51福利

51福利/1043听 13 October 2020听听

University and College Union

Carlow Street, London NW1 7LH, Tel. 020 7756 2500, www.ucu.org.uk

To听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Branch secretaries, Congress delegates

Topic听听听听听听听听听听听听 AGENDA: On-line interim Congress, 28-30 October 2020

Action听听听听听听听听听听 For branches and delegates to consider; register delegates by 16 October; delegates to make their requests to speak in advance by 22 October

Summary 听听听听听 Motions for debate at Congress and sector conferences 28-30 October 2020听听听听听听听听听听听听听

 

On-line interim Congress meeting

AGENDA

28-30 October 2020

The on-line interim Congress meeting takes place on 28-30 October 2020.

This will include sessions of the HE and FE sector conferences on Thursday 29 October.

Advance registration

Delegates must be registered in advance for this event. Registration closes 17:00, 16 October 2020 鈥� see

Delegates鈥� advance requests to speak

Delegates who wish to speak in debate, including the moving of motions, must submit requests to speak in advance, by Thursday 22 October, using the on-line form 鈥� see /congress-speaker-request

 

1. 听听听听 About this agenda

1.1听听听 The 鈥榗ore鈥� agenda

In accordance with the arrangements for this interim Congress set out in , an 鈥榓genda group鈥�, consisting of the Congress business committee (CBC) and chairs of NEC sub-committees and chairs and vice chairs its sector committees, met on 9 October to consider the creation of a 鈥榗ore agenda鈥� for debate and decision at the on-line interim Congress.

Those agendas are set out in this report. The majority of these motions have been drawn from those set out in CBC鈥檚 first report, . In addition, 16 late motions have been added.

Based on the experiences of other online meetings, and the motions before them, the group agreed that 40 motions should be ordered into the Congress agenda.

As is the usual practice for CBC鈥檚 second report, motions ordered into the agenda are now numbered sequentially.

1.2听听听 Speaking times and other arrangements

The Congress and sector conference chairs and the Congress business committee recommend an immediate move to reduced speaking times: three minutes for movers of motions, two minutes for all other speakers.

Delegates who make advance speaking requests should prepare to speak on this basis. Note that submitting a request does not guarantee being called to speak 鈥� but the reduction in speaking times is intended to help accommodate as many different speakers as possible.

Sessions will be timed as indicated in the agenda below. Recognising the physical and cognitive demands of continuous screen time for all members and specifically for some disabled members, short breaks will be included at least hourly.

1.3听听听 Late motions and amendments ordered into the agenda

Nine Congress motions, six further education conference motions, and four higher education sector conference motions were received as 鈥榣ate鈥� motions. Sixteen of these have been ordered into the Congress or sector conference agendas (motions 2-9, 28, FE1-FE5, FE18, and HE2).

Three late HE motions were received, but not ordered into the core agenda 鈥� these appear at the end of this report numbered D65-D67.

Four amendments to Congress motions were received and are ordered into the agenda (13A.1, 22A.1, 36A.1 and 39A.1). One amendment to a HE sector conference motion was received and ordered (HE7A.1).

1.4听听听 Motions withdrawn

Thirteen motions were withdrawn from the Congress and sector conference agenda by the submitting bodies and do not appear in this report. Those were numbered in CBC鈥檚 first report as motions EQ8, EQ12, EQ14, EQ19, FE5, FE20, FE33, HE9, HE29, HE30, HE32, HE37 and HE39.

1.5听听听 Motions not ordered into the core agenda

Motions not ordered into the core agenda appear at the end of this report (with the exception of rule changes [no rule changes will be taken at this interim Congress], and any motions withdrawn by the submitting body). Congress or the relevant sector conference will be asked to remit these motions to the NEC or relevant sector committee. These appear in the appendix to this agenda numbered D1-D67.

1.6听听听 Representations in respect of this agenda

Any branch or other submitting body wishing to make a representation in respect of the ordering of items within the Congress or sector conference agendas should do so not later than 12 noon on Thursday 22 October.

Representations should be made by email to congressmotions@ucu.org.uk, and must state how the representation is supported (eg. branch meeting, committee meeting). The receipt of representations will be acknowledged. Representations will be forwarded to the agenda group for consideration ahead of the opening of Congress.

In accordance with the arrangements set out in , no further late or emergency motions will now be considered for inclusion on the agenda.

1.7听听听 Questions to the Honorary Treasurer

Questions to the Treasurer must be submitted by email in advance of Congress to arrive no later than 12 noon on Thursday 22 October.听 Emails should be sent to Paul Cottrell (pcottrell@ucu.org.uk).

 

Interim on-line Congress and sector conferences

Timetable

Wednesday 28 October: Congress

11:00   Welcome and opening business, including

How business will be conducted

How voting will be conducted

Report of the Congress business committee

Address by Jo Grady, general secretary

Motion 1, Civility and kindness

 

11:30 Covid-19 crisis (motions 2-6)

12:30 Black Lives Matter (motions 7-9)

13:00 Lunch break

14:00 Business of the equality committee (motions 10-19)

16:00 Close of first day

 

Thursday 29 October: Sector conferences

 

Thursday 29 October: Further education sector conference

10:00 听 Welcome and opening business including

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Report of the conference agenda committee

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Update from Andrew Harden, Head of further education

10:15 听 Covid-19 crisis (motions FE1-FE4)

听听听听听听听听 Black Lives Matter (motion FE5)

Equality issues (motions FE6-FE7)

11:00 Workload and other issues (motions FE8-FE13)

11:35 Pay (motions FE14-FE18)

12:05 Adult education; prison education (motions FE19-FE22)

12:25 Anti casualisation; job roles; TPS (motions FE23-FE26)

12:45 Inspection and governance; qualifications and curriculum; surveillance in FE (motions FE27-FE30)

13:00 Close of conference

 

Thursday 29 October: Higher education sector conference

14:00 听 Welcome and opening business including

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Report of the conference agenda committee

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Update from Paul Bridge, Head of higher education

14:20 Debate of motions (HE1-HE13)

17:00 Close of conference

 

Friday 30 October: Congress

11:00 Address by Vicky Blake, President

11:15 Update from Steve Sangwine, honorary treasurer

11:25 Business of the strategy and finance committee (motions 20-28)

13:00 Lunch break

14:00 Business of the strategy and finance committee (motions 20-28, continued)

14:20 Business of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee (motions 29-36)

15:20 Business of the education committee (motions 37-40)

15:55 Closing business 

 

听听听听听听听听

 

 

 

 

51福利 on-line interim Congress, 28-30 October 2020

Motions for debate

 

Introduction

1听听听听听听 Composite: Civility and kindness: democracy, equality, diversity, and inclusion听听 National executive committee, The Manchester College

Congress notes:

1.听听 Some 51福利 meetings have been increasingly characterised by tension, raised voices, and an atmosphere that can be aggressive and intimidating

2.听听 the quality of an argument is not enhanced by uncivil behaviour

3.听听 were incivility to become normalised, it would have significant consequences for equality of participation and of representation, marginalising, or even excluding, those who are disinclined to tolerate or adopt this behaviour

4.听听 51福利 members or staff who have experienced domestic or workplace aggression may be affected by such conduct

5.听听 51福利 members and staff who attend meetings are all entitled to dignity and respect.

Congress further notes Standing Order 6.1 and instructs the NEC to ensure that Chairs of meetings receive training in dealing with unacceptable language/ behaviour.

Congress calls upon Chairs and members to actively challenge bullying behaviour and/ or language that is aggressive, intimidating, that misrepresents facts, or which targets individuals.

 

Covid-19 crisis

2听听听听听听 No return to face-to-face teaching 听听听听听听听听 CCCG City and Islington (Lifelong Learning)

Notes: 

1.     51福利鈥檚 five tests. 

2.     Official figures state that over 42,000 people have died from the Coronavirus.    

3.     Excess deaths are at least 60,000. 

4.     Government calls for a return to workplaces. 

5.     Independent SAGE and WHO, believe social distancing, test, track and isolate and the use of PPE, in controlling pandemics, are central. 

Believes: 

a.     that 51福利鈥檚 five tests have not been met. 

b.     that the government鈥檚 latest attempts to stem the virus is too little and too late. 

Resolves: 

               i.      To campaign for online teaching as the default position within colleges and universities. 

             ii.      To encourage members to move towards the escalation strategy as outlined 
by 51福利 if the branch feels that their college is not safe. 

            iii.      Support students and 51福利 branches taking action to protect themselves and their communities. 

3听听听听听听 Impact of COVID-19 on Disabled workers' reasonable adjustments听听听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee

Notes

1.  That work stability and retention of disabled people are being threatened by Covid-19

2.  That failure to implement recommended OH reasonable adjustments and subjecting disabled workers to unnecessary medical reassessments constitutes disability discrimination

3.  That institutional policy that disregards the principles of EDI threatens job security and retention

4.  That COVID-19 is creating an atmosphere for institutions to evoke capability procedures by ignoring requests for reasonable adjustments, undermining the dignity of Disabled people

Believes deeper engagement is needed with Disabled members at every level of 51福利.

Resolves

a.     To support branches through training in the implementation of appropriate reasonable adjustments for Disabled workers considering COVID-19

b.     call on NEC to audit the levels of disability discrimination and its intersection with other oppressions and job insecurity

c.     To reinforce the importance of the 51福利 Reasonable Adjustment Passport and guidance.

4听听听听听听 Women, COVID, care and workload听听听听听听听 Women members standing committee

 听听听听听听听 Congress notes:

1.     Full lockdown, including closure of schools, nurseries and adult care provision has created additional labour, heavily impacting women members

2.     This labour continues during partial lockdowns when dependents and vulnerable adults are at home in isolation. 

Congress believes:

1.     The failure to plan for and fund large-scale social care needs during the pandemic is a threat to women鈥檚 rights

2.     The detriment is especially strong for casualised workers

3.     Treating women and other carers as an unpaid labour reserve is discriminatory and harmful

4.     Carers are entitled to a reasonable adjustment in workload

5.     When schools / care provision closes carers must have the right to a reduced workload without detriment

Congress calls on 51福利 to: 

a.     Urgently develop model branch policy to negotiate reduced workload for Covid carers

b.     Campaign for carers to be included in equality legislation

c.     Facilitate branches in demanding reasonable workload adjustments for carers. 

5听听听听听听 Covid-19 and immigration detention 听听听听听 Migrant members standing committee

Congress notes:

1.     Universities are creating new compliance regimes for students in light of Covid-19 health and safety measures

2.     Some are engaging private security companies, such as Mitie who run immigration detention centres for the HO, to enforce these rules

3.     Racialised students on Tier 4 visas are vulnerable to being detained and deported if found in violation of constantly shifting rules

Congress believes it is 51福利 policy to oppose the UK鈥檚 racist and xenophobic hostile environment policy in all of its manifestations, and this includes the inhumane practices of immigration detention and forced removal.

Congress resolves:

a.     To lobby government to shut down all immigration detention centres and to end the practice of indefinite detention, including hotel detention

b.     To demand that universities and colleges sever any partnerships with security or facilities management corporations that run prisons, detention centres or that engage in military subcontracting

 

 

 

6听听听听听听 Progress LGBT+ liberation now听听听听 LGBT+ members standing committee

Wider society presumes people identify their gender with the sex assigned at their birth and are straight.

LGBT+ people remain largely unreflected and sometimes vilified in mainstream media.

Arguments around academic freedom are used to silence, dispute and condemn LGBT+ identities.

Covid19 related restrictions have shrunk our social world negatively impacting on LGBT+ lives e.g. being confined in unsupportive homes, outness, isolation from support networks, lengthened medical waiting lists. Shelving gender recognition reform has had further negative impact.

Legal recognition that Equality Act 2010 covers non-binary people from the moment of self-declaration is welcome.

Congress resolves to

1.     Explore, establish and support innovations in 51福利 LGBT+ work progressing gender identity including GRA reform

2.     Dismantle the exclusivity of cis and hetero normativities in all 51福利 work听

3.     Develop branch action plans challenging the use of academic freedom arguments against LGBT+ people

4.     Promote and campaign for LGBT+ liberation, visibility, mental health, well-being and education

Black Lives Matter

7听听听听听听 51福利 and Black Lives Matter 听听听听听听听听听 Black members standing committee

Congress notes the global uprising of the Black Lives Matter movement highlighted by the tragic murder of George Floyd in America. Conference notes that the movement shines a light for all of us on systemic racism.

Congress further notes that this systemic racism is again in evidence when we assess the disproportionate Covid death tolls in the black community.

Conference believes that members in further, higher, adult and prison education must fully support the BLM movement and that 51福利 branches must play an active role in delivering an anti-racist workplace.

Congress resolves to:

1.     Request that branches support and work with their local BLM group

2.     Provide branches with a template for recruiting a dedicated Race Equality Officer

3.     Request all branches produce a report on anti-racist activity within their branch

4.     Provide a forum for branches to share and disseminate information relating to ongoing anti-racist activity

8听听听听听听 Tackling race, racism and structural racism in Higher and Further Education听听听听听听听 Liverpool John Moores University

Congress notes:

1.     The tragic killing of George Floyd by the police is part of a long history of racism.

2.     The Black Lives Matter movement is challenging systemic racism across the world. 

3.     The UK is not innocent and our universities are part of this systemic racism. 

4.     Campaigning for the retention and progression of permanent Black and Asian academic staff in higher and further education must be a priority for 51福利.

Congress supports:

a.     the call for decolonising the curriculums and our institutions.

b.     The removal of the awarding gap, between Black and Asian students and white students should be part of this process.

Congress resolves:

               i.      to consider and implement a plan of action, including if necessary the use of industrial action if the above calls are not heeded.

             ii.      that our Black members and committees should be at the centre of this campaign.

9听听听听听听 Opposing the new DFE curriculum guidance听听听 CCCG City and Islington (Camden Road)

Notes: 

The new DFE guidance on curriculum states: 

1.     Schools should not allow the teaching of anything that is deemed to be anti 鈥� capitalist. 

2.     Schools must not allow discussions about organisations that publicly state the desire to abolish or overthrow democracy or capitalism. 

Believes: 

a.     This authoritarian extension of the Prevent agenda further infringes on free speech and a broad and critical education. 

b.     The guidance is an attempt to prevent schools discussing issues arising from the BLM and Environmental movement.  

c.     If allowed to go ahead this guidance will make it illegal to refer to large tracts of British history and politics including the history of British socialism, the Labour Party and trade unionism, all of which have at different times advocated the abolition of capitalism. 

Resolves 51福利 to launch a campaign with other education unions to oppose the DFE guidelines. 

 

Business of the equality committee

10听听听听 Remembering and celebrating Nita Sanghera听 National executive committee

Congress notes with sadness the tragic death of Nita Sanghera who would have been the first black woman president of 51福利 Further we note the extensive and exceptional work undertaken by Nita in promoting anti-racism and a wide variety of other equality issues for our union.

Congress therefore agrees:

1.     to rename the annual equality committee fringe the 'Nita Sanghera Equality Fringe'

2.     to initiate an annual Nita Sanghera equality award to be issued to a 51福利 member who has shown outstanding commitment and excellence to equality in our union.

11听听听听 Remembering Nita Sanghera听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听 Black members standing committee

Congress notes the hugely positive role Nita Sanghera played in supporting black colleagues across the country. Congress also notes the extensive work done by Nita Sanghera to resist the growing far right threat and her targeting by far right groups as a consequence.

Congress believes that there is a real threat to the employment and career of those who speak out against racism across our sectors accompanied by a growing media threat to academic freedom for those who speak out critically on race through public channels.

Congress resolves to:

1.     reinvigorate our work on regional equality networks championed by Nita

2.     establish a bursary/award scheme for ethnic minority student(s) in further and higher education in Nita鈥檚 name

3.     reflect our policy for elected regional equality strand officers in regional standing orders

4.     recognise the elected BMSC as a vital democratic voice to be listened to in addressing this silencing of critical voices.

12听听听听 Underrepresentation at Congress/NEC 听 Black members standing committee

Congress notes the underrepresentation of black staff from both the further and higher education sectors at all levels of the union鈥檚 democratic structures. Congress also notes the positive work being undertaken to increase engagement and develop black activists and the increase in numbers attending the annual Black Members鈥� Conference.

Congress believes it is vital to ensure participation of black members at all levels of the union and is keen to address the issue in a systematic way.

Congress resolves to:

1.     develop proposals to increase the numbers of black members at national meetings

2.     present the proposals to Congress 2021 for implementation

3.     consider the following as part of the proposals: mentoring support programmes, training courses on development and leadership programmes for black members.

13听听听听 Disability and casualisation听 Disabled members standing committee

Congress notes

1.     that just over 50% of disabled people of working age are in employment but HESA data indicates that only just over 4% of academic staff declare a disability 

2.     that there is no data on the numbers of staff on casualised contracts who declare a disability

3.     that research indicates that the growth of casualised and zero hours contracts makes it even harder for disabled workers to secure the reasonable adjustments they need to do their jobs.

Congress resolves:

a.     to campaign for HESA to collate data on the intersection of protected characteristics and employment status 

b.     to set up a working group tasked with contacting members on casualised contracts to establish:

                       i.   whether those with a disability as defined in the Equality Act 2010 have declared a disability 

ii.  whether they have received the reasonable adjustments that they require, and

iii.    the obstacles they face in the workplace.

13A.1 Disabled members standing committee

Add, at end of point 鈥楴otes, 1鈥�: 鈥�with only 2.7% of professors declaring a disability

Add, at end of point 鈥楴otes, 2鈥�, 鈥�facing significant obstacles in gaining employment and developing careers in both sectors鈥�

In point 鈥楴otes, 3鈥�, delete 鈥榸ero hours鈥�. After 鈥榗ontracts鈥�, delete 鈥榤akes it even harder for disabled workers to secure鈥�; replace with 鈥榠s an additional barrier to secure鈥�

Insert new 鈥楴otes, 4鈥�

4. That the implementation of the REF is fundamentally ableist and entrenches disability discrimination

 听听听听听听听 In point 鈥楻esolves, 1鈥�, after 鈥楬ESA鈥�, insert 鈥�and equivalent body in FE鈥�

Delete point a. under 鈥楻esolves, 2鈥�; replace with

a. The efficacy of the REF code of practice in mitigating disability discrimination calling on funding bodies to ensure any mechanism to review is developed in consultation with employees鈥�

Delete point c under 鈥楻esolves, 2鈥�, and in consequence delete 鈥榓nd鈥� from the end of point b.

14听听听听 Making 51福利 events more accessible: the provision of quiet spaces Southern retired members

Congress recognises that some members, for example neurodivergent and hearing impaired people, can face challenges when attending large meetings, conferences and Congress, where there are high levels of sound and visual stimuli. In the UK one in seven adults has hearing impairments and this ratio increases with age. The number of people who are neurodivergent is unknown but is probably greater than previously thought. Since these are relatively common difficulties, Congress requires that:

1. 听 those planning and organising 51福利 events consider these challenges and how they can be minimised

2. 听 at larger events a quiet room with subdued lighting should be provided for people who need temporary respite from high levels of sound and/or visual stimuli

3. 听 at conference and Congress dinners a room adjacent to the main dining area should be provided for those who require a quieter environment to enjoy their dinner.

15听听听听 No outsiders, no borders听听听听听听 Birmingham City University

Congress notes:

1.听听 the important role to be played by all education sectors in challenging harmful policing of LGBT+ people鈥檚 choices, behaviours and identities

2.听听 the recent targeting of Parkfield, Anderton Park and other schools in Birmingham for delivering education designed to promote LGBT+ equality

3.听听 the harm done by weaponisation of LGBT+ rights to support racist views in place of deconstructing homophobia, transphobia and other forms of LGBT+ oppression across society

4.听听 the legacy of colonialism in the threat to the survival of LGBT+ people around the world

5.听听 the heightened threat to LGBT+ migrants in a time of escalating deportation in the hostile environment.

Congress resolves:

a.听听 to call on the government to end the delay of reform to the GRA in the interest of member and student safety

b.听听 to work with sister unions to develop intersectional education resources where LBT+ rights and the fight against the hostile environment are clearly linked.

16听听听听 Composite: Trans solidarity 听Manchester Metropolitan University, UCL

Congress notes:

1.听听 reported transphobic hate crime in the UK and elsewhere has risen steeply recently as the right and far-right have grown

2.听听 even a supposedly left-wing paper has published an aggressively transphobic cartoon

2.听听 the parliamentary Women and Equalities Committee made 30 recommendations in 2016 to improve trans rights and trans people鈥檚 lives, including self-identification under the GRA to obtain a gender recognition certificate and a new birth certificate

3.听听 the Tory government鈥檚 consultation on these has not reported despite closing in October 2018.

Congress condemns transphobia in education and elsewhere and reiterates its solidarity with trans and non-binary people, and resolves to:

a.听听 call on the government to immediately publish the consultation report

b.听听 support calls to implement all of the Women and Equalities Committee鈥檚 recommendations

c.听听 support lobbies and protests to ensure this happens, which will also be a way of uniting all those who oppose transphobia.

17听听听听 Gender pay gap听听 Women members standing committee

Despite valuable action the gender pay gap across post 16 education remains. This is fuelled by a majority of women in the lower quartiles of pay, especially those on inferior casualised contracts and multiple oppressions of women in intersecting equality strands also with similar pay gaps. Maternity pay, sick pay and reasonable adjustments fuel this pay gap.

Congress resolves to:

1.     promote this issue with political parties and file an early day motion at Parliament to secure further statutory provision to force employers to comply

2.     progress a full review and mandatory equal pay audit across all sectors for hard evidence of the real progression gap

3.     hold the special NEC on unequal pay to progress this issue

4.     improve guidance for negotiations in branches on specific sectoral issues

5.     promote facility time for women and casualised women reps in branches and at national 51福利 meetings.

18听听听听 Facility time and equality of representation for women members Women members standing committee

Congress notes that under-representation of women in trade union leadership and structures has been identified by the TUC (see Sisters to the Front: Women FTO鈥檚 conference 2020). 51福利 needs urgently to address this matter within our own structures.  In furtherance of this fundamental aim Congress instructs branch and regional committees to adopt the following principles to address under-representation of women in committee positions:

1.     women should be actively encouraged to take on branch committee roles

2.     equitable facilities time should be allocated to women holding branch committee positions

3.     men holding multiple positions should step aside from at least one position to create space for women representatives

4.     women should be given first consideration as delegates for Congress

5.     regional officials should be tasked with supporting these principles

6.     branch committees should annually monitor and report on the implementation of these principles to the WMSC.听听听听听听

19听听听听 Addressing the migrant pay gap听听听 Migrant members standing committee

Congress notes:

1.     the imposition of immigration related fees (including, but not limited to, visa fees, the immigration health surcharge, and indefinite leave to remain fees) leave migrant workers systematically disadvantaged

2.     that the Home Office generates excessive profit from these fees

3.     that these fees are rarely reimbursed by employers

4.     that failure to reimburse fees for dependents reflects a significant equality issue.

Congress resolves:

a.     to lobby local and national politicians, as well as the Home Office and Department for Health and Social Care, calling for the abolition of all government imposed immigration fees associated with migration to the UK

b.     that 51福利 gather data on migrant support policies across HE and FE, including fee reimbursement, legal support, and hiring practices.

c.     to campaign for a standard UK-wide policy of employer reimbursement of all immigration related fees, as well as the associated tax burden

d.     to report back on these activities at Congress 2021.

 

Business of the strategy and finance committee

20听听听听 International campaigns and solidarity work National executive committee

Congress recognises the importance of international solidarity in defending education, academic freedom, workers鈥� rights and climate justice and the value of working with Education International, TUC, Amnesty and other affiliated solidarity organisations.

Congress recognises the ongoing nature of many of these campaigns, including:

1.听听 defending educators and trade unionists at risk in places such as Turkey, Brazil, Iraq and the Philippines

2.听听 ensuring justice for the Palestinian people and a sustainable peace process in Colombia

3.听听 supporting the global right to public education and ensuring an equality dimension to 51福利鈥檚 international work.

Congress calls on NEC to build on its initiatives in these areas and to continue to engage members, branches and regions in effective international solidarity work.

21听听听听 Establishing a gender-based violence commission University of Exeter

Congress notes:

1.听听 widespread serious concerns about 51福利鈥檚 procedures for internal complaints of gender-based violence and harassment

2.听听 high retraumatisation risks for survivors of sexual and domestic violence, abuse, and harassment.

Congress believes:

a.听听 violence and harassment have no place in our movement.

b.听听 51福利 responses to gender-based violence should be:

路       trauma-informed

路       sensitive

路       responsive to survivors鈥� needs

Congress resolves to create a gender-based violence commission which will:

i.听听听 report to Congress 2021

ii.听听 be elected by and from branches and the equality committees of the Union, to ensure intersectional representation.

iii.听 review 51福利鈥檚 responses to harassment and violence

iv.听 conduct a trauma-informed impact assessment of procedures under Rule 13.

v.听听 design and conduct meaningful consultations with survivors, seeking advice from specialist survivor support organisations including (not limited to) Rape Crisis England and Wales, Survivors Trust

vi.听 recommend new procedures to be regularly reviewed by these external expert organisations

vii. be granted the ability to send, via the NEC, motions to Congress 2021.

22听听听听 #Metoo Truth and Reconciliation 听 University of Sheffield

Congress notes:

1.听听 the importance of the #metoo movement globally in redressing gender inequality

2.听听 sexual harassment and sexual violence occur in progressive organisations, including trade unions such as our own

3.听听 rape culture is enabled by institutions and structures that harbour perpetrators and create an environment hostile to survivors.

Congress believes:

a.听听 there is an urgent need to address this issue within our union, our universities and the society more generally

b.听听 the misuse of confidential processes can shield perpetrators from scrutiny, further traumatise survivors and enable further abuse to take place.

Congress resolves to support an independent third-party expert review of existing policies, practices and procedures in the union in order to:

i.听听听 improve structures for reporting

ii.听听 improve support for survivors

iii.听 facilitate investigation of past practice to ensure a supportive environment for survivors

iv.听 consider what measures should be implemented to ensure that the union is accountable to its membership.

22A.1听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Add:

Congress commits to rooting out sexual violence and instructs NEC to urgently appoint an independent review of past 51福利 cases wherever survivors request it,

Inquiry to be conducted

路         with appropriate safeguarding, appropriate confidentiality for all parties and counselling available to all witnesses

路         under terms designed in conjunction with survivor organisations such as 1752 and with the input of NUS

The work of the SH taskforce to feed into the equality committees.

23 听听听 Disclosures of trauma, abuse, and harassment 听听听听听听听听 University of Leeds

Congress notes:

1.听听 51福利's deep commitment to fighting discrimination and oppression.

2.听听 51福利's commitments to ending all forms of harassment, misconduct and violence in our institutions and 51福利.

Congress recognises that appropriate training is necessary for anyone who may be in receipt of such disclosures.

Congress agrees:

a.听听 it is vital for 51福利 reps and staff to respond appropriately and sensitively when members disclose traumatic events, whatever the context of such disclosures.

b.听听 mishandling any disclosure of violence, harassment, or misconduct is likely to intensify survivors' pain and trauma.

Congress resolves that:

i.听听听 training for reps and staff shall be reviewed urgently, and updated to specifically include input from survivor support organisations.

ii.听听 all procedures connected to the rules of this union shall be urgently updated to reflect the necessity of responding appropriately, ensuring respectful and professionally-informed support is provided whenever a disclosure of trauma, abuse, or harassment is made.

24听听听听 The life of the democracy commission 听听 听West Midlands regional committee

Congress welcomes the work that the democracy commission had undertaken, in an attempt to restore full accountability and transparency to decision making in our union.

Congress notes that the life of the democracy commission closed at the end of the December 2019 special Congress.

Congress is disappointed at the appalling lack of time allocated to this special Congress leading to the failure of 50% of the motions being heard, debated and voted on.

Congress instructs that the life of the democracy commission be extended to the annual Congress in May 2021.听 At this point it gives a summary of its work to Congress, and there should be a vote on extending the commission for a further year. If needed the terms of reference should be revised at this time.

25听听听听 Case work听 听听听听听听听听 Sheffield College

There is no data published by the 51福利 on case work: 鈥榖y gender and other protected characteristics鈥� . It is important听 that case work data is published on a termly and annual basis, and made available to members to听 allow scrutiny, transparency听 and determine effectiveness of the support given to members by the 51福利.听 Congress instructs 51福利 executive to:

1.听听 collect case work data and publish it

2.听听 publish the number of cases dealt by each region on a termly basis and data is collated nationally and shared with members鈥�

3.听听 publish the type of cases/complaints raised by members in each region.

4.听听 publish the number of cases dealt involving discrimination and the number of cases taken to the Employment Tribunal by the 51福利.

5.听听 51福利 to provide compulsory training for all staff and officers undertaking case work on equality and discrimination.

26 听听听 Ending work-related stress in post-16 education 听听听听听听听听 University of Bournemouth

Congress notes that workload related stress is endemic in FE and HE.听 The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued new criteria for investigating cases of work-related stress and announced that it will inspect stress in the workplace if specific criteria are met (September 2019). The HSE have stated that stress is a priority area in their strategy, and that it will investigate if it receives evidence that a number of staff are experiencing work-related stress or stress-related ill health.

Congress resolves that without delay 51福利 will:

1.     seek to work with the Health and Safety Executive with a view to prosecuting Post 16 education employers where staff are experiencing work related stress and/or ill-health.

2.     call on employers to commit to zero avoidable harm in the workplace, and be explicit that this includes mental health as well as physical health, as an essential minimum.

 

27听听听听 Even more efficient membership data for ballots听 West Midlands regional committee

Congress notes:

1. 听 motion 58 in the 2019 Congress established that efficient membership data management is essential for successful ballots.

2. 听 branches need to easily identify members eligible for ballots.

3. 听 branches need to store and access local information about members for effective GTVO activity.

Congress resolves:

a.     to implement the changes requested in Motion 58 of the 2019 Congress

b.     to include the following four fields in data exports: 'Primary employer', 'Mail returned date', 'Returned reason', 'Ballot excluded reason'

c.     to add three new fields for branches and include them in data exports: 'Branch Comments' (Free text), 'Branch GTVO Status' (Options: 'Voted', 'Not voted', 'Will vote', 'Rather not say', 'Re-requested ballot paper', 'Other'), 'Branch GTVO Comments' (Free text)

d.     to ensure funds are made available so that functionality can be put in place whether through updating, or even replacing, existing systems.

28听听听听 鈥楶eople before profit鈥� programme听听听听听听听听听听听 Croydon College

Congress notes the launch of the People Before Profit: Emergency Programme for Jobs, Services and Safety on 29 September 2020 

Congress believes that this programme can help to shape the resistance we need to prevent workers and the poorest and most vulnerable bearing the brunt of a health emergency and economic crisis not of their making. The Tories withdrawal of the furlough could lead to a genuine jobs massacre. The ending of the prohibition on evictions and ongoing attacks and scapegoating on a million people 鈥榳ithout papers鈥� are creating conditions for an economic disaster. 

Congress supports the People Before Profit emergency programme initiated by John McDonnell MP, PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka and others.

Congress resolves to adopt this programme and to consider ways we can take up its demands in the interests of our members, and publicise them.

 

Business of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee

29听听听听 GTVO and union participation听 听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress notes the enormous effort made by branches, members and 51福利 staff working together to deliver effective industrial action.

Congress welcomes the continued focus by ROCC on GTVO as a key part of this process which has resulted in an average increase in ballot turnout since the passing of the Trade Union Act of around 25%.

NEC is instructed to continue prioritising increased participation in the union and specifically:

1.     directly supporting branches in dispute, including via GTVO

2.     expanding training opportunities for activists

3.     prioritising small branches

4.     continuing to grow the union through recruitment, and

5.     providing support for priority, national industrial campaigns.

30听听听听 For a successful industrial action strategy听听听听听听听听 University of Cambridge

Congress notes that a successful industrial action strategy requires extensive and critical knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of all actors in an industrial dispute and adequate resourcing that facilitates branch organising capacity.

Congress notes that relevant actors are, but are not limited to, employers, employers鈥� representatives, 51福利 branches, students and relevant political bodies.

Congress instructs the NEC to:

1.     commission robust mapping of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of all relevant actors within a dispute prior to initiating any industrial actions

2.     assess in detail the capacity of each branch to effectively organise their membership to take the required action, and

3.     where necessary, provide extra resources to specific branches, including in the form of additional local organisers, to achieve those ends.

Congress instructs the NEC to develop its industrial action strategy with due consideration given to the information provided by the mapping exercise.

31听听听听 Industrial action that can win听听听听听听 City & Islington College Camden Road

Congress notes:

1.听听 the HE four fights and USS campaigns

2.听听 the FE fights back campaign

3.听听 the commission for effective industrial action.

Congress believes:

a.听听 the industrial action campaigns that have taken place in HE and FE demonstrate that escalating strike action is the most effective means of securing better pay and conditions

b.听听 the use of disaggregated or aggregate ballots is a tactical question

c.听听 the GTVO campaign has proven to be a successful tool to overcome the 50% threshold

d.听听 51福利 experiences of taking effective industrial action are ones that can be shared across the movement

e.听听 equality issues must be central to all industrial campaigns.

Congress resolves:

i.听听听 51福利 to organise a conference called Taking effective industrial action: Solidarity and beating the thresholds

ii.听听 to approach other unions like the NEU, PCS, CWU and others to support and help organise the conference.

32 听听听 Commission for sustainability, professional development and job security 听听听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

Congress recognises 51福利鈥檚 Commission for Effective Industrial Action (CEIA) reported that the Union鈥檚 strength is best applied by:

1.     identifying key issues which motivate current and prospective members

2.     extensive preparation, member involvement, recruitment and sustained action, in diverse forms

Congress resolves to, replicate CEIA鈥檚 model:

a.     establish a commission

b.     draw up recommendations for a one-day special Congress discussing subsequent actions

c.     commission's membership to be elected by and from this annual Congress, constituted by lay members from all devolved nations and regions

d.     regional committees, devolved nations and branches be encouraged to organise discussion of the same issues.

The commission will report on how 51福利 might work towards:

               i.      secure employment, particularly reduced use of atypical, agency and subsidiary workers

             ii.      lifelong learning, in-work training and professional development

            iii.      sustainability; financial, social, psychological and environmental  

            iv.      the development or application of educational technologies that support the above.

33听听听听 Sick pay and reasonable adjustments 听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

Congress notes:

The coranovirus crisis has exposed the shocking lack of access to both statutory and occupational sick pay for casualised workers across post 16 education. This has been a long running inequality for casualised workers. It is a Health and Safety issue forcing members into debt or to work when they are not well. Getting paid and unpaid reasonable adjustments for people on insecure contracts is also a scandalous inequality. 

Congress resolves to:

1.     campaign for equal rights to full and equal occupational and statutory sick pay access for all workers

2.     campaign to highlight the need for extra protection for insecure workers to obtain reasonable adjustments under the equality act legislation

3.     call for the ACC and DMSC to work together on these issues

4.     produce guidance for branches

5.     call on 51福利 to work with other unions and campaign groups on these issues.

34听听听听 Indexation of pensions and benefits听听听听听听 Eastern and Home Counties retired members

Congress deplores the behaviour of governments in index shopping; resulting in the higher RPI being used in collecting revenue whilst using the lower CPI when paying out pensions and benefits.

Congress charges the NEC to organise a campaign, in conjunction with other public sector unions, to index pensions and benefits using the RPI. Further an exploration should be made into constructing a 鈥渟ilver index鈥� that more properly reflects the impact of inflation on pensioner households.

35听听听听 Level of the state pension听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside retired members

Congress notes with concern the fact that none of the mainstream parties included in their 2019 election manifestos a commitment to increasing the totally inadequate basic state pension nor to raising it to levels comparable with the state pension in European Union countries.听 It notes the popular misconception of pensioner affluence.

As more and more people will be retiring without a decent occupational pension 鈥� including many 51福利 members in both further and higher education 鈥� the state pension needs to be set at a level which would eliminate pensioner poverty.

The failure of political parties to recognise this situation makes it more important than ever to support the work of the National Pensioners Convention and to mount a major campaign in the trade union movement to give all workers a decent state pension in retirement.

Congress calls on the NEC to work actively within the TUC to this end.

36听听听听 Rights to a private and family life听听听听听听听听听听 51福利 Wales

The Human Rights Act state that individuals have a right to a family life. In many institutions there are growing demand on our time which has a detrimental effect on our time that we can spend with our family.

Congress calls upon all further and higher education institutions to sign a pledge that they honour family life and undertake working parties with representatives from unions to look at this matter within this year.

36A.1听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 LGBT+ members standing committee

In first sentence replace 'state' with 'states' and insert 'and private' after 'family'.

In second sentence, replace 'demand' with 'demands鈥� and 'with our family' with 'outside of work'

In third sentence, insert 'and private' after 'family'.

 

Business of the education committee

37听听听听 Education policy听听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress notes the education committee鈥檚 work to develop 51福利鈥檚 profile across issues including admissions reform; managerialism; climate change; academic freedom; and the life changing impact of FE, adult and prison education.

Congress believes 51福利's increasing public policy influence stems from working to clear objectives set by Congress and long-term planning by the committee and calls for the development of a new three year programme of work focused on:

1.     challenging marketisation and managerialism in education

2.     promoting the benefits of investment in all forms of lifelong learning

3.     defending the professional status of staff

4.     campaigning for fair admissions

5.     developing 51福利鈥檚 distinctive response to climate crisis.

Our successful Cradle to Grave conferences show members' appetite for engagement with education policy. Congress therefore instructs the NEC to consider ways in which branches, regions and nations can contribute to the development of policy on education and professional issues.

 

38听听听听 Automation and new technology听听 51福利 Scotland

Congress welcomes 51福利 Scotland鈥檚 Automatic University report, which outlines the impact of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in our sectors and begins to set out some of the challenges and opportunities posed by new technology.

Congress notes that automation and AI is changing the nature of work for staff in the post-16 education sectors.听 Congress calls upon 51福利 to use this report as a base to develop the union鈥檚 strategy to new technology 鈥� which should include workshops, bargaining guidance, reps training and development - to protect jobs and professionalism, and to develop new opportunities for all of those working and studying in post-16 education.

39听听听听 Composite: Implementing a climate emergency industrial revolution听听听听听听听听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside regional committee, South East regional committee, Southampton University

听听听听听听听听 Congress notes with gratitude the support of student unions and societies in the Four Fights and USS disputes.

Congress believes that 51福利 should build on its positive relationship with students by advocating for action on today鈥檚 most pressing issue: the climate emergency. Congress notes the acceleration of the climate emergency threatening our planet which cannot wait for another five years for action.

Congress believes that trade unions can play a vital role in bringing about urgent climate action and a worker-led transition, rooted in workers' rights and social justice. Congress congratulates 51福利 for its role in winning the TUC to back a 30 minute walk-out for the 20/09/19 international climate strike.

Congress resolves to

1.     pressure senior management to make binding commitments to meaningfully reduce their universities鈥� and colleges鈥� carbon footprints, to divest from carbon intensive businesses, and to record the climate impacts of their collaborative business projects within their sustainability reporting

2.     to continue 51福利鈥檚 support for the youth climate strikes, building on the 51福利鈥檚 work stoppage for earth strike, and call upon other unions to follow suit.

Congress calls on 51福利 branches to:

a.   work with universities and colleges and other campus unions to declare a climate emergency and embed carbon reduction strategies in all areas of work

b.   develop student/staff climate forums on every campus

c.    support further calls for co-ordinated strikes against the effects of climate change to force politicians to act

d.   urge employers to implement green policies.听 Such measures can include:

                       i.                          educating staff and students about environmental issues

                      ii.                          running premises in more environmentally friendly ways

                     iii.                          consider environmental issues when purchasing

                     iv.   adopting travel and communication policies which reduce the need for frequent flying and driving,听 and encourage the use of environmentally friendly travel

                      v.                          publicising proposals for just transition from fossil fuel production.

Congress also supports working with NGOs and environmental groups to exchange ideas and implement solutions.

39A.1听听听听听听听听 Open University

Add after point 2 under Resolves:

3. Identify measures to ensure the overall environmental impacts of institutions鈥� activities are reduced, with the costs borne by employers, rather than have those impacts or costs shifted to employees. Research and guidance should address the unprecedented increase in homeworking caused by COVID and casualisation.

4. Urgently pressure government, directly and via the TUC, to increase financial and regulatory support for residential energy, heating and insulation efficiency, addressing fuel poverty whilst delivering warmer winter homeworking

40听听听听 Composite: Action on climate change and CoP26听 51福利 Scotland, University of Glasgow

Congress welcomes the declaration of climate emergencies at several institutions. Congress deplores the limited action too late institutions are taking and the fact that not all have disinvested from other carbon investments.

Congress notes:

1.听听 the 26th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Scotland in November 2020

2.听听 the Paris Agreement demand for a rapid reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to keep average temperatures below 2oC above pre-industrial levels

3.听听 the Scottish Government鈥檚 target of reducing greenhouse gases to net zero by 2045

4.听听 Friends of the Earth鈥檚 demand of net zero by 2040, and Extinction Rebellion鈥檚 by 2025

5.听听 51福利 involvement in trade union campaigns to tackle climate change, including the campaigns for climate jobs and just transition, and

6.听听 51福利 Scotland鈥檚 membership of the Scottish Just Transition Partnership, which led to the establishment in Scotland of the Just Transition Commission.

Congress instructs NEC and the general secretary to work together with branches and student unions to:

1.     determine best practice in action against climate change and circulate a briefing to branches to support campaigning

2.     together with other trade unions, put pressure on the government to take stronger action against climate change, support an end of fossil fuel extraction and a just transition to a zero carbon economy urgently, with full involvement of the trade union movement.

Congress encourages branches to work together with student unions to:

a.     campaign and put pressure on management to implement this best practice and disinvest if they have not done so

b.     organise teach-outs and other activities on climate change during all industrial action

c.     actively participate in student climate strikes and the protests and the CoP26 meeting in Glasgow in November and in civil society activities associated with CoP26.

 

Further education sector conference

Motions for debate

 

Covid-19 crisis

FE1听听 No return to face-to-face teaching听听听听听听听听 Further education committee

Notes:

1.     51福利鈥檚 five tests.

2.     Official figures state that over 41,000 people have died from the Coronavirus.听听听听 Excess deaths are at least 60,000.

3.     Recent government calls for people to work from home if possible, but not extended to education workers.

4.     Independent SAGE and WHO, believe social distancing, test, track and isolate and the use of PPE, in controlling pandemics, are central.

Believes that 51福利鈥檚 five tests have not been met.

Resolves:

a.     To continue to campaign for online teaching as the default position within the colleges.

b.     To encourage members to move towards the escalation strategy as outlined by 51福利 if the branch feels that their college is not safe.

c.     To call upon 51福利 to organise an additional national FE reps鈥� meeting around the theme of No return to unsafe workplaces

FE2听听 Safety听 听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

Conference welcome the General Secretary鈥檚 stance on COVID 19 health and safety. However, not enough emphasis has been placed on the impact of COVID on FE.

While much has been made about the situation in schools, the students FE educates are older, ranging from 14 - 90! Many come from disadvantaged and BAME backgrounds where COVID is having a disproportionate effect. We know that FE senior management has an appalling record regarding the well-being of FE staff.

Conference resolves:

1.    to commit to the health, safety and well-being of FE staff and students.

2.     that 51福利 and the General Secretary will campaign for the safety of FE staff and students.

3.     that the GS will raise at the highest levels the potentially hugely dangerous situation in regard to COVID 19 in FE.

4.     to call for comprehensive, regular testing of staff and students along the lines of the PHE directives.

FE3听听 Funding听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

With youth NEET numbers expected to be in the millions as a result of COVID 19 it is vital that government both secures and increases real听 funding for Further Education Colleges.

Colleges are incurring additional expenses in order to provide equipment and training that will allow staff and students are able to access online learning.

FE has suffered 25% cuts in funding as a result of Tory Government policies. This has had disastrous results on education in FE.

In light of these cuts and the increase in NEET numbers 51福利 resolves:

1.     to campaign to secure a real funding increase from government

2.     to lobby government to provide emergency funding for colleges so that this money is not taken from already stretched budgets.

FE4听听 Lifetime skills guarantee听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Croydon College

This conference notes the government announcement on 29 September of the Lifetime skills guarantee, offering funding for college courses to people over 18 without a level 3 qualification. This conference further notes that it will only be offered for training for "skills valued by Employers". This conference agrees this measure falls woefully short of what is required to provide free and meaningful education to adult learners, and the restriction will invite college leaders to chase funding streams for meaningless instrumental courses rather than a fully rounded approach to learning and development.  This conference re-affirms its commitment to campaign for meaningful education choices for adult learners,  and demands the caveat that only skills valued by employers qualify be removed from the funding criteria for the Lifetime skills guarantee.

Black Lives Matter

FE5听听 Black Lives Matter in our colleges, prisons and communities 听听听听听 Further education committee

FESC notes the 51福利 document 鈥楤uilding anti-racist workplaces: a short guide for 51福利 branches鈥�

FESC believes:

1.    The Black lives matter protests have created a movement with the power to achieve real change in the workplace. 

2.    Every College must have a plan of action to tackle racism in pay, conditions, treatment and the curriculum.

3.    The abolition of fees and loans; the restoration of EMA, real jobs and apprenticeships can be central to overcoming racial and class inequality in Further education.  

FESC resolves:

a.     to call on regions to host BLM briefings to restart the campaign in colleges.  

b.     Encourage branches to hold a special meeting to initiate a BLM local organising plan with a set of demands to engage local employers to create anti-racist colleges and de-colonised curriculum. 

c.     Call upon the National Joint Forum to add BLM to the agenda. 

Equality issues

FE6听听 LGBT+ Visibility in FE听 LGBT+ members鈥� standing committee

Conference notes:

1.     FE has been under-funded

2.     increased collaboration between secondary and further education

3.     not all FE institutions routinely monitor LGBT+

4.     continued hetero and cis normativities in curriculum materials and delivery.

Conference believes:

a.     FE should be properly funded

b.     schools and FE institutions should work together ensuring that LGBT+ inclusive education doesn鈥檛 鈥榝all between the cracks鈥�

c.     curricula should be reviewed ensuring inclusion of LGBT+ lives, history and issues

d.     without data it isn鈥檛 possible to fully chart LGBT+ experiences in FE

e.     sexual orientation and gender identity should be routinely monitored, with stats made available on recruitment, promotion, pay and retention

f.      intersex voice and issues should be addressed and promoted.

Conference calls for:

i.      51福利 report about LGBT+ data in FE

ii.     research into experiences and visibility of LGBT+ people in FE workplace and curriculum including prisons

iii.    resources for and promotion of LGBT+ celebrations particularly听 groups with less legal recognition e.g. non-binary, intersex people.

FE7听听 FE race casework data 听听听听听听听听 Black members standing committee

Conference notes that 51福利 stores data on the number and type of legal cases it takes forward in further and adult education on behalf of its members including race discrimination cases. Conference also notes that claims for racial discrimination are notoriously difficult to win at tribunal.  Many cases settle before they reach the point of tribunal because employers are fearful of the negative publicity surrounding discrimination claims.  

Conference believes it is important that casework data in further and adult education is published on a regular basis and made available to members to allow scrutiny, transparency and to ensure the effectiveness of support given to members.

Conference resolves to:

1.     collect casework data in further and adult education and publish it

2.     publish the types of cases/complaints raised by members in each region

3.     publish the number of cases involving race discrimination and the number of cases taken to Employment Tribunal by the union

Workload and other issues

FE8听听 Student attendance monitoring听听听听 Croydon College

Workload pressures on all staff in further education has been further exacerbated by the drive to improve student attendance alongside cuts in admin support and student support provision. Student attendance data is being used to harass and bully staff and students alike. Conference:

1.     notes that further education students elect to study but often face personal social and financial barriers to learning

2.     resolves to mount a campaign of opposition to data chasing measures on attendance and for increased student welfare support.

FE9听听 Workloads and the erosion of contact time Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

Conference notes:

1.听听 a trend of reducing face-to-face teaching time on study programmes

2.听听 鈥渂lended Learning鈥�, 鈥渄irected study鈥� or online courses can often still necessitate preparation and marking

3.听听 to meet their contracted hours, each lecturer has to teach more classes and deal with a greater number of students, which further reduces the number of lecturers

4.听听 this increases workload and is particularly detrimental to English and maths teachers

5.听听 the majority of students in FE struggle with independent learning.听 Time is being wasted and outcomes are affected.

Conference calls on FEC and the education committee to:

a.听听 campaign against any reduction in contact hours or replacement with self-directed study

b.听听 engage with awarding and funding bodies to ensure that the definition of guided learning hours is not being abused.

FE10 Women, workload and care leave听 Women members standing committee

FESC notes:

1.     Women continue to bear the brunt of reproductive labour and all that entails: work; child care; disabilities and elderly parents etc.

2.     Women working in colleges are also role models to young people, and adult learners, who often experience the same difficulties managing care for people in their families.

3.     It is vital that women are supported to lead a good work/life balance and for colleges lead the way in model employment practices.

4.     Some colleges do have dependent鈥檚 leave entitlements, including emergency unpaid leave to resolve sudden gaps in support. However, we note that in other countries, leave in these circumstances, is paid and workers with dependents are allowed a certain amount of paid per month.

FESC resolves to:

a.     research care leave entitlements available in other countries

b.     campaign to encourage employers to negotiate better care leave policies听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

c.     develop a model care leave policy.

FE11 Measuring and monitoring stress in the workplace听听听听听听听听 51福利 Wales (FE)

FESC notes an increasing number of members are experiencing stress and mental ill health at work which is often caused or exacerbated by excessive workloads and toxic workplace cultures. FESC notes the difficulty in accurately evidencing the level of mental ill health in the Sector.

FESC believes that members should have confidence that 51福利 will support members experiencing such issues. We need to insist that health and safety legislation, which requires employers to tackle mental health risks at source, is effectively implemented.

FESC calls upon 51福利 to:

1.听听 roll out the Health and Safety Executive鈥檚 Management Standards survey for stress at least once a year to all members. This would enable 51福利 to evidence, measure and monitor stress and mental ill health in workplaces across the FE sector

2.听听 support and provide training to health and safety representatives to undertake workplace investigations regarding stress, mental health and workload.

FE12 Student behaviour听听听听听听 Bradford College

This Conference notes the behaviour of students continues to be a key reason for members鈥� stress and anxiety at work. English and maths teachers in particular continue to bear the brunt of student behaviour as the compulsion to complete English and maths GCSE continues.

College managers are failing to put in measures in place to protect staff against the worst treatment and leave individual teachers to manage behaviour themselves without back-up.

This Conference resolves to:

1.     call on 51福利 to commission research into good student behaviour policies and their effectiveness

2.     support branches to develop better and stronger student behaviour policies with management to ensure an effective approach to aggressive and bullying behaviour from students to staff.

FE13 Menopause 鈥� adapting local policies in FE Women members standing committee

FESC notes that people affected by their perimenopause or menopause don鈥檛 always:

1.     know when they have started

2.     know how long they will last, or if they have finished

3.     have people to talk to about it

4.     know what symptoms to look out for.

The nature of working in an FE setting means self-consciousness can be an added source of stress for members.

Some people experience menopause early, often due to medical treatment, surgical procedure or underlying conditions, sometimes naturally before the age of 40.  

Performance and attendance can undoubtedly be affected in some cases, and workers must know that they will be treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve.

FESC resolves that

a.     all members must enable colleagues to be treated equally, both at work and in the union

b.     all branches must ensure their institutions have a menopause policy, favourably comparable with a model policy recommended by 51福利.

Pay

FE14 FE England pay 听听 Further education committee

Conference approves the report on the FE England 2018/19 pay round and progress in the 2019/20 round as circulated in FE branch circular 51福利BANFE21.

FE15 2020/21 pay campaign 听听听听听听听 London regional committee

Conference notes:

1.听听 the success of the 鈥楩E Fights Back鈥� campaign

2.听听 the success of 51福利 branches winning fractionalisation deals

3.听听 the 拢400,000m extra funding and the government promise of more

4.听听 EPI report findings that FE staff have high levels of anxiety and the lowest levels of wellbeing among educators.

Conference believes:

a.听听 whilst the 鈥楩E Fights Back鈥� campaign has achieved real gains not all members have experienced improvement to their pay and conditions

b.听听 the AoC has reneged on its promise to ring fence extra funding for pay

c.听听 51福利 needs to launch a campaign that brings all members up to the level of those who have succeeded in making gains.

Conference resolves:

i.听听听 51福利 to organise a national industrial action ballot over pay

ii.听听 to encourage branches to submit local claims on fractionalisation

iii.听 the pay and fractionalisation campaign to be framed around the decline of the wellbeing of staff.

FE16 Continue the fight for FE pay 听听听听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

FE sector conference notes many colleges had successes in the 18/19 pay campaign with many making gains from the #FEFightsback campaign. Some branches achieved between 2-5% pay rises, and improvements on part two elements. 19/20 has been quiet.

The AoC failed to stand up for staff working in its colleges and, as a result, poor pay continues in FE and the gap between FE and school sector pay continues to grow. There is an exodus of staff; English and maths back to school and vocational staff back to industry.

FE sector conference calls on FEC to:

1.听听 encourage all branches to put in the national pay claim and help them be active in the campaign

2.听听 organise pay mobilisation meetings in different regions to share successes and inspire others

3.听听 pressure the AoC to honour the pay bargaining mechanism

4.听听 coordinate industrial action in support of FE sector pay.

FE17 Supporting branches to pursue national priorities through local collective agreements 听听听听听 Further education committee

Conference notes that branches have secured collective agreements on the unions' national priorities of reducing casualisation, closing the equality pay gap and reducing workloads. These collective agreements deliver real improvements for our members.

Conference reiterates national priority status of these issues and calls on FEC to:

1.听听 accelerate work to support and empower our branches to pursue local claims in relation to casualisation, the gender pay gap and workloads

2.听听 ensure that bargaining guidance and campaign packs are worked into appropriate training resources

3.听听 ensure the delivery of branch briefings and training events tailored to these priority issues

4.听听 ensure that agreements and success stories are shared and publicised throughout the union.

FE18 Motion on pay 2021-22 claim听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Further education committee

Notes 30% cut in pay since 2009.

Believes:

1.     Pay remains a central issue for all lecturers working in the sector.

2.     To attract a new generation of practitioners to FE pay in the sector must be addressed.

3.     FE staff have been, and still are, on the frontline of the battle against the pandemic and pay awards must reflect this sacrifice and commitment.  

4.     Now is the time for government to fund FE to enable the sector to rise to the challenge of the crisis.

Resolves:

a.     To launch a campaign around the 20/21 pay claim which calls for a 鈥榤ove towards the full restoration of college pay鈥� In line with inflation since 2009.

b.     51福利 to support branches in negotiating a 鈥榥ational plus鈥� claim involving both pay and non-pay elements that are relevant to the specific branch鈥檚 context.

c.     To call an industrial action ballot over the 20/21 claim.

Adult education

FE19 Adult education in crisis听听听听听听 London region FE sector

Conference notes that:

1.     since 2010, funding for adult and community education (ACE) has been cut by 45% by successive Conservative governments

2.     we need these cuts reversed, buildings reopened, courses revived, and staff employed on proper wages, terms and conditions.

Conference resolves to:

a.     launch a campaign to defend (ACE)

b.     organise a national conference for all working in ACE, to ACE students and other interested parties such as the Centenary Commission, 鈥楢dult Education 100鈥� campaign, the WEA and other bodies.听 The purpose of this conference will be to secure, defend and develop the funding for all organisations working in ACE.听 The purpose of this conference will be to secure, defend and develop the funding for all organisations working in ACE.

c.     work with Unison to ensure their members who work in ACE are involved in the campaign and conference.

 

FE20 Adult education funding听听听听听听听 Further education committee

Conference notes that:

1.     courses funded by the adult education budget (AEB) take place in local authority adult and community education and in further education colleges

2.     in both settings the courses transform the lives of their students and the communities they live in

3.     the benefits of this type of learning address issues such as mental health, isolation and loneliness.

4.     the AEB has been devolved in some areas

5.     funding for these courses has been slashed by 40%.

Conference resolves to:

a.     campaign for an increase in the AEB

b.     work with the #LoveOurColleges stakeholders to raise the profile of Adult Education and jointly lobby for an increase

c.     campaign with those authorities that have devolved responsibility for Adult Education for an increase in the AEB.

Prison education

FE21 Prison education and disabled members 听听听听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee

Conference notes

1.     that government spending on prisons has declined under austerity in real terms by 14%

2.     prison education is run by privatised firms who have been shedding jobs and cutting costs over recent years

3.     there have been a number of cases of disability discrimination鈥攂oth in refusing reasonable adjustments and in open discrimination in comments and behaviours towards disabled members in prisons around the country.

Conference believes

a.     prisoners, many of whom are disabled themselves, need good quality education as a means of development and rehabilitation

b.     that staff deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.

Conference resolves to听

i.      put an explicit demand for disabled members dignity and reasonable adjustments into prisons national contract negotiations

ii.     ensure that prison reps and members get access to high quality legal advice and support by organising a disabled members briefing and network meeting across the prison branches.

FE22 Stopping the race to the bottom for prison educators 听 Novus prison education

Conference notes that over the course of the marketisation of Prison Education under the new PEF contract, members working in Prison Education have steadily seen the erosion of their terms and conditions to become some of the worst in the FE sector.

This worsening situation is unacceptable to our members who are leaving the profession.

Conference believes key priorities for the union to be:

1.     recognise Prison Education as a career

2.     develop a standard national contract of terms and conditions including access to TPS for all Prison educators to ensure that contractors can only compete with each other on quality of provision

3.     campaign for the removal of the responsibility for Prison Education from the MOJ to the DofE.

Conference resolves to:

a.     develop an early careers and career development campaign for prison educators

b.     work with the JUPG to facilitate a political lobbying campaign of the Justice Minister, Shadow Justice team and employers.

Anti-casualisation

FE23 Agency Workers Regulations (AWR)听听听听听听 Sheffield College

Conference notes that supply and casualised staff have been particularly affected by the deregulation, privatisation and underfunding of the FE education system.

The only legal protection is the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR). Conference believes that many agencies are not complying with AWR.

Conference instructs the FEC to:

1.     campaign to inform all 51福利 members affected, appraising them of their legal entitlements

2.     provide an online tool for members to听 claim and听 train 51福利 officers to support members with their AWR claim

3.听听 work with the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EASI) to prioritise the enforcement of the AWR for agencies operating in the Education sector, and to take decisive action against agencies who avoid the AWR

4. 听 work with EASI, REC and APSCO to enforce robust sanctions are in place and enforced for those agencies who use the Swedish Derogation contracts after April 2020.

 

FE24 Secure employment for adult community education workers听 Anti-casualisation committee

FESC notes

1.     ACE providers in colleges, local authority and third sector providers, continue to keep staff on insecure contracts citing shorter courses and courses with unknown take up as the reason

2.     all teachers are teachers and ACE teachers and staff must be valued as such

3.     51福利 needs to seek satisfactory contracts of employment for those teaching on shorter courses or those vulnerable to closure courses.

FESC resolves to:

a.     research good practice models for staffing shorter courses and develop guidance and policy models

b.     campaign for all education staff to be treated and valued equally.

Job roles

FE25 Rise of the non-lecturer roles in FE听听听听听听听 听 听听听听听听 The Manchester College

Sector conference notes:

1.听听 51福利 members include staff who engage in teaching or related activity but who are not employed on a teaching or lecturing contract, many on precarious contracts

2.听听 widespread casualisation, unfair working practices, diminished professional status, heavy workloads and unpredictable hours are common for non-lecturer roles

3.听听 FE restructures have introduced new job titles that undermine the specialist teacher and SEND provision, resulting in a lower pay grading and service conditions.

4.听听 The introduction of new T levels could lead to more non-lecturer roles being introduced through work-based learning and assessments.

Sector conference instructs 51福利 to:

a.听听 relaunch the 鈥楥oncerns of the rise of the non-lecturer roles in FE鈥� - bargaining for academic recognition

b.听听 launch an anti-casualisation campaign specific to non-lecturing roles in FE

c.听听 update support materials to reflect current position

d.听听 create a visible, dedicated area on 51福利 for educational practitioners and consider a FE committee to support non-lecturer members.

Pensions

FE26 Campaign against increased employer contributions to TPS听听听 Southern regional FE committee

Sector conference notes:

1.听听 the financial damage caused in HE institutions by increased employer contributions to TPS and the use of this as a pretext for redundancies and other attacks on working conditions

2.听听 the threat of similar increased contributions and attacks in FE.

Conference:

a.听听 condemns the government鈥檚 refusal to implement measures to mitigate the impact of increased employer contributions

b.听听 regards this refusal as a direct attack on the long-term viability of FE institutions.

Conference instructs the FEC to:

i.听听听 support action, up to and including strike action, in any FE institution threatening attacks on pensions, jobs or working conditions under the guise of making savings consequent upon employer pension contribution rises.

ii.听听 organise a high profile national campaign to demand the government fund FE institutions to meet increased employer contributions, and

iii.听 establish a working party specifically to defend TPS.

Inspection and governance

FE27 Accountability and industry experience for FE leadership teams Nottingham College

Conference recognises that FE institutions need competent and experienced CEO/principals, but asserts that (despite the need to be business-like) the key business of FE colleges remains the provision of opportunity and education for our local communities.

Conference believes that appointing senior managers with no direct experience of education devalues and dismisses the expertise of teaching and support staff, resulting in a failure to adequately address the needs and requirements of staff and students alike.听

Conference resolves that our key demands in relevant negotiations with employers include:

1.     person specifications for leadership roles should always include a requirement to provide either evidence of recent teaching or demonstrate understanding of teaching and education

2.     existing college leaderships should demonstrate a meaningful and ongoing understanding of Further Education in order to foster and maintain effective and harmonious relations between senior management and staff involved in delivering or supporting teaching in the curriculum.

Qualifications and curriculum

FE28 Government withdrawal of funding for BTEC Courses 听听听听 Hugh Baird College

The government has clearly stated its case in FE that it wants to focus on A Levels, Apprenticeships and T levels.

Currently in consultation as to whether it will provide public funding for BTEC Courses, the government is now drawing up a hit list based on a criteria of quality, purpose, necessity and progression.

Such an approach will likely remove some very good courses and deprive collages of the chance to provide a wide variety of valuable courses and skills to their local communities and employers.

This motion calls on 51福利 to question government decisions of quality, purpose, necessity and progression on courses selected for removal.

It requests 51福利 to question the basis of the decisions they make in relation to true value of the skills to individual employers and local communities.

FE29 New post-16 maths curriculum听听听听听 Kirklees College

Conference notes that:

1.     MEI have developed "a new curriculum in maths for post-16 GCSE students with a greater emphasis on applying maths in realistic contexts"

2.     Government have not yet approved the new qualification as an alternative to GCSE maths for condition of funding

3.     There is a need for a qualification of this type for resit students in FE.

Conference calls on 51福利 to:

a.     campaign for the adoption of the new qualification for use in colleges

b.     support the development of a similar alternative to GCSE English.

Surveillance in FE

FE30 Confronting surveillance cultures in further education 听 Migrant members standing committee

Conference notes:

1.     that the Home Office places the requirement to monitor migrant workers and students on further education institutions

2.     that guidance from the Home Office is vague, results in huge variation, and in overreach by employers beyond formal requirements

3.     that migrant staff and others caught up in monitoring and surveillance around migration status report high levels of stress and anxiety

4.     that such surveillance may particularly disincentivise migrant workers to apply to the further education sector

5.     That private companies are being hired for immigration processing and rule enforcement.

Conference resolves:

a.     to oppose surveillance of the migration status of FE staff and students

b.     to map the variation in interpretations and implementation of Home Office rules across the FE sector, including any reliance on private companies

c.     to take legal advice on how FE branches can resist surveillance of migrant staff and students, and develop clear guidance for FE branches, ahead of Congress 2021.

 

 

Higher education sector conference

Motions for debate

 

HE1听听 USS听听 Higher education committee

HE sector conference notes the report and approves the recommendations of the Superannuation Working Group contained in 51福利BANHE74.

HE2听听 Defend our USS pensions: put pressure on employers Yorkshire and Humberside regional committee

Conference deplores:

1.      An unnecessary valuation taking place during Covid and the proposed total contributions of 40-66%.

2.      The flawed valuation approach.

3.      The employers not (yet) standing up against USS to defend pensions.

4.听听 The risk of scheme closure due to spiralling costs.

Conference instructs HEC to:

a.     campaign for employers to join 51福利 in pressing for changes in the valuation, including 30 years for 'deficit' recovery, at least 65% growth assets, a cash flow

b.     and reasonable prudence.听 Or alternatively, for employers to cover the increased costs.

c.     call a dispute with employers if they fail to deliver a) above

d.     organise a December/January Special HE Sector Conference to discuss the campaign. This should be fully accessible to disabled members and those with older browsers and computers, including phone dial in.

e.     initiate an industrial action ballot if employers fail to deliver on a) above.

HE3 听 HE Pay听听听听听听 Higher education committee

HE Sector conference notes the report and approves the recommendations of the national negotiators contained in 51福利BANHE75.

HE4听听 Vulnerability of post-92 institutions听听听听听听 Queen Margaret University

Noting Audit Scotland鈥檚 report on the relative fragility of the modern universities within the higher education sector in Scotland

Noting the value of a diverse higher education sector, and the respective Governments鈥� responsibilities to ensure the survival of the smaller universities without jeopardising the larger universities,

Conference

1.     notes that members in many post-92 institutions involved in the 鈥�4 fights鈥� dispute (including both in Scotland), advocated that the collective bargaining strategy in this dispute should be clearly distinctive from that of the USS dispute

2.     notes with concern that the HEC agreed a strategy of industrial action which does not recognise the distinctiveness of the two disputes.

Conference resolves to ensure that the diversity of contexts of HE governance across the nations of the UK are considered, and the distinctive interests of post-92 universities are protected in industrial disputes.

HE5听听 Multi-year pay bargaining 听听听 University of Sheffield

Conference notes:

1.听听 the major successes of our Four Fights campaign in bringing together issues of pay and equality, and crossing the anti-union threshold in many branches

2.听听 that, nevertheless, staff in HE have seen over a decade鈥檚 decline in real-term pay

3.听听 that timelines for annual pay negotiations mean that these almost inevitably extend into the next bargaining round, potentially limiting options and leverage.

Conference believes:

a.听听 that there is a continued need to demand better pay and conditions and confront inequalities through UK-wide negotiations

b.听听 that a medium-term strategy would allow for improved flexibility in our negotiating and bargaining response.

Conference resolves:

i.听听听 that 51福利 should actively explore options around multi-year bargaining with the other New JNCHES trade unions, in advance of the 2021-22 bargaining round

ii.听听 that the baseline negotiating position should include sustained above-inflation pay rises and concrete benchmarks for addressing pay inequalities, workload and casualisation on a UK-wide basis.

HE6 Local agreements Higher education committee

Conference notes:

1.听听 51福利鈥檚 strategy to prioritise issues relating to casualisation, intersectional inequality-driven pay gaps and workloads

2.听听 resistance from employers towards progressing these issues in a consistent way at UK level

3.听听 improvements achieved through local bargaining on some of these issues.

Conference reiterates the UK-wide priority status of these issues and calls on HEC to:

a.     work to support and empower our branches to implement any UK or sector level agreements

b.     pursue local claims in relation to casualisation, the gender and race pay gap and workloads

c.     ensure bargaining guidance and campaign packs are integrated into all appropriate training resources

d.     ensure the delivery of interactive branch briefings and training events tailored to these priority issues

e.     ensure that agreements and success stories are shared and publicised widely by the union

f.      ensure locally achieved gains on these priority areas are used as examples to strengthen negotiations in an appropriate way at sector level.

HE7听听 End the use of short-haul/domestic flights for work-related activities Manchester Metropolitan University

Conference notes:

1.     that in a time of climate crisis, there is no justification for taking domestic or short haul flights for worked related activities to anywhere in the UK or Europe that can be arrived within 24 hours using alternative modes of transport

2.     that University sustainability/environmental rankings do not include the environmental impact of the carbon emissions produced by air travel.

Conference resolves:

a.     to campaign for sector wide ban on the use of short haul/domestic flight for any trip that can be made within 24 hours by alternative modes of transport.

b.     that any employee travelling within Europe for work-related reasons should be given appropriate, work-loaded time to make their trip using alternative modes of transport

c.     to lobby employers to record and monitor the environmental impact of staff air travel and to offset their flight carbon footprint.

HE7A.1听听听听听听 University of Sheffield

Replace 鈥�24 hours鈥� with 鈥�8 hours鈥�.

Add to notes:

3. that one outcome of the COVID-19 crisis is greater familiarity with digital solutions to meeting and conferencing.

Replace resolves a. with:

 to campaign for a sector wide ban on the use of short haul/domestic flight for any trip that can be made within 8 hours by alternative modes of transport, except for staff with disabilities or other circumstances that make alternative transport impractical.

HE8听 Ensuring ARPS staff representation in branches and local negotiations听听听听 Academic related, professional staff committee

This HESC recognises:

1.听听 the hard work of ARPS members in committee roles and local negotiations across the sector

2.听听 the wide range of local agreements on a variety of issues such as intersectional pay gaps and workload models

3.听听 the need for consistency in ensuring ARPS staff are fully represented in all local agreements.

The HESC instructs the HEC to:

a.听听 set policy which calls for national oversight of all local agreements to ensure all staff groups are equally represented

b.听听 develop guidance on how to include ARPS staff in negotiations on local issues.

c.听听 continue to raise the profile of ARPS staff at all levels within 51福利.

d. 听 amend the model branch rules to require branches, where applicable, to elect an academic-related and professional services staff representative to their branch committee.

HE9 Love Our ARPS, continued听听听听听 Academic related, professional staff committee

This HESC notes:

1.听听 the vital contribution made by academic related and professional services (ARPS) staff to Higher Education, and to 51福利

2.听听 that ARPS staff still often feel 'erased' from the profile of HE and the union

3.听听 that 51福利 is the stronger for the active participation of ARPS staff.

This HESC agrees that 51福利 should hold a UK-wide week of coordinated action, focused on academic related and professional services staff. This HESC resolves that Love Our ARPS Week will:

a.听听 highlight the demands in the ARPS Manifesto

b.听听 boost recruitment of ARPS staff to 51福利

c.听听 launch and lodge local model branch claims to bargain and negotiate for improved working conditions and opportunities for career progression and CPD for ARPS staff

d.听听 require the production and distribution of ARPS resources to branches

e.听听 require to be highlighted as a significant campaign by union officers and activists.

HE10 Commission a 51福利 Research Concordat to increase security of employment 听听听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

HESC notes:

1.     the revised Research Concordat was published in 2019 partly in response to concerns related to increased precarity in the sector.

2.     the poor treatment of Research staff, often facing years of short-term contracts with no career development in HE is becoming more recognized

3.     that HESA data on HEIs 鈥榦pen-ended/indefinite鈥� contracts are misleading because many contracts have the clause 鈥榮ubject to funding鈥�.

HESC believes that the 2019 Concordat is superficial and does not sufficiently address the issues facing research staff offering no concrete proposals

HESC resolves to

a.     commission its own Research Concordat reflecting the experiences of research staff

b.     highlight the issue of research staff in the current dispute with specific reference to 51福利鈥檚 model policy on research staff management and avoidance of redundancy

c.     demand accurate figures on numbers of FTCs from HEIs, including those styled as 鈥榦pen-ended鈥�.

HE11 COVID-19 exposes the scandal of casualisation University of Cambridge

Congress notes:

1.     COVID-19 exposes the scandal of casualisation: those who are less financially secure will be discouraged from self-reporting or self-isolating

2.     people with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease) are more likely to become severely ill with the virus

3.     the alarming rise in racist abuse and attacks on East Asian people, including university students and staff, since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Congress resolves:

a.     to demand that employers ensure that there is no detriment, e.g. in terms of lost pay, to any member of staff, regardless of contract type or visa status, as a result of virus-related closures, cancellations, or isolation

b.     to demand that staff who are at higher risk of contracting the virus suffer no detriment for taking extra precautions

c.     to stand in solidarity with all staff and academics facing escalating racial discrimination following the outbreak of COVID-19.

HE12 Campaign against increased TPS contributions University of Winchester

In light of the financial damage that the increased employer contribution to TPS has inflicted upon post-92 institutions, which has been used a pretext for redundancies and other attacks on working conditions, conference:

1.     condemns the government鈥檚 continued refusal to fund HEIs to mitigate the impact of increased employer contributions

2.     calls on the government to reverse its decision

3.     regards any refusal to reverse this decision as a direct attack on the long-term viability of post-92 HEIs.

While government refuses to reconsider, conference instructs HEC to:

a.     support action, up to and including strike action, in any HEI threatening attacks on pensions, jobs or working conditions under the guise of savings demanded by pension contribution rises

b.     organise a high-profile national campaign to demand the government funds HEIs to meet the increased employer contributions

HE13 Black researchers听听听听听听听 Black members standing committee

Black researchers are under immense pressure to do work outside of their remit and are expected to do work for free without any pay compared to white colleagues. They do not receive recognition for the work that they have produced.

1.     call on 51福利 to produce the data on the number of Black researchers in HE institutions

2.     data on those doing paid and unpaid work

3.     more formalisation of the type of work they are听 doing and ensure that they are paid for听 such work on a par with work of similar grade

4.     51福利 to push that HE institutions provide Black researchers with mentors ship/sponsorship to ensure progression and recognition for work done and develop avenues to ensure that Black researchers gain permanent contracts within their HE institutions

5.     51福利 to hold universities responsible for producing annual report tracking the number of Black researchers and their progression showing explicit commitment to equal opportunities.

 

Appendix: Motions not ordered into the core agenda

Report of the strategy and finance committee

D1听听听听 Appointment of auditors 听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress approves the appointment of Knox Cropper as the union鈥檚 auditors for the year ending 31 August 2020.

D2听听听听 Financial statements to 31 August 2019听 National executive committee

Congress receives the union鈥檚 audited financial statements for the 12-month period ending 31 August 2019 as set out in 51福利/1011.

D3听听听听 Budget 2020-21听 National executive committee

Congress endorses the budget for September 2020 鈥� August 2021 as set out in 51福利/1012.

D4听听听听 Review of subscription rates 听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress accepts the Treasurer's report on progress with the review of subscription rates and bands and endorses the changes to band structures and subscription rates from 1 September 2020 set out in 51福利/1013.

D5听听听听 Further and higher education branch funding听 South West regional committee

This Congress recognises the importance of branches being able to fund local activities such as recruitment within their branch and calls for a report on how many further and higher education branches do not have their own bank account.

Further, this Congress calls for a specific plan to ensure that local branches set up and actively engage in a funded, approved bank account.

D6听听听听 Israeli visa restrictions on international educators to Palestine听听听听听听听 University of Brighton (Grand Parade and Falmer)

Congress notes the:

1.听听 severe Israeli visa restrictions on academics contracted by Palestinian universities

2.听听 2009 address to Congress by PFUUPE general secretary, and joint PFUUPE/51福利 agreement

3.听听 51福利 policy supporting Palestinian education, and opposing Israeli oppression

4.听听 call by Friends of Bir Zeit (Fobzu), already supported by 51福利, for visa representations to the Israeli Government

5.听听 refusal of the British Government to intervene.

Congress resolves 51福利 will:

a.听听 again request the UK HE Minister to ask the Israeli Government to abandon restrictions, and will publicise the response

b.听听 liaise with Fobzu on joint representations with Palestinian universities and NGOs

c.听听 publicise the Right to Enter campaign to 51福利 members in a subject-specific, dedicated e-mail, encouraging branches to debate the issue

d.听听 host a multi-campus, UK-wide speaking tour for Palestinian academics on educational restrictions in Palestine, and

e.听听 sponsor a 51福利 West Bank delegation, for report back, on Israeli restrictions on Palestinian education.

D7听听听听 Big Ride for Palestine听听听听听听听听听听 Bradford College

The Big Ride for Palestine (TBR) is an annual cycle ride to raise awareness and practical support for the Palestinian people. Over 6 years, 拢170,000 has been raised for children鈥檚 sports programmes in Gaza.

The brutal siege of Gaza has rendered the enclave uninhabitable, yet Israel has responded to protests at the Gaza fence with lethal force, killing Palestinians, including children and medical workers, and maiming thousands with live fire.

Trump鈥檚 鈥榙eal of the century鈥� has reemphasised American approval for Israel鈥檚 plan to entrench its system of Apartheid.

TBR is opposed to all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia and reserves the right to criticise the actions of any government or state that discriminates against its citizens on the grounds of race, ethnicity or religion

Congress resolves to:

1.     sponsor TBR

2.     publicise the 2020 Ride and encourage members to join as riders or volunteers.

D8听听听听 Middle East 听听听听听听听 London regional committee

Congress notes that governments across the Middle East remain responsible for severe abuses of academic freedoms and human rights, while the region's students and educators continue to mobilise for social justice and democracy. Congress notes with concern new 鈥榩artnerships鈥� between UK HEIs and education providers leading to the export of degree courses and the creation of 鈥榖ranch campuses鈥�, in particular in the Gulf and Egypt.

Congress believes that such partnerships risk UK universities and colleges colluding in human rights abuses by authoritarian regimes of both local students and staff and UK-based staff required to work in the region.

Congress resolves:

1.听听 to instruct the NEC to work with MENA Solidarity Network in developing local and national resources to aid branches in campaigning and negotiating

2. 听 to instruct the NEC to contact other campus trade unions and the NUS to discuss the potential for a joint campaign over this issue.

D9听听听听 Solidarity with the people of Latin America National executive committee

Congress notes the upsurge in popular struggles in many countries in Latin America, including:听

1.听听 massive worker and student mobilisations in Chile

2.听听 the national strike in Colombia on 21 November听

3.听听 indigenous people-led protests against the coup in Bolivia

4.听听 growing opposition to the far-right policies of President Bolsonaro in Brazil, including from women, LGBT+, black and indigenous peoples.听听

Congress stands in solidarity with these progressive social and political forces in Latin America.听

Congress, therefore, calls on the NEC to work with Education International, TUC and union-backed solidarity groups such as Justice for Colombia, the Brazil Solidarity Initiative and Scholars for Academic Freedom in Brazil in support of their campaigns for peace, social justice and democratic rights in Latin America.听听

D10听听 Composite: Protesting the Nicaraguan government鈥檚 treatment of protesters Northumbria University, University of Edinburgh

Congress notes:

1.     that in April 2018 Nicaraguans took the streets to protest changes to the social security system that would increase worker contributions and reduce the benefits received

2.     that, the Nicaraguan government responded with lethal force, leaving over 328 people dead, with Amnesty International confirming that most died 鈥榓t the hands of state agents鈥�

3.     that, as of 13 February 2020, 61 protesters remain in detention, 144 students had been expelled from universities, and over 98,000 Nicaraguans have been forced into exile without any prospect of a safe return.

Congress condemns the actions of the Nicaraguan government.

Congress resolves:

a.听听 to support Nicaraguan exile groups in the UK

b. 听 to promote events organised by Nicaraguan activists and academics who visit the UK to raise awareness of the current crisis

c.听听 to communicate our concern about the Nicaraguan government鈥檚 actions to the Rights, International, Social and Economics Department of the TUC.

D11 听 Electronic voting at Congress, FESC and HESC Glasgow Caledonian University

Congress notes that:

1.听听 counting each card vote takes 5-10 minutes which means approximately an hour of time can be lost each day of Congress, FESC and HESC that could be devoted to debate and policy making

2.听听 electronic voting can help ensure that views expressed reflect individual views and help thus an accurate picture of opinions

3.听听 the technology is available at reasonable cost to enable electronic voting and is widely used, including by the TUC

4.听听 a majority of delegates at Congress 2018 voted in favour of the use of electronic voting when a count was needed, but not the two-thirds majority required for a rule change.

Having reconsidered the matter, this Congress instructs that electronic voting be introduced at all subsequent Congress, FESC and HESC.

Congress asks NEC to put forward changes to standing orders to enable this.

D12听听 Reporting on motions remitted to NEC and sector conference committee听听听听听听听听听 Southern regional committee

Congress notes:

1.听听 a motion may be remitted if the relevant conference votes to do so; and that remitting a motion provides a means of avoiding a vote either for or against;

2.听听 Congress motions are remitted to the NEC and sector conference motions to the relevant sector committee, and

3.听听 that the relevant committee considers the matter before the next annual meeting of Congress (Standing Order 24).

Congress calls on the NEC to consider shortening the reporting cycle for motions remitted at Congress - from one year (next annual meeting of Congress) to six months.

 

D13听听 Addressing the representation of retired members at Congress听听听听听听听听 Scottish retired members branch

Congress notes RMBs are only permitted to submit motions to main Congress.

Congress further notes motions from RMBs on pensions, a legitimate concern to retired members, have been rejected because pensions business is reserved to sector conferences.

To address the effective disenfranchisement of a category of members in an area of direct concern to them, Congress instructs NEC to consider how this issue might be addressed and include:

1.听听 the introduction of a session in Congress where wider pension matters are discussed, recognising that the details of the two schemes remain the preserve of the relevant sector conference.

2.听听 the addition to the CBC guidelines of a sentence to the effect that where an RMB submits a motion to Congress which is deemed by CBC to be sectoral but which is of clear and legitimate concern to retired members, said motion may be added to the appropriate sectoral business.

D14听听 Review of geographical NEC/regional boundaries Eastern and home counties regional committee

Congress notes that the English regional areas used for organising (the basis of regional committees) are different from 51福利鈥檚 English voting regions (based on the defunct Regional Development Agencies). For example, institutions in Buckinghamshire such as the Open University sit within the electorate for the NEC Southern region while simultaneously belonging to Eastern and Home Counties regional committee (not South regional committee).

This situation impedes the organising work of regional committees, creates practical difficulties for NEC members in representing constituencies, and is very confusing for members.

The NEC is asked to commission a report looking at the effects of this situation on voting and representation, and to consider if the boundaries can be made coterminous following the boundaries set by the regional committees.

D15听听 National hustings听听听听听听听 Open University

51福利 should hold recorded hustings for the posts of general secretary (and Deputies) and the Presidential team in order to increase voter engagement, ensure parity and meet accessibility obligations.

The NEC should create a small election group of 5 to oversee the hustings events and choose chairs.

In advance of the election several dates should be provided to candidates to find one that all can attend, if necessary, via remote participation. Expenses should be paid to candidates including for travel, childcare or other caring cover.

The election group should agree a contingency plan for illness or other non-attendance - for example by allowing a recording of timed answers.

Members should be made aware of this source of information before the ballot opens. They should be able to submit questions in advance, anonymously. The event should be live-streamed and recorded. The recording should be available on the 51福利 website with a transcript.

D16听听 Employees engaged by the general secretary under NEC procedures听听听听听听听听听 Southern regional committee

Congress notes:

1.听听 the general secretary is the chief executive of the Union, responsible for duties specified by the Rules and Standing Orders of the Union, and duties allocated by the national executive committee

2.听听 The general secretary acts in accordance with the instructions of the national Executive Committee; and may delegate any power or duty of, or allocated to, the general secretary under these Rules to another employee of the Union as the general secretary shall determine, and

3.听听 employees other than the general secretary shall be engaged by the general secretary under procedures agreed by the national executive committee.

To that end, Congress instructs the NEC to review and amend, if necessary, the NEC procedure used by the general secretary for engaging employees; and for the purposes of ensuring fairness, equity and transparency in the appointment process.

D17听听 Review of legal scheme听听听听听听听 Sheffield Hallam University

Congress notes the current operation of the 51福利 legal scheme regarding employment disputes is failing to meet the needs of members and caseworkers, impeding timely access to advice and placing an undue burden on caseworkers without legal expertise.

Unlike the personal injury element of the scheme, accessing appropriate advice in employment disputes is overly complex and lacks transparency. Members and caseworkers face multiple hurdles in accessing appropriate advice.听

Congress instructs the NEC to make alterations to the legal scheme regulations to allow caseworkers to directly and easily access initial advice from 51福利 lawyers, as is the case in many sister unions.

Congress notes that 51福利 requires a legal scheme that meets the needs of our most vulnerable members and appropriately supports caseworkers. It calls for the NEC to commission an independent review of the scheme, to assess what further change is needed to achieve these aims.

D18听听 Membership forms听听听听听听 Coleg Gwent

Congress notes that due to decisions made at UK level, 51福利 membership forms were phased out in favour of an online service.

Congress understands that keeping up to date membership forms could be costly and often needed updating every year. We believe that whilst online subscription can be useful, sometimes the use of a membership form can aid in recruitment especially in the Welsh language. This will enable local reps to print them off as needed in their institutions. Thus, any costs involved will be minimal as photocopying materials should be deemed reasonable according to the 鈥渞easonable use鈥� of facilities with the ACAS Codes of Practice 3 鈥渢ime off for trade union duties and activities鈥�.

Congress calls for the production of membership forms both in Welsh and English in PDF formats.

 

Report of the education committee

D19听听 University democratisation: all-staff senior management elections and General Assemblies Cardiff University

To seek mandates to fundamentally democratise all UK universities, 51福利 will organise all-staff e-ballots in each.

Where a majority votes for democratisation:

a.听听 51福利 will organise elections for mandated 鈥渟hadow鈥� senior managers (vice-chancellors, executive boards, governing bodies, heads of colleges, departments/ directorates)

b.听听 initial electorates will be all staff members on the payroll of the relevant departments, unless specified otherwise by democratisation e-ballots

c.听听 51福利 will introduce all-staff General Assemblies at departmental levels and above, to debate and vote on key issues (including electronically)

d.听听 each university鈥檚 whole-university General Assembly will be its mandated 鈥減arallel鈥� governing body

e.听听 General Assemblies will vote on electoral timetables, electorates, fractional votes (part-timers, students?), and recall ballot trigger thresholds

f.听听 full democratisation will be achieved by political and social pressure and where necessary by legal and industrial action, to turn shadow managers into actual managers

g.听听 and General Assemblies into legal governing bodies.

 

Report of the equality committee

D20听听 Toward a stronger Equality Act听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress notes the tenth anniversary of the Equality Act.听 Congress condemns the continued failure to establish full rights and protections for all disadvantaged and discriminated groups in our workplaces.

Congress highlights, the gender and BME pay gaps, the failure to implement time limits for reasonable adjustments and the rise in hate crime and anti-Semitism.听听 LGBT+ people continue to face harassment and sexual harassment, and discrimination based on race, nationality and migrant status blights our campuses.

Congress calls on the NEC to publish a comprehensive audit of the failures of the Equality Act as a basis for further campaigning and lobbying by the union, in collaboration with others, to protect what we have and to achieve what we need.

The audit should be published to all members focusing on equality in the workplace, its intersectional aspects and its interaction with other issues such as casualisation, workloads and barriers to career progression.

D21听听 Fighting racism and the Tories' hostile environment - in memory of Nita Sanghera Yorkshire and Humberside regional committee

The election of Boris Johnson signifies the intensification of the Tories鈥� racist hostile environment. The scapegoating of migrants, refugees and the Muslim community will only get worse.

Johnson鈥檚 government is building on its links with racist populist politicians like Trump and Victor Orban.

Congress opposes the Tories鈥� racist 鈥榩oints based鈥� immigration system and reaffirm our support for freedom of movement.

Congress reaffirms our total opposition to the Islamophobic Prevent agenda.

In the light of the tragic early death of our president elect, Nita Sanghera, Congress supports a further joint 51福利/Stand Up To Racism campus tour - under her name - and supports the 2021 UN anti-racism day protests.

D22听听 Prevent听听听听听 Bradford College

Congress notes:

The Prevent strategy continues to be part of one of our legal duties yet despite some attempts to show concern about far-right concern the recent training continues to stereotype and categories Muslims as vulnerable for radicalisation.

In recent months it was revealed that peaceful organisations such as CND and anti-racist organisations such as Stand up to Racism are on the watch list with the implication that teachers should be weary of students joining these kind of organisations.

Congress resolves to:

1.听听 continue to campaign to scrap the Prevent strategy

2.听听 continue to campaign for anti-racist policies

3.听听 continue to campaign for free universal education and youth services for all to break down the barriers in our communities.

 

D23听听 Raise awareness of hidden disabilities in educational establishments听 51福利 Wales

Congress notes that many educational establishments have delivered excellent training to raise awareness of the main types of disabilities. These disabilities are often visible and/or easily identified.

It is often the case that staff (and students) are not aware of hidden disabilities and the effect of these on the person concerned. Congress calls upon educational employers鈥� bodies to ensure that hidden disability is identified as a vital training need within all educational establishments, and active steps are taken to raise awareness of this type of disability.

D24听听 Challenging 鈥榝luentism鈥� in education听听听听听听 East Midlands regional committee

Congress is asked to raise awareness of 'fluentism' in education and produce resources for that purpose.

Fluent speech is normalised and education relies heavily on oral communication for delivery of teaching as well as for managing and promoting itself. In so doing education desires and privileges fluent speech and so the dysfluent, stammering voice is marginalised as deficient and undesirable. Dysfluent speech risks disrupting the apparent efficient flow of communication and also threatens the management of time constrained oral communications.听 This is another instance of where the drive to efficiency and excessive workloads harms an inclusive response to all staff and students with disabilities. Dysfluent speech has been neglected and needs to be reclaimed as different not deficient.

D25听听 Trans solidarity听听 Croydon College

Congress notes:

1.听听 transphobic hate crime has increased as the right and far-right have grown

2.听听 misleading transphobic claims by a minority of feminists and socialists are also common, aimed at excluding trans people from single-sex spaces and blocking amendments to the Gender Recognition Act including self-declaration for a gender recognition certificate

3.听听 the Tory consultation on these has not reported since closing in October 2018 but seems likely to be negative.

Congress:

a. 听 condemns the shameful transphobic Morning Star cartoon in February and calls on the paper to fully revoke its trans-critical stance

b. 听 condemns transphobia in any context but particularly in education

c. 听 rejects attempts to cloak anti-trans campaigning and views with spurious 鈥榝ree speech鈥� or academic freedom arguments.

Congress resolves to campaign for the government to support self-declaration and implement the parliamentary Women and Equalities Committee鈥檚 30 recommendations to improve life for trans and non-binary people.

D26听听 Refugees, migrants and racism听听听听听 Chesterfield College

EU border forces are beating back refugees entering the continent after Turkey opened its borders. People escaping poverty and war deserve our support and solidarity not racism, scapegoating and violence.

The Greek government鈥檚 threats to deport any refugees as soon as they arrive is the latest example of the brutal fortress Europe policies and the hostile environment for refugees and migrants.

Congress defends the right of freedom of movement for refugees and migrants.

Congress encourages all 51福利 branches to organise solidarity work with refugees with organisations like Safe Passage, Care 4 Calais and Stand Up To Racism. Congress supports the Stand Up To Racism international conference this October and the call for UN anti-racism day protests in March 2021.

 

Report of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee

D27听听 Anti-union laws听听听听听听听听听听 London regional committee

The Tories pledged to create new laws to force workers to provide a minimum service during transport strikes in the Queen鈥檚 speech 19 December 2019.

The UK already has the toughest anti-trade union laws in Europe. Unchallenged they will keep making it harder for workers to take effective action.

If they succeed in impeding transport strikes they will try to do similar things in other industries. It is only by coming together as a union movement that these attacks can be stopped.

1.     in light of this to call on our union to write to transport unions to offer solidarity

2.     51福利 will offer its support and solidarity to rail unions involved in action and resolves to build links with RMT/ASLEF/TSSA/Unite at a local level

3.     calls on TUC to facilitate an urgent national campaign against this legislation which should include a national day of action.

D28听听 Pay in the public sector, for teaching staff, for MPs Activate Learning City of Oxford

Congress notes the 3.1% pay rise automatically awarded to MPs in March 2020. This brings the MPs wage to 拢81,932. Ministers are paid an additional salary which, for the current Education Secretary, amounts to another 拢71,090.

The 3.1% increase supposedly reflects the average change in public sector earnings over the year. However, it is difficult to see how this pay increase reflects increase in pay in further and higher education over the last year.

Of course, MPs also can claim expenses and many MPs also have 鈥榮econd jobs鈥� which bring them additional income taking them well away from the everyday experiences of their constituents. Congress proposes that MPs and Minsters should only take the average pay in the public sector, for a period of time, to make them more aware of the pay crisis in FE and HE.

 

Motions not ordered into the core agenda 鈥� further education sector conference

D29听听 Monitoring the implementation of anti-casualisation deals 听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

FESC notes:

1.     some FE branches have made gains recently on anti-casualisation deals and this needs to be celebrated and replicated

2.     where deals have been done, those branches need support to ensure these deals are implemented

3.     those branches need to be vigilant that some other form of casualisation does not creep in, eg. an increased dependency on agency contracts

4.     increase of agency workers is a sign of not enough permanent staff and it can create a toxic climate between agency workers and 鈥榚stablished鈥� staff.

This conference resolves:

a.     to keep pushing the anti-casualisation agenda

b.     ensure branches have support to ensure all deals are fully implemented

c.     call on relevant 51福利 bodies to gather data on agency/subsidiary worker use

d.     support branches to recruit these workers and for 51福利 to fight for recognition and bargaining rights for these members.

D30听听 Adult education for all听听听听听听听听听 Hackney ACE

Conference believes:听

1.听听 in and affirms its support for the adult learning sector and its critical role in providing high quality adult education for all.

2.听听 all learning is important for social equality, prosperity, better mental wellbeing and civic participation in society

3.听听 a free and accessible adult education centre in all our cities and towns is a public good

4.听听 a narrow employment and skills strategy will not provide a broad curriculum for all

5.听听 a marketised model will not have at its core the needs of adult learners and the communities they live in.

Conference resolves to:

a.     set up meetings with the Mayor of London to implement a London lifelong learning strategy

b.     promote campaign and protect adult community education in colleges and our communities

c.     campaign against the use of exploitative employment models in post 16 sector

d.     support a wider adult education campaign for all in FE and ACE.

D31 A coordinated approach to the adult and community education sector Hackney ACE

Conference notes that:

1.听听 51福利 needs to develop its work in the Adult and Community Education sector of 51福利

2.听听 repeated ACE motions to Conference have been passed unanimously but not enough resources or time have been dedicated to acting upon their demands

3.听听 a more joined up approach to developing union participation in ACE is needed.

Conference demands that:

a.听听 the demands from previous year鈥檚 motions are revisited and fulfilled. Including making proper use of the FOI data, holding the ACE national meeting earlier in the year and production of a targeted recruitment video

b.听听 that dialog is opened with sister unions that represent workers in ACE about how to develop a more coordinated approach to union representation in ACE.

D32听听 Guided learning hours听听听听听听听听听 Coleg Gwent

FESC notes the majority of qualifications come with a set of guided learning hours (GLH). These are a set as a standard to ensure sufficient teaching contact to deliver the course professionally.

FESC believes that the GLH have been subject to varying changes due to a college鈥檚 organisational needs and not the need of the learner. This is often at the detriment of the learners and increases the workload of the lecturer. Given 51福利鈥檚 ongoing campaigns to tackle the issue of excessive contact hours, this may inadvertently give a college the opportunity to reduce the GLHs even further.

FESC calls for:

1.听听 an investigation into the possible widespread abuse of cutting down GLHs to lower than the actual standard and the increase of heavy workload by stealth

2.听听 any recommendations to be looked at and incorporated by ROCC to highlight this abuse.

D33听听 Health, wellness and mindfulness听听听听听听听听听 Activate Learning City of Oxford

Research published by the Education Policy Institute that shows that lecturers in FE have the lowest levels of positive well-being and stand out as having high level of anxiety among educators.

Conference notes the sudden interest in 鈥榟ealth and wellbeing鈥� for staff in FE by college management often evidenced on the splash pages of college websites with such details as:

1.     tips on managing stress

2.     making the most of our health and well-being facilities

3.     boosting nutrition

4.     contact details for Employees Assistance programmes

This narrow approach to 鈥榳ell-being鈥� turns a collective social and work problem into one that the individual is expected to solve themselves. The collective solutions that should be pursued to aid staff well-being are reduced workloads, more holidays and better pay and conditions.

D34听听 Possession of weapons on FE campuses听听听听听听听听听 The Manchester College, Further education committee

Conference notes:

1.听听 knife crime is any crime that involves a sharp instrument: a kitchen knife, piece of glass, potato peeler, knitting needle etc

2.听听 there has been a sharp rise of incidents involving students carrying knives in our institutions and some aggressive behaviour

3.听听 whilst colleges and prison classrooms need to keep students and staff safe, they do not have the ability or the resources to counter the complex societal problems behind the rise

4.听听 these are major health and safety and safeguarding issues and some of our members are working in unsafe workplaces

5.听听 these crimes should not be used to target any particular demographic as the problem is universal.

Sector conference instructs 51福利 to:

a.听听 provide guidance for branches dealing with this problem through negotiation with employers and provide literature and posters

b.听听 encourage the invitation of guest speakers from organisations such as No More Knives

c.听听 Commission research into how widespread this problem is.

D35听听 All prison workers have the right to be safe at work听听听听听听听听听 Novus prison education

Conference notes the Safe inside report by JUPA in July 2019 recorded assaults on prison Staff in England and Wales increased by 21% to 10,231 and sexual assaults rose 37% to 138. A JUPA survey s also found that 25% had been victims of violence in the last 12 months. Adding that 53% reported exposure to psychoactive drugs and that 63% reported feeling unsafe at work.

Conference believes:

1.     that all workers, regardless of workplaces have the right to feel safe and be free of physical and psychological injuries at work

2.     that we would not accept workers and students learning in squalid classrooms, daily incidents with learners under the influence of NPS and threats against staff in other educational establishments.

Conference resolves for 51福利 to continue its work with JUPA and the Safe Inside Charter, in order that campaigning for properly resourced and adequately serviced prisons takes place.

D36听听 Learning support听听听听听听听听 Croydon College

This conference notes the deplorable cuts in learning support provision at a time when student need is increasing due to mental health and cuts in welfare provision. This conference recognised that the pay and contracts of support staff are far below their responsibilities. This conference resolves to mount a campaign for the regrading and full recognition of support staff commensurate with their responsibilities.

D37听听 LGBT+ migration in FE听听听听听听听听听 LGBT+ members standing committee

Conference notes that

1.     some LGBT+ people come to the UK because they believe it is supportive of their LGBT+ identity

2.     LGBT+ migrants and refugees face discrimination:

路         around being LGBT+

路         because of LGBT+ intersections with race and / or nationality

路     assumptions that coming from certain countries means not being supportive of or identifying as LGBT+

Conference also notes

a.     some ESOL learners come to the UK fleeing LGBT+ persecution, hoping to live openly

b.     the ESOL curriculum can be heteronormative, not usualising LGBT+

c.     fear about attitudes can silence talk about LGBT+ rights

d.     some organisations are reluctant to promote commitment to LGBT+ rights because they are driven by profit and wanting to work with LGBT+ hostile countries.

Conference resolves to:

i.      re-affirm the union鈥檚 commitment to intersectionality including LGBT+ migrants and refugees

ii.     promote and engage with international LGBT+ rights work

iii.    demand LGBT+ inclusive curriculums and teaching systems that recognise, embrace, usualise and actualise LGBT+ rights.

D38听听 OFSTED not fit for purpose听听 City and Islington College Camden Road

Sector conference notes:

1. 51福利's policy to abolish Ofsted

2. NEU campaign against Ofsted.

Conference believes:

a.     Ofsted is not fit for purpose

b.     Ofsted plays no role in raising the level of educational standards

c.     Ofsted inspection regime reinforces a one dimensional and restrictive educational practice which limits students educational experience and increases staff workload and stress.

d.     Ofsted assessment methodology is simplistic, impressionistic and de-contextualised

e.     Ofsted thrives on fear and intimidation and has no place within education.

Conference resolves:

               i.      51福利 to launch a campaign to abolish Ofsted including lobbying its department鈥檚 headquarters and where possible calls upon other educational unions to support.

             ii.      51福利 to develop an alternative inspection framework which at its core is developmental and collaborative and to organise a launch in Parliament.

D39听听 Area reviews and mergers leading to loss of staff governors听 West Midlands regional FE committee

Congress notes:

1.     Area Reviews have led to larger and more complex organisations.

2.     Staff and student governors are best placed to provide context to merged colleges.

3.     There has been a decline in staff governors following mergers and therefore a diminishing of staff voice.

Congress resolves to:

a.     campaign against further loss of staff governors

b.     campaign on restoring staff representation on governing boards

c.     to escalate the matter with relevant bodies such as the AOC with a view to change the Instruments and Articles of Governance to protect staff governor numbers on governing boards and staff voice.

D40听听 Transparency in governors鈥� committees听听听听听听听听听 51福利 Wales (FE)

Conference notes that FE colleges are in receipt of considerable public funds from Government but are autonomous corporate bodies.

Conference believes that FE college governors should adhere to the Nolan Principles of Governance. In Particular they should be transparent in how they use public monies.

Conference calls upon FE national negotiators to raise the issue of governance transparency听 with employers to demand that all minutes (apart from those deemed to be confidential) of governing body meetings be published on easy accessible internet sites so interested parties including staff and students听 can hold the governing bodies to account. This should include the minutes of any sub committees.

D41 Safeguarding of academic freedoms听 听听听听听听 West Midlands FE sector regional committee

Conference notes all professional working within the FE sector should have the right to exercise their freedom to debate issues of the world without institutional constraints and censorship, including the right to express one's opinion publicly about the institution they are working for or the education system as a whole. Academic freedoms must be protected and the FE sector needs to be in line with the HE sector.

Conference resolves:

1.     to call upon 51福利 to campaign for the safeguarding and protection of academic freedoms

2.     to include in the campaign means to ensure that all FE colleges have written policy to protect the individuals' rights.

D42听听 T levels and FE听听听 Activate Learning City of Oxford

Conference notes the gradual introduction of T levels in some colleges from September 2020. This move to this new qualification is problematic for the following reasons:

1.     delays and uncertainty about their introduction with some colleges deciding to withdraw provision

2.     significant geographical gaps in provision

3.     the degree to which employers鈥� organisations have had an undue influence on the curriculum design and will have over the assessment process

4.     major problems in providing the 鈥榠ndustrial placements鈥� which amount to two days a week for each student

5.     the viability of running classes alongside BTEC classes in terms of student numbers

6.     the standard of the courses and the qualifications needed for entry

7.     the threat to long standing qualifications such as BTEC.

Conference asks 51福利 FE sector committees and officials to monitor progress on T levels and report back next year to FE conference.

 

Motions not ordered into the core agenda: Higher education sector conference

D43听听 USS: Regaining control of our pensions and trustees 听听听 Higher education committee

HESC notes:

1. 听 establishment of hybrid DB/DC scheme in 2016 with DC covered by disadvantageous mastertrust legislation

2. 听 51福利 (and UUK) have lost the right to dismiss and replace their nominated trustees.

HESC instructs negotiators and HEC:

a.听 obtain advice from First Actuarial to show that DB is cost competitive with DC

b.听 draw on financial and legal advice to determine the best means to separate USS DB and DC components and withdraw main DB scheme from mastertrust legislation.

c. 听 put pressure on USS and employers to ensure point 2 is implemented

d. 听 campaign to move all pension to DB (possibly initially at a lower accrual rate) with members having the choice about legacy DC and able to opt up to 7% of their pensions into and out of DC scheme.听听

e.听听 campaign for an option similar to the previous Prudential additional voluntary contributions (AVC) scheme for additional pension years.

D44听听 USS:听 Separating DB and DC and ending mastertrust status听听 Higher education committee

HESC notes:

1. 听 USS scheme changes in 2016 which led to the establishment of a hybrid scheme with a DC component above a salary threshold

2.听 hybrid schemes are covered by the master trust legislation which is disadvantageous

3.听 the recent changes in scheme governance leading to USS becoming a mastertrust and 51福利 (and UUK) losing the right to dismiss and replace their nominated trustees.

HESC recognises the advantages in ending mastertrust status and that this will require separating the DB and DC components of the scheme.

HESC agrees:

a.听听 to obtain legal, actuarial and other relevant advice on separation of the DB and DC components of the scheme, ending the mastertrust status for the DB scheme avoiding any negative consequences of doing this

b.听听 to obtain modelling and actuarial advice on options for bringing benefits above the threshold into the DB scheme in a cost-neutral way.

D45听听 Pension Scheme Bill proposed听听听听听听 Higher education committee

HESC notes the

1.听听 Pension Scheme Bill currently going through parliament

2.听 success of action by CWU in influencing this bill.

3.听 the potentially damaging nature of some of the proposed statutory funding requirements, such as a long term funding and investment target, and that they could increase costs.

HESC instructs HEC to campaign against these changes, including by

d.   using the coming USS industrial action.

e.   putting pressure on MPs and ministers.

f.    media campaign

g.   working together with students and other trade unions.

D46听听 USS: strengthening 51福利, gaining non-member support听听听听听 Open University

Conference notes the JEP2 report stated concerns regarding USS (the 鈥楽cheme鈥�), including:

1.听听 51福利鈥檚 ability to reflect 鈥渢he views of all Scheme members and potential members鈥� (p38)

2.听听 differences in attitude between employees with and without experience of alternative schemes (p73)

3.听听 鈥榥oise鈥� about the valuation leading people to question its value (p73).

Conference holds:

a.听听 USS is a key element motivating HE employment, and 51福利 membership.

b.听听 USS produces responsibilities and opportunities for 51福利 that go beyond 51福利鈥檚 membership.

c.听听 USS opt-in by 51福利 non-members benefits 51福利.

d.听听 The member benefits of 51福利 include independent financial advice (IFA) from 鈥楲ighthouse Financial Advisers鈥�.

Conference resolves that 51福利 should investigate:

i.听听听 whether and how 51福利 could benefit from more intensive promotion of IFA to 51福利鈥檚 HE members and non-members

ii.听听 whether this promotion to HE members should be of Lighthouse, solely.

D47听听 Composite: USS divestment听 University of Cambridge, Goldsmiths University of London

HESC notes that:

1. 听 USS is one of the largest pension schemes in the UK and invests our contributions in a range of unethical companies. These prop up problematic industries, including arms, tobacco and of course, fossil fuels. This includes millions in defence companies Raytheon (拢243M), Thales, and Wells Fargo (拢150M), a top banker for US gun makers.

2. 听 USS investment in fossil fuel remains over a billion pounds, including a rising level of investment in Shell.

USS itself is clearly aware of the unethical nature of its investment portfolio, given that it offers a specific 鈥樷�榚thical lifestyle鈥� pensions package option, which explicitly excludes not only the arms trade but also fossil fuels, tobacco, gambling and pornography, available only for additional contributions in the USS Investment Builder. However, USS appears to see the arms trade, fossil fuels, tobacco, gambling and pornography as legitimate areas for its standard investment.

Conference believes that it is unacceptable that our future livelihoods should be tied to the success of industries which promote war, disease and climate chaos.

HESC resolves to:

a. 听 bring this to the attention of local 51福利 branches

b. 听 launch a campaign calling for USS divestment from arms, tobacco and fossil fuels and other unethical companies, including those involved in environmental destruction, and to call on USS to develop a comprehensive ethical investment policy which is the default for all scheme members and not an opt-in only accessible to a minority.听

c. 听 demand that UUK also calls on USS to undertake this divestment.

D48听听 鈥橳aking new JNCHES forward鈥� 听听听听听听 Higher education committee

Conference notes:

1.听听 the continuing difficulties in making the New JNCHES framework deliver the promises and potential of our original framework agreement

2.听听 the need for pressure, and adequate resources at branch level to get our claims on issues such as the gender pay gap, casualisation, workload and zero hours implemented locally in parallel with our UK campaign claim on pay.

Conference believes that this will help pressurise UCEA into incorporating these aspects of our demands into the UK bargaining framework.

Conference supports further discussion of how well New JNCHES delivers for 51福利 in practice.

Conference also notes the need for measures to be taken for an earlier adoption of the core aspects of the 51福利 claim in order that we are pro-active in setting a joint claim with the other unions rather than being reactive, as is the current situation.

D49 Widening the franchise and remit of the national disputes committee听听听听听 听听听听听听听听 North West regional HE committee

HESC notes the success of the national disputes committee (NDC) in steering the USS dispute, but recognises that the NDC remit did not allow it to include the Four Fights Dispute.

HESC resolves to widen the remit of the NDC to include all HE institutions.

HESC resolves to organise a democratic election which would ensure that any NDC includes representatives of pre and post '92 institutions.

D50听听 Inclusive strike action听听听听听听听听听 51福利 Wales (HE)

HESC notes that HE strikes are often planned around the disruption of teaching. Guidance related to the 2019/20 strike was primarily relevant to teaching staff, with little advice for academic-related and research-only staff. As a result, 51福利 members who do not teach may feel marginalised both by the organisation of, and the communication surrounding, industrial action.

HESC notes that more needs to be done to include all 51福利 members when planning strikes. Developing more inclusive guidelines on striking would enhance the effectiveness of striking, and engage the wider membership.

HESC calls on HEC to establish a working group to develop new strike guidelines, and ballot wording, that are inclusive of all categories of 51福利 members, and explore more creative forms of industrial action. This working group should draw upon the diversity of 51福利's membership, engage in broad consultation, reporting back to HEC by end of September.

D51听听 Solidarity and strategies for future industrial action听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 University of Exeter

Conference stands in solidarity with members across the country in support of the recent industrial action in our disputes over pensions, pay and working conditions.

Conference notes:

1.听听 the support and sacrifices of members

2.听听 the hardship experienced by many members

3.听听 the undue pressure exerted on members by senior management to mitigate the impact of action

4.听听 the progress made in negotiations as a direct result of industrial action.

Conference believes we have a duty to support members to take effective industrial action, and that effective industrial action:

a.听听 must be sustainable

b.听听 asks members to contribute differentially according to how they can have most impact

c.听听 should take account of local factors relevant to the dispute.

Conference resolves to consider additional strategies for industrial action, including:

i.听听听 rolling strikes nationally and locally

ii.听听 asking members to contribute differentially to maximise the impact of action

iii.听 differential action at institutions, recognising and encouraging local progress.

D52听听 #51福利StrikesBack: External Examiners听听听听听听听听 Birmingham City University

Conference notes:

1.     the sacrifices made by branches taking action to defend HE in the Four Fights

2.     the crucial role which has been and can be played by external examiners in supporting 51福利 members in striking institutions

3.     51福利 guidance for external examiners.

Conference resolves:

a.     to actively consider the key role external examiners can play at the start of any future HE dispute

b.     to mobilise to engage and give full solidarity to external examiners supporting colleagues in action.

D53听听 Peaceful protest and assembly听听听听听 West Midlands regional HE committee

Conference asserts its full support for the right to peaceful protest on University campuses.

Conference recognises the right to peaceful protest and assembly under the HRA 1998 and the 1997 UNESCO definition of academic freedom. We recognise the right of staff and students to enter our campuses and note that this right cannot be removed or deemed to be 鈥榯respass鈥� without legally adequate justification.

Conference notes that picketing during strike action may take place at or near the entrances to our workplaces, which may be within the boundary of our employer鈥檚 property if this is a public space.

Conference resolves:

1.听听 replace reference to 鈥榯respassing鈥� in our guidance on picketing to clarify our legal right to peaceful protest on our own campuses

2.听听 ensure that full support under the 51福利 legal scheme is provided to any 51福利 member victimised for participating in peaceful protest.

D54听听 Progress on increasing security for teaching staff Anti-casualisation committee

HESC notes:

1.     employers are increasingly replacing full time secure posts with insecure teaching-only contracts

2.     while some branches have negotiated improvements, progress remains patchy

3.     the increasing use of students to carry out core teaching has expanded to include studentships where teaching is expected but not paid

4.     a worrying trend of HE leadership failing to acknowledge that teaching employees who are also PhD students are due to the same employment rights and protections as those who are not

5.     teaching associates often perform the work of teaching fellows.

HESC resolves to:

a.     increase pressure on HE institutions to address increased insecurity and workload

b.     call for insecure teaching staff to be shifted onto permanent academic contracts

c.     campaign for clearly delineated career progression pathways for insecure teaching staff, including a review of spinal points and grade structure

d.     build a network for teaching staff on precarious contracts in HE.

D55听听 Employers should not pocket strike deductions from fixed-term researchers University of Durham

Conference notes that:

1.     fixed-term research staff are often precariously employed on short-term contracts

2.     currently, it is possible for employers to re-appropriate strike deductions from fixed-term researchers for purposes other than paying the fixed-term researchers

3.     some research funders have accepted requests to re-allocate strike deductions to 鈥渘o-cost extensions鈥� of the relevant fixed-term research contracts on a case-by-case basis.

Conference believes that:

a.     employers should not pocket salary deductions of striking fixed-term research staff

b.听听 salary deductions from striking fixed-term research staff should be re-allocated to extend the contract of the fixed-term researcher by use of 鈥渘o-cost extensions鈥�

c.听听 use of 鈥渘o-cost extensions鈥� benefits fixed-term research staff, external research funders, and the employers

d.听听 delayed research is a meaningful consequence of industrial action.

Conference resolves that 51福利 should engage with external research funders to ensure that employers re-allocate strike deductions from fixed-term researchers to 鈥渘o-cost extensions鈥� of the relevant fixed-term research contracts as standard practice.

D56听听 Building 51福利 in private HE 鈥榩athway鈥� colleges University of Sheffield International College

HESC notes:

1.     the rapid expansion of private HE providers such as Kaplan, Study Group and OnCampus

2.     that universities collaborate with these providers to secure profitable international students while sidestepping 51福利-negotiated terms and conditions. In the vast majority, 51福利 is not even recognised

3.     that the expansion of these providers (which are outside of sector pension schemes and where staff are highly casualised and overworked, often working evenings and weekends) normalises shocking working conditions in our sector

4.     that although Congress 2019 resolved to 鈥渙rganise campaigns through local branches to recruit private providers' staff and support them in building new branches鈥� this is a massive challenge and little progress has been made so far.

HESC resolves to initiate a serious campaign of recruitment and organising in private provider institutions, aimed at building branches and securing local recognition agreements, as a step towards national collective bargaining in each provider.

D57听听 Composite: Universities under attack: we fight back听听听听听听听听听听 Goldsmiths University of London, Yorkshire and Humberside regional HE committee

HESC notes that:

1.     the emergence of a higher education 鈥榤arket鈥� has destabilised the sector and pitted institutions against each other; hundreds of 51福利 members across the sector have faced and are facing threats of redundancy

2.     the government is committed to an instrumentalist 鈥榲alue for money鈥� approach to higher education that prioritises future earnings over the wider contribution of a university degree

3.     while the sector as a whole makes a large surplus, one in four universities were in deficit in 2018, compared to one in 10 in 2013

4.     recruitment freezes, redundancy programmes, unreasonable workloads and increases in precarious contracts are common at many institutions

5.     the proposed cuts in programmes and budgets at, for example, SOAS, Goldsmiths and Sunderland are illustrations of a destructive market logic that needs to be challenged

6.     51福利 lacks a UK-wide approach that would provide support for branches facing collective redundancies and a forum for branches to share strategies

7.     branches have been successful in fighting redundancies when they have organised industrial action, for example Leicester Uni, Brighton Uni.

Conference resolves to establish the following support for members:

a.     training on relevant legal rights, including but not limited to redundancy law, relevant case law, pay in lieu of notice

b.     more effective UK-wide resources that support the development of industrial action strategies to counter collective redundancies at branch level

c.     organise a UK-wide meeting on redundancy so that branches can share practice

d.     organise a high-profile campaign to oppose cuts and redundancies in higher education, including national and regional conferences, lobbies, publicity material and activist resources.

D58听听 Alternative vision for higher education听听 51福利 Scotland

Conference notes the ongoing work of the 51福利 Scotland education committee writing 鈥榓n alternative vision for Scottish higher education鈥� and its proposed launch at a conference looking at the future of Scottish higher education later in the year.听 Conference further notes that this builds on the work of 51福利 branches across the UK producing manifestos and papers setting out alternatives to the current dysfunctional model.听 Conference commends the work carried out by branches and bodies of the union setting out an alternative where our universities work for all stakeholders including staff and students, and where knowledge exchange and scholarship are not secondary to profit and the market.

Conference encourages branches to consider their own vision for their institution and higher education generally, noting that employers and government take the absence of progressive statements and alternative visions as an acceptance of the situation as is.

D59听听 Migrant, right to remain and institutional racism University of Glasgow

Conference reaffirms its commitment to opposing racist immigration legislation and supporting internationalism of universities.

HESC deplores:

1.     the continuing institutional racism in many universities.

2.     the fear and uncertainty about their future experienced by many EU colleagues and students.

3.     the discrimination and racism experienced by many international colleagues and students.

Conference instructs HEC to campaign together with students, other TUs and community groups to put pressure on UK government to:

a.     give all EU and international colleagues and students who want it an indefinite right to remain

b.     remove cap on international student numbers and commit to no future caps

c.     remove visa restrictions which can cause international students to miss the start of term and prevent international colleagues participating in project meetings, conferences and academic exchanges

d.     strongly encourage universities to actively support EU and international colleagues and students, including by not increasing fees for EU students.

D60听听 Confronting surveillance cultures in HE 听听听听听听听听 Migrant members standing committee

Conference notes:

1.     that the Home Office places the requirement to monitor migrant workers and students on universities and colleges

2.     that guidance from the Home Office is vague, results in huge variation, and in overreach by employers beyond formal requirements

3.     that migrant staff and others caught up in the monitoring and surveillance of migration status report high levels of stress and anxiety

4.     that HE increasingly relies on fee income from foreign students so monitored

5.     that private companies are being hired for immigration processing and rule enforcement.

Conference resolves:

a.     to oppose surveillance of the migration status of Higher Education staff and students

b.     to map the variation in interpretations and implementation of Home Office rules across the HE sector, including reliance on private companies

c.     to take legal advice on how HE branches can resist surveillance of migrant staff and students, and develop clear guidance for HE branches, ahead of Congress 2021.

D61 Disability inclusive science careers 听听听听听听听听 51福利 Scotland

While UK universities have made some progress towards ensuring disabled students receive appropriate support, there are far fewer resources available to disabled staff. HESC recognises that disabled members of staff in UK universities often experience marginalisation and discrimination at work, and that this discrimination is materially and socially detrimental to workers. Disability Inclusive Science Careers (DISC) is a two year project led by Heriot Watt University, partnering with a number of organisations including 51福利 Scotland.

HESC expresses its solidarity with disabled members and is committed to disability inclusion in the union鈥檚 own practices, including case work and policy development.

HESC believes that improving the support for disabled staff, including the routine provision of workplace adjustments, is essential for an inclusive working environment and a fulfilling working life.

HESC awaits the findings of the DISC project and is committed to engaging with the recommendations.

D62听听 REF 2021听听 University of Liverpool

Conference notes:

1.     REF relies largely on the goodwill of 51福利 members across the sector, and at the highest levels of implementation, including as REF panellists

2.     that REF output scores allocated by colleagues as part of REF preparation are now used across the sector for disciplinary purposes

3.     the use of REF output scores is subjective, gives those who control the process more power to vary working conditions arbitrarily, and exacerbates inequalities.

Conference resolves to:

a.     launch a national claim with employers to demand the end of the use of internal REF scores for appointments, performance, progression or disciplinary purposes

b.     as part of this claim, withdraw members, including REF panellists, from all REF activities, until those demands are met

c.     launch a national 鈥榓bolish REF鈥� campaign.

D63听听 Performance management听听听 Queen Margaret University

Conference

1.     endorses the professional integrity and academic freedom of academic and academic-related, professional support and technical staff in higher education

2.     condemns the growth of performance management and other new public management techniques in higher education, which use 鈥榓ppraisal鈥�, 鈥榩erformance enhancement鈥�, 鈥榩rofessional development鈥� and similar euphemisms, to legitimise top-down managerialism, micromanagement and unnecessary manager intervention in professional decision making

3.     acknowledges that university employees, as professionals, are entitled to reflective, self-generated professional development and appropriate support from their institutions, without manager interference in their professional work

4.     supports branches which are challenging performance management and other forms of managerialism

5.     agrees to provide resources for, and campaign to challenge performance management in higher education.

D64听听 Wage theft in higher education听听听听 University of Liverpool

Conference notes:

1.     the creation of a number of roles in HEIs that are being categorised as support roles while the day-to-day duties of these roles fit HERA profiles of PMSA staff

2.     that these employment practices are stealing wages of university staff and potential subscriptions from 51福利.

Conference resolves:

a.     that support in HERA scoring is provided to branches through regions and nations

b.     that a sector-wide campaign against wage theft which pressurises employers to adhere to agreed role profiles is launched.

D65听听 Late motion: Defend our USS pensions: put pressure on employers University College London

Conference deplores the unnecessary valuation during the Covid crisis with proposed total contributions of 41-68% (potentially, member contributions of 14-20%). 

Conference notes:

1.  USS's DB scheme can pay pensioners from income for 25-30 years

2.  USS has recovered from past stock market falls

3.  Closing the scheme to new entrants forces staff into risky DC schemes

Conference resolves 51福利 will campaign for employers to: 

a.     commit to not raising but instead reducing DB employee contributions to 8% while preserving existing benefits.

b.     join 51福利 in pressing for valuation methodology changes, including 30 years for 'deficit' recovery, at least 65% growth assets, cash flow approach and reasonable prudence - or, alternatively, for employers to cover increased costs. 

Failing this, Conference instructs HEC to call a dispute with employers, initiate an IA ballot and call a December/January SHESC to review campaign progress and wider impact on HE pensions and the sector.

D66听听 Late motion: USS: Government underwriting without control听听 University of Glasgow

Conference deplores spiralling costs and the threat of further jumps in costs in the recently released consultation on the 2020 valuation. 

Conference believes that: 

1.     Urgent action is necessary to defend our pensions. 

2.     Government underwriting in extreme situations without control is a possible solution to excessive pessimism and reckless prudence of the valuation assumptions and methodology, but needs to be part of a multistrand approach. 

Conference mandates the USS negotiators and HEC to endeavour to obtain an agreement from UK Government to underwrite USS in extreme situations, 
but without obtaining any control of the scheme.  This should include the involvement of members and branches e.g. lobbying MPs. 

Conference mandates the USS negotiators to use the agreement to put pressure on USS to abandon self-sufficiency as a valuation aim and all metrics based on it. 

D67听听 Late motion: LGBT+ International Working LGBT+ members standing committee

Working globally including establishing campus internationally, cross-border partnerships and chasing higher fees from International students are employed as a form of marketisation of HE that puts profit before people

Covid19 restrictions have significantly increased the amount of work done online with students and HEIs internationally.

Many countries still have colonial era laws from European imperialisation projects.

International working can discriminate against LGBT+ staff, and sometimes LGBT+ students

Staff shouldn鈥檛 have to hide their protected characteristics at work, including when working internationally either online or on campus.

Conference resolves to

1.     work with organisations both UK and international in campaigns to dismantle oppressive anti LGBT+ laws

2.     work with the TUC in efforts to undo colonial laws

3.     do everything possible to ensure HEIs make working at international campuses optional, particularly for LGBT+ staff, and that staff working internationally are safe.