51福利/1074听 听30 March 2021听
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听 Branch and local association secretaries
Topic听听听听听听听听听听听听听 51福利 on-line Congress 29 and 31 May, with on-line sector conferences on 2 June 2021: First report of the Congress Business Committee: motions submitted
Action 听听听听听听听听听听 Deadline for voting in priority of motions consultation, and deadline for the receipt of amendments to motions for Congress and sector conferences: 12:00 noon, 7 May 2021
Summary 听听听听 Motions submitted to Congress 2021, as ordered by the Congress Business Committee. 听Amendments to motions now invited. Priority voting will open Friday 16 April 鈥� delegates must be registered for Congress in order to vote.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
Contact听听听听听听听听听 Catherine Wilkinson, Head of Constitution and
Committees (cwilkinson@ucu.org.uk); Kay Metcalfe, Constitution and Committees (kmetcalfe@ucu.org.uk)
51福利 CONGRESS 2021
FIRST REPORT OF THE CONGRESS BUSINESS
COMMITTEE
At its meeting on 26 March, the Congress business committee considered 146 motions for Congress and the further and higher education sector conferences that had been submitted by branches and other relevant bodies including the NEC. Those motions are set out in this report.
The deadline for amendments to motions in this report, and for voting
in the priority of motions consultation, is 12 noon on Friday 7 May.
The order in which motions and sections appear in this report is not necessarily the order in which they will be debated. A timetable of business will be drawn up at the committee鈥檚 second meeting, after the outcome of the priority voting consultation, and after amendments have been received.
1 For action - Priority voting consultation
1.1
The calling notice for this Congress meeting described a
consultative priority voting process which CBC agreed in light of the
constraints of the on-line meeting format. Registered delegates will be asked
to vote in this process. The deadline
for delegate registration is Friday 30 April. Branches that have not yet
registered their delegates are urged to do so as soon as possible.
1.2 CBC has decided that delegates should vote for up to half of the motions in each section of business to indicate their priority. So in respect of the motions in this report, which are grouped under headings relating to the NEC鈥檚 sub-committees, delegates will be asked to prioritise:
One of the two motions under the business of the education committee
Seven of the 14 motions under the business of the equality committee
Seven of the 14 motions under the business of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee
Nine of the 17 motions (SFC5-SFC22) under the business of the strategy and finance committee (disregarding the formal financial motions SFC1-SFC4 which must be taken)
Seven of the 13 rule change motions
Delegates to the higher education sector conference will be asked to prioritise up to 17 of the 34 motions to the HE sector conference.
1.3 These numbers do not reflect a decision about the final number of motions that will be ordered in each section of business. CBC will determine this at its second meeting, informed by the outcome of the voting in the priority consultation.
1.4 Clear instructions will be provided at the point of voting, and the text of motions will be available from the voting page. Registered delegates will be sent by email a unique secure link via which to cast their votes.
1.5 CBC agreed that, in view of the number of motions and the experience of the FE sector conference in December 2020, it was not necessary to enter into a priority voting consultation for FE sector conference motions.
1.6 CBC will use the consultation to inform its decisions on the ordering of motions. CBC intends to use its discretion to ensure that no equality groups or other sections of the union are left unrepresented in the motions given a higher priority (for example adult education, prisons, post-92). In addition, there are motions which must be taken irrespective of the consultation (such as finance motions required under rule).
1.7 Voting in the consultation will open by Friday 16 April, and close at the same time as the amendment deadline, 12 noon on Friday 7 May. Only delegates who have registered, and had their registration checked, will be sent a secure voting link. Delegate registration will close at 17:00 on Friday 30 April, to allow all delegate registrations to be checked and delegates to vote before 7 May deadline.
1.8 Delegates are encouraged to consult within their branches in any way possible before voting in the consultation.
2 FOR ACTION 鈥� amendments and late motions听听听听听听
2.1 Amendments to motions. The deadline for receipt of amendments to motions set out in this circular is 12 NOON ON Friday 7 MAY. Branches can submit one Congress amendment, and two sector conference amendments. Each amendment should indicate clearly:
i. whether it relates to a
Congress motion or sector conference motion
ii. the number of the motion to
which it refers
iii. the way in which it relates
to the motion (eg. 鈥榓dd at end鈥�) and
iv. the way in which the
amendment was approved by the branch/local association or other submitting
body.
Amendments must add no more than 75 words to the motion which they amend. (Congress standing order 5 refers to 鈥�75 words excluding rubrics or deletions鈥�.)听 Amendments may not change the substantive policy of the motion (standing order 50iv). Amendments may be approved by a quorate branch meeting or meeting of a branch committee.
Amendments can be submitted by branch/local association secretaries using the on-line form at .听 Please submit each amendment separately.
The receipt of all amendments will be acknowledged. If you do not receive acknowledgement, please contact 51福利 before the deadline for receipt of amendments (12 noon, Friday 7 May) 鈥� Kay Metcalfe kemtcalfe@ucu.org.uk or Catherine Wilkinson cwilkinson@ucu.org.uk .
CBC does not expect
to accept amendments to motions which appear in this report after the deadline
of 12 noon on Friday 7 May.
2.2 Late motions: All motions received after the deadline for the submission of motions has passed are referred to as 鈥榣ate鈥� motions.听 For CBC to accept a 鈥榣ate鈥� motion for ordering into the agenda it must satisfy all the following criteria (in accordance with Congress standing order 10):
i. it is urgent or timely and
requires a decision of Congress or sector conference;
ii. it could not have been
submitted within the prescribed time limit; and
iii. it has been approved in
accordance with the standing orders of Congress and the branch/local
association rules 鈥� Congress standing orders require general branch meeting to
be called to approve motions.
In submitting a
鈥榣ate鈥� motion the submitting body must explain how the above criteria are met. Late
motions can be submitted by branch/LA secretaries using the on-line form at
听Alternatively, they can be submitted by
email to congressmotions@ucu.org.uk 鈥�
emails must provide all the information required including details of how the
motion was approved.
Late motion
deadlines
Late motions submitted by the amendment deadline 鈥� 12 noon on Friday 7 May 鈥� will be put to CBC when the committee consider amendments at their second meeting. Motions which the committee considers to meet the criteria for late motions (above) will be ordered into the agenda at that stage, and will be circulated to branches before Congress.
Late motions which are submitted after the amendment deadline but before 12 noon on Thursday 27 May will be considered by CBC at its meeting immediately prior to Congress.
Late motions should
be submitted at the earliest possible stage.
2
FOR
REPORT
2.1
Motions
not ordered into the agenda
Motion
submitted after the deadline for receipt of motions
One Congress motion was submitted after the deadline for motions, and not considered to meet the criteria for the acceptance of late motions. This was not ordered into the agenda and appears at the end of this report numbered B1.
Motions
not approved in accordance with the standing orders
Three motions (one Congress, one HE sector conference, one FE sector conference) had not been approved in accordance with the Congress standing orders. These motions were not ordered into the agenda and appear at the end of this report numbered B2-B4.
Congress
motion considered to be sector conference business
One motion submitted to Congress was considered to be business for the HE sector conference and has been ordered onto the HE sector agenda (HE4).
2.2
Compositing
of motions
The committee composited 11 Congress motions to create four composite motions (ROC8, ROC13, SFC5, SFC20).
Six HE sector conference motions were composited to create three composite motions (HE7, HE10, HE13).
Two FE sector conference motions were composited to create one composite motion (FE25).
Where a motion appears in the name of more than one branch but is not described as a composite, this means the motion was submitted in identical form.
An appendix containing the original text of composite motions is available but is not automatically included with this report. The appendix can be found at or requested from Kay Metcalfe at 51福利 head office.
3
DISTRIBUTION
OF THIS REPORT
Any branch requiring a hard
copy of this report or in an alternative format, should contact Kay Metcalfe,
email kmetcalfe@ucu.org.uk.
All Congress documents will be
made available to delegates on-line.
Motions submitted to Congress 2021
Note: Motions will be re-ordered (and re-numbered) in CBC鈥檚 second report.
Business of the education
committee
ED1听听 Education campaigning and
policy听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee
Congress notes 51福利's significant influence on public
policy across all UK nations and welcomes the work of the education committee
during 2020-21, noting in particular its continued role in:
1.
pushing for fairer approaches to assessment
and higher education admissions
2.
improving protections for academic freedom
3.
responding to the climate crisis
Congress recognises that the Covid-19 pandemic, Brexit
and the government鈥檚 proposals around free speech have all created significant
challenges for post-16 educators, and that we need to end marketisation and
build a transformative, publicly funded education system that is fully
inclusive and accessible to all.
Congress therefore calls on the Education Committee to
further develop its work on engaging members in:
a. responding to the challenges around digital teaching and learning
b. tackling the threats which marketisation and managerialism pose to
academic freedom and professional autonomy
c. campaigning for inclusive lifelong learning which moves beyond the
鈥榮kills for jobs鈥� agenda.
ED2听听 Attacks
on the arts and humanities听听听听听听听 University
of Sussex
Congress notes:
1. Cuts to the T-Grant for C1
price group subjects (performing arts, creative arts, media studies and
archaeology) publicised by DfE as cuts to the Arts and Humanities.
2. A pattern of redundancies
clustered around arts and humanities subjects.
3. Ministers criticising the
arts and humanities for 鈥渞ewriting history鈥� and 鈥渄oing Britain down鈥�.
4. A government vision of the
arts and humanities as impracticable and unprofitable, elitist and outdated.
Congress believes:
a.
C1 T-Grant cuts should not be celebrated.
b.
Arts and Humanities subjects have been made
unprofitable as a result of policy, not because they are impracticable, elitist
or outdated.
c.
Attacks on the comprehensive university damage
efforts to widen participation.
d.
Ministers have not listened, or, more charitably,
have not been made to listen.
Congress resolves to:
i. Develop a
campaign against attacks on the arts and humanities.
ii. To align
this with campaigns against redundancies.
iii. To
coordinate and ally with like-minded organisations, and institutions.
Business of the equality
committee
EQ1听听 Campaigning for equality听听听听 National executive committee
Congress notes with concern the government鈥檚
rhetorical shift away from pursuing equality for those with protected
characteristics, and reaffirms 51福利's commitment to challenging all forms of discrimination
and prejudice.
Congress commends the progress made by the equality
committee during 2020-颅21 in furthering workplace equality, including work on:
1.
addressing the unequal impact of Covid-19 on
Black, Disabled, LGBT+, Migrant and Women members,
2.
building anti-racist environments and
community accountability
3.
challenging sexual harassment
4.
promoting LGBT+ liberation
5.
protecting disability rights and challenging
ableism
6.
supporting migrants and tackling the hostile
environment
7.
improving employment rights for those with
caring responsibilities.
Congress welcomes the increased focus on
intersectionality within 51福利's equality work in addressing the complex
challenges facing members.
Congress supports the committee鈥檚 continued focus on
these areas and engagement with equality standing committees, branches and
members, as well as national policy discussions, to take forward the fight for
more equal and inclusive workplaces.
EQ2听听 Long Covid听听听听听听听听听 University of Glasgow
Congress
notes:
1.
Estimates
indicate 10-20% of those infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop complex Long Covid
conditions.
2.
Many
of those are unable to return to work, or experience significant limitations on
what they are able to do when returning.
Congress
believes:
a.
Restrictive
sick leave regulations and rule-bound occupational health determinations often
make things worse.
b.
Many
return to work too early for economic reasons.
c.
Long
Covid is likely to disproportionately impact some groups, and hence further
exacerbate inequalities in pay, employment contracts, and promotion
Congress
resolves to:
i. Strengthen existing 51福利 guidance for
branches on how they can proactively support those with Long Covid (including
adequate leave and/or workload adjustments, without detriment to careers)
ii. Demand from employers that risks of
Long Covid are acknowledged and accommodated in return-to-campus policy and
procedures
iii. Foster solidarity between 51福利 and other
trade unions campaigning around Long Covid鈥檚 impact on workers.
EQ3听听 LGBT+
workers post Covid听听 LGBT+ members
standing committee
Congress notes that:
1.
Covid-19 disproportionally impacts on Black staff,
and disabled staff;
2.
LGBT+ people are impacted by coivd-19 and many are
also Black and / or disabled
3.
numerous institutions are seeking to restructure
following the financial impact of Covid-19 this will impact on LGBT+ workers
Congress believes LGBT+ members are sometimes disproportionately
targeted for inclusion in ring-fenced 'at-risk' pools and subsequently selected
for compulsory redundancy, or pressured into taking severance.
Congress resolves that:
a.
51福利 will require all institutions to fully
equality-impact-assess the likely consequences of any financial restructure on
their LGBT+ workforce;
b.
51福利 will lobby all institutions undertaking
restructuring to compel each to produce a full EIA report outlining the likely
impact of the restructure on the diversity of the workforce
c.
This reporting will include staff across all staff,
with comparison across staff with and without protected characteristics, including
the impact on LGBT+ staff.
EQ4听听 51福利
Black Lives Matter Day听听听听听听听听听听 Black
members standing committee
Congress notes 2021 saw the brutal slaying of Georg Floyd followed by an
outpouring of support. The heightened awareness has highlighted the work needed
to be done to improve the life, and education outcomes for black people in
work, prisons, schools, colleges and universities across the nations.
Congress believes 51福利 must lead the way and play a significant role
in bringing about meaningful change for all its members by working to redress
the imbalance of black members on the NEC and in other decision-making
roles
Congress resolves to
1.
Launch a 鈥�51福利 BLACK LIVES MATTER DAY鈥� every May in
recognition of George Floyd and the BLM cause
2.
Deliver workshops, training and resources to
support branches to challenge racial injustice across all institutions
3.
Actively support proposals driven by black members
in a timely manner
EQ5听听 BLM on campus听 New City College Poplar, National Executive Committee
The Tories
are using the guise of free speech to roll back the gains of the Black Lives
Matter movement. Free speech and academic freedom are important and should be
defended - but Gavin Williamson鈥檚 plans are an attempt to prevent anti-racists
from challenging institutional racism and the legacy of empire.
Specifically
they aim to reject attempts to examine institutional links with colonialism,
slavery and eugenics. Students and staff have the right to challenge racism in
our educational institutions.
Congress
resolves:
We should
continue to work with antiracist groups, students and campus unions to continue
and develop the decolonising movement that has grown over recent years.
EQ6听听 Decolonising the Curriculum听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee
Congress notes:
1. 听 Continued
institutional racism in universities and colleges and throughout society
2. 听 Education鈥檚
vital role in changing attitudes and contributing to real change. Congress
recognises need to decolonise the curriculum and considers that
BlackLivesMatter and some recognition of the need for reparations for institution
benefits from the slave trade (e.g. Glasgow University) make this timely.
Calls on NEC to:
a.
Produce branch and member resources on decolonising
the curriculum.
b.
Encourage branches to negotiate curriculum
decolonisation policies, procedures and implementation with management.
c.
Organise a discussion meeting.
d.
Pressure universities and colleges to ringfence
funding for interdisciplinary and innovative reparation projects in
collaboration with peoples and communities whose lands, cultures, and bodies
are still subject to racialised, neo-colonial extraction and appropriation.
e.
Pressure institutions to actively defund and
redirect investments away from institutions, businesses and estates still
sustained and resourced by extractive colonial practices e.g. arms trade.
EQ7听听 Time to combat ableism 听听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee
Congress notes:听 51福利 social model of disability policy is not
fully implemented and that some disabled members at branch, region, and
national level have faced barriers to participation and ableist hostility.
Congress believes that it is not acceptable for this situation to continue.听 Accessibility must be built into union
communications, meetings and events
Congress instructs the NEC to implement:
1.
Clear
demands in regard to disability equality built into pay negotiations
2.
To
bring a rule change to Congress 2022 to ensure disabled members access needs
are met
3.
Within
three months:
4.
Within six months:
EQ8听听 Gender
pay must be at the heart of industrial strategy听听听 Women
members standing committee
Congress congratulates 51福利 for putting the gender pay gap at the heart
of major industrial pay campaigns across all parts of post-16 education.
The gender pay gap is pervasive, ongoing and increasing, and yet we
note how rarely trade unions set it at the heart of UK industrial
action.
The gender pay gap is exacerbated by a gendered pensions gap: TUC
research shows that women have barely half the pensions savings of men in both
defined contributions and defined benefits systems. The multiple
discriminations faced by Black, disabled and precariously
employed women increase that detriment for them.
Congress agrees:
1.
To continue campaigning on all aspects of
gender pay and pension detriment in post 16 education
2.
To include gender issues as discrete
and specific aspects of campaigns on pay and pensions
3.
To include gender-specific negotiating
points in future industrial action on pay and pensions.
EQ9听听 End
gender based violence Women members
standing committee
The appalling murder of Sarah Everard has demonstrated anew the extent
of gender-based harassment and violence. The pandemic has highlighted issues of
domestic violence, with estimates that one in three women will suffer domestic
violence in their lifetime. While reports of rape have nearly doubled since
2015, gender-based violence is under-reported, including in post-16
education.
Violence against women is rooted in the oppressive system we live in,
where women鈥檚 bodies are used to sell products, dehumanised and presented as
objects of gratification including in pornography. Black, migrant,
disabled women and the LGBTQ++ community are disproportionately affected.
Congress calls upon NEC to:
1.
Campaign and educate to end gender-based
violence
2.
Work with sister trade unions on this matter
3.
Protest at every opportunity to raise this
issue
4.
Support Reclaim the Night demonstrations.
EQ10 Swiss referendum听听听听听听听 National executive committee
In March Switzerland voted in favour of banning face coverings in
public, including the burka or niqab worn by Muslim women. The proposal was put
forward by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) which campaigned with
slogans such as "Stop extremism".
"Today's decision opens old wounds, further expands the principle
of legal inequality, and sends a clear signal of exclusion to the Muslim
minority," the Central Council of Muslims said in a statement.
This vote occurred against the backdrop of similar moves by the Far
Right in France and elsewhere.
These bans are not about promoting women鈥檚 rights but are Islamophobic.
We offer our solidarity to the Muslim community in Switzerland and will
oppose any such moves in the UK.
EQ11 Campaign
for GRA reforms and against asylum seeker persecution 听 National executive committee
Congress notes:
That the rise of the alt
right and political scapegoating has led to a very significant rise in LGBT+
hate crime and a consequent rise in LGBT+ asylum seekers. Congress further
notes the failure of the Government to implement the Gender Recognition Act
(GRA) reforms.
Congress resolves:
1. To raise the profile of the 51福利 campaign for reform
of the GRA.
2. To campaign for an end to the persecution of asylum
seekers.
EQ12 IHRA
Definition of Antisemitism听 听 London regional committee
Congress notes:
1.听听 Williamson鈥檚
letter threatening universities unless they (a) adopt the 鈥淚HRA working
definition of antisemitism鈥�, and (b) implement it in staff and student codes of
conduct.
2.听听 51福利's
policy opposition to the definition.
3.听听 only
a quarter of HEIs have adopted; of these many have 鈥榓dopted鈥� but refused to
implement.
4.听听 the
Report of the UCL Working Group on Racism and Prejudice.
5.听听 the
risk that FE will be next.
Congress resolves to:
a. condemn Williamson's intervention as an attack on institutional autonomy, on academic freedom and freedom of expression.
b. call on the General Secretary to speak out.
c. call on branches to organise against the adoption, and to develop a briefing document for branches, drawing on the UCL Report and BRICUP briefings.
d. organise a grassroots campaign on academic freedom and free speech on Israel, with a dedicated web page and resources on the 51福利 website.
EQ13 Adopting a better definition
of anti-Semitism University of Exeter
Congress
notes:
1.听听 pressure from UK Government
for universities in England to adopt the controversial IHRA definition;
2.听听 passed motions from the
2017 and 2018 51福利 Congresses opposing adoption.
Congress
believes that the definition:
a.
dangerously
conflates racist views with legitimate political criticism;
b.
threatens
academic criticism of Israel, and Palestinian solidarity events;
c.
undermines
freedom of speech and intellectual thought central to Universities;
d.
compromises
the fight against anti-Semitism and racism.
Congress
resolves:
i. to develop a better definition of
anti-Semitism through consultation with Jewish members and more widely and such
that descriptions of the discriminatory nature and acts of Israel should not be
treated eo ipso as anti-Semitic, without independent evidence of anti-Jewish
intention;
ii. to call for a reject of the IHRA
definition by universities that have not already adopted it, and for an
amendment or codicil appended to it by universities that have already adopted
it.
EQ14 Promoting
Trans Equality听听听听 51福利 Scotland
51福利 Congress notes:
1.
The 51福利 Statement reaffirming 51福利's commitment to
trans inclusion.
2.
Our responsibility to promote equality and ensure
the provisions of the Equality Act are implemented and adhered to by our
members and in the sectors where we organise.
3.
51福利鈥檚 commitment and support for trans workers鈥�
rights and, as champions of equality, we welcome the increased visibility and
empowerment of trans and non-binary people in our society.
4.
The right of all women (including trans women) to
safe spaces and the continuation of monitoring that can help identify
discrimination against women, men and non-binary people.
The trade union movement鈥檚 strength is to bring workers together in our
values of equality and solidarity.听
51福利 congress opposes any violence, bullying or disrespect towards any
group that faces discrimination, and calls on 51福利 UK to provide practical
support and policy guidance for reps and trans members in challenging
discrimination and harassment.
Business of the recruitment,
organising and campaigning committee
ROC1 Campaigns and organising听听 National executive committee
Congress notes the progress made by ROCC in
implementing the policies set by Congress, notably
1.
Support for branches, including with ballots
and disputes
2.
Strengthening recruitment and membership in
all our sectors
3.
Developing training and education
It further notes the impact of the pandemic on this
work.
It supports continued focus on these areas working
a.
to engage and involve our diverse groups of
members, refreshing our approach to training and communication
b.
to support branch recruitment, campaigning and
organization
c.
to strengthen our inclusive, intersectional,
and enabling approach to these activities
d.
to use our response to Covid19 to build long
term improvements into our work
e.
to progress ROCC related Congress resolutions
ROC2 Anti-Casualisation听听听听听听 University of Liverpool
Congress notes the:
1.
Growing
epidemic of casualisation in universities and colleges
2.
Disposal
of thousands of precarious members鈥� jobs last summer
3.
Likelihood
that members on insecure contracts will face more cuts this summer
4.
Attack
on 鈥減ermanent鈥� posts by many institutions during the pandemic
Congress believes casualisation and outsourcing:
a.
Affects the majority of researchers and a growing
portion of teaching, academic support and professional services staff
b.
Extends beyond cover for temporary vacancies
c.
Hinders the ability of workers to organise
effectively in the union
Congress resolves to:
i. Launch a
UK-wide campaign against yearly redundancies for indefinite contracts to be the
general form of employment in the sectors
ii. Avoid risk
sharing strategies that diminish the ability of workers to organise
iii. Organise
twice yearly training event by and for activists
iv. Integrate
this campaign into pay disputes
ROC3 Working from home culture and
cost听听听听 Academic related, professional
staff committee
Congress
notes many staff are now working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. We
recognise the costs attached to providing safe, well lit, heated workspaces and
the increase in utilities bills for many.
Congress
further notes:
1.
Proposals
to introduce hybrid working from home models indefinitely in many institutions
2. Without local agreements in place staff
working from home are at risk of new modes of 鈥榙istanced micromanagement鈥�,
including:
-
unrealistic
management expectations and dangerous workloads
-
further
erosion or eradication of work / home life balance
-
detriment
from inadequate equipment provision
Congress
resolves that 51福利 should:
a. Develop and publicise local bargaining
guidance on WFH culture
b. Support all branches to negotiate,
using this guidance, as a priority
c. To provide guidance and support to all
branches to negotiate WFH utilities payments
d. Further develop bargaining and
campaigning guidance to ensure all staff, including ARPS, are protected from
detriment when critiquing their employer.
ROC4 Keep workplaces Covid safe
and accessible听听听 Disabled members
standing committee
Congress notes:听
1.
There
are many people with worries about side effects who are hesitant and others,
including disabled people, who cannot be vaccinated.
2.
Covid
vaccines are important and welcome, but do not guarantee everyone鈥檚 safety
3.
The
Covid crisis has shown that remote work is effective and should be offered as a
reasonable adjustment for all disabled workers and carers who need it.
Congress believes it remains necessary to ensure that every workplace has full H&S
policies and anti Covid transfer measures in place, not least because long
Covid often accompanies infection, including the right to work remotely for all
of those who need to by reason of their own impairment or that of family
members.
Congress resolves to oppose any attempts to dismiss people who cannot take a听听 vaccine and to fight for the right for those
who cannot take it, for any reason, to work remotely.
ROC5 Understanding
casualisation by learning technology 听听听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee
Congress notes:
1.
Rapid growth of learning technology in post-16
education.
2.
Proliferation of casualised gig economy jobs,
highly surveilled employment relationships often mediated by
apps
3.
Incursion of international learning technology
organisations bringing exploitative employment models from Big Tech.
4.
Increased reuse of recorded or pre-written
materials rather than interactive teaching and learning鈥�
Congress resolves:
a.
51福利 will commission research into learning
technology and 鈥榯ech platforms鈥� across all sectors we represent to
investigate:
路
Key threats of increased casualisation
路
Surveillance elements affecting employees鈥�
autonomy, wellbeing and privacy rights
路
Contextual particularities of HE, FE, ACE, Prison
Education
路
Successful campaigns by trade unions experienced in
performing rights (e.g. BECTU/Prospect, the NUJ) to defend members鈥�
rights.
b.
The brief for this commissioned research will be
formulated in close partnership with the Anti-Casualisation
Committee鈥�
c.
Findings of this research will inform a national
campaign for fighting casualisation and deterioration of working conditions
arising from new learning technology
ROC6 The
recalcitrant approach of employers on improvements to pay听听听听听听 Southern regional committee
Congress notes:
1.
the recalcitrant approach of employers on
improvements to pay;听
2.
attacks by employers on terms and conditions
worsening the effects on casualised members;
3.
attacks on pensions and the consequent detrimental
effects in the longer terms on equalities;
4.
the context of a national pandemic; and,
5.
the need for a national strategy to protect jobs,
terms, conditions and pensions.
Congress calls on 51福利:
a.
to press for employers to agree a national
moratorium on compulsory redundancies for 1 year; and,
b.
demands for a 2-year minimum contract for
casualised staff.
ROC7 Solidarity
with NHS and other public sector workers听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Kirklees
College
Congress notes:
1.
The erosion of pay in the public sector, including
all sectors of education, since 2010.
2.
Further austerity measures likely to pay for the
Coronavirus crisis will hit public sector workers in the form of pay freezes
and below-inflation pay rises.
After the insulting 1% offer made to NHS staff, all workers must say no
to the very key workers who risked their lives during the pandemic being asked
to pay the price of the government's botched response.听 Together we are stronger and infinitely more disruptive!
Congress calls on 51福利 to:
a.
Make a public statement of solidarity with NHS
workers.
b.
Work with other public service unions to coordinate
meaningful action on pay.
ROC8 Composite: A union for all - press coverage and
representation of all members Yorkshire
and Humberside regional committee, Academic related, professional staff
committee
Congress recognises the wide, diverse membership of 51福利 and that all
members from all sectors and staff groups deserve equal representation and
visibility. Congress notes 51福利鈥檚 respect for the work and recognition
agreements of unions active in our sector.
Congress
further notes that:
1.
during the pandemic, 51福利 has
achieved more press coverage for pre-92 HE than other sectors
(post-92/FE/Adult/Prison Education) over issues that affect all of education.
This media coverage focus on lecturers erases other membership groups in HE
(including ARPS), FE, Prison Ed and ACE.
2.
reps in some sectors have, at
times, felt that they do not have the backing of the union at national level.
This
is symptomatic of a view of 51福利 as a union for pre-92 universities only.听 Other sectors are a minority in 51福利 but we
must be a united union.听听听
Issues
caused by government policy require a national position and action.
听听听听听听听听 We call on 51福利 to:
a.
counter the media narrative, ensuring all press
releases are fully inclusive and include all sectors
b.
make regular public statements on
government policy for all sectors
c.
check all national all-member communications are
written in a way which includes all sectors.
d.
change standard practice on communications and on
the website to reflect the diversity of the membership ensuring that academics
are not always at the forefront of literature or webpages
e.
focus on all sectors in national
policy and action
f.
develop and implement national
strategies to enhance the profile of all 51福利 sectors and staff, and the union鈥檚 work
in all sectors, including a 鈥榥ot just a lecturers鈥� union鈥� campaign
g.
campaign for the principle of, and
funding for, lifelong learning in this post-pandemic world.
ROC9 Building a trade union movement
against Hostile Environment 听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Migrant members
standing committee
Congress
notes:
1.
The
Hostile Environment policy worsened conditions for migrants after the passage
of the Immigration Act 2014
2.
That
this policy has permeated society to the detriment of people鈥檚 lives
3.
Migrants,
racialised minorities and the working class suffer the brunt of this policy
4.
That
the Conservative Party have announced plans to escalate the Hostile Environment
Congress
believes:
a.
That
trade unions have a history of fighting for justice
b.
That
51福利 has led in the fight against the Hostile Environment among UK trade unions
Congress
resolves:
i. To work with other trade unions in
order to build a movement in the UK against the Hostile Environment.
ii. To campaign for inter-union solidarity
in order to strengthen our position in fighting unjust and racist immigration
policies.
iii. To seek to establish a joint-TU
conference which addresses the concerns around the Hostile Environment and the
ways in which a joint, unified front can combat this.
ROC10听听听听听听听 Justice for Osime
Brown听听听听听听 West Midlands regional
committee
Congress
notes:
1.
That
Osime Brown is a young boy with autism and learning disabilities facing
deportation to Jamaica, a place he left aged 4 where he has no support network
2.
That
Osime has served a prison sentence under the disputed joint enterprise policy
following the theft of a mobile phone
3.
That
Osime faces deportation due to the hostile environment, a policy which we as a
union oppose.
Congress
believes:
a.
That
the penal deportation of Osime would put him in grave danger & is an abuse
of human rights
b.
That
Osime belongs at home in Dudley with his mother.
Congress
resolves:
i.
To
call on branches to support the campaign against his deportation through
inviting speakers, donating to his campaign, writing to the Home Secretary, and
supporting social media campaigning
ii.
To
hold an annual 51福利 鈥渆nd the hostile environment鈥� campaign week while this
policy remains.
ROC11听听听听听听听 Reverse the rise in
the state pension age 听听听听听 West Midlands
retired members
Congress
notes that:
1.
State
Pension Age (SPA) reached 66 last autumn, it will now stand still for a few
years but is due to rise to 67 between 2026 and 2028 and, according to present
legislation, to 68 between 2044 and 2046; and,
2.
The
Pension Act 2014 requires a five-yearly review of SPA, the first such review in
2017 recommended bringing forward the rise to 68 to 2037-39 and the government
accepted this recommendation but, lacking a parliamentary majority, promised a
further review before legislating.
Congress
instructs the National Executive Committee to:
a.
Campaign
urgently to stop any more SPA rises;
b.
Work
with other trades unions towards coordinated submissions to the SPA review due
to report in 2022 linked to a campaign to reduce SPA and to provide flexible
early access to the State Pension in appropriate circumstances.
ROC12听听听听听听听 Housing safety for
staff and students听听听 The Trafford College
Group
Grenfell
demonstrated that privatisation has decimated safety in the communities our
staff and students live in and is having a devastating effect on the lives and
educational opportunities. Grenfell has opened up a Pandora鈥檚 Box of historical
building defects, ranging from cladding to cavity barrier installation, in
flats of 11m and above.
The
government has made available 拢5b to cover cladding issues alone but this is a
drop in the ocean of the money required to fix historical defects in flats, not
built to regulation at the time of construction but sold as safe.
Congress
resolves:
1.
To
support the MacPartland-Smith amendment (or similar) that prevents freeholders
from passing on fire safety remedial costs and honour the commitment to act on
the recommendations from phase one of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
2.
To
encourage members to lobby MPs to support this
3.
To
support campaigns for housing security for all.
ROC13 Composite: Climate
change, COP26, zero carbon economy and job creation University of
Hull, London retired members, National executive committee, Croydon College,
University of Manchester
Congress notes the importance of the passing of resolutions 39 and 40
and the urgent need to build on this 听
The COP26 talks in Glasgow in November 2021 come at a crucial time.
According to a recent report by the Environment Agency, climate change is
hitting the 'worst case scenario'. This means hotter temperatures, more extreme
weather conditions, drought, famine, ecosystem destruction, biodiversity loss
and much more. And as always it will be communities in the Global South who
feel the worst impacts.
While we welcome any action to deal with the climate crisis, we need to
beware false solutions that focus on the market or billionaires to rescue us.
That is why the mobilisations for the COP26 - in Glasgow and in local towns and
cities - are crucial. And it is important that trade unions are at the heart of
these mobilisations, calling for climate justice, a just transformation for
workers and one million climate jobs.
We support these mobilisations and the work done by the COP26 coalition.
Congress believes:
1.
The IPCC 2018 Special Report has warned of the dire
consequences of exceeding 1.5潞C global average warming.
2.
To avoid this global carbon emissions must be
halved by 2030.
3.
We need to mobilise for a just transition which
protects and improves workers鈥� livelihoods, creates a more inclusive society
and stops greenhouse gas emissions.
4.
We face a global and UK crisis of unemployment;
tackling the Covid-19 pandemic represents an ideal opportunity to invest in
climate jobs.
5.
The UK government continues to back false solutions
like carbon markets and block the transformational changes which are necessary.
Congress recognises that the move to a zero-carbon economy has huge
implications for the jobs of 51福利 members. Job creation and the measures needed
to meet climate targets mean this should be a central focus for 51福利 strategy.
Congress calls on NEC to:
a.
Support the COP26 coalition and encourage branches
to join it.听
b.
Join and support the national mobilisations and
protests that take place leading up to and during the COP26 climate summit in
Glasgow in November 2021 by supporting branches taking climate solidarity
action with students, unions, and campaign organisations
c.
Review 51福利 activity and infrastructure and draw up
a plan for the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions with a report on progress
to the 2022 Congress
d.
Review all 51福利 training programmes and branch
guidance to ensure that the appointment of Green Reps and Green New Deal (GND)
bargaining is referenced.
e.
Provide guidance to branches on engagement with
local and regional authorities around green jobs and skills
f.
Establish a Climate Action Network with a formal
role in 51福利 structure
g.
Support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill
Alliance.
ROC14听听听听听听听 Environmental sustainability as an
anti-casualisation issue 听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee
Congress
believes:鈥�
1.
Climate change,
biodiversity- loss, and鈥痷nsustainable鈥痙evelopment鈥痑re鈥痵erious threats鈥痶o human
wellbeing.鈥�
2.
Action on
sustainability should鈥痓e part of, rather than in tension with,
supporting casualised members.鈥�
3.
The contractual
status of casualised workers often excludes them
from鈥痵ustainability鈥痬easures requiring staff status or minimum employment
length.鈥�
4.
High profile
campaigns on labour- environmental issues can increase
the diversity of 51福利鈥檚 membership and activism鈥�
Congress
resolves:鈥�
a.
51福利 will campaign
for a 鈥楪reen New Deal鈥� which鈥痯rioritises measures that
reduce casualisation, including special employment-interest specific
鈥榓sks鈥� designed to motivate recruitment and organizing in
highly casualized and low membership- density areas.
b.
Guidance to
branches on sustainability should incorporate anti-casualisation, including:鈥�
路 Measures supporting 鈥榮ustainable behaviour鈥�
must be accessible to casualised employees.鈥�
路 Employers must reduce environmental impacts and
absorb associated costs, rather than transfer these to employees, particularly
casualised employees.鈥�
Business of the strategy and
finance committee
SFC1 Appointment
of auditors听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee
Congress
approves the appointment of Knox Cropper as the union鈥檚 auditors for the year
ending 31 August 2021.
SFC2 Financial
statements 听听 National executive committee
Congress
receives the union鈥檚 audited financial statements for the 12-month period
ending 31 August 2020 as set out in 51福利/1071.
SFC3 Budget
2021-2022听听听听听听 National executive committee
Congress
endorses the budget for September 2021 鈥� August 2022 as set out in 51福利/1072.
SFC4 Subscription
rates 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 subscription rates from 1 September
2021 set out in 51福利/1073.
SFC5 Composite: Financial disclosure and transparency听 Southern regional committee, University of
Leeds
Congress
notes:
1.
the
series of issues relating to expenditure, some of which have caused debate
within 51福利 and the media, including 拢400k of expenditure for a former General
Secretary which was subject of a non-disclosure agreement;
2.
that
part of the business of the union involves expenditure of money;
3.
the
health of union democracy is best served through transparency; and,
4.
which
has caused debate within 51福利 and the media.
Congress
resolves that:
1.
51福利
National Executive Committee (NEC) must be provided with proposals for, and be
involved in, expenditure decisions relating to:
a. redundancy payments or other
non-standard payments to 51福利 employees
b.
membership
levies
c.
consultancy
contracts
2.
The
honorary treasurer will report such expenditure to NEC as soon as possible
before it has been incurred.
SFC6 Collectivise
the Resistance: solidarity action works听听听听听听听听听 London
regional committee
Congress notes the Covid-19 crisis confronts the trade union movement with
huge challenges.
Congress believes:
1.
The government handling of the pandemic led to one
of the worse death tolls in Europe.
2.
The NEU鈥檚 collective use of section 44 and mass
participatory meetings for reps and all members is a model we should follow.
They prevented an unsafe return to schools.
3.
51福利 branches like Heriot-Watt and Brighton have won
real victories to defend jobs. Collective action works.
4.
Record branch meetings and groups like 51福利
Solidarity Movement, Pandemic PGRS, CoronaContract, showed the appetite to
organise and resist.
Congress resolves to develop strategy to co-ordinate 51福利 response across
all nations to address:
a.
any unsafe return to face2face
b.
job losses
c.
workloads
d.
pensions attacks
e.
fight casualisation
f.
low pay and the gender and race pay gap
g.
transforming and reconstructing post-16 education.
SFC7 We won鈥檛 pay for the public
health crisis听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 City and
Islington College Camden Road
Congress
notes:
1.
The
1% pay offer to NHS workers and the continued pay freeze
2.
The
125,000 deaths from Covid so far will save the Treasury 拢1.5bn in state
pensions by 2022.
Congress
believes that:
a.
The
continued freeze on pay summarises the government鈥檚 plans to pass the cost of
the pandemic onto working people.
b.
Despite
the claps for frontline workers, it is they who will be asked to make up for
the Tories horrendous mishandling of the Covid-19 crisis.
c.
The
trade union movement must unite to make sure that after years of austerity
after the 2008 crash we don鈥檛 face decades more.
d.
Pay
restraint will increase the gender and race pay gaps and will continue to hit
casualised staff disproportionately.
Congress
resolves 51福利 to approach other unions to launch a campaign around the theme,
鈥榃e won鈥檛 pay for the pandemic- no more austerity鈥�.
SFC8 Strike
pay听 University of Brighton, Grand Parade,
and University of Brighton, Mouslecoomb
Congress notes that entitlement to payments from the fighting fund is
currently decided by National Officers using unpublished criteria to evaluate
the significance of each dispute.
Congress believes that:
1.
The fighting fund is crucial to the union's
strength in supporting members when they take strike action.
2.
In principle all official strike action by 51福利
members should be eligible for strike pay.
3.
The only limiting factor should be management of
the fund in response to demand.
4.
The first response to over-demand should be to find
ways to boost the fund, e.g. by increasing the proportion of the budget
allocated to it or transfers from other account heads.
Congress instructs NEC to:
i. Devise clear
policy on the strike fund which embodies the above principles and sets out
mechanisms to achieve them.
ii. Bring such
rule changes to Congress as are necessary to achieve this.
SFC9 Review of 51福利鈥檚 affiliated
organisations听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 City
College Plymouth
Congress
notes:
1.
Interim
Congress rightly demonstrated that our union will not tolerate sexual
harassment and intimidation of survivors. (Motions 21, 22 and 23).
2.
51福利鈥檚
policy, from the Interim Congress 2021, is to establish a Gender-Based Violence
Commission.
3.
51福利
funds and supports a number of national and grassroots campaigns across the
range of issues our members face.
Congress
resolves:
a.
To
review the affiliated organisations, to ensure that 51福利 can have full
confidence in the policies and actions of the leadership of each organisation
to root out and deal with gender-based violence cases within its structures.
b.
To
bring to NEC an opportunity to review and remove organisations who cannot prove
natural justice and robust policies on sexual violence.
SFC10 Defend the right to protest 听听听听听听听听听 Capital City College CANDI Lifelong
Learning
The Police,
Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is an attempt to crack down on the right to
protest in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
After
decades of austerity, we are now set to be asked to pay the price for the
Covid-19 crisis. Working class communities, women and BAME communities have
suffered disproportionately.
And it鈥檚
BLM, #ReclaimTheseStreets protests, in the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard,
and union protests - such as those by NHS workers over pay 鈥� that have been
targeted.
We believe
that the best defence of protest is to keep protesting.
We oppose
any attempt by government to use the COVID-19 crisis to limit the right to
protest.
SFC11听听听听听听听 Reclaim
the streets听听听听听 Birmingham City
University
Congress notes:
1.
The referendum in Switzerland banning wearing of
the niqaab and burqa in public spaces
2.
The death of Sarah Everard whilst walking home and
the subsequent media victim blaming and local curfew for women听
3.
The 拢10K fine imposed on a nurse for organising a
socially distanced demonstration in protest at the failure to reward healthcare
workers with an adequate payrise
4.
Government movement to tighten restrictions on
public protest further and the damage this will do to the right to and
expression of dissent.
Congress resolves:
a.
To organise a national campaign in defence of the
right to public dissent and protest, coordinating with the TUC & NUS on
this
b.
To renew our work in organising around the rights
of women and NB people to freedom of choice whether clothing or movement; a
freedom from state, street or domestic violence.
SFC12听听听听听听听 Provision
of immigration advice Migrant members standing committee
Congress notes:
1.
that the UK immigration rules have ballooned in
size and complexity, now running to over 1000 pages
2.
that employers in higher & further education do
not routinely make immigration advice available to current or prospective staff
3.
that immigration advice is a regulated activity
4.
that lack of advice can have significant
repercussions for individuals who are left to navigate a complex system alone.
Congress believes:
a.
that employers should proactively provide legal
advice on immigration matters to prospective and current staff and postgraduate
research students free of charge
b.
that employers should have a nominated immigration
adviser who has OISC Level 3 Certification.
Congress resolves:
i.
that 51福利 should campaign for all employers to
provide current and prospective staff and postgraduate research students with
OISC Level 3 immigration advice free of charge
ii.
that 51福利 should make OISC Level 3 immigration
advice available to members.
SFC13 Annual meeting and committee on
environmental issues听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Open University
Congress notes:
1.
The 51福利 Climate and Sustainability Conference held
in March 2021.
2.
That the meeting positively supported the
self-education and organising of activists.
3.
That creating stable structures for holding similar
recurring meetings, and to represent and organise members on this employment
interest, would be valuable to 51福利 and the NEC.
Congress resolves:
a.
That 51福利 holds an Annual Meeting on Environmental
Issues each year, to advise the NEC under Rule 25.1 or by other constitutional
means.
b.
That standing orders be drawn up to formally
organise the Annual Meeting, including allowing branches to send motions and a
report to be made available to the NEC.
c.
The meeting should keep a timetable similar to
other such Annual Meetings.
d.
Recognising the organising benefits of creating a
stable advisory body for members to coalesce around within 51福利, to address this
sector-wide interest by establishing a standing advisory committee
SFC14 Climate and ecological emergency 听听听听听 Central Saint Martins
The urgent
need to address the Climate and Ecological emergency has far reaching
implications for 51福利 members and must be central to 51福利 strategy. Moving to a
zero-carbon economy will impact directly on future jobs and training, while
issues from social justice to curriculum development as they relate to the CEE
to are fundamental to 51福利 concerns.听
A growing
network of 51福利 green reps and Climate Action Network are working to foreground
the CEE as a central tenet of union activities. This motion asks that 51福利
congress supports:
1.听听 The establishment and formal
recognition of an annual 51福利 Climate and Ecological meeting to advise the NEC.
2.听听 That standing orders are
drawn up for the meeting to keep a timetable similar to other such Annual
Meetings
3.听听 That 51福利 training and branch
guidance materials are reviewed to reference the appointment of Green Reps and
Green New Deal (GND) bargaining.
SFC15 Electronic voting at Congress, FESC and HESC听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 South West regional committee
Congress
notes that:
1.听听 Counting each card vote
takes 5-10 minutes which means approximately an hour of time is lost each day
of Congress, FESC and HESC that could be devoted to debate and policy making.
2.听听 Electronic voting reduces
opportunities for putting fellow delegates under peer pressure to vote in a
certain way, ensuring that the views expressed truly reflect individual views.
3.听听 The technology is available
and is widely used including by the TUC, NEU and Unite following accessibility
guidelines.
4.听听 Electronic voting is more
transparent, and can allow a record of individual votes, if wished.
In the
above, best Trade Union practice guidelines for the use of data in line with
GDPR should be adopted and incorporated into practice.
Congress
resolves:听 that electronic voting - using
recommendations from Democratic Services on accessible systems - be introduced
at our subsequent Congress, FESC and HESC and thereafter.
SFC16 Impact of UK Pensions Act 听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Scottish
retired members branch
Congress notes:
The Pension Schemes Act 2021 was passed by the UK Parliament in February
2021. In addition to long-term funding objectives and new powers for the
Pensions Regulator (TPR), it introduces a framework for collective defined
contribution (CDC) schemes called collective money purchase in the Act. This
represents a compromise alternative to defined benefit schemes such as the USS
pension. It opens the door to a new type of pension that is beneficial to
university management and less so for members.
Congress urges:
51福利 to conduct an urgent review of the potential impact of the Act and
report this to all members. Also, to seek an assurance that all members
currently in direct benefit pension schemes or in receipt of such pensions are
fully protected.
SFC17 Discussion of pensions at Congress听听听听听 East Midlands retired members
This
Congress is firmly of the opinion that motions dealing with industrial action
associated with pensions should be dealt with by sectoral bodies. However, it
also recognises that many HE members belong to the TPS and that Retired members
are impacted by changes to the indexation of the pensions that they receive. To
limit all discussion of pensions to sectoral bodies means that some aspects of
pensions policy cannot be adequately addressed. Plenary Congress sessions
should be allowed to discuss the issue of pensions that are not exclusively the
property of sectoral bodies.
SFC18 UN Treaty on the
Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Yorkshire
and Humberside retired members
Congress notes:
1.
The continuing danger to humanity from the
existence of nuclear weapons
2.
The contribution of the nuclear weapons industry
to environmental pollution
Congress welcomes:
a.
The 2017 UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear
Weapons ()
b.
The fact that 86 countries have signed the treaty
and 52 have ratified it.
Congress calls on UK Government:
i. To cancel
Trident and sign and ratify the UN treaty.
ii. To provide
alternative socially useful employment for workers in the nuclear weapons
industry
iii. To use
money saved from nuclear weapons expenditure to fund education, health, social
care, investment in renewables and tackling poverty and climate change.
51福利 in its work with the TUC, other trade unions and international
trade union federations will support the extension of the UN treaty, the case
for peace and disarmament, just transition from nuclear weapons production, and
spending the peace dividend on social justice and tackling the climate
emergency.听
SFC19
International cooperation and solidarity听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National
executive committee
Congress recognises the importance of an active
international dimension to 51福利's work, especially during and after a global
pandemic, and the value of working alongside Education International, TUC and
other affiliated solidarity organisations.
Congress welcomes our international activities and
campaigns to defend educators and trade unionists at risk in countries such as
Colombia, Palestine, Turkey and Egypt and to support global responses to the
privatisation of public education, including the new threats posed by Edtech
companies.
Congress also recognises the value of mutual learning
from international partners in areas such as education policy, equality and
union organising and believes that the pandemic has strengthened the case for
international cooperation and solidarity between trade unions.
Congress calls on NEC to continue to engage members,
branches and regions in concrete international solidarity work, including the
use of webinars as one of the tools to expand member engagement.
SFC20 Composite: China, Hong Kong and the
Uyghurs: solidarity, peace, and democracy 听听听听听听听听听 University of Cambridge, Liverpool
John Moores
51福利 believes in political and economic democracy. China鈥檚 authoritarian
state represents neither.
Uyghurs and other majority-Muslim peoples in Xinjiang China suffer
genocidal persecution and forced labour through Chinese government policy.
Supported by British colonial-era anti-union and anti-democratic laws,
the Chinese state is repressing Hong Kong鈥檚 democracy movement and using a
recently imposed National Security Law to arrest and charge activists.
Independent trade unions are prohibited under China鈥檚 Trade Union Law,
allowing employers to ignore workers鈥� rights, often with impunity.
Congress calls on our branches, NEC and General Secretary to:
1.
Build solidarity with labour organisers, feminist
activists, human rights defenders, and others struggling to uphold their rights
in China;
2.
Issue a statement and initiate a campaign in
support of the Uyghur population of Xinjiang, calling for the Chinese
government to end the on-going forced mass imprisonment, alleged sterilisation,
indoctrination, torture and oppression of the Uighur people.
3.
Demand the release of political prisoners and
repeal of Hong Kong鈥檚 National Security Law;
4.
Demand supply chain audits, and cut ties with
Xinjiang rights abuses;
5.
Resist increasing Sinophobia and those who
appropriate support for democracy to promote a New Cold War.
SFC21 International LGBT+ Rights听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 LGBT+ members standing committee
Congress
notes:
1.
colonial
era laws from the European imperialisation project are still present in many
countries
2.
people
should not have to hide their protected characteristics in an international
workplace for fear of criminal prosecution and /or direct discrimination
3.
UK
organisations including many in post school education have international
operations
4.
LGBT+
rights are under attack in many countries
Congress
believes local conditions at international campuses can create discrimination
against staff and students due to gender, race, sexual orientation, disability
and / or trade union membership.
Conference
resolves to
i. campaign with international organisations
to dismantle oppressive laws and with TUC internationally to undo colonial laws
ii. work with other organisations including
ILGA, the British Council, and NGOs to put pressure on governments to change
laws
iii. highlight post school education
providers with international operations that have a negative impact on equality
and diversity values.
SFC22 Solidarity with the civil disobedience movement in Myanmar University of Nottingham
Congress
notes:
1.听听 That the military in Myanmar
have seized power and are conducting mass arrests of activists across the
country.
2.听听 That part of the Civil
Disobedience Movement is organised from university campuses, involving
student-led protests and strikes by academics.
3.听听 That the military is
brutally suppressing this resistance, arresting at gunpoint a union leader at
Yangon University, Professor Arkar Moe Thu, on 2 March 2021.
Congress
resolves:
1.听听 To extend our solidarity to
the Civil Disobedience Movement, and to demand the release of Professor Arkar
Moe Thu and others held by the regime.
2.听听 To negotiate for students
applying from Myanmar to be allowed to use alternative criteria to the IELTS
exam due to internal restrictions in the country.
3.听听 To demand that universities
audit their investments and partners to sever connections with organisations
and individuals that are linked to the Burmese military.
Rule changes
R1听听听听 Rule change: Gender
identity 听听听听听听 National executive
committee
In rule 2.5 (aims and objects), after 鈥楾o oppose actively all forms of harassment, prejudice and unfair discrimination whether on the grounds of sex鈥�, insert 鈥榞ender identity,鈥�.
In rule 6.1, after 鈥樷��all forms of harassment, prejudice and unfair discrimination whether on the grounds of sex鈥�, insert 鈥榞ender identity,鈥�.
Purpose: to bring the relevant union rules on
discrimination into line with current union policy, explicitly including gender
identity.
R2听听听听 Rule
change: 51福利 membership and far right organisations听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 National
executive committee
In rule 6.1.1, after 鈥榩olitical organisation鈥�, delete 鈥榠ncluding鈥�, add 鈥榮uch as鈥�.
After 鈥楤NP鈥�, delete 鈥榓nd鈥�, replace with comma; after 鈥楴ational Front鈥�, add 鈥榓nd AfD鈥�
Final clause, before 鈥�6.1 above鈥�, add 鈥�2.5 and鈥�
Purpose: to update the
description in rule 6.1.1 in respect of far right political organisations and
the union鈥檚 aims and object
R3听听听听 Rule
change: General data protection regulation 听听听 National
executive committee
In rule
6.3, add at end:
All
members and student members shall co-operate with the union in the lawful
discharge of its duties and responsibilities under the General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
Purpose: to bring the rules into line with
current data protection law and the union鈥檚 legal obligations.
Add new rules:
15.9 Between 7-14 days after a ballot for General Secretary or Officers of the Union has opened, a UK-wide hustings event will be held to ensure that all members and candidates have access to a fully accessible hustings event. This event will be video-recorded and edited before distribution to all members. Reasonable traveling and subsistence expenses will be made available to candidates, paid from union funds.
15.9.1 The location of this event may not occur at the home branch of any participating candidate, and the location will rotate to a different region from the previous year, with due consideration to accessibility depending on candidates' locations.
15.9.2 If it is not possible to hold the event physically for any reason, it will be held online.
15.9.3 All members eligible to vote in the relevant election will have the opportunity to submit questions in advance of this event.
15.10 The date for the event will be chosen in consultation with all candidates, and will be finalised no later than one month before the beginning of the ballot period.
15.10.1 If a candidate prefers to attend electronically rather than in person, or to pre-record a statement and answers to questions, this will be facilitated. Candidates who are disabled, impaired or have a long term health condition will be able to make this known and have their adjustment needs accommodated to avoid any disadvantage by reason of disability.
15.10.2 If a candidate cannot make the session due to illness or emergency, they will be given an opportunity to record their responses on another date, to be included in the recording for members.
15.10.3 Candidates may choose not to attend.
15.11 During the relevant ballot period, any other branch organising a hustings event will provide candidates with 30 days notice, making every effort to make the event accessible to all candidates, including facilitating electronic attendance. Reasonable traveling and subsistence expenses will be made available to candidates, paid from branch funds, on the basis that all candidates standing for a given position are invited to attend.
R5听听听听 Rule change: Congress delegates from
equality standing committees National executive committee
Rule 17.1,
first clause, after 鈥樷�� National Executive Committee鈥�, add 鈥�, two members of
each standing committee set up under rule 23.1 (one from each sector)鈥�
Purpose: to give each equality standing committee the
ability to send two voting delegates to Congress (currently each committee
sends two observers).
R6听听听听 Rule Change: Congress Membership and New/Small Branches University of Sheffield International College
RULE 17: Congress membership
Proposed Rule Change:
Rule 17.1: Delete 鈥�, or in the case of institutions/central groups/regional retired members鈥� branches with fewer than 100 members, by aggregations of members in institutions/central groups/regional retired members鈥� branches, as specified by Congress Standing Orders.鈥�
Rule 17.2: Delete 鈥�, or in an aggregation of members in institutions/central groups/regional retired members鈥� branches in accordance with Rule 17.1, as appropriate.鈥�
Purpose: To allow all branches of less than 100 members the right to
participate in National Congress
R7听听听听 Entitlement to Participate in Election of 51福利 Scotland Officers Scottish retired members
Add at the end of Rule 18.9.2
For the purposes of 18.9.2 only, the Scottish Retired Members Branch shall be treated as a Higher Education Sector branch.
Purpose: The existing rules have the consequence that in Scotland members of the
Retired Members branch are excluded from electing key officers. There is no FE
sector in 51福利 Scotland, so there is no requirement to apply the sectoral
separation. The proposed change to 18.9.2 will enable the desired inclusion of
retired members in these elections.
R8听听听听 Rule 24 Retired Members鈥� Committee听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside retired members
Add at end of title to Rule 24
鈥榓nd Retired Members鈥� Committee鈥�
Add at end of 24.2
鈥楾his meeting shall elect delegates to the Retired Members鈥� Committee鈥�
Insert new 24.3 and renumber subsequently
There shall be a Retired Members鈥� Committee, which advises the NEC on matters relating to retired members. The Retired Members鈥� Committee shall have the right to send two motions and two amendments to 51福利 Annual Congress.
Purpose: to establish a Retired Members鈥� Committee,
similar to in role to the specialist committees which exist under Rule 25 for
Academic -related and Professional Staff and the Anti-Casualisation Committee.
R9听听听听 Rule 24 National Meetings of Retired Members 听听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside retired members
Add 24.4
24.4 The meeting shall select from among resolutions it has carried at its current and immediate previous annual meeting two motions for sending to the BDC of the NPC.
Purpose: to clarify and improve the process of
selection by the annual meeting of two motions for forwarding to the BDC
(Biennial Delegate Conference) of the NPC (National Pensioners鈥�
Convention). This addition to rule will authorise the meeting to consider
not only motions carried at its current meeting but also the motions from the
previous year鈥檚 Annual Meeting. This rule addition expands the scope of
motions for consideration for forwarding.
Note: if the
amendment for a Retired Members鈥� Committee is carried, this will then be
renumbered as 24.5
R10听听 Rule change: Amend Congress Standing Order 18 (quorum)听听听 University of Leeds
Congress standing order 20, delete 鈥�(subject to rounding up to the nearest whole number)鈥�
Add at end:
鈥渆xcept where, by convention, the chair asks that only a subset of the branches in a sector should vote on the topic under discussion, in which case the quorum shall be a fraction of 150 members proportionate to membership in that subset. Quora shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number."
Purpose: To have a quorum for sector specific conferences on matters relating to
a subset of the sector which is line with the membership of that subset.
R11听听 Speaking times at Congress 听听听听听听听听 South
West regional committee
Standing Order 21: replace 鈥榝ive minutes鈥� with 鈥榝our minutes鈥� and 鈥榯hree minutes鈥� with 鈥榯wo minutes鈥�
Purpose: to reduce the speaking times in the Congress standing orders for
movers of motions (and sections of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress) from five
minutes to four minutes, and for all other speakers from three minutes to two
minutes.
R12听听 Voting process 听听 South West
regional committee
Standing order 40: after 鈥樷��.hold up their voting cards鈥�, add 鈥榯his will initiate the use of electronic voting, where the facility is available.鈥�
Standing order 41, first sentence: delete 鈥榗ount employing tellers is taken鈥�, replace with 鈥榚lectronic vote鈥�
Purpose: to put electronic voting into the Congress standing orders
R13听听 鈥楴ew-delegate friendly鈥� order of business for Congress听听听 South West regional committee
Standing Order 67: in section C, move points 2, 3, and 4 to follow point 5, and renumber accordingly.
Purpose: to move other topics ahead of the financial business in the order of
private sessions of Congress.
Motions to the further education
sector conference
Pay and workload
FE1听听 FE England pay: Further education committee
Conference approves the report on
the FE England 2020/21 pay round and progress in the 2021/22 round as
circulated in FE branch circular 51福利BANFE/XX.
FE2 听 Pay 听 London
regional FE sector committee
FESC
notes:
1.听 听听听FE pay has been cut by 30% in the last
decade;
2.听听听听 Government鈥檚 promise to
fund and 鈥榬evolutionise鈥� FE;
3.听听听听 Government increase in
military spending by 拢16.5bn;
4.听听听听 AoC offer of 1% for
20/21;
5.听听听听 the FE missing
millions;
6.听听听听 the role of all those working in the
sector played during the public health crisis.
FESC
believes:
a.听听 the government gave billions of public
finances to private firms to develop track and trace systems that never
materialised;
b.听听 there is money for warfare but not
education;
c.听听 the AoC and local employers did not keep
their promise to ring fence extra funding for pay.
FESC
resolves 51福利:
i.听听听听 to launch a pay campaign targeting the
government, AoC and local employers;
ii.听听听听 to campaign round the figure of a 10%
increase;
iii.听听听 to ballot all branches across England and
to fully resource and prioritise this campaign.
Conference notes that:1. We are in a second year of teacher assessed grades for GCSE, A level and vocational qualifications.2. Many, including in 51福利, welcome a move away from high-stakes external exams.3. Teachers in FE have seen an increase in teaching hours together with reduced contact time per group, leading to a situation where (for example) a full time GCSE maths or English tutor can be teaching 200 students per academic year.4.听 Additional marking and standardisation would be the final straw for many whose workloads are already at unsustainable levels.We call on 51福利 to make it policy that no permanent change which increases the teacher assessed component of qualifications should be introduced unless teachers have a reduction in teaching hours.
FE4听听 Admin and workload听听 Croydon College
Conference notes that years of managerialism have expanded the admin
duties of lecturers, administrators and support workers. It is eating in to the
time teachers and support workers need to prepare for lessons, it is creating
stress and anxiety, and data bullying is becoming a feature in our workplaces.
Conference resolves:
1. To launch a campaign to safeguard
teaching and support preparation and assessment hours to be safeguarded and
expanded
2. To develop guidelines for admin and
support staff to identify excessive data recording and admin workload
3. To support action where employers use
data to undermine staff confidence and intimidate staff.
FE5 听 For a national campaign on
workload and defending professional autonomy 听听听听听听听听听 Capital
City College Group CANDI Camden Road
Notes:
Believes that:
a. Three areas are responsible for the
increase in workload; i) Cuts in guided learning hours; ii) Attendance chasing
and iii) increase in admin duties as colleges cut support staff.
b.
Through
an increase in monitoring, open classroom observation polices and micro
management of lecturers鈥� time, management have eroded our professional autonomy.
Resolves:
i. 51福利 to launch a national
workload/defending professional autonomy campaign around the slogan 鈥楾ake back
control of our working lives鈥� aimed at the AoC.
ii. To reach agreement with the AoC around
issues such as; the use of guided learning hours and resourcing the recruitment
of administrative staff to support lectures in their departments.
Future of FE/ACE/prison education
FE6听听 ALPs Grades and grade inflation are damaging
academic standards The Manchester College
Conference notes:
5. Urgent investment is needed to manage
the achievement gap and protect students from financial consequences of
progressing above ability level.
听听听听听听听听听 FE
Sector conference instructs 51福利 to:
a.
Campaign
to protect teaching staff harbouring unrealistic group targets and to maintain
integrity of qualifications and professional standards of education.
b.
Lobby
the AoC and UK governments to identify grade inflation as an issue and include
ALPs benchmarking in the Safeguarding Policy Agenda.
FE7听听 FE
White Paper听听 London regional FE sector committee
听听听听听听听听 FESC notes:
1.
DFE FE White paper;
2.
no real terms increase in funding for Further and Adult Education.
听听听听听听听听 FESC believes that:
a.听听听听 the government strategy for social and
economic recovery in a Post Coronavirus world must place Further and Adult
Education at its centre;
b.听听听听 the DFE FE White Paper is a step backwards
for the sector;
c.听听听听 its emphasis on skills training above and
beyond everything else narrows the sector educational role to narrow skills
training;
d.听听听听 this model will not meet the needs of our
communities; neither in creating meaningful jobs opportunities nor
educationally.
FESC
resolves 51福利 to:
i.听听听听 campaign against the FE White Paper and
put forward a collectivist approach based on a plan led model;
ii.听听听听 promote the alternative vision for FE as
outlined in the Reconstruction of FE in a Post Coronavirus world discussion
paper.
FE8听听 Asset stripping in FE听听 West Midlands regional FE sector committee
FESC notes:
The West Midlands region is experiencing multiple incidences of asset
stripping across numerous college sites. Whole and part sites continue to be
sold off for nominal gain to resolve deficits. Sell-off is happening with
little or no consultation with local communities or regard for local
educational needs. Since 2002 the West Midlands has lost almost 50 percent of
FE provision. Government has acknowledged the vital role FE has to play in the
economic recovery of the country. FE provision should be expanding, not
shrinking.
FESC believes:
Due regard is not given to equality legislation and impact assessments
are inadequate or disregarded. Continuous government under-funding over the
last decade has led to the position where college survival is dependent on
asset sell-offs.
FESC resolves:
51福利 should scrutinise the extent of asset stripping in the last decade
and the impact this has had on our rural and urban communities.
FE9听听 Build Back Better听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Further
education committee
FESC notes the Build Back Better campaign which seeks to ensure society鈥檚 response to the pandemic is to protect public services, tackle inequality and provide quality jobs whilst addressing the climate crisis.
FESC notes the bargaining priority areas to tackle the race & gender pay gaps; insecure work and unmanageable workloads, as well policy on democratic governance and ending outsourcing and the Green New Deal bargaining guidance to branches.
FESC believes that the pandemic has left branches struggling to address these priority areas whilst ensuring that their workplace is a safe environment to work. As such there is a need for bargaining support to be streamlined to help branches achieve maximum impact in all these areas with the resources they have.
FESC therefore instructs FEC to draw up a model claim and accompanying guidance for branches which includes the principles of the Build Back Better campaign and 51福利鈥檚 bargaining priorities.
FE10 Build Back Better听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Novus prison education
Conference notes that during the pandemic Prison Educators have had to
adapt their ways of working at short notice to carry on supporting students.
Lessons learned from this need to shape how future blended learning will look,
ensuring that this works for both students and our members.
This
conference believes we must prioritise the following areas when discussing
future provision:
1.
Job
security and maintaining terms and conditions
2.
Health,
safety and wellbeing of staff
3.
Government
investment in tech and digital infrastructure
4.
Training
and professional development of staff
5.
Intellectual
property rights
This conference resolves to:
a.
Ask
NEC to commission research into Blended Learning in a custodial setting
b.
Mandate
negotiators to focus on pursuing with the employers and commissioner a solution
that addresses the areas listed above.
FE11 Adult Education听 Further
education committee
FESC notes:
听听听听听听听听 The
Education select committee report on Lifelong Learning
1. That there
has been a decline in participation in community learning by 32%
between 2008-2009 and 2018-2019 the lowest for 23 years.
2. Nine million
working-age adults in England have low literacy or numeracy skills, or both,
and six million adults are not qualified to level 2 (equivalent to GCSE level).
3. Support the
Select Committee report and its calls for a community learning centre in
every town in the country and national strategy for adult education and for
childcare, ESOL and SEND Adult Education, IAG.
FESC calls on FEC:
a. Invite the
Select committee to work with FESC by organising a parliamentary committee
meeting.
b. Discuss the
Reconstruction of Further and adult education paper 听
and the Adult Community Education Manifesto as part of the wider
discussions.
FE12 Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and Automated Decision Making (ADM) Further education committee
FESC notes:
1. The impact
of the pandemic on the uptake of technology in the sector.
2. The
Automatic University report.
3. The TUC
working group on AI which produced the Technology Managing People report and is
due to publish a legal report and a manifesto.
4. Data
Protection Impact Assessments should be carried out by employers when
implementing new systems using workers鈥� personal data, but unions are not
consulted about them.
FESC believes:
a. AI and ADM
can be useful in workplaces but must be used in a way that doesn鈥檛 infringe on
rights workers鈥� or discriminate against individuals.
FESC resolves to:
i. Produce
bargaining guidance for branches on how to approach the issue of new technology
with their employers using current legislation, and provide training to support
this.
ii. Seek to draw
up a joint ethical AI policy with the AoC which colleges can implement with
local branches to protect workers.
FE13 FE - Trainers/Assessors contract status - no
longer to be "Business Support"听听听听听听听听听 Bridgwater
and Taunton College
Conference notes:
1. the successful learning delivery by Trainer-Assessors, Specialist Trainers, and other colleagues in FE.
2. these colleagues frequently earn the same or more than lecturers in the same institutions.
3. these colleagues contribute significantly to learning in FE
4. some colleges have resolved differentials and pay and conditions have been rationalised and merged.
Conference resolves that:
a. 51福利 negotiate nationally for recognition of all colleagues delivering learning in FE and inclusion in the 鈥渓ecturer family鈥� bargaining unit
b. 51福利 Branches consider negotiating such recognition at local level
c. Such contracts no longer be deemed 鈥淪upport鈥� or 鈥淏usiness Support鈥�
d. Every effort be made to achieve parity between delivery of learning (especially to Apprentices in the workplace and at the college or other provider base) and delivery of full-time learning
e. Multiple and diverse salary scales be rationalised to demonstrate more obvious parity of status for all colleagues delivering learning in FE Colleges
Covid and health and safety
FE14 COVID, lockdown and work/life balance听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 City College Oxford (Activate
Learning)
Conference notes the excessive workloads for staff in FE during the pandemic and lockdown:
1. Extra time spent on marking, adapting teaching material and having to get to grips with new technology
2. Staff were asked to undertake many administrative roles and the bureaucratic parts of the work actually increased
3. Homes had to be turned into offices and home life disrupted
4. Work/life balance lost meaning for many staff
There is a real danger that these features may become the new normal as students return to site and management will seek to take advantage of the 鈥榙isaster鈥� status of COVID.
Nationally with AOC and locally with management 51福利 must seek to achieve new agreements on work/life balance which mean FE staff work to contracted hours as a maximum rather that a nominal figure that has no meaning.
FE15 Casualisation, FE and Covid Anti-casualisation committee
Covid has resulted in the fragmentation of the work life of members in
FE and given employers the opportunity to employ staff on a 鈥榡ust in
time鈥� philosophy. Remote working disguises the factors that already affect
casual staff whilst the ACC has found it difficult to encourage FE
members to attend the Annual Conference and stand for election
for committee.
This conference calls on:
1. all branches to elect an
anti-Casualisation representative and seek paid facility time for
them.
2. regional committees to use
their networks to identify and encourage members from
FE/ACE/Prisons to stand for the ACC and attend 51福利 regional and
national events.
3. the national union to:
a. highlight to members in
FE/ACE/Prisons the work of the ACC and encourage involvement
in anti-casualisation events
b. reconsider how Anti-Casualisation
events and campaigns are advertised in order to reach those members, and
potential members, who work in hard-to-reach areas.
FE16 Full funding for COVID-19 catch-up education
and support 听听听听听 Further education
committee
听听听 FESC
notes:
1.听听 The impact of the COVID pandemic will be ongoing and systemic
across all sectors of society. Yet again, 51福利 members will be expected to pick
up the pieces.
2.听听 Filling the gaps left by long periods without education and the
mental health crisis that will unfold will need specialist help and
skills.听听听
3.听听 The government cannot be allowed to get away with expecting staff
in these sectors to paper over society's cracks when they are not adequately paid
and the funding for provision is not adequate.听
听听听 FESC resolves:
a.
to
revise the Fund the Future campaign to secure a real funding increase from
government to fund 鈥榗atch up鈥� education in the FE sector听听
b.
to
lobby government to provide emergency funding for colleges to cover all aspects
of support not just educational, including mental health support听听 and fully funded tutorial support.
FE17 Health and Safety Programme of Mobilisation听听听听听听听听听 West Midlands FE sector regional
committee
FESC notes:
Covid and the global pandemic has created uncertainty, dangerous conditions for all. The Government continues to treat FE in the same way as schools which have a different population make up, primarily having more adults which currently have a greater risk of being affected by Covid. 51福利 needs further mobilisation around Health and Safety to keep members safe.
FESC resolves to:
1.听听听听听听 Run an organisational programme to recruit and train Health and Safety Officers to ensure they are in every branch.
2.听听听听听听 Develop the role of a Regional Committee Health and Safety Officer in every region.
3.听听听听听听 Encourage and develop regional health and safety networks to share ideas, expertise and best practice.
4.听听听听听听 For 51福利 to develop stronger working links with the HSE/Directors of Public Health to support safe working conditions.
5.听听听听听听 Report the worst offenders flouting guidance and breaking the law to the HSE/appropriate organisation.
FE18 Wellbeing and outsourcing听 Croydon College
Conference notes the increase in outsourcing of mental health support
provision for students and the lack of on-site counselling in many colleges. We
further note that Covid -19 has increased the need for this support and will
continue to have an impact on mental health wellbeing in to the future.听 The pressure on lecturers to take on
counselling responsibilities without support is unacceptable and potentially
dangerous to both students and staff.听
Conference resolves to launch a campaign to ensure that every college
has appropriately trained and fully funded in-house counselling services to
meet the needs of students as a matter of urgency.
FE19 Safe working in FE听听听听听听 LGBT+ members standing committee
Conference notes:
1.
FE
colleges have been called to go back to face-to-face working whilst many other
workers remain at home
2.
Working
from home is in some cases safer but also poses some issues around privacy and
home-life
3.
FE
is treated as a key working environment whilst undervalued and underfunded
4.
Safety
in prison education can be precarious
Conference believes:
a.
FE
should be more valued and better funded
b.
LGBT+
staff and students in FE should be supported by implementation of strong
supportive and inclusive policies
c.
Conditions
across the FE sector should be supportive of health and well-being
Conference resolves to:
i. Campaign for a well-resourced, safe FE
sector
ii. Develop toolkit for branches to review
FE LGBT+ policies and data collection
iii. Lobby for routine inclusion of LGBT+
people and issues across FE including data collection, curriculum, policies,
training, and provision of facilities.
Equality
FE20 Online working and accessibility for disabled members听听 Disabled members standing committee
During this Pandemic, conditions for disabled members have
deteriorated significantly.听 For many
members the uncertainty of providing online lessons and resources without
regard for accessibility issues have added to their stress.听 A recent 51福利 survey identified that the
increased workloads and lack of reasonable adjustments has affected the mental
health of disabled members.听 The
alternative, of attending work, leads members to feel unsafe. For example, the
survey identified prison staff as part of this cohort, some of whom will be
disabled members.
We call on 51福利 to identify the prevalence of these factors for
disabled members and ensure that FE institutions do not use the cover of
coronavirus to discriminate against disabled members.
FE21 Improving organisation for disability equality
in FE 听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee
Conference notes:
听听听听 Conference
believes that:
Conference instructs FEC /NEC:
A. to
pursue this anti disability discrimination charter, and union training, bargaining
and organising agenda, without delay
B. to
provide better legal support to disabled workers facing discrimination and
redundancy
FE22 Educating
our FE students about public sexual harassment听听听听听 Women
members standing committee
The majority
of schoolchildren in the UK are not taught about street harassment,
despite the fact that 2 in 3 girls will be subject to this violence (Plan UK,
2016). The recent murder of Sarah Everard, and others
yet to be identified, exemplifies the danger that women face within the
public space.
Conference supports the call
for greater resources within FE to educate students and staff about
the issues around public sexual harassment and gender-based violence.
Conference calls upon FEC to:
a. Advocate for
curriculum to support education around public sexual
harassment and gender-based violence within FE, as well as funding
for resources.
b. Work with Student
Unions, lecturers and support workers to help promote
increased awareness of public sexual harassment and gender-based violence
and what that entails.
FE23 Facility
time and equal representation for women in FE branches 听听听听 Women members standing
committee
There is an under-representation of women, especially women from
marginalised groups, in trade union leadership and structures. They
continue to be under-represented in 51福利 FE branch committees and urgent
intervention is needed to ensure equitable representation.
Conference instructs FE branches to adopt the following
principles to address this under-representation and ensure
equitable facilities time:
1.鈥����疉ll women in FE should be actively encouraged to take on
branch committee roles.
2.鈥����疶hey are allocated equitable facilities time. Where
facility time is inadequate, the branch should endeavour to negotiate an increase
in facility time.
3.鈥����疨eople holding
multiple committee positions in FE should make some positions
available so women can stand for election as representatives.
4.鈥����疻omen, especially those from marginalised groups in
FE, should be given priority as delegates for Congress.
5.鈥����疉nnual audit of FE branch committees by WMSC and
other equalities groups to monitor compliance.鈥���
FE24 Black Lives Matter 听听听听听听 Further education committee
FESC notes:
1. The
supportive Black Lives Matter statements from Principals across the country
2. That FE has
some of the most diverse classrooms
3. Black Lives
Matter Movement has exposed systemic racism
Believes:
FESC resolves:
To call on Principals to meet with 51福利 to
revise the FE curricula which embraces all Black history with inclusion of colonial history
To call a 鈥渙pen decolonisation" of FE
Conference, which seeks to work with Principals and 51福利 members.
FE25 Composite Network for Black
Members in Prison Education听听听听听听 Novus
prison education, Black members standing committee
This conference notes:
3.
The
51福利 response to the Education Select Committee Inquiry which made
recommendations as to how a revised and decolonised curriculum could go towards
addressing the differential outcomes experienced by black and other ethnic
minority groups in prison populations.听听
Conference believes that black workers in prison education are
entitled to a work environment that is free from bullying and discrimination.
This conference resolves to:听 听听听听听听听
FE26 Exam
Process: Equality Issues for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students听 Yorkshire
and Humberside Regional Committee
COVID-19 has exposed a number of significant
inequalities in the education system for students from a Black, Asian and
minority ethnic heritage. Evidence shows Black students are more likely to be subjected
to teacher bias, both unconscious and conscious due to the imposition of tutor
assessment grades.
Following last year鈥檚 exam fiasco, there are
concerns that teacher assessment grades could severely impact on Black
students鈥� ability to secure the university place of their choice again this
year.
We call on 51福利 to lobby the Government and the
AoC to support the call for all teaching and assessing staff to be trained in
fair methods of assessment including:
1. unconscious bias training;
2. anonymous marking carried out by internal and
external assessors/markers;
3. ongoing training for staff to support students
in accessing career advice and their choice of HE destination.
FE27 Intersectional LGBT+ in FE听听 LGBT+ members standing committee
Conference notes
1. Many LGBT+ people are drawn to FE for
various reasons including bullying and isolation
2. FE is a diverse environment.
Conference believes
Conference resolves to
i. Make available resources that challenge
assumptions and raise the profile of LGBT+ intersectionality in the context of
the curriculum and learning environment within FE
ii. Campaign to raise awareness of the
challenges and joys experienced by LGBT+ with intersectional characteristics
iii. Campaign for LGBT+ inclusion in FE curriculum
Motions to the higher education
sector conference
HE1听听 Pay - 4 Fights听听听听 Higher education committee
HESC notes:
1. The continued support for a focus upon the four fights (pay, pay inequalities, casualisation and workloads) in our pay claim among members as witnessed by the branch delegate meetings in 2020.
2. HESC believes standing committees of 51福利 should continue to have input into the demands in each of their respective areas.
HESC resolves:
a. To continue to ensure that
the four fights, informed by the decisions of the equalities standing
committees and anti-casualisation committee, should remain a central element of
our claim in 2021.
51福利 commits to re-launch a campaign over the four
fights among 51福利 members with publicity and social media prior to balloting for
industrial action up to and including strike action where these are not met.
HE2 听 Maintaining the 'Four Fights'听听听听听听听听 University
of Brighton, Moulsecoomb, University of Brighton, Grand Parade
Conference notes:
1. The 86% rejection by members of the 0% pay 鈥榦ffer鈥� for HE staff for 2020-21
2. The unfinished business of the Four Fights dispute of 2019-20.
3. The success of recent UK-wide action in building the 51福利.
Conference believes
a. Issues of pay, casualisation, equality and workload have become more not less urgent as a result of the pandemic.
b. The HE sector has the ability and the resources to address these issues.
Conference resolves to develop a strategy to mobilise members over the Four Fights issues.
This should include:
i. a timetable for balloting and for taking UK-wide industrial action听
ii. a campaign making the case that staff and students deserve better in HE
iii. a GTVO strategy.
HE3听听 Building on the successes of the Four Fights dispute Anti-casualisation committee
Conference notes:
1. The Four Fights campaign was built by broadening our pay claim to include casualisation, pay inequality and workload and on the basis of these demands we delivered the largest national university strike in history
2. That the Four Fights campaign succeeded in forcing UCEA to negotiate around these issues for the first time
3. That while there are lessons to be learnt, the principle of combining the issues that motivate our members into one dispute was correct and that members and branches demonstrated incredible determination and resolve to deliver 22 days of industrial action
4. That while the 2020/21 pay claim contains demands around casualisation, workload and pay inequality, the profile of these demands has been reduced
听听听听 Conference resolves:
a. To build on the progress made by including demands around casualisation, workload and pay inequality in future claims
b. To embed/promote these demands in all future campaigns
HE4听听 For a national campaign on workload and casualisation听听 Bournemouth University
Conference
notes
1. a crisis of spiralling workloads during the pandemic
2. a failure to offer secure jobs to casualised members
3. a number of institutions restructuring for the market
Conference believes that there is an opportunity to argue for consolidating casualised jobs to relieve the workload crisis for 2021/22
Conference resolves
a. to launch a UK-wide public campaign for decent jobs in HE with publicity materials (e-posters, petitions, twitterstorms), resources for reps, launch events, etc
b. to integrate this public campaign with the national pay dispute, including the demand for a decent pay rise.
c. to use this to drive up turnout for the national JNCHES ballot.
HE5听听 Formula for the election of HE negotiators听听听听听 Higher education committee
Conference notes that the current formula for the election of HE negotiators is out of its keeping with 51福利鈥檚 approach to equality and representation in its requirement to elect 鈥榓t least two men鈥�.
Conference therefore agrees that the formula for the election of HE negotiators (which also applies, as relevant, to the election of USS negotiators) should be amended as follows:
Paragraph E, clause b, delete 鈥榓nd at least two are men鈥�.
HE6听听 Disputes of National Significance听 University
of Liverpool
HESC notes:
1. More than a dozen 51福利 branches face threats of compulsory redundancies, including Liverpool, Leicester, Dundee, Roehampton, UEL, Solent, Goldsmiths, Leeds and more
2. Many of these are targeting union activists, including UEL, Leicester and Dundee.
3. Elements of success have been seen at Northumbria where a formal ballot was initiated immediately without a consultative ballot and at Heriot Watt with their rapid activation of the Academic Boycott & Censure process.
4. 51福利 existing policy recognising disputes of national significance.
HESC resolves to:
a. Declare all current disputes to be of national significance.
b. Streamline the process of balloting, remove the requirement for consultative ballots
c. Allow Academic Boycott and Censure to be declared immediately on request of the branch.
d. Report back to HEC on all branches in dispute with the time taken from an employer declaring proposed job cuts to beginning of the balloting of members.
HE7听听 Composite: Support for branches pursuing the model claim for ARPS Academic related, professional staff committee, University of Liverpool
HESC notes:
1. The work of the ARPS committee and ARPS members in branches
2. The development of a draft model claim for branches on ARPS.
3. The erosion of terms and conditions for ARPS members by employers.
4. That pursuing the claim under current circumstances represents a significant challenge for already stretched branches.
HESC instructs HEC to:
a. Ensure support and resource is provided via all relevant 51福利 national and regional structures to branches and ARPS members to pursue the claim via template campaign plans including data and information requests, and regular, ongoing support for negotiators within branches.
b. Develop a coordinated campaign in support of the model claim for branches that is centred around wage theft and pay inequality.
c. Facilitate communications between ARPS reps and members and the ARPS committee as a priority work area.
Conference notes that the General Secretary's election manifesto included a suggestion that "we should consider adopting alternative approaches that might deliver more for our members: in particular, open negotiations", and that the 51福利 ran a workshop on open negotiation in February 2021.Conference believes that there is merit in further consideration of open negotiations in various aspects of the union鈥檚 operations, and supports its adoption in principle in any forum where there is a good case as to its desirability and feasibility.Conference requests that the HEC commissions a paper on the merits of open negotiation for debate within branches, and asks that the Superannuation Working Group and pay negotiating team explore and report back to HEC at the earliest opportunity, and within six months, on the desirability and feasibility of implementing open negotiation at the USS Joint Negotiating Committee and New JNCHES fora.
HE9听听 Discrimination in promotion听听听听听听听听听听 Higher education committee
HESC notes:
1.
Continuing promotion discrimination of women and minority groups, particularly
BAME and Disabled members.
2.
Negative impact of casualisation.
3.
Limited promotion opportunities for T&S and ARPS members
4.
Continuously increasing criteria and resulting indirect discrimination.
HESC instructs HEC to:
a.
Produce
campaigning pack to support branches to get management to:
a.
provide
data on promotion of people in equality strands, L&T and ARPR staff,
existing policy and how implemented in practice.
b.
carry
out equality impact assessments of promotion procedures and changes in them and
provide results to branch committee.
c.
make
criteria more flexible to take account of individual circumstances such as
disability and separate this from the promotion form and monitor the impact.
d.
implement
and monitor measures for equality in promotion of L&T and ARPR staff.
e.
promote
equal numbers of women/non-binary people to men in male dominated areas.
2. Negotiate an agreement with UCEA.
HE10 Composite: Condemn the USS
valuation, defend USS听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Newcastle University, Northern
regional HE sector committee
HESC condemns:
1. The unnecessary valuation during Covid
2. USS鈥檚 valuation proposals giving likely member contributions of 13.6-18.6%
3. UUK proposals to slash benefits and a lower value scheme for casualised and lower paid members.
听听听听听听听听听 HESC believes:
a. Current benefits can be maintained at 26% total contributions.
b. Very high member opt-outs due to soaring costs or slashed benefits could lead to USS closure.
HESC mandates negotiators to maintain current benefits at very close to 8% member costs.
HESC mandates HEC to:
i. implement multi-pronged strategy to defend USS.
ii. call on employers to (i) withdraw proposals for benefit reductions and worse benefits for lower paid members and (ii) put pressure on USS to modify valuation approach to give total costs of 26%
iii. otherwise to call a ballot for industrial action to start at the start of the autumn term which involves strikes and action short of a strike
HE11 USS - Build the Resistance听听 UCL
HESC notes:
1. The 2020 USS valuation, claiming a very large projected deficit dueto 鈥榙e-risking鈥�. Yet in reality, assets have grown to ~拢80bn. 100% DC or swingeing cuts are likely to be re-imposed.
2. Strikes in 2018 stopped a similar attack. Now USS and the employers are attempting to repeat it.
3. Pension cuts affect those beginning their careers the most.
4. We will likely need to take industrial action to stop the attack, potentially as early as Autumn 2021.
HESC resolves to:
a. Organise a member-level campaign to stop detrimental USS changes.
b. Develop campaign materials, invite speakers and call meetings to demystify the valuation and projected deficit.
c. Call on university leaders to support 51福利鈥檚 position in negotiations with USS and lobby to adopt a more credible valuation methodology.
d. Support initiatives to build the campaign, alongside organisations including USS Briefs, HE Convention and 51福利 Solidarity Movement.
e. Ballot members for industrial action.
HE12 Replacing USS ltd. as the trustee company of the
USS听听听听 Lancaster University
Conference notes 鈥�
1. USS having acquired master-trust status, 51福利 (and UUK) have lost the right to dismiss/replace their nominated trustees.
2. Repeated calls in previous HESCs for USS executive to resign
3. The wish of members to regain control of our pensions.
Conference believes 鈥�
a. USS governance structures are not transparent or fit for purpose
b. USS executive is not acting in the best interest of members as demonstrated by the non-implementation of JEP 1&2 reports.
Conference resolves that 鈥�
i. 51福利 should immediately initiate an investigation to explore mechanisms by which USS ltd (trustee company) can be replaced, and explore options to appoint a successor to administer the scheme.
ii. The investigation should explore the advantages and disadvantages of replacing the trustee company with another, and make recommendations to 51福利.
iii. This investigation should be completed within the next 6 months to allow 51福利 to effectively evaluate its options.
HE13 Composite: Initiating legal action on USS听听听听听听 Lancaster University, University of Glasgow
HESC notes:
1. USS's proposed 2020 Covid valuation risks members' contributions rising to 14-20%.
2. Academics for Pension Justice鈥檚 QC opinion that there are good grounds for taking legal action against USS on breach of trust.
HESC believes:
a. There is an urgent need to defend USS.
b. What happens to USS will probably affect all DB schemes, including those in post-92 and FE, and members of the wider trade union movement.
HESC agrees that legal action is an appropriate means of defending USS and should be initiated as soon as possible.
HESC instructs Strategy and Finance Committee to:
i. Take immediate steps to initiate urgent legal action, e.g. to delay current and overturn previous valuations and replace them by a better process. This will require obtaining legal advice on the most appropriate forms of legal action.
ii. Actively involve the 51福利 Superannuation Working Group (minus directors) and endeavour to get them included in the legally privileged group with access to the legal advice.
HE14 Women and pensions听 Women
members standing committee
Conference notes that women have lower pensions, due to structural discrimination in promotion and the greater casualisation of female staff. Women are harder-hit by contribution increases, and also by reductions in benefits as they generally have fewer savings. This applies to both USS and TPS. The move from final salary to CARE has also led to indirect discrimination as women tend to get promoted later. The situation for BAME, disabled and precariously employed women even worse as they experience multiple discrimination.
Conference agrees:
1. To demand that USS and TPS carry out equality impact assessments.
2. To fight contribution increases and benefit cuts to the maximum, including industrial action
3. To make links with women politicians to put pressure on USS and call for a public inquiry including equality impact assessment.
4. To organise webinars about women and pensions (USS and TPS).
HE15 IHRA Definition of Antisemitism听听听 Higher education committee
HESC notes the:
1.
the unions commitment to opposing anti-Semitism
divergent HEI responses to the IHRA definition of antisemitism 鈥� adoption,
adoption with caveats, review of adoption decision, rejection;
2. careful investigation of antisemitic incidents and of the IHRA definition in the UCL Working Group Report and its relevance for the whole sector;
3. Unfounded accusations of antisemitism against academic staff, using the IHRA听听听听 definition;
4. Scurrilous attack on Ken Loach, and attempt to 鈥榥o platform鈥� him at Oxford.
HESC believes defence of members鈥� integrity and job security requires negotiated agreements to reject use of the IHRA definition, adopting an alternative, if appropriate.
HESC resolves to:
a. circulate, in a dedicated message, links to the UCL Report, PSC/BRICUP Guide, legal opinions, and relevant statements of opposition;
b. urge branches to share these with all members, open negotiations with managements, and mount staff-student campaigns in favour of academic freedom to teach Middle East studies on campuses.
HE16 Academic freedom, black workers/students and the IHRA听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Black members standing committee
HESC notes that universities have been instructed to adopt the 鈥淚HRA working definition of antisemitism鈥�, and implement it in staff and student codes of conduct.
HESC also notes that only a quarter of HEIs have adopted the definition.
Furthermore, 51福利 has established policy opposition to the IHRA definition. 51福利 also has a proud track record of fighting antisemitism.
HESC believes that:
1. The struggle of the Palestinian people and all oppressed peoples across the world is inextricably linked with our own freedom.
HESC resolves to:
a. condemn the Government鈥檚 intervention as an attack on institutional autonomy, on academic freedom and freedom of expression.
b. publicly oppose this assault on academic freedom
c. call on branches to organise against the adoption, and to develop a briefing document for branches
d. organise a grassroots campaign on academic freedom and free speech on Israel.
听听听听听听听听 HESC notes:1. The Education Secretary threatened (9.10.20) to cut 鈥渇unding streams鈥� if universities did not adopt the 鈥渨orking definition鈥� of anti-Semitism promulgated by the IHRA. 2. The IHRA so-called 鈥渋llustrative examples鈥� were widely criticised as infringing upon freedom of speech and in particular by defenders of Palestinian rights.3. Some UK universities' have adopted the controversial IHRA definition. 听听听听听听听听 HESC believes:a. These developments are detrimental to academic autonomy, freedom, and freedom of speech.b. These developments intimidate and suppress speech by academics researching Israel and Palestine.听听听听听听听听 HESC resolves:听 i. To defend academic freedom and reject adopting and enforcing the IHRA working definition and its 鈥渋llustrative examples鈥�.ii. To urge HEI management to reject pressure from government and OFS to adopt the flawed IHRA working definition and its 鈥渋llustrative examples鈥�.听听 iii. To urge UK Higher Education Institutions to defend academic freedom and student activism from external and politically motivated attacks.听听听听
HE18 Defending academic freedom and defending equality听听听听听 University of Glasgow
HESC affirms the importance of defending both academic freedom and equality and diversity.
HESC believes that academic freedom should not be used to justify racism, eugenics, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia in research or teaching.
HESC is equally concerned about the misuse of equality concerns to suppress academic freedom.
HESC calls on HEC to:
1.听 Organise online meetings with input from the Equality Standing Committees in regions and devolved nations to discuss these issues.听听
2.听 With input from the Equality Standing Committees to produce a discussion document on guidelines on intersection between equality issues and academic freedom and what is and is not acceptable.
3.听 To provide support for branches negotiating the guidelines with management and for making public statements where required to condemn management practice in this area.
HE19 Resisting cuts to research funding, defending academic freedom 听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee
Conference notes:
1. The almost 50% cuts鈥痶o the UKRI ODA budget announced March 2021
2. The almost immediate withdrawal of funding, including from grants in progress.
3. Fears of further cuts to research funding, such as Horizon funding
Conference believes:
a. The speed and size of cuts is an intentional assault on the HE sector鈥檚 finances, stability and strength.
b. Volatile, narrowly-defined funding streams are an assault on academic freedom that erodes the stability required to support an independent voice
c. The harms of withdrawing funding will disproportionately fall on casualised staff
鈥疌onference calls on employers to:
i. Guarantee no compulsory redundancies
ii. Provide replacement funding for PhD students
iii. Provide adequate funded time to bring in replacement funding from other sources or be redeployed
Conference commits 51福利 to lobby the government to reverse the cuts and increase research funding, allocated according to academic excellence
HE20 Governance standards University
of Sussex
Conference notes that:
1. UK universities are charitable institutions with a duty to uphold ethical standards
2. UK universities have become increasingly marketised.
Conference believes that the increasing pressures on UK universities have seen some university executives systematically bypass University formal academic and governance structures to the detriment of academic assurance, ethics and transparency.
Conference instructs Higher Education Committee to commission a report investigating the current standards of University governance in order to inform future national and local campaigns.
HE21 Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Decision Making (ADM) 听听 Higher education committee
听听听听 HESC notes:
1. The impact of the pandemic on
the uptake of technology in the sector.
2. The Automatic University
report.
3. The TUC working group on AI
which produced the Technology Managing People report.
4. Data Protection Impact
Assessments should be carried out by employers when implementing new systems.
5. The importance of all
technologies being fully accessible to all members.
6.
Potential cost implications.
HESC believes AI and ADM can be useful but must not infringe
workers鈥� rights or discriminate.
HESC resolves to:
a. Produce bargaining guidance
for branches on how to
approach the new technology with their employers and
provide training to support this. This guidance should include the importance
of accessibility to all members and the employer covering all costs
b. Include an element in HE
national claim on agreeing an ethical AI policy with UCEA which universities
can implement with local branches
c. Involve members with expertise in this area in drawing up guidance.
HE22 Building
51福利 in private HE 鈥楶athway鈥� colleges听听听听听听听听 University
of Sheffield International College
Conference 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.
Conference 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.
HE23 LGBT+ International working 听听听听听听 LGBT+ members standing committee
Conference notes:
1. HEIs have established international campuses
2. Some campuses are in countries that don鈥檛 support LGBT+ rights
3. LGBT+ staff have expressed concern about not having the same support or rights as non-LGBT+ colleagues when working in some countries
Conference believes:
a. LGBT+ workers shouldn鈥檛 have to hide their protected characteristics to enjoy a full working life
b. LGBT+ workers shouldn鈥檛 be put in positions where they fear criminal prosecution, unequal protection for their employment status, and / or family life just for being themselves
听听听听 Conference resolves to:
i. Engage with and initiate campaigns to stop HEIs opening campuses where LGBT+ rights aren鈥檛 recognised
ii. Organise and lobby for protection of LGBT+ workers lives and careers particularly where compromised by HEIs international operations
iii. Call on employers to provide equal progression routes for LGBT+ workers who don鈥檛 wish to work in countries where their rights aren鈥檛 recognised.
HE24 Build Back Better听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Higher education committee
HESC notes the Build Back Better campaign which seeks to ensure
society鈥檚 response to the pandemic is to protect public services, tackle
inequality and provide quality jobs whilst addressing the climate crisis.
HESC notes the bargaining priority areas to tackle the race &
gender pay gaps; insecure work and unmanageable workloads, as well policy on
democratic governance and ending outsourcing and the Green New Deal
bargaining guidance to branches.
HESC believes that the pandemic has left branches struggling to address
these priority areas whilst ensuring that their workplace is a safe environment
to work. As such there is a need for bargaining support to be streamlined to
help branches achieve maximum impact in all these areas with the resources they
have.
HESC therefore instructs HEC to draw up a model claim and accompanying guidance for branches which includes the principles of the Build Back Better campaign and 51福利鈥檚 bargaining priorities
HE25 University libraries opening during the
pandemic听听 Academic related, professional
staff committee
HESC notes:
1. 听 During the first Covid-19 lockdown many campuses were closed, including libraries.
2. 听 Many libraries operated a 鈥榗lick and collect鈥� service for access to books/materials.
3. 听 51福利鈥檚 strong campaign to ensure most teaching moved online, with considerable success in many universities.
4. 听 Many universities have now opened study space in libraries, claiming they are 鈥榗ovid-secure鈥�.
5. 听 Library staff (and their communities) are therefore at unnecessary elevated risk of contracting coronavirus.
HESC instructs HEC to:
a. Ensure that risks to ARPS staff (including library staff) are highlighted in all Covid-19 campaigns, materials, and press releases.
b. Launch a UK campaign for university libraries to return to click and collect access only during the Covid-19 pandemic.
c. Provide specific central and regional support to branches where library staff feel they are being placed in serious and imminent danger.
HE26 Teaching only institutions do not benefit staff, students and
stakeholders Southern regional HE sector
committee
HESC believes:
1. High quality research is found in all HEIs;
2. That the government should support research at all HEIs; and,
3. That teaching only institutions will be to the detriment to staff, students and the general public.
HESC instructs 51福利 to fully support any branch that resists any attempts to turn their HEI into a Teaching-only institution under any circumstance.
HE27 Risk assessment, health and safety and black workers听听听 Black members standing committee
Conference notes that according to the ONS, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted Black communities with a disproportionate number of deaths recorded. A lack of appropriate risks assessment has impacted profoundly on the health and wellbeing of black members.
Conference resolves that:
1. The impact of Covid 19 on black members must be considered in the institutional risk assessment and workload allocation
2. HE institutions should carry out a complete and sufficient risk assessment.
3. The risk assessment must be carried out for Black staff and staff who live with a Black person, based on ethnicity, and taking into account all relevant factors
4. All redeployment options should be considered for black staff, including specialist staff working from home if appropriate
5. Appropriate workload allocation and the health and wellbeing measures for black members must be considered
6. The health, safety and well-being of Black members must be assured.
HE28 Digital Learning Technologies study听听听听听 SOAS
HESC notes:
While digital technologies offer many potential advantages for staff and for student learning, they also bring potential changes in workplace relationships.听 The implementation of classroom recording, online learning support, remote teaching tools and marking software as well as other A.I. and digital technologies can raise issues such as workplace surveillance, intellectual property, student and staff privacy, automation of teaching and/or deskilling.听听 Implementation of these technologies has been accelerated by the pandemic, often without proper planning or consideration of the long-term consequences.
HESC resolves:
51福利 should investigate the role and impact of online and digital teaching software and the variety of implementation policies used across the education sector in the U.K. Such a study would help support individual branches as well as identify the long-term threats and potentials that digital teaching software presents for the future of further and higher education.
HE29 Defending International Students 听听听听听听听听听 Migrant members standing
committee
HESC notes:
1. 51福利 has existing policy against tuition fees
2. historically, international student fees opened the door to the marketised HE sector that we now face
3. the Covid-19 pandemic has thrown many international students into financial destitution
4. Many international students in UKHE participate in tuition/rent strikes; many face withdrawal from their courses for both unwillingness and inability to pay.
HESC believes in free and accessible higher education for all, the end of the hostile environment, and the importance of students, staff, and broader community working together to fight for justice.
HESC resolves:
a. to campaign to end all international student tuition fees, endorsing campaigns such as that run by Unis Resist Border Controls
b. to lobby government to end no recourse to public funds for Tier 4 students
c. to campaign at national and branch level to defend protesting international students from course withdrawals and visa cancellations
HE30 Rebate of accommodation costs for students听 West Midlands HE sector regional committee
HESC notes:
1. Most students that move away from home to attend university live in university or private sector accommodation at considerable cost to themselves.
2. During the 鈥�3rd lockdown鈥� from January to March 2021, most students were unable to use their university accommodation because they returned home.
3. In many cases universities have given a rent rebate or refund for their own managed accommodation.听 However private sector landlords generally have not done so.
HESC believes that universities and private sector landlords should all treat students fairly, and provide a rent rebate for the lockdown period when the accommodation wasn鈥檛 used.
HESC resolves:
a. To support the UK Rent Strike鈥檚 national 鈥楥ut the Rent鈥� campaign also backed by the NUS.
b. To encourage 51福利 Branches to support their local student rent-strike campaigns for a rent refund or rebate from university, private partnerships in association with universities, and private sector landlords.
HE31 Challenging the impact of online working for HE neurodivergent staff 听听听听听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee
HESC deplores the intensification of workloads, lack of resources and support for online working and their disproportionate and discriminatory impact on disabled and neurodivergent staff.
Conference reaffirms:
1. 听 Its commitment to equality and ending discrimination against disabled members.
2. The need to act collectively to ensure that disabled members receive the reasonable adjustments they need.
Conference instructs HEC to:
a. Produce guidance for branches to negotiate policies for proactive approaches to reasonable adjustments for online working for disabled members, including (i) provision of all required equipment and support, (ii) support for doing tasks differently e.g. hard copies instead of online marking. (iii) reductions in workloads, but not pay due to longer time to carry out tasks.
b. Survey disabled members on impact of online working and use results to improve guidance.
c. Publicise examples of good practice.
d. Support legal action against employers who engage in disability discrimination.
HE32 Re-dressing the leaky pipeline for disabled graduates 听听听 Disabled members standing committee
听听听听听听听听 Conference notes:
1. 14.5% of students are disabled and 5.7% of HE academics declared a disability, compared to proportion 19% of working age people in the UK.
2. Disabled workers are twice as likely to be made redundant than non-disabled workers
Conference believes this is due to disability discrimination in the employment of disabled people within academic roles.
Conference instructs HEC to develop a fully resourced campaign to address this inequality to include the following elements:
a. Encourage disclosure of disability status for students and academics
b. Mandate negotiators at branch and national level to push employers to release data on disability status for staff at different pay scales.
c. Create campaigning materials and branch action plans to increase the proportion of disabled academic staff
d. Include disability pay gap the next pay negotiations
e. Prevent redundancies for the few disabled staff in HE
HE33 Peaceful protest and assembly听听听听听 West
Midlands HE sector regional committee
Conference asserts its full support for the right to peaceful protest on University campuses.
HESC 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.
HESC 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.
HESC resolves:
1. to 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. to 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.
HE34 LGBT+ Liberation in Higher
Education 听 LGBT+ members standing
committee
Conference believes:
1. Hetero and cis-normative societal values are prevalent in HE and don鈥檛 mirror LGBT+ lives
2. HE can enable people to see different experiences and perspectives through teaching and research
3. Erosion of space for exploring non-normative lives is a by-product of ongoing marketisation of HE.
Conference notes:
a. Attempts to dilute commitments to support LGBT+ people and / or rights in policy and action
b. Hetero and cis-normative values lead to LGBT+ people experiencing micro-aggressions and discrimination in HE
c. Data collected in HEIs about LGBT+ people isn鈥檛 routine
d. Some HEI鈥檚 data collection questions demonstrate poor awareness and/or exclude some LGBT+ people
Conference resolves to:
i. Develop toolkit for branches to review HEI LGBT+ policies, data collection and implementation
ii. Organise LGBT+ liberation training
Campaign for LGBT+ inclusion in teaching and research to be given increased value and undertaken by all not just LGBT+ people.
MOTIONS
NOT ORDERED ONTO THE AGENDA
I听听听听听听听 Motions submitted after the deadline,
not considered to meet the criteria for late motions
Submitted to Congress
B1 听听听 Solidarity with Uyghurs, HK Democracy campaigners, Chinese
workers, HK/Chinese migrants 听听听听 SOAS
Congress notes:
1. 53 democracy and trade union activists arrested in Hong Kong stand accused of 鈥渟ubverting state power鈥� under the National Security Law.
2. HK trade union leader Lee Cheuk-yan鈥檚 prosecution for 鈥渦nauthorised assembly鈥�.
3. Similar repression of workers鈥� organisations throughout China.
4. Collective mass incarceration of Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang and evidence of sterilisation, surveillance, rape, torture and forced labour.
5. Increasing levels of Sinophobia, pandemic-racism and 鈥楴ew Cold War鈥� rhetoric.
Congress believes the 51福利 must stand in solidarity with struggles for democracy in China.
Congress resolves to:
i. Call on the 51福利 to support detained activists for workers鈥� rights and democracy in China and Hong Kong.
ii. Support events highlighting the repression of Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang.
iii. Oppose all forms of Sinophobia.
II 听听听听 Motions not approved in accordance with
the Congress standing orders
Submitted to Congress
B2听听听听 Post Covid-19 video delivery听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 University
of Westminster
Congress notes that:
1. Many HE/FE employers have opted for continued online delivery as part of their post-Covid19 planning, including video recordings made by academic staff;
2. At the same time,听 employers are actively considering or have imposed video recording policies which breach the Intellectual Property, moral and performance听 rights of academic staff;
3. Such moves create opportunities for employers to use teaching material in perpetuity and, thus, substantially reduce reliance on their academic and academic related work-force.听 These moves are also detrimental to the student educational experience and to student wellbeing.
Congress resolves:
b. To defend, promote and reinforce the听 academic staff and students鈥� rights to the established pedagogic benefits听 of face-to-face/ blended learning through a national campaign;
c. To undertake joint initiatives with NUS against the marketisation of education.
d. To support local branches to defend members鈥� rights and IP through a campaign of national importance.
Submitted to HE sector conference
B3听听听听 Third
semester imposition in post-92 institutions听听听 University
of Westminster
听听听听听听听听 Congress (HE sector) notes that:
1. the introduction of a third semester
(April-July) at post-92 institutions
2. such as Westminster, combined with the
threat to staff of teaching three
3. semesters per year, negatively affects
the wellbeing of academic and
4. academic related staff and their
ability to take annual leave and/or
5. conduct scholarly activity and
research;
6. the imposition of such decisions without
prior consultation with 51福利
7. is against the post-92 contract and any
local variations, and demonstrates an unwillingness by managements to protect
staff wellbeing.
HE sector Congress resolves:
a. to defend the post-92 contract and
maxima;
b. to support local negotiators, to ensure
that no post-92 member of staff will have to teach more than 2 semesters, or
beyond the contractual 38 weeks, each academic year;
c. local disputes will be supported
nationally through a campaign of national importance that highlights the
importance of protecting staff wellbeing and mental health.
Submitted to FE sector conference
B4听听听听 51福利 must campaign harder on pay in FE听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 City of Liverpool College
We must not forget the expensive executive pay, expensive private
consultants, and now missing millions.听
51福利 has a rare opportunity to expose these excesses and galvinise a
workforce for change.
Yet again real FE is being abandoned by government seeking to
strengthen skills and the needs of business. The AoC鈥檚 stubborn refusal to
recognise a pay offer is evidence of further exploitation of the sector. 1% is
an insult to the workers.听
51福利 must do better on campaigning on pay.听 The pay strategy must include local, regional
and national pay campaigns.听听 The pay
campaign must target the government, AoC, and employers.
Congress resolves:
1听听听 Launch
a National Pay Campaign that is visible in all aspects of social media.
2听听听 All
branches to campaign on a single, clear, unified pay message.
3听听听 Provide
a definitive strategy with deadlines.
4听听听 Coordinate
pay and funding campaign with other unions.