed pay and conditions.

Carried

78 Paying the hourly-rate independently set by the Living Wage Foundation - University of Warwick

Congress believes: 

1. all employers have a moral obligation to pay an hourly-rate that allows workers to meet the basic cost of living.

Congress notes:

1. the hourly-rate set annually by the Living Wage Foundation (LWF) is independently calculated according to this principle
2. current LWF hourly-rates are £8.25 (UK rate) and £9.40 (London rate)
3. several points on the nationally-agreed pay spine fall below these levels;
4. even in difficult financial circumstances, some employers (including UCU, Wolverhampton University and Birmingham City Council) have committed to paying the LWF rate
5. many employers (including many universities) have not.

Congress resolves to:

1. publicly denounce all employers who do not currently pay the LWF rate to all employed and contracted staff
2. write individually to all HE/FE institutions that do not currently pay the LWF rate to all employed and contracted staff, condemning this immoral practice.

Carried

79 Equality for hourly paid lecturers (HPLs) - Hackney Community College

Congress recognises:

1. that all teaching staff are equal and should have equal contracts and fair pay
2. that currently there is a lack of parity between HPL and MGL contracts which means that staff on HPL contracts receive a substantially lower rate of pay for the same work as their colleagues
3. that HPLs do not have job security and can lose work from one term to the next.

Congress instructs NEC to:

1. put pressure on all colleges to fractionalise all staff
2. secure a guarantee that HPL contracts are only used for specific situations (eg maternity cover, long term sickness cover).

Carried as amended

79A.1 National Executive Committee

In a. insert 'and universities' after 'colleges'.

In b. after 'specific' insert 'one off' or 'short term'. Delete 'maternity cover'. Replace 'long term' by 'half or one day'.

Carried

79A.2 Anti-Casualisation Committee

Under 'Congress recognises' add point 4.:

'4. that staff on casualised contracts produce high quality work despite deleterious working conditions and heightened job insecurity.'

Under 'Congress instructs' add point c.:

'c. ensure that where the "quality argument" is deployed, there is no suggestion/implication that staff on casualised contracts themselves work to a lower standard than other staff.'

Carried

Substantive motion

Congress recognises:

1. that all teaching staff are equal and should have equal contracts and fair pay
2. that currently there is a lack of parity between HPL and MGL contracts which means that staff on HPL contracts receive a substantially lower rate of pay for the same work as their colleagues
3. that HPLs do not have job security and can lose work from one term to the next
4. that staff on casualised contracts produce high quality work despite deleterious working conditions and heightened job insecurity.

Congress instructs NEC to:

1. put pressure on all colleges and universities to fractionalise all staff
2. secure a guarantee that HPL contracts are only used for specific one off or short term situations (eg half or one day sickness cover)
3. ensure that where the 'quality argument' is deployed, there is no suggestion/implication that staff on casualised contracts themselves work to a lower standard than other staff.

Building the union, paragraph 2

80 (EP) Celebrating and developing the role of regions - North West Regional Committee

Congress celebrates the key role regions play in the Union. Regions provide a vital layer of support and an essential forum for branches to share experiences and develop activities, campaigns and strategies. We welcome the increase in equality roles and celebrate the democratic roots at the heart of our regions.

Congress welcomes the development of regional networking days, which have made a positive contribution to the Union's equality work and provide a forum for developing solidarity. Congress notes that strengthened activity at regional level will develop our ability to build a serious response to the attacks we face.

Congress resolves to:

1. support regions in developing the increased equality roles
2. encourage and support regions (including financial support) in organising networking days, as determined by the region
3. continue to campaign, monitor and promote branch attendance at regional meetings.

Carried

Building the union (communication with members), paragraphs 2.1.14-2.1.15

81 Lack of membership communication in UCU - Blackburn College

Congress notes:

1. the importance of a printed journal in building UCU's profile with its members and potential members
2. the importance of accessible communication between all branches, regions, interest groups and sectors
3. the use other unions make of their membership journals/newspapers for the above purposes - and campaigning on priority issues
4. the seriously protracted absence of any membership journal/newspaper in our own union, the UCU.

Congress believes:

1. this lack of a journal constitutes a very serious weakness in our union.

Congress therefore calls on the NEC to:

1. authorise and supervise the re-introduction of a regular (bi-monthly?) UCU journal/magazine or newspaper at the earliest possible opportunity
2. encourage branches and regions to use the publication in publicising activities and building the union's profile and membership.

Carried

New paragraph, Defending health and welfare provision

82 Defend our NHS - North West Retired Members' Branch

This Congress believes that a National Health Service, free at the point of delivery, is essential for the wellbeing of all UCU members. However, it believes that the NHS is at risk because of:

1. privatisation
2. continuing destructive reorganisation and
3. devolution of NHS services.

Congress, therefore:

1. supports the NHS Reinstatement Bill, sponsored by Caroline Lucas MP, which will be reintroduced to Parliament May 18
2. urges members to contact their MPs to ask them to support this bill
3. urges branches and members to become involved in local health campaigns, such as Keep Our NHS Public and Defend OUR NHS
4. calls on the NEC to affiliate to Health Campaigns Together.

Conference also instructs the NEC to produce a report which investigates the dangers created by the devolution of NHS services and the integration of Health and Social Care, including consequential financial problems and the lack of democratic accountability.

Carried as amended

82A.1 Teesside University

Under Congress believes add: '4. The removal of free training places and the associated bursary.'

Add to end of point d.:

'and calls upon UCU's Higher Education Joint Liaison Committee to organise a one day special conference for health professionals/educators to discuss, debate and develop a strategy of campaigning for the restoration of free training places and the associated bursary.'

Add at end of final paragraph:

', and the impact of the removal of the bursary for health care students on potential recruitment of health care students from poorer backgrounds.'

Carried

82A.2 Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee

Add after d.: 'e. urges every branch and member to take practical steps to build solidarity with the BMA /junior doctors in their dispute over imposition of dangerous contracts in the NHS. This could include inviting junior doctors to speak at meetings, organising support delegations to picket lines, joining street stalls and rallies.'

Carried

82A.3 University of Bath

Add to 'believes that the NHS is at risk because of:'

'4. Attacks on the pay and conditions of NHS workers, including attempts to impose a contract on Junior Doctors that is harmful to staff and patients.

5. Chronic underfunding and under-resourcing.'

Add to 'Congress, therefore:'

'e. instructs NEC to initiate contact with the BMA (as NUT have), and with other unions involved in nationwide disputes, with a view to coordinating action, including any forthcoming industrial action arising from the ongoing national dispute in higher education.'

Carried

Substantive motion

This Congress believes that a National Health Service, free at the point of delivery, is essential for the wellbeing of all UCU members. However, it believes that the NHS is at risk because of:

1. privatisation
2. continuing destructive reorganisation and
3. devolution of NHS services
4. the removal of free training places and the associated bursary
5. attacks on the pay and conditions of NHS workers, including attempts to impose a contract on Junior Doctors that is harmful to staff and patients
6. chronic underfunding and under-resourcing.

Congress, therefore:

1. supports the NHS Reinstatement Bill, sponsored by Caroline Lucas MP, which will be reintroduced to Parliament May 18
2. urges members to contact their MPs to ask them to support this bill
3. urges branches and members to become involved in local health campaigns, such as Keep Our NHS Public and Defend OUR NHS
4. calls on the NEC to affiliate to Health Campaigns Together and calls upon UCU's Higher Education Joint Liaison Committee to organise a one day special conference for health professionals/educators to discuss, debate and develop a strategy of campaigning for the restoration of free training places and the associated bursary.
5. urges every branch and member to take practical steps to build solidarity with the BMA /junior doctors in their dispute over imposition of dangerous contracts in the NHS. This could include inviting junior doctors to speak at meetings, organising support delegations to picket lines, joining street stalls and rallies
6. instructs NEC to initiate contact with the BMA (as NUT have), and with other unions involved in nationwide disputes, with a view to coordinating action, including any forthcoming industrial action arising from the ongoing national dispute in higher education.

Conference also instructs the NEC to produce a report which investigates the dangers created by the devolution of NHS services and the integration of Health and Social Care, including consequential financial problems and the lack of democratic accountability, and the impact of the removal of the bursary for health care students on potential recruitment of health care students from poorer backgrounds.

83 The crisis in social care - East Midlands Retired Members' Branch

Congress notes:

1. the growing crisis in domestic and residential care
2. the need for decent pay and conditions for care workers
3. the case for greater professional training and accreditation for care workers
4. the need to maintain and extend local authority provision of care services using council employees and not sub-contracting this work to agencies.

Congress resolves:

1. that the NEC shall convene a meeting of trade unions, NPC, relevant campaign groups and professional bodies to address the crisis in domestic and residential care
2. to support the development of professional courses and qualifications for care workers, including courses in further education colleges and universities
3. to support the involvement of older people's organisations in designing the content of such courses and qualifications
4. to support the development and professional status and employment conditions for workers and managers concerned with provision of care for senior citizens.

Carried

New paragraph, Campaigning on pensions

84 Composite: Campaigning for improved state pension - Southern Retired Members' Branch, Northern Retired Members' Branch

For years, successive governments have relied on workers having a decent occupational pension, as an alternative to providing a higher state pension. However, over the years good occupational pensions have declined and been replaced by insecure market-based alternatives. As a result of insecure employment patterns, low pay and poorer pension alternatives, the vast majority of future pensioners, including many UCU members, will therefore become increasingly reliant on the state pension in retirement.

Congress notes:

1. that pension age for men and women rises to 65 by 2018, 66 by 2020 and 67 by 2028.
2. changes to State Pension in April 2016 which will:
   a. bring increases in NI of 1.4% for employees and 3.4% for employers
   b. remove entitlement to housing and Council Tax benefit
   c. abolish savings credit
   d. produce an annual windfall to the Treasury of at least £9.2bn in NI contributions.
3. that the changes will not put a single penny into the pockets of existing pensioners despite 1 in 5 older people still living below the official poverty level.
4. that 350,000 women born between April 1952 and July 1953 will retire on the old system just before the new proposals come into force.

Congress resolves to pledge active UCU support for the NPC led alliance and for a fairer system which increases financial security for current and future state pensioners.

Congress further calls for UCU to recognise the need to campaign more vigorously for a decent state pension system for all generations - including future members - by:

1. strengthening links with the National Pensioners Convention
2. campaigning to raise the state pension above the official poverty level
3. calling for all pensions to be linked to the best of wages, CPI, RPI or 2.5%
4. rejecting any further attempts to raise the state pension age.

Carried  as amended

84A.1 Southern Retired Members' Branch

In point iv. which begins 'rejecting any further ...' delete the full stop and add:

'and engaging vigorously with the ongoing Cridland Review, which is not only questioning again the current pension age, but also reviewing a move towards differential payments based on projected life expectancy. This would introduce yet more uncertainty into the pension prospects of today's younger workers.'

Carried

84A.2 Southern Regional Committee

Add at end: 'In addition to concerns about state pension, Congress instructs NEC to mount a review of the growing impact of low pay in FE and HE on maintaining contributions to occupational pension schemes.'

Carried

New paragraph, Trident renewal

85 Composite: No to Trident renewal - East Midlands Regional Committee, Open University

Congress notes: 

1. while the government pushes through austerity they are set to spend billions on Trident renewal
2. recently the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee said Trident renewal could cost £167billion!
3. these weapons of mass destruction could cause the end of life on earth if used and come at a vast cost ─ an initial £20 billion but at least £100 billion over its planned 30 year lifespan
4. this is a fraction of the money required by our sectors to operate effectively and a decision to spend on Trident rather than the education of our citizens is a political choice which we oppose.

Congress believes that this is money that should be spent on vital public services like education, including ending tuition fees.

Consequently, Congress supports Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's stand against the use of nuclear weapons and the renewal of Trident.

Congress resolves:

1. to ask the NEC to work with others in opposing Trident, highlighting the relative costs of funding education compared with the cost of Trident.
2. to affiliate to CND (www.cnduk.org).

Remitted

New paragraph, Campaigning in defence of democracy

86 Threats to democracy - LSE

Congress deplores the Government's attempts to stop unions fully representing their members through restrictions on political activity in the TU Bill.

Congress notes that this is only one part of the Government's attack on dissent and democracy. Other threats include:

1. politicisation of the charities commission
2. restrictions on councils' ability to implement ethical procurement and investment strategies
3. attacks on House of Lords' ability to challenge hasty legislation
4. use of the Prevent agenda to limit debate in schools, colleges and universities
5. inhibition of the BBC through charter renewal process and the proposal to privatise Channel 4, reducing critical comment in the broadcast media
6. secrecy of the TTIP negotiations, and the extra-judicial Investor State Dispute Settlement procedures, aimed at weakening or deterring regulatory standards.

Congress believes it is vital to link the campaigns against these threats and resolves to jointly campaign with all other organisations fighting such attacks on our democratic rights.

Remitted

New paragraph, Other matters

87 TUC National Demonstration at the Conservative Party Conference 2016 West Midlands Regional Committee

Congress welcomes the demonstration called by the Midlands TUC outside the Conservative party conference in Birmingham on Sunday 2nd October 2016. Congress is concerned that the TUC have not agreed to call and support a national demonstration, especially after the hugely successful TUC national demonstration outside the Conservative party conference in Manchester in 2015.

Congress resolves: 

To call on the TUC to upgrade the regional demonstration to a national demonstration in Birmingham on 2nd October 2016 and for this demonstration to combine a strong anti-racist message with the anti-austerity focus.

Remitted

L3 Redundancies and trade union victimisation

Congress notes:

1. further compulsory redundancies at London Metropolitan University.
2. victimisation of London Met UCU reps Mark Campbell and David Hardman.
3. congress 2015 committed the union to:
   a. 'throw all its weight behind those facing victimisation'
   b. mobilise the maximum possible human and financial resources in the defence of victimised UCU reps
   c. pursue full reinstatement for victimised reps rather than financial compromise settlements that are ineffective in protecting our broader trade union organisation.
4. UCU NEC has declared London Met UCU is in 'a local dispute of national significance'.

Congress resolves to:

1. conduct a national campaign against job cuts and union victimisations at London Met that includes a high-profile press and social media campaign, the organisation of a national demonstration to take place in June/July 2016, and the general secretary's direct intervention
2. consider employment tribunal claims for victimised London Met UCU reps should their appeals against redundancy fail.

Carried