51福利2091a

51福利2091a Original text of motions and amendments composited

Congress motions

Composite motion 5

C1 Ukraine 鈥� peace now. City and Islington College Camden Road

Notes:

1. It is estimated that 150,000 Ukrainian soldiers and civilians and 200,000 Russian soldiers have died since invasion.

2. Putin has threatened the use of nuclear weapons and unleashed war crimes.

3. The 2022 NATO summit to a US military base in Poland, a brigade in Romania, air missile systems in Italy and Germany and two additional F-35 squadrons in Britain.

Believes:

a. Wars are fought by the poor and unemployed of one country killing and maiming the poor and unemployed of another.

b. We should say, 鈥淩ussian troops out, no to NATO escalation and expansion.鈥�

c. NATO is not a progressive force: escalation risks widening war in the region.

d. Only through a peaceful resolution can lives be saved.

Resolves:

i. 51福利 to call upon Russian to withdraw its troops and for government to stop arming Ukraine.

ii. 51福利 to call for a peaceful resolution to the war.

C2 Stop the War in Ukraine University of Brighton, Grand Parade

Congress notes:

1. One year after the brutal invasion, Ukraine has become a battleground for Russian and US imperialism.

2. Vladimir Putin has threatened the use of nuclear weapons and committed war crimes.

3. The 2022 NATO summit committed to a permanent military base in Poland, a brigade in Romania, air missile systems in Italy and Germany and two additional F-35 squadrons in Britain.

4. Volodymyr Zelensky says he wants Ukraine to become a 鈥渂ig Israel鈥濃€攁n armed, illiberal outpost of US imperialism.

Congress believes:

a. We should say, 鈥淩ussian troops out, no to NATO escalation and expansion鈥�.

b. We should stand in solidarity with ordinary Ukrainians and demand an immediate withdrawal of Russian troops.

c. NATO is not a progressive force: its expansion into Eastern Europe stoked the Ukraine conflict and escalation risks widening war in the region.

Congress resolves to support protests called by Stop The War, CND and other anti-war organisations.

Composite motion 17

C3 Long term Covid safety and mitigations University of Leeds

Congress recognises:

1. Ongoing and long-term health and social impacts of Covid19 and Long Covid

2. Our responsibilities to protect and promote healthier accessible working, studying, and union environments

Congress resolves 51福利 must:

a. Actively campaign as a Covid Safety Pledge signatory, and for recognition of Covid19 as an occupational disease

b. Call on employers and commit as a trade union to ensure structural mitigations are in place in workplaces and organising spaces, including:

路 minimum requirements for clean air, including ventilation, mechanical filtration, CO2 monitoring as a proxy measurement of air quality according to space usage

路 normalisation of hybrid events to ensure accessibility

c. Undertake specific research into impact of Long Covid on our members and students

d. Support ongoing development of bargaining guidance and training for members on Covid19 / Long Covid

e. Ensure 51福利 leads the way as an employer by employing best practice in its own workplaces and in events that it organises.

C4 听听听听 Covid mitigations National executive committee

Congress notes:鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

1. Excellent work of 51福利 Health and Safety staff and reps, Hazards Campaign , Independent SAGE

2. SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19, remains a significant threat to public health

3. Long Covid pathophysiology is not understood; reliable effective treatments remain elusive

4. Lack of COVID-19 mitigations, including further boosters not being widely available.

NEC agrees:

a. 51福利 should lead by example: 51福利 events and spaces must be made as safe as possible, with mitigations in place to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2, not limited to government guidance

b. Mitigations must include ventilation and mechanical air filtration, which does not need to be prohibitively expensive and significantly improves indoor air quality

c. To enshrine the recommendations of the Hazards Campaign and Doctors In Unite authored guide, in our practice ()

d. To campaign to make vaccination available to all age groups for which the vaccine is authorised by the MHRA.

C5 Health & Safety and COVID-19鈥�&苍产蝉辫;National executive committee

Congress believes鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

1. 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;That tertiary education providers are putting staff and students at unacceptable risk from Covid-19 and Long Covid, with particular ramifications for those identifying with one or more of 51福利鈥檚 recognized equality groups鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

2. That the fact that the government has removed Covid protections does not absolve providers of health and safety responsibilities toward staff and students鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

3. That the current situation is discriminatory and ableist鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Congress calls on NEC to鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

a. 鈥痗ontinue to campaign and implement, for members and staff, effective Covid mitigations (including provision of high-quality transparent face-coverings, e.g. masks, unless exempt), and demand employers to implement such measures鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

b. collaborate with AoC, UCEA and UUK to as far as possible to pressure the UK government to improve Covid mitigations鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

c. Demand full sick pay for workers on all contract types suffering ill health through Covid, without disadvantage or discrimination鈥�&苍产蝉辫;

Composite amendment 27A.1

C6听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside retired members鈥� branch

Under Congress notes add point 5

Trade union facility time is under increasing pressure from employers and many union representatives perform union work without adequate facility time.听 Some 51福利 members have inflexible work commitments and need cover for their work while taking facility time.

Under Congress believes that, add point c

51福利 must not abandon the fight for adequate facility time with cover.

Under Congress instructs the NEC to, add iv

Support defence and improvement of existing facility time agreements and extension of facility time to union roles and members who currently have no facility time.

C7听听听听听 National executive committee

Under Congress notes add point 5:

鈥橳rade union facility time is increasing under pressure. Many reps perform union work without adequate facility time. Some reps need their work covered or duty reductions to make facility time meaningful.鈥�

Under Congress believes that, add point c:

'51福利 must step up the fight for adequate facility time.鈥�

听听听听听听听听听 Under Congress instructs the NEC to, add iv:

鈥楶rovide resources and call on GS for support to defend and improve facility time agreements and extend facility time with cover and duty reductions to union roles and members currently without facility time.鈥�

Composite motion 28

C8 Censure of 51福利 general secretary Bournemouth University

Congress notes the:

1. decision by the General Secretary to agree with UCEA to pause the industrial action ending intensive dispute resolution talks without consultation with negotiators or the HEC, excluding elected lay negotiators in the ACAS talks

2. failure to call the BDM agreed by the 12/11/2022 HEC

3. paused negotiations without a significant offer on the Four Fights.

Congress believes:

a. the pause was a tactical mistake which could lose the dispute.

Congress resolves:

i. to censure the GS for her actions in excluding elected lay negotiators, pausing the strike action and failing to observe 51福利 policy.

ii. to seek an assurance from the GS that she will now faithfully observe 51福利 policy and processes.

C9 Censure of the General Secretary Cardiff University, Imperial College London

Congress notes:

1. Delays in balloting and then notifying employers of industrial action in the 2022-23 dispute repeated failings of 51福利 the previous year.

Congress believes:

a. 51福利 General Secretary's public statements opposing HEC decisions weakened members belief in the union leadership鈥檚 commitment and undermined negotiators鈥� role, again repeating the lack of democratic responsibility in the previous year.

b. Members' democratic control must be at the heart of 51福利's industrial strategy.

c. Members decisions at 51福利 Congress, sector conferences and HEC must not be undermined if members are to have confidence in the leadership of our union.

d. Delays in balloting and calling industrial action all undermined our industrial action's effectiveness.

Congress resolves to:

i. Reaffirm the sovereignty of Congress, sector conference and NEC/HEC decisions.

ii. To censure the General Secretary for undermining 51福利's democracy and undermining our disputes.

iii. Require that the GS abide by democratic decision making in 51福利.

Composite motion 29

C10 No confidence in the general secretary University of Sunderland, Ulster University, Kingston University

Congress notes that

1. UCEA鈥檚鈥榦ffer鈥� made no improvement on headline pay, offering only talks on other matters till February 2024;

2. the General Secretary鈥檚 indicative members鈥� eballot prior to an emergency BDM was without opportunities for prior branch discussions;

3. it is the constitutional role of the elected members of the HE Committee, not the GS, to determine when offers be put to members;

4. the marginalisation of 51福利鈥檚 elected national negotiators in the process;

5. Unison rejected the offer and balloted for further industrial action.

Congress believes that

a. acceptance of this offer constitutes a serious defeat for 51福利;

b. the indicative eballot was designed to bounce the BDM, and the BDM to bounce the HEC;

c. plebiscitary ballots are false consultations, incompatible with 51福利鈥檚 democratic structure, against Union policy, and tools of populist manipulation.

Congress resolves that it has no confidence in the General Secretary.

C11 No Confidence in the General Secretary University of Oxford

As motion C5 above, with alternative wording of believes point c:

c. plebiscitary ballots should not be used to undermine 51福利鈥檚 democratic structures or present false choices to members;

C12 No confidence in the General Secretary Royal College of Art

As motion C5 above, but with minor variation in phrasing of point notes 2:

2 Timing of General Secretary鈥檚 indicative members鈥� eballot prior to an emergency BDM did not allow time for thorough branch discussions;

C13 No confidence in the general secretary Southern regional committee

As motion C5 above, but without 鈥榥otes鈥� point 5.

Composite motion 60

C14 Trans and non-binary solidarity - actions for 51福利 Liverpool John Moores University

Congress notes:

1. The Tory government has stepped up its war on trans and non-binary people.

2. Sunak鈥檚 decision to block the Scottish government鈥檚 reforms of the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) in January.

3. The murder of trans teenager Briana Ghey in Warrington in February.

4. The mass protests and vigils resulting from the above.

Congress believes:

a. 51福利鈥檚 trans-inclusive position is correct, and should be re-affirmed, promoted and strengthened in the face of concerted political attacks on trans rights.

b. This position must be made clear on every university and college campus and in the wider trade union movement

Congress resolves:

i. To mobilise nationally, regionally and locally for protests, vigils and marches in support of trans and non-binary rights and liberation, e.g., Trans+ Pride London, and local trans prides.

C15 Critical Media and Social Media Engagement - Supporting LGBT+ members LGBT+ members standing committee

Congress notes:

1. increasingly hostile narratives in media / social media including moral panic around LGBT+ people, especially trans people

2. individual and coordinated anti-LGBT+ attacks emboldened on Twitter since takeover by Elon Musk

3. Trans Media Watch is a trans-led media organisation working to ensure accurate, respectful, media representations of trans people.

Congress believes

a. Social media platforms can be positive but also become unsafe and toxic environments for LGBT+ people, especially trans people

b. 51福利 has duty to critically examine its media / social media engagement and strategies and consider how use impacts LGBT+ members

Congress resolves to

i. engage with organisations like Trans Media Watch and LGBT+ members to produce LGBT+ inclusive media, including social media, guidelines for 51福利 and its members

ii. review media practices within 51福利 to ensure positive support for LGBT+ people and inclusive practice that does not expose members to toxic online environments

C16 Trans and Non-Binary Solidarity and Rights National Executive Committee

Congress deplores:

1. The continuing transphobia, discrimination bullying of trans and non-binary people.

2. The UK government block on Scotland gender recognition reform and the lack of simple gender recognition based on self-identification throughout the UK.

3. The refusal to use correct names and pronouns and behave with respect, including regrettably sometimes in 51福利.

鈥疌ongress expresses solidarity with all trans and non-binary people worldwide.

鈥疌ongress calls on NEC to:

a. Work with TUC to put pressure on UK government to remove block to Scottish gender recognition reform and introduce similar legislation in the rest of the UK.

b. Produce information and guidance for branches for negotiating policies and procedures to support trans and non-binary people in their institutions.

c. Identify gaps and produce new information materials for members, including on importance 辞蹿鈥赌痷蝉颈苍驳 correct pronouns and names, and to encourage all members to participate in training on trans and non-binary issues.

Composite motion 67

C17 Minimum Service Levels Bill 51福利 Wales

Congress notes that:

1. On 2022-10-20, the government introduced the 鈥淭ransport Strikes (Minimum Service Levels)鈥� Bill, which further restricts the right to strike, making anti-TU legislation among the worst in Europe.

2. Unless we fight this bill, it will be applied to all unions; another attack against working and civil rights.

3. Union leaders, including ours and the TUC, took an unacceptably long time to organise action, rather than an immediate upheaval against this new assault.

Congress resolves to:

a. Organise an ongoing, high-profile, high-priority campaign to stop the bill's enforcement and to repeal ALL anti-trade union laws that plague Britain and the working class, spearheaded by the NEC.

b. Stand together, co-ordinate with sister unions, especially those targeted now and those next on the list (healthcare, education, civil servants, etc).

c. Stop being reactive and deferring vital action to the TUC leadership; we must go on the offensive today.

C18 Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill University College London

Congress notes that:

1. In January, the government introduced the 鈥淪trikes (Minimum Service Levels)鈥� Bill, which further restricts the right to strike, making existing anti-TU legislation worse, among the worst in Europe.

2. Unless we fight it, it will become universal; another attack against working and civil rights.

3. Union leaders, including ours and the TUC took unacceptably long to organise action, in what should have been an immediate, militant response against this new assault.

Congress resolves that:

a. The NEC organise an ongoing, high-profile, high-priority campaign to stop its enforcement and to repeal ALL anti-trade union laws that plague Britain and the working class.

b. We stand together and coordinate with sister unions, especially those targeted now and those next on the list (healthcare, education, civil servants, etc).

c. We must stop being reactive and deferring vital action to the TUC leadership; we must go on the offensive today.

Composite amendment 78A.2

C19听听听 University of Edinburgh

Add at end:

d)听  Issue guidance on members collectively influencing employers to recognise the need for flexible working (IBNLT working from home) and a move towards a four-day week as a response to the climate emergency

e)听听 Explore and advocate for dedicated Green New Deal Organiser(s) to support climate organising and bargaining including GND claims.

f) 听听 Support 51福利 branches across the UK to lodge Green New Deal claims.

C20听听听 Open University

Add at the end:

a) 听 The Climate and Ecological Emergency Committee will be supported to organise regular meetings with all elected FE and HE negotiators and Heads of FE and HE to advise on climate bargaining objectives鈥� integration into sector level claims

b)听听 Explore, advocate for and appoint dedicated Green New Deal Organiser(s) official(s)/staffing to support climate organising and bargaining including GND claims.

c)听听 Support 51福利 branches across the UK to lodge Green New Deal claims.

Composite motion 79

C21 Climate justice and the right to peaceful protest University of Glasgow

Congress reaffirms:

1. Commitment to urgent action to avert climate change.

2. Support for the right to take part in peaceful protest on environmental and other issues, including civil disobedience.

Congress condemns:

a. The 鈥楥op City鈥� project to destroy a forest near Atlanta, USA to set up a police training city mimicking an urban area, with the risk of training for militarised police attacks on Black neighbourhoods.

b. The violent treatment of protestors.

c. The arrest of 23 people, including a legal observer, on charges of 鈥榙omestic terrorism鈥� with possible 35-year prison sentences.

d. Police shooting and killing non-binary activist Torguguita 鈥� condolences to their friends and family.

Congress calls on NEC to:

i. Send solidarity messages to protestors.

ii. With TUC put pressure on US government to cancel the Cop City project and release protestors.

iii. Campaign against restrictions on the right to protest.

iv. Encourage members to participate in local climate actions.

C22 Environmental crisis, climate and racial justice National Executive Committee

Notes

1. Climate and ecological breakdown and extreme weather events are leading to an increased displacement of people, particularly in the Global South.鈥�

2. The term climate refugee is being increasingly used to describe people displaced by such climate disasters

Believes

a. Those most affected by climate and ecological breakdown are those least responsible for climate and ecological breakdown, but are the one who are suffering the most as a result of it.

b. Indifference to human suffering characterises this government's attitude to refugees and its lack of action on environmental targets鈥�

c. Climate denial and hostility to refugees share a common right wing ideology that regards human life as expendable

d. Struggles against all forms of oppression, including calls for climate justice, are interlinked.鈥�

Resolves to support

i. campaigns and groups making the link between climate justice and racial justice

ii. demonstrations and actions in support of the above.

FE sector conference

Composite motion FE2

C23 City and Islington College Camden Road

Add:

Notes:

1.听听 The historic FE ballot result of 87% for action and 51% turn out.

Believes:

1. 听 The results reflect an appetite of members to fight on an England-wide basis.

2.听听 Due to the intransigence of the employers and government we will need to take nationally coordinated and sustained strike action to win.

Resolves:

1.听听 To call an England-wide demonstration on one of the initial days of strike action to lobby the DFE.

C24 New City College (THC Poplar), South and City College Birmingham

Notes:

1. The c150 branches to be balloted from September.

Believes:

1. There is a significant appetite amongst members to take national action for pay, workload and a binding national bargaining agreement.

2. We need to start to prepare now to follow up the Autumn campaign and lay the groundwork to successfully move to an aggregated ballot in the new year.

Resolves:

1. If government/AoC have not conceded to our demands, to prepare for an aggregated ballot starting in January 2024.

HE sector conference

Composite motion HE3

C25 Future of pay disputes Bangor University

Conference believes that:

1. Pay erosion is a direct consequence successive UK Tory governments failing to properly fund higher education

2. The early imposition of an offer for 2023-24 provides potential breathing space to build for an effective campaign in 2024-25, when we are also likely to have a new UK government

3. Achieving real improvements in our pay and conditions will be reliant on policy change as well as our industrial leverage

Conference resolves to:

a. Develop an 18-24 month campaign focused on achieving significant movement on the issues, including an above inflation pay rise, an end to hourly contracts, and a 35-hour working week, with a focus on growing membership and member confidence

b. Lobby UK Labour and other parties at Westminster for a renewed higher education settlement beyond 2024-25 that addresses shortfalls in funding and allows for material improvement in staff pay and conditions

C26 Future of the Pay Dispute University of Essex

Conference notes that 鈥楢 new strategy and plan of action for the Four Fights dispute鈥� report (20.04.2022) outlines how a 鈥榮ignificant amount of time and resources needs to be committed to prepare properly for any UK-level dispute鈥�.

Conference believes that:

1. Employer movement on pay and conditions is a result of our successful aggregated ballot and action.

2. Achieving real improvements in pay and conditions will be reliant on policy change and industrial leverage.

Conference resolves to:

a. Develop an 18-24 month campaign focused on achieving significant movement on the issues beyond the current dispute, including an above inflation pay rise and concrete advances on progress related to casualisation, unequal pay and workload, with a focus on growing membership and member confidence.

b. Lobby Labour and other political parties for a renewed HE settlement beyond 2024-25 that addresses shortfalls in funding, allowing for material improvement in staff pay and conditions.

Composite motion HE24

C27 The Future of PGRs as Staff and Organising in HE Higher education committee

Conference recognises the progress made to date by the PGRs as Staff campaign, including:

1. organising PGR members;

2. engaging effectively with UKRI;

3. supporting PGRs to win a 13% increase in UKRI stipends;

4. linking campaigning, bargaining and organising, providing a model for other pieces of work.

Conference reaffirms i) the principle that original postgraduate research should be acknowledged as labour and ii) the campaign for PGRs to be recognised as members of staff with full employee rights.

Conference resolves to:

a. continue the campaign on the basis of HESC 2020 motion 11 and the PGR manifesto;

b. adapt the organising techniques developed by the PGR campaign to other casualised groups in HE, such as fixed-term research and teaching staff, updating and augmenting existing guidance for branches;

c. identify further opportunities to integrate organising with campaigning, lobbying, bargaining and negotiating involving funding bodies and/or multiple employers.

C28 Supported Postgraduate Researcher Branch Committee Roles and Facility Time University of Warwick

Congress notes that:

1. PGR members have secured significant wins at local and national levels

2. Some of this PGR activity has occurred outside of formal branch structures

3. Some branch committees don鈥檛 have dedicated PGR or GTA positions or these positions are vacant

4. Some branches don鈥檛 have an agreement with their employer to provide PGRs and hourly-paid workers with 鈥榩aid time on鈥� facility time

Congress believes that:

a. PGR member campaigning should be supported

b. PGR members and issues should be integrated within branch committees

c. PGRs members should be equally entitled to receive facility time

Congress resolves that branches should be supported in:

i. Establishing PGR and GTA committee positions and actively recruiting to fill these positions

ii. Training and mentoring PGR committee members to effectively campaign on matters relating to casual employment and postgraduate research

iii. Negotiating with their employer on the provision of 鈥榩aid time on鈥� facility time, where no such mechanism already exists.

Composite motion HE29

C29 To Campaign for a Student Distribution System in HE Canterbury Christ Church University, University of Edinburgh, Bangor University, University of Kent, University of East Anglia

Conference notes that student recruitment patterns:

1. mean some universities hoard undergraduate students, while others struggle to recruit.

2. have been used by management to implement department closures and redundancies.

3. translate to poor learning conditions for students, unsustainable workloads for staff at universities that over-recruit and expansion of casualisation.

Conference believes:

a. the removal of university caps on student numbers by the Tories in 2014 in their pursuit of marketising the sector has been detrimental to higher education and had a negative impact on university staff and students.

b. the UK and devolved governments must reintroduce a managed system of student distribution across the sector based on fairness and equality.

Conference resolves to:

i. commission research on models of student distribution which can create recruitment balance in HE.

ii. develop a campaign for the reintroduction of student distribution this coming year, including branch resources, intense lobbying efforts, and media.

C30 Campaign to manage student numbers Southern regional committee

HESC notes that:

1. lifting the cap of student numbers has led to greater uncertainty and instability in the sector which has been used to systematically undermine pay and conditions.

2. the current system is designed to bankrupt small HEIs.

3. the current system has led to increased casualisation across the sector.

4. has been used as a pretext by university managers to cut staff costs.

HESC therefore:

a. Resolves that 51福利 should begin a high-profile campaign for the better management and distribution of students numbers across all HEIs to protect jobs.

b. Instructs the NEC to lobby government and opposition parties to adopt such measures.

Composite motion HE30

C31 Save our arts and humanities Royal College of Art

Conference notes:

1. 2 years after DoE decision to cut 50% of OfS funding to higher education arts subjects in England, HE has faced waves of redundancies in arts and humanities departments, including Goldsmiths, Roehampton, Wolverhampton, DeMontfort, Dundee.

2. Three motions were passed to fight these cuts in 2021 (2 at 51福利 Congress, 1 at HEC) but resolutions have yet to be actioned.

3. The oversubscribed Protect the Arts and Humanities session due to take place at the cancelled Cradle to Grave conference September 2022 has not been rescheduled for another occasion.

Conference believes:

a. Attacks on the arts and humanities directly impact jobs of 51福利 HE members and are part of the government鈥檚 broader defunding and politicised attacks on the arts and humanities.

Conference resolves to

i. Urgently set up an Arts and Culture Campaign Group including representatives of HE institutions affected by the cuts to launch and coordinate the Defend the Arts campaign

C32 Defend Soft Sciences, Humanities and Arts-Based Courses within Post-92 Institutions University of Westminster

Conference notes the closure of Soft Sciences, Humanities and Arts-Based courses across institutions, including, among others, the universities of Huddersfield, Goldsmiths, Birkbeck, Roehampton, UEA, and Hertfordshire.

Conference agrees that provision of Soft Sciences, Humanities, and Arts-Based courses in Post-92 institutions is of national importance for 51福利. These closures predominantly affect students from marginalised and wider participation backgrounds, removing the opportunity to develop the understanding and skills to engage with societal and political change critically.

Conference resolves to:

1. defend the provision of Soft Sciences, Humanities, and Arts-Based courses in Post-92 Institutions.

2. set up a Campaign Group, including representatives of institutions threatened by cuts, to launch and coordinate a campaign to defend courses that ensure marginalised citizens have the skills and knowledge to critically engage with social and political change that adversely and disproportionately impacts them.