51福利/578听 听听1 April 2014听听
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 Congress, 29-30 May 2014: First report of the Congress Business Committee, including motions submitted
Action听听听听听听听听听听听 Amendments to motions in this report to be submitted by 12 noon on Wednesday 7 May 2014
Summary 听听听听 Motions submitted to Congress 2014, as ordered by the Congress Business Committee, and provisional order of business. Amendments to motions now invited.听听听听听听听听听听听听听
Contact听听听听听听听听听 Paul Cottrell, Head of Democratic Services
(pcottrell@ucu.org.uk); Kay Metcalfe, Administrator, Constitution and
Committees (kmetcalfe@ucu.org.uk)
Dear Colleagues
51福利 CONGRESS 2014
FIRST REPORT OF THE CONGRESS BUSINESS COMMITTEE
At its meeting on 28 March, the Congress Business Committee
considered 179 motions for Congress and the further and higher education sector
conferences that had been submitted by branches, local associations, regional
committees, equality standing committees and employment special interest
committees, and the NEC and its sector committees. Those motions are set out in
this report.
The committee has grouped motions under the sections and
paragraphs of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress (which will be set out in the final
printed Congress agenda, and is currently circulated as branch circular 51福利/568).
A provisional timetable of business was also agreed by the committee.
The committee鈥檚 second meeting will follow the amendment deadline of 12 noon on
7 May, and the committee鈥檚 second report will include amendments submitted to
motions, and a final order of business.
The standing orders of Congress can be found at or are available from
Kay Metcalfe at 51福利 head office. (Standing orders will be provided to all
registered delegates at Congress.)
1
FOR
ACTION 鈥� amendments and late motions听听听听
1.1
Amendments to motions. The deadline for receipt of amendments
to motions set out in this circular is 12 NOON ON WEDNESDAY 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 49iv).
Amendments
can be submitted by branch/local association secretaries using the on-line form
at .听 Alternatively, a form appears at the end of
this circular. Please submit each amendment separately.
The
receipt of all amendments will be acknowledged. If you do not receive
acknowledgement of an amendment that you have sent, please contact 51福利 before the deadline for receipt of
amendments (12 noon, Wednesday 7 May) 鈥� by telephone to Kay Metcalfe on 020
7756 2500.
CBC does not expect to accept
amendments to motions which appear in this report after the deadline of 12 noon
on Wednesday 7 May.
1.2
Late motions: All motions received at 51福利 head
office 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.
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 . Alternatively, they
can be submitted using the form appended to this circular, or emailed to congressmotions@ucu.org.uk 鈥� emails must provide all the
information asked for on the form.
If CBC
does not consider that the above criteria are satisfied then the motion will be
printed at the end of the Congress agenda. These motions may be taken as
business by Congress or Sector Conference if a motion to do so is passed by a
two-thirds majority of the relevant conference.
Late motion deadlines
Late
motions submitted by the amendment deadline 鈥� 12 noon on Wednesday 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 10:00am on Wednesday
28 May will be considered by CBC at its meeting immediately prior to Congress,
and it will be possible to circulate these motions at the start of Congress.
CBC expects at this stage only to consider late motions which could not have
been submitted by the amendment deadline.
Late
motions submitted after 10:00am on Wednesday 28 May will be considered by CBC
as soon as practical after their receipt. Printed circulation of these motions
will be undertaken if practical. CBC would expect at this stage only to
consider motions which could not have been submitted by 10:00am on Wednesday 28
May.
Late motions should be submitted at
the earliest possible stage.
The
Congress Standing Orders include separate provision for motions to be submitted
during the course of a Congress meeting. These would usually be motions on
emergency matters only, arising during the course of Congress.
2
FOR
REPORT
2.1
Motions not ordered into the agenda
Two motions
were not ordered onto the agenda as the committee did not consider them to have
been properly approved in accordance with the Congress Standing Orders (motions
B1 - B2).
One motion
was considered to be outside the scope of the union鈥檚 aims and objects (B3).
Four
motions submitted to sector conferences were considered to be the business of
Congress and were not ordered into the agenda (B4 - B7).
2.2听听听听 Compositing of motions
The
committee composited 23 Congress motions, creating 8 composite motions (motions
ROC4, SFC4, SFC5, SFC11, SFC30, R1, EQ4, EQ5 in the report that follows).听 The original text of the motions submitted
that have been composited appear in a separate appendix to this report,
51福利/578A (motions C1- C23).
The
committee composited eight higher education sector conference motions and 13
further education sector motions, creating seven composite motions (motions
HE9, HE20, HE38, HE39, FE15, FE18, FE21).听
The original text of these motions appears in appendix 51福利/578A (C24 - C44).
听听听听听听听听听 Note:
the appendix containing the original text of composite motions is not
automatically included with hard copies of this report. The appendix can be found at
or requested from Kay Metcalfe at 51福利 head office.
2.2
Placing and numbering of motions
Each motion has
been allocated to a relevant section of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress (branch
circular 51福利/568, ).
The numbering of motions in this report includes a prefix which denotes the
section of business under which they fall. In the final order of business which
will be produced after CBC鈥檚 second meeting, all Congress motions will be
numbered sequentially in the order in which they are scheduled for debate.
(Sector Conference motions will retain their separate numbering.)
3
Provisional
timetable
A provisional schedule of Congress
business has been drawn up, which will be considered again as necessary at the
second meeting of the Congress Business Committee.听 Delegates are strongly encouraged to make
travel and accommodation arrangements which allow them to be present for the
full business of Congress and sector conference, throughout the two full days.听
Please note that Congress starts at 9:00am on each day.
Thursday 29 May
Congress
business begins at 9:00.
Morning
session: Opening business, followed by business of the education committee
(section 1 of this report), business of the recruitment, organising and
campaigning committee (section 2 of this report), business of the strategy and finance
committee to be taken in open session (section 3 of this report), and address
by Sally Hunt, General Secretary.
Afternoon
session: HE and FE sector conferences.听
Sector
business closes no later than 18:30.
Friday 30 May
Congress
business begins at 9:00am.
Morning session: Business of the strategy and finance committee to be
taken in private session (section 4 of this report), and rule changes to be
taken in private session (section 5 of this report).
Afternoon session: continuation of business of the strategy and finance
committee to be taken in open session (section 3 of this report), followed by business
of the equality committee (section 6 of this report), other employment related
business (section 7), and closing business.
Congress closes no later than 17:00.
CONGRESS MOTIONS FOR DEBATE
Motions have been
allocated to a section of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress (). Paragraph headings refer to paragraphs within this report. There may
be further re-ordering of motions within sections by CBC at its second meeting.
SECTION 1: BUSINESS OF
THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Section 5 of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress
Cradle to grave, after paragraph
3.3
ED1听听 Education from the Cradle to the Grave听听听听听 National Executive Committee
Congress endorses the principle of Education from cradle to grave as
exemplified by the successful 51福利 Conference held in February 2014 and urges
all in the union to campaign to win public support for the policy priorities
agreed by Education Committee:
Higher public funding for further, adult, offender, and higher
education and research
High quality vocational education
Professional Recognition for the skills of staff, partnership with
students and a rejection of the learner as consumer
Fair access to further, adult and higher education for all, not just the
rich
Active partnership between F/HE institutions, schools, local
authorities and the wider community to provide education and training
opportunities for the young unemployed
To develop further joint campaign work with our sister education TU鈥檚
in defence of public education
To seek endorsement of the TUC in support of the 鈥楥radle to the Grave鈥�
campaign.
The funding campaign, paragraph 4.2
ED2听听 Education funding听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National Executive Committee
Congress notes the differing funding arrangements that now exist within
the nations of the UK for further, adult and higher education and reiterates
51福利's belief that education should be freely available to all and that
increased public funding should reflect the social and economic benefits that
post-16 education provides.听
Congress therefore welcomes the work of the Devolution Working Party
and Education Committee in setting out six tests (as set out in the NEC report)
against which new funding proposals should be judged.
Congress believes that the Devolution Working Party should also work
collaboratively with elected committees to systematically examine other areas
of the union's work and ensure they are 'devolution proof'.
New paragraph, teacher education, after paragraph 5.1
ED3听听 Teacher Education and Training听听听听听听听 South East Regional Committee
Congress notes that:
i. the 2007 FE Workforce Regulations were revoked in 2012 -
teachers and trainers in the FE sector are not required to achieve specific
teaching qualifications or meet any minimum standards of performance or fulfil
CPD requirements beyond those specified by their employer and/or through their
contract of employment;
ii. schoolteachers working in Free Schools and Academies also do
not have to be qualified;
iii. the current focus on school-centred training and professional
development of schoolteachers has threatened a coherent set of teacher training
courses;
iv. the negative impact of these changes on providers of teacher
training in both HE and FE.
Congress re-affirms:
(a) existing policy;
(b) calls on the government to ensure
schoolteachers are well trained in both educational theory and practice as this
is threatened by the running down of academic teacher education;
(c) agrees to escalate its campaigning and lobbying of MPs and the
Education & Training Foundation.
Widening participation, paragraphs 8.1 - 8.2
ED4听听 Financial impact on students
of Government policy听听听听听听 Southern Regional
Committee
Congress deplores the Coalition
Government's failure to protect students of low income families from the impact
of student fees and education cuts.
In light of this failure, the
consequences of which are becoming increasingly apparent in terms of the
deterrent effect on low-income students, Congress instructs NEC to:
a) Intensify the lobbying of
government in order to restore financial support for those groups currently
deterred from pursuing further and higher education on the grounds of cost;
b) Within budget limitations,
survey the impact of student poverty on recruitment to FHE institutions in
order to better inform a campaign to restore necessary funding.
ED5听听 Access Courses in Further and Higher
Education 听听听听听听听听听 Oxford
and Cherwell Valley College
Congress deplores the dramatically increasing costs of Access Courses
for mature students. In addition, Congress notes the differential pricing of an
Access course based on age and previous qualifications.
Congress notes the introduction by the government of 鈥楢dvanced Learning
Loans鈥� for those aged 24+ to pay the high tuition fees. These loans will become
repayable unless the students successfully complete a university degree level.
Also, from September 2014, the diversity of local Access courses will be
curtailed by new QAA regulations which will impose national restrictions on the
course content and grading of courses.
Congress opposes these developments which will further restrict opportunities for mature students and calls for fully publicly funded Access to HE courses, in both further and higher education, developed at local level in conjunction with higher education providers of degree level courses.
ED6听听 Abolish Ofsted听听听听听 City of Liverpool College, Bankfield
Congress calls for the abolition of Ofsted to end an inspection regime that
is driving all sectors of education through a "toxic" target-driven
culture.听
The cost of running Ofsted is the equivalent of almost 5,000
teachers a year yet there is no evidence to show that Ofsted has a
positive impact on improving education, there is however significant anecdotal
evidence that suggests that the Ofsted model has a detrimental impact.听
Conference calls on the
NEC to:
路
work with other teaching unions to raise a
high profile campaign to听 鈥楢bolish
Ofsted鈥�
路
gather evidence to show how Ofsted:
- 听has systematically failed to improve standards
in Colleges and Universities (as well as schools)
- has
a detrimental effect on members.
路
Campaign for a system where teachers and students have a real say in
the running of institutions 鈥� institutions that are not target-obsessed but
based on a balanced, trusting and effective education system.
New paragraph, governance,
after paragraph 8.2
ED7听听 Reform of University and
College Governance听听听听 University of
Falmouth
Congress believes
that motions passed at previous congress, HE and FE sector conferences in
respect of reform of University and College Governance should be reaffirmed and
in particular to draw from the HE Governance Review and the address at 2012
Scotland Congress that academic freedom should be protected and that democracy
and transparency in governance should be underlined. To this end 51福利 is called
upon to campaign effectively to achieve a national regulatory framework for
governance that ensures:
鈥� Academic freedom
鈥� Trade union and student union representation on governing bodies
(Boards, Councils etc.) and committees including senior management remuneration
鈥� Academic or subject specialist and local authority membership of
governing bodies
鈥� Election of chairs of governing bodies.
And that Governance is to ensure that an HE or FE institution鈥檚
fundamental raison d'锚tre is to:
鈥� Create, develop and disseminate knowledge through education and
research
鈥� Reflect the needs of staff, students and local communities.
SECTION 2: BUSINESS OF THE RECRUITMENT, ORGANISING AND CAMPAIGNING
COMMITTEE
Section 7 of the NEC鈥檚 report to
Congress
Towards 2015, paragraph 3.1
ROC1 Standing
up for Post-16 Education听听听听听听听听听听听听 National
Executive Committee
Congress notes the continuing
work undertaken by ROCC in supporting local and national disputes; developing a
broad campaign to increase funding for post-16 education; increasing member
participation; and highlighting recruitment.
Congress recognises this is
its last meeting before the 2015 Westminster General Election and calls upon
ROCC to prioritise work with the Education Committee and devolved nations to
raise the profile of post-16 education as a political issue across the UK.
Opposing marketisation and privatisation,
paragraph 4.1
ROC2 Anti-Privatisation Campaign听听听听听听听听听听听听 Queen Mary University of London
Congress notes the continuing drive to privatize ever-larger
aspects of higher education provision within the UK. We also note the impact of
privatisation on staff morale and the wider culture of universities as places
of work and study. The precarious working conditions for part-time and
casualised staff is a cause for particular concern.
Congress calls on 51福利 to organize a national campaign with trade
unions and sympathetic parties and the National Union of Students in particular
to build a national campaign against the continuing privatisation of UK higher
education and a return to a publically funded and democratically accountable
sector.
In particular we call for a national demonstration called with NUS
in the autumn and a targeted national campaign during the May 2015 General
Election focusing on marginal constituencies that have a university within them
to mobilise HE trade unions and students in local campaigns focusing on
privatisation.
Supporting members at work, paragraph 5.3
ROC3 Importance of national campaigns听听听听听听听听听听听听 City and Islington College,
Finsbury Park
Congress believes:
1) That we need national campaigns if we are to defend post 16
education and our members conditions of service.
2) That 51福利 will not be able to build effective trade union
organisation without national campaigns. We will not beat this government
college by college or university by university.
Congress resolves:
1) To ensure that where a dispute is regarded to be a 鈥榣ocal
dispute of national significance鈥� that the national union puts its full weight
behind that dispute encouraging branches to invite those in dispute into their
institutions to build solidarity.
2) For the 51福利 Campaigns Team to send out on a weekly basis a list
of all universities and colleges that are taking action to all branch officers
inviting them to send messages of support.
Rename paragraph 6: Casualised staff, after paragraph 6.1
ROC4 Composite: Opposing zero-hour contracts North West Regional Committee, Open University,
Birmingham City University, London Metropolitan University (City Branch)
51福利 Congress notes 51福利 research in 2013 evidencing use of 鈥榸ero
hours鈥� contracts in over 50% of all HE and two thirds of FE institutions.
Workers on these contracts have no job security, minimal access to sick or
holiday pay, little opportunity for professional development and, by default,
work more unpaid hours than any other worker in education.
The use of zero hour contracts is endemic across the economy and
many unions are fighting them. In 2013 workers from disparate working
environments (Hovis bread makers and Edinburgh University lecturers) showed that
zero hours contracts can be defeated. More than 400 workers (members of BFAWU),
at a Hovis bakery in Wigan took two weeks鈥� strike action with mass pickets,
which stopped the use of zero hours contracts.
51福利 is strongly opposed to the rapid increase in the number of
zero hour contracts, which is part of the employers鈥� plan for a much greater
number of casual contracts in FE and HE.
Congress resolves that all contracts that do not guarantee minimum
hours or a minimum quantity of paid work (including for example the contracts
offered to Open University Associate Lecturers) should be considered zero hours
contracts and unacceptable atypical work contracts, and included in the
campaign against zero hours contracts. 听听听听听
Congress deplores the increase in casual and zero hours contracts
in education, in all roles, including non-academic and outsourced employees.
Congress believes that these contracts are unfair to employees,
impact negatively on family life and often fail to deliver a living wage.
Congress instructs the NEC to continue to fight against
casualisation in education and support campaigns for
1. scrapping zero hours contracts in education
2. the living wage
51福利 Congress further calls on 51福利 NEC to:
(a) call a lobby of Parliament (with other trade unions) calling
for the outlawing of zero hours contracts.
(b) raise 鈥榸ero hours鈥� as a campaign issue in the run up to the
next election
(c) adequately fund a national campaign to kick zero hours
contracts out of education altogether.
(d) work with all FE and HE unions and students and other unions
against zero hour contracts.
(e) show support for union action against zero hour and casual
contracts such as the struggle at Hovis.
(f) urge 51福利 branches to discuss what action should be taken to
stop increasing casualisation in FE and HE.
ROC5听听听听 Zero tolerance for zero hours contacts听听 London regional committee
"Zero-hour contracts" have become a hot political topic
this year.
Congress resolves to capitalize on this visibility by developing
its support for branch officers in FE and HE to campaign and represent
casualised staff.
Congress notes the wide variation in employment contracts within
Regions (not every invidious casual contract is 'zero hour' or classed as
employment) and the fact that branch officers have different knowledge and
experience.
Congress further resolves to:
鈥� Add to the anti-casualisation toolkit a checklist of 鈥榚asy-win鈥�
breaches and what to do about them, eg: failure to itemize holiday pay
鈥� Add to the toolkit examples of practical strategies for fighting
casualization, including case histories, examples of information to gather etc
鈥� Support Regions developing local training initiatives and
anti-casualisation networks so that reps can share information
鈥� Support a national lobby of Parliament against zero-hour
contracts.
ROC6 Fair pay for fractional and hourly-paid staff听听听听听听听 SOAS
Congress notes:
鈥� That higher education is one of the most heavily casualised
sectors in the UK
鈥� The significance of 51福利鈥檚 Stamp out Casual Contracts campaign
鈥� That current pay arrangements for fractional and hourly-paid
staff still do not reflect their actual workloads
Congress believes:
鈥� That it is a vital area of branch work to campaign for better
pay and working conditions 鈥� and equal treatment of 鈥� teaching and research
staff on fractional and hourly-paid contracts
鈥� That investment in all teaching staff is a vital component of
improving the quality of teaching provision
Congress resolves:
鈥� To urge branches to launch and support campaigns such as
Fractionals for Fair Play at SOAS that confront the reality of sub-minimum wage
work for many academics
鈥� To urge branches to support any fractional or hourly-paid member of staff
victimised by management for campaigning for improved contracts or better pay.
New paragraph, campaign against austerity
ROC7听听听听 Food banks and welfare reform 听听听 Southern Retired Members鈥� Branch
Congress
notes with great concern the large and rapidly increasing numbers of people who
are dependent on food banks in the UK. Congress recognises that growing food
and fuel poverty starkly highlight the failure by our current welfare system to
meet even basic human needs. Congress rejects the simplistic and disingenuous
claims by Conservative and Coalition commentators that 鈥榤ore people are using
food banks because more of them are now available鈥�. Rather it is clear that
this is the outcome of harsh and often punitive welfare reforms in which
socially and economically disadvantaged people have borne the greatest impact
of government austerity measures, and then been blamed for their own plight.
Congress
instructs the NEC to work collaboratively with the TUC and other organisations
to campaign for a welfare system that meets basic needs, thereby obviating
reliance on charitable food banks to ensure basic survival.
New paragraph, right to protest
ROC8听听听听 Defend the Right to Protest 听听听听听听听听听 East
Midlands Regional Committee
Whereas university students have staged protests against:
鈥� the privatisation of
university services which threaten the jobs of Higher Education Staff
鈥� to defend post-16 education against the
government鈥檚 spending cuts and increase in tuition fees, and
鈥� to show their solidarity with staff seeking a
pay increase and to establish the living wage for all employees in the Higher
and Further Education Sectors;
Whereas universities have victimised student protestors by
obtaining injunctions, suspending students or using the police to break up the
protests.
This Congress calls on the NEC to support the right to protest by:
鈥� working closely with the NUS and other student
groups as well with the other HE and FE staff unions to pressure Universities
and Colleges not to take punitive action against students and staff engaging in
peaceful protest;
鈥� circulating online
petitions and urging members to sign;
鈥� mobilising members to join protest marches,
rallies and
picket lines.
SECTION 3: BUSINESS
OF THE STRATEGY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE TO BE TAKEN IN OPEN SESSION
Section 1 of the NEC鈥檚 report to
Congress
New paragraph, affiliations and
work with other unions, after paragraph 2.4
SFC1听听听 Affiliation
to NPC 听听听听听听听 听听听Yorkshire and Humberside Retired Members鈥� Branch
Congress:
1. believes that all matters
affecting the lives of retired people 鈥� pensions, health and social care, fuel
costs, transport, etc 鈥� are matters of proper concern for working members.
2. reiterates its support for the
campaigning work of the National Pensioners Convention on behalf of existing
and future pensioners
3. notes that the NPC increasingly
depends on affiliation fees, in particular from trade unions, to continue its
work
4. therefore instructs the NEC to
reverse the decision of the NEC in 2013 to pay a reduced affiliation fee and to
pay the full fee in 2014.
SFC2听听听 Affiliation
to the International Brigades Memorial听听听听听听 University
of Central Lancashire
Congress notes the invaluable work
of the International Brigades Memorial Trust (IBMT) in commemorating the
veterans of the International Brigades from Britain and Ireland to the fight
against Fascism in Europe during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) and in
educating others, especially young people, about the fight against Fascism in
Spain as well as the importance and relevance of anti-fascist struggle in the
present day. Congress endorses the aims of the IBMT in producing lectures,
events, education packs and publications designed to ensure that the memory and
spirit of the international 鈥榲olunteers for liberty鈥� lives on in the context of
the resurgent threat of neo-fascism in Europe.
Congress instructs the national
union to affiliate 51福利 to the IBMT.
SFC3听听听 听 Commemoration of the Miners鈥� Strike听听听听 Chesterfield College
Congress notes:
The 30th anniversary of the Great
Miners strike of 1984/85.
The role played by many trade
unionists including members of our predecessor unions NATFHE and AUT in
delivering solidarity and support to striking miners.
The many commemoration events which
have and will continue to be planned across the country to commemorate the
strike.
The recent release of cabinet
papers from 1984 which shows that the then government sought to influence
police tactics to escalate the dispute, and actively considered declaring a
state of emergency and deploying the Army to defeat the miners and unions.
Congress believes:
That many miners and their families
were subject to police violence and a cover up of the truth of key events such
as those at Orgreave in the summer of 1984.
Congress resolves:
To support the activities of the
Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign.
SFC4 Composite: Commemorating the First World War听听听听听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee, East Midlands
Regional Committee
Congress notes the variety of
interpretations among historians of World War 1.听 It defends the academic freedom to offer a
range of interpretations of the war.听 It
believes that students should have the right to learn about a variety of
perspectives on World War 1.听 It condemns
any attempts by Government ministers or others to impose a single view of the
events of World War 1.
Congress deplores the attempt by
Michael Gove to shape the commemoration of the First World War into a narrow
nationalist and pro-war agenda and his attacks on respected academic
historians. This follows on from Gove鈥檚 attempt to re-draft the history
curriculum to fit his own particular viewpoint.
Congress supports the positive
initiatives being organised around the country by educationalists and a range
of community groups to commemorate World War 1 from an anti-war perspective.
Congress condemns attempts to use
the deaths and sufferings of millions of people in World War 1 as the basis for
nationalistic propaganda or to mobilise support for further wars.听 It supports the 鈥楴o Glory in War鈥� campaign
launched by the Stop the War Coalition and urges the branches and regions to
involve themselves in its activities.
SFC5 Composite: People鈥檚 Assembly Against Austerity听听听听听听听听听听 University of Brighton (Grand
Parade), Goldsmiths, University of London
Congress notes
the decision of the Labour Party
further to distance itself from the trade union movement, and that many
affiliated unions have reduced or cancelled their subscription;
that the 51福利 is not affiliated to
any political party but that appropriate political affiliation is valuable for
the ability of trade unions to appeal beyond the immediate ranks of the
movement, and have an influence on political debates and ultimately on
legislation;
that the People's Assembly is not a
party but a combination of many in parties, and those in none, bringing
together campaigns against cuts and privatisation, working with trade unions in
a movement for social justice, and is supported by the General Secretaries of
over 10 of Britain's major trade unions.
Congress further notes:
鈥� David
Cameron鈥檚 Guildhall speech in November 2013 in which he said that austerity
should be 鈥榩ermanent鈥�
鈥� That the majority of public sector cuts have yet to
be put in place
鈥� The success of the People鈥檚 Assembly in uniting people in
action against austerity from across the trade union, labour, progressive and
anti-cuts movement.
Conference believes:
鈥� That an
effective anti-austerity movement can facilitate the revival of workplace
confidence and increase the possibility of coordinated action by trade
unionists against austerity
鈥� That a weak recovery that does not raise working class
living standards or stop the cuts is likely to increase anger at the
government.
Conference agrees:
鈥� To confirm its support for the People鈥檚 Assembly
Against Austerity
鈥� To support and actively encourage members to attend the
national anti-cuts demonstration called by the People鈥檚 Assembly and the NUT on
21 June 2014.
Congress resolves to:
路
affiliate to the People's Assembly, and notify members
of national events and mobilisations;
路
urge branches to affiliate to local People's
Assemblies.
International solidarity, paragraph
3.1.3 - 3.1.4
SFC6听听听听 Campaign
to free Francisco Toloza in Colombia 听听听听听听听 National
Executive Committee
Congress condemns the persecution
of Colombian trade unionists, particularly the imprisonment of academics. In
January 2014, Francisco Toloza, a lecturer at Colombia鈥檚 National University,
was imprisoned and has been charged with 鈥榬ebellion鈥�.
Mr. Toloza is a leading member of
the Patriotic March, the mass opposition movement which has been hit particularly hard with detentions and killings. In August,
the Patriotic March鈥檚 National Organiser, Huber Ballesteros, was imprisoned and
in 2013, 26 of its members were killed.
Congress congratulates JfC鈥檚
successful work to support the peace process and calls on the Colombian state
to stop persecuting critical academics and other opponents in order to achieve
a lasting peace with social justice.
Congress resolves to:
路 continue to
campaign to free Mr. Toloza and fight for justice for Dr. Beltran;
路 continue to
support JfC, particularly its Peace and Political Prisoner campaigns;
路 write to
branches encouraging them to affiliate to JfC.
SFC7听听听 Women in Gaza听听听听听听听听听听听 Women Members鈥� Standing Committee
Congress notes:
路
that
four mature students from Gaza who commenced MAs in Women's Studies at BirZeit
University have been prevented from completing their studies.
路
that a
student from Gaza has not been permitted to take up her place for a BA in law
at BZU.
听Congress:
路
condemns
the Israeli government's ongoing siege of Gaza and its blanket ban on students
from Gaza going to the West Bank to study.
路
condemns
the Egyptian authorities鈥� assaults on, and deportations of, the International
Women鈥檚 Day delegation to Gaza in March 2014.
路
calls
on the General Secretary to make the strongest possible representations to the
Israeli Embassy, the Egyptian Embassy and the FCO in support of the right of
women from Gaza to study at the institution of their choice and the right of
women to travel to Gaza to show solidarity with their sisters under siege.
After
paragraph 3.1.7
SFC8听听听听 Egypt 鈥�
struggle for democracy and justice听听听听 University
of Brighton, Moulscoomb
Congress expresses grave concern at
the far-reaching assault on human rights in Egypt, three years after the
toppling of Mubarak.
Congress calls for the:
鈥�
unconditional release of those imprisoned in Egypt for exercising rights to
free expression and assembly;
鈥� repeal of
Law 107, restricting rights to public assembly;
鈥� end to trials of civilians in
military and State Security courts.
Congress resolves to:
鈥� endorse
and circulate to all members the MENA Solidarity Network Egypt Solidarity
statement, signed by union General Secretaries, including 51福利;
鈥� write to
the Egyptian authorities (Ambassador and appropriate Ministries) condemning
military repression;
鈥� write an
open letter to the UK government calling for suspension of all financial,
military or other support to the Egyptian authorities which may be used to
violate the rights of Egyptian citizens;
鈥� offer to organise with MENASN,
and jointly to host with other unions, the NUS and Trades Councils, regional
meetings on the Egyptian struggle.
SFC9听听听听 Solidarity
with Kadaikanal听听听听听听听听听听听听 Queen Margaret
University
Congress notes that the Leverhulme
Trust, a significant funder of work undertaken by academics in the UK, is
financed and controlled by Unilever.
Unilever's Indian subsidiary,
Hindustan Unilever Ltd, is accused of poisoning workers and contaminating the
environment with toxic mercury in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, where it operated a
mercury thermometer plant.
Congress therefore mandates the
general secretary to write to Unilever UK and the Leverhulme Trust urging both
to use their good offices to ensure that workers are compensated and
rehabilitated, and that the environment is remediated.
SFC10听 Russia: Civil Society Threatened, Scapegoating
and Persecution of LGBT People听 听听听听听听听听听听 LGBT Members鈥� Standing Committee
After the 1917 Russian Revolution
homosexuality was decriminalised. Over time these rights were reversed, until
after the collapse of the USSR Russia liberalised some anti-LGBT laws.
In an era of crisis and growing inequality
in Russia there is a new backlash such as the recent ban by the Russian
parliament on 鈥榟omosexual propaganda'. This has encouraged violent attacks on
LGBT individuals and events. Other vulnerable groups are also being
scapegoated.
Russia is at the bottom of ILGA Europe's
index of human rights abuses of LGBT people. There is concern for LGBT
education staff in Russia and our members working in Russia.
Congress calls on 51福利 to:
To condemn homophobia
and transphobia in Russia and carefully assess the situation for LGBT
members working there.
Campaigning for education,
paragraph 3.2.1
SFC11听 Composite: The Transatlantic Trade and
Investment Partnership (TTIP)听 National
Executive Committee, Northumbria University, London Retired Members鈥� Branch,
University of Glasgow
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP) is a proposed trade deal between the USA and the EU.
Congress welcomes the NEC resolution on the
EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), and the consequent
briefing paper, with the campaigning points therein.
Congress believes that TTIP poses profound
threats to public services, including education, workers鈥� rights and environmental
standards. Congress is also concerned that the talks are being pursued without
any transparency or democratic oversight.
It will make disputes between companies and
governments the preserve of 鈥渋nvestor-state dispute settlement鈥� (ISDS) tribunals,
dominated by corporate lawyers. Such mechanisms have been used in many parts of
the world to kill regulations protecting people and the environment, and would
prevent future governments from renationalising privatised services.
While the European Commission has agreed to
consult about the ISDS proposals, it has also stated that the mechanism is
necessary because national courts 鈥渕ight be biased or lack independence.鈥�
Congress is unconvinced by the grandiose
claims of job creation by the TTIP, and considers that the dangers posed by
this proposed treaty vastly outweigh any potential benefits.
The Investor State Dispute Settlement
(ISDS) envisaged within the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(TTIP) as well as EU-level trade agreements under negotiation with Singapore,
Canada and India, would give dangerous, unfettered rights to private investors
to threaten public services and sue governments or public authorities were they
to block company profit-making by legislating in the public interest. This
threatens the scope of governments to choose to restore areas of service
currently run by the private sector back into public ownership. The secretive,
bureaucratic, and costly nature of ISDS processes inevitably favours
multinational corporations.
Congress resolves to:听听
鈥�听听听听听听听 oppose the TTIP as an attack on democracy on behalf of
multi-national corporations;
鈥�听听听听听听听 call for all public services, including education, to be
clearly excluded from the scope of the agreement;
鈥�听听听听听听听 continue to inform 51福利 members of the threat that TTIP poses
to them and their industry;
鈥�听听听听听听听 campaign
with MPs, peers and MEPs as far as possible, to oppose all detrimental aspects
of TTIP;
鈥�听听听听听听听 press
TUC and EI to widen their campaign of opposition to TTIP, 听听 seeking allies amongst other union
federations in Europe and the 听听听听听 United
States;听
鈥�听听听听听听听 requests all
branches to raise the issue in local trades councils and other bodies to which they are affiliated
Congress instructs the NEC to:
路
campaign
vigorously against all aspects of the TTIP, particularly in defence of public
health and education provision and protection of the environment;
路
continue
to raise awareness of TTIP and ISDS;
路
lobby
MPs and MEPs in opposition to all detrimental aspects of such trade agreements;
路
take a
motion to the 2014 TUC Congress on TTIP/ISDS;
路
continue
to call for the exclusion of public services, including tertiary education,
from trade negotiations.
New paragraph, pensions, after
3.2.3
SFC12听 Pensions policy听听听听听听听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee
Conference
notes that:
1.
many of today鈥檚 pensioners, including some former
lecturers, are living in officially defined poverty.
2.
the new state pension will bring no change to their or
any other existing pensioner鈥檚 income other than a cumulative loss of value
from the use of CPI as the inflation measure.
3.
the vast majority of future pensioners will receive
little or no benefit from the new state pension system, which is designed to
reduce the pensions bill.
4.
occupational pensions of 51福利 members and other workers
are under sustained attack. Many members will be worse off in retirement than
they had planned, and may face years of extreme hardship if they are unable to
work to the ever-rising pension age.
5.
Congress therefore commits 51福利 to campaign with other
trade unions for a thorough review of pensions policy by a future government,
not limited by an artificial austerity agenda.
SFC13听 Collective
action on pensions 听听听听听听听听听 Eastern and Home Counties Retired Members鈥� branch
Congress notes that:
the number of people with an
occupational pension is decreasing and these pensions are falling in
value.听 Both the present and the new
government proposed state pensions are insufficient to support an adequate
standard of living.
In view of the uncertainty facing
all workers, Congress calls on 51福利 to urge the TUC to treat pensions with the
same importance as wages and to make fundamental changes to its committee
structure to this end.
New paragraph, pay
SFC14听 Fighting national disputes together 听听听听听听听听 听听Manchester Metropolitan University
This
Branch:
notes
New paragraph, relations with NUS
SFC15听 Improving
relationship with student unions听听听听听 Teesside
University
Recent industrial action by our
union has demonstrated the central importance of student understanding and support
for our unions goals. Despite some outstanding examples the 51福利 relationship
with student unions in HE & FE remains uneven with many local student
leaders being indifferent or even hostile to our union鈥檚 necessary industrial
action in the face of management intransigence. We call for a working party to
be set up to examine with NUS leadership how a joint program of information
sharing and advocacy could improve relationships and mutual understanding and
to report to Congress 2015 with the goal to increase the effectiveness of staff
and student joint action in future disputes.
SECTION 4: BUSINESS OF THE STRATEGY AND FINANCE
COMMITTEE TO BE TAKEN IN PRIVATE SESSION
Section 1 of the NEC鈥檚 report to
Congress
Finance and property, after paragraph 1.2
SFC16听 Appointment of auditors听听听听听听听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 2014.
SFC17听 Audited
financial statements to 31 August 2013听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National
Executive Committee
Congress
receives the union鈥檚 audited financial statements for the 12-month period
ending 31 August 2013 as set out in 51福利/576.
SFC18听 Budget
2014-2015听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National
Executive Committee
Congress endorses the budget for September
2014 鈥� August 2015 as set out in 51福利/575.
SFC19听 Subscription
rates 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National Executive
Committee
Congress endorses the subscription
rates from 1 September 2014 as set out in 51福利/575.
SFC20听 Subscription
rates - investigating the possibility of Introductory Membership听 South West Regional Committee
Congress recognises that increasing
membership is essential for 51福利. One option would be to offer Introductory
Membership for a period of a year at a cost of 拢1 per month. This membership
will have limited rights to services and will not be open to returning members.
Members can choose to opt out at the end of the year or automatically convert
to full membership.
Congress instructs NEC to explore
the potential for adopting an Introductory Membership scheme and instructs NEC
to report back on its findings with recommendations within six months of
Congress.
SFC21听 Retired
members鈥� subscriptions听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Northern
Retired Members鈥� Branch
Congress instructs the General
Secretary and the NEC to rescind immediately the dishonourable and anti-trade
union decision to withdraw membership from life paid members unless they pay
and pay again.
This is an attack on retired
members and their branches.
SFC22听听听听听听听听 Subscription rates for
employed post-graduates听听听听听听听听听听 University
of Bath
Conference notes that:
鈥� Many post-graduate students are
employed by their HE institutions in teaching and/or administrative roles using
zero-hour and/or part-time contracts, and that many earn below 拢5,000 per
annum.
鈥� At present, employed
post-graduate students are excluded from student membership of the 51福利, may
only join as standard full members and must pay subscription rates accordingly
(拢2.34-拢2.36 and 拢4.10-拢4.14 per month for students earning below 拢5,000 and
below 拢10,000 per annum respectively).
Conference believes that:
鈥� It is vital that we attract new
members, particularly those at the start of the careers in HE, so as to
increase and re-normalise union membership.
鈥� The subscription rates applicable
to most employed post-graduate students raise only small amounts of revenue for
the 51福利 but represent a significant barrier to membership.
Conference instructs:
鈥� The NEC to remove subscription
rates for post-graduate students employed in HE earning less than 拢10,000 per
annum.
New paragraph, internal 51福利 matters
SFC23听 Union
democracy听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 North West
Regional Committee
Congress is extremely
concerned about the impact of internal 51福利 organisational restructuring and
finances on democracy and accountability of members, reps and officers of the
union. This Congress reaffirms our commitment to full open and transparent
consultation at all levels of the Union on all issues impacting on
representation services and wider participation in the labour and trade union
movement. We therefore call on the NEC to ensure that adequate
consultation is enabled prior to any such decisions being taken.
SFC24听 Conference
Structure 听听听听听听听听听听听 Lancaster Adult
College
Congress calls on 51福利 to recognise
the special difficulties for the adult education sector.听 There should be an Adult Education Sector
Conference, separate from the FE Sector Conference, as part of Congress
planning.
SFC25听 Constitutional
change听 51福利 Scotland Executive Committee
Congress welcomes the internal
dialogue, involving 51福利 representatives from the devolved nations, that has
begun over the past year. It is vital that the union is organised to enable it
to be effective in the devolved nations, and regardless of the outcome of the
forthcoming referendum on Scottish independence.
The union needs to ensure that its
policy, campaigning and organising framework enables our representatives to
operate consistently and effectively in the devolved political and policy
contexts.
Congress, calls for the continued
dialogue involving devolved nations representatives, to take forward this
strategy to ensure 51福利 remains an effective bargaining force.
SFC26 听 Enhancing the role of Retired
Members鈥� Branches (RMBs)听听听听 听听 East Midlands Retired Members鈥� branch
This
Congress reaffirms that RMBs have a valuable auxiliary role in supporting the
campaigns of the 51福利. They should be informed similarly to workplace branches
of the campaigning activities and rallies of the 51福利 and be consulted on issues
particularly relevant to retired members. In accordance with 12.6.2 iii they
should have the right to make representation to the NEC and 鈥渞eceive a timely
reply鈥�.
Two
initial steps should be taken:
i.)The
Equality Conference should include a component that relates to the needs of
older and retired members;
ii.)
The meeting of RMBs held during Congress shall be empowered to send two
resolutions to the NEC which shall be discussed and voted on, and the result of
those deliberations presented in the annual report to the following Congress.
Modest
proposals that have little or no financial cost.
New paragraph, legal assistance
SFC27听 Representation
by branch reps at employment tribunals听听听听听 College
of North West London
The branch recognises the
successes of the branch in a number of cases, both internally and at ET,
without any assistance received from 51福利 legal services. The branch considers
that it is unjust to expect branch reps to forego a day鈥檚 pay to fight these
cases at an ET. The Branch therefore urges 51福利 to make up for the loss of wages
of reps, with a track record of success and who take up cases on behalf of
members and also to pay the Tribunal fees for affected members represented by
these reps.
New paragraph, branch and regional committee
standing orders
SFC28听听听听听听听听 Congressional authority over Rules and
constituent parts of the Union London Regional Committee
Congress re-asserts its unique overall authority to determine the
Rules of the Union and any constitutional changes that affect the constituent
parts of the Union. As such Congress here clarifies the position regarding
changes to Rules and to the powers and status of 51福利鈥檚 other constituent
elected bodies including regions, local associations and branches.
Specifically Congress asserts that any current 鈥楳odel Rules鈥� for
branches and local associations remain 鈥榤odel鈥� and are not prescriptive.
Specifically Regional Standing Orders and any variations to Regional
Standing Orders shall be determined by the individual regions themselves in
line with Union rules and policies as ultimately determined by and at Congress.
SFC29听听听听听听听听 New regional standing orders 听听听听听听听听听 West
Midlands Regional Council
Congress notes the model regional standing orders and rejects
their attempted imposition on regional committees without the democratic
participation of regional committees or congress in the formulation of the
standing orders.
51福利 Congress instructs the NEC to open a consultation with regional
committees to develop an agreed set of Regional Standing Orders and once
regions and the NEC have come to an agreement on these standing orders that
they should be incorporated into National Rules by appropriate amendment to 51福利
Rules at the first available opportunity.
SFC30听 Composite:
Model branch/local association rules听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Leeds
Metropolitan University, South East Regional Committee
Congress notes the proposed changes to model local branch/local
association Rules agreed by the NEC majority in November 2013 and subsequently
passed to branches for adoption.
In the interests of union democracy, and to ensure the fullest and
most open discussion, Congress instructs the new NEC to withdraw these proposed
changes and inform branches/local associations that the status quo ante (ie the
model local branch Rules prior to November 2013) will prevail until such time
as a future Annual Congress Rules session might adopt any relevant Rule
changes.
SFC31听听听听 Changes to the standing orders of regional
committees听听听 Eastern & Home Counties
regional committee
Congress regrets the lack of consultation on the new proposed
standing orders for regions and the short time scale in which they are expected
to be adopted.
Congress requests that there is a period of consultation in which
to fully consider the proposals and make amendments.
Congress resolves that proposals for standing order for regions
are debated at Congress 2015.
SFC32听 听听听 No to
imposition of local rules听听听 University of
Liverpool
The imposition of new model rules for 51福利 branches and regions is
unacceptable in a democratic member-led union.
The setting of a quorum of 5% (with a maximum of 50) means that in
larger branches decisions regarding matters of local and national importance
will be far more difficult to make.
With respect to decisions on taking industrial action quorums of
20% for the larger branches will extremely difficult to achieve and in reality
will make it impossible to decide on taking action at branch meetings.
The use of e-polls following member meetings will slow down branch
responses to offensives by local employers. This will play entirely into the
hands of aggressive employers.
We call upon congress/HE sector conference to suspend the recently
imposed rules and to initiate a review of procedures with a view to
strengthening branch democracy and member participation.
SFC33听听听听 Quoracy rules for branch meetings听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 University of Hull
The new 51福利 model branch rules stipulate the quoracy rules of
general meetings (paragraphs 4.6 and 4.7). However, these rules present
potential problems for branches.
In practice, reaching 1/20th of the membership as required in 4.6
is not a trivial challenge. Of more concern from a democratic perspective, if
the quorum is not met, 4.7 allows for a quorum of only three members.
We ask NEC to review the model rules, and to consider determining
the quorum by
i) amending rule 4.6 to require a number at least n more than the
size of the local committee,
ii) amending rule 4.7, allowing for a size of m (of whom at least
half should be non-committee members)
iii) where n and m are determined by each branch, but with minimum
values specified in the rules, e.g. n = committee size, and m = number of
committee officers (which reflects branch size).
SFC34听 听听听 Model
local rules and members on casualised contracts 听听 Anti Casualisation Committee
Congress notes:
1) vast numbers of staff on casualised contracts, and the
necessity of bringing more into active membership and strengthening industrial
action
2) in the new model local rules:
鈥� branch committee representation of the casualised is an option
in an appendix
鈥� motions to the Annual Meeting of Members on Casualised Contracts
can only come from a general meeting; previous rules also allowed a properly
convened meeting of members on casualised contracts, or the committee, to agree
them
3) when local meetings of the casualised choose motions on
casualisation it gives new activists confidence in their voice and the union
Congress calls for changes to model local rules:
a) An Anti-Casualisation Officer, whose main employment is
casualised, or has been in the past two years
b) the representation of other significant vulnerably employed
groups on the committee
c) reinstatement of the previous rule on motions to the annual
meeting
SFC35听 听听听 Representatives
of members on casualised contracts on regional committees 听听听听听听听听听听 Anti Casualisation Committee
Congress notes:
路
the
motion passed at Congress 2013 that reserved regional seats for members on
casualised contracts (MCC), and equality groups, be considered.
路
there
are no such seats in the Standing Orders for Regional Committees
Congress believes members with direct experience of vulnerable employment are
needed on Regional Committees, to:
路
ensure
the issues are incorporated into the work of the Regional Committee
路
co-ordinate
the anti-casualisation efforts of reps, branches and members across the region,
e.g. for the Day of Action
路
encourage
recruitment and organisation of MCC across the region
Congress calls on the NEC to:
a) draw up plans for an HE and an FE place for
MCC on each Regional Committee, in consultation with the Anti-Casualisation
Committee
b) include a method for MCC in the region to
elect the reps
c) include in any revision of SOs (if earlier)
or bring the plans to Congress 2015.
SECTION 5: RULE
CHANGES to be taken in private session
R1听
Composite: Rule change (Rule 12.6)听听听听听听听听听听听听 Leeds
Metropolitan University, South East Regional Committee, Greenwich Community
College
Amend Rule 12.6:
At the end of Rule 12.6 delete 鈥渢he Rules of
the union and with any guidance issued by the National Executive Committee.鈥�
And replace with 鈥淢odel Local Rules agreed by Congress鈥�.
The relevant sentence would then read:
"Branches/Local Associations shall adopt their own Rules which
shall be consistent with Model Local Rules agreed by Congress."
Purpose听
To clarify the current
woolly and indistinct wording of 12.6 which is open to misinterpretation. To ensure
that changes to model local branch Rules are less likely to be encouraged by
the current indistinct wording of 12.6. Since late 2012
this last part of Rule 12.6 has been interpreted by some of the NEC to mean
that the NEC has the authority to propose substantial changes to the union鈥檚
Rules without any reference back to Congress. Many members have also suggested
that the NEC is not the appropriate body to amend these Rules which should be
done by Annual Congress delegates in an appropriate Rules revision session.
R2听听听听 Discussion of motions at NEC听 East Midlands Regional Committee
Amend first line of 12.6.2 as
follows:
after 'local associations' add 'and
regional committees'. Remove superfluous 'and'.
In (iii), after 'receive', add
'after discussion'
Purpose
To ensure the NEC discusses motions sent by branches
and local associations.
R3听听听听 Rule change: Prioritisation
of Congress motions National Executive
Committee
16.7, delete 鈥榚ight鈥�, replace with
鈥�15鈥�; delete 鈥榯hree, working鈥�, replace with 鈥榚ight鈥�.
Add new rule 16.9: 鈥楾he process set
out in the Congress standing orders for the ordering of Congress and sector
conference motions and amendments submitted in accordance with rules
16.6.1-16.6.5 may include a process for the prioritisation of motions.鈥�
Renumber rules as necessary.
Changes to Congress Standing Orders:
SO 1, delete 鈥�16鈥�, replace with
鈥�24鈥�.
SO 2, delete 鈥榯en鈥�, replace with
鈥�18鈥�.
SO 6, delete 鈥楢s far as
practicable鈥�; delete 鈥榮ent鈥�, replace with 鈥榤ade available鈥�; delete 鈥榥ot later
than two working weeks before the first session of the annual meetings.鈥�,
replace with 鈥榓s soon as practicable after each meeting of the Congress
Business Committee.鈥�
SO 12, add at end: 鈥楲ate and
emergency motions submitted after the first circulation of CBC鈥檚 second report
will not be taken before prioritised motions in the relevant section of
Congress business have been taken.鈥�
Existing SO 13, move to become SO
18 and renumber standard orders as necessary.
Existing SO 14, move to become SO
19 and renumber standard orders as necessary.
SO 15, delete 鈥榮tructure of the
Annual Report鈥�, replace with 鈥榗hapters of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress鈥�; delete
鈥榓 guide to鈥�, replace with 鈥榮ections for鈥�.听
Renumber as SO 13.
Insert new SO 14: 鈥楳otions
submitted to Congress will be prioritised by means of a ballot in which
branches and regional committees will cast votes. Voting must take place in
accordance with the same procedure for the submission of amendments to Congress
motions as set out in standing order 3.3 above. In institutions with more than
one branch, quorate meetings of coordinating committees will be responsible for
agreeing the priority voting for their institutions. Each eligible body shall
cast up to three votes for Congress motions in each section of Congress
business. The votes cast will be weighted by the Congress delegate entitlement
of the submitting body in whose name the votes are cast. Branch, coordinating and
regional committees will inform their relevant memberships of the votes that
have been cast in the name of the branch, institution or regional committee and
the decision-making process followed.鈥�
Insert new SO 15: 鈥楾he period for
the casting of votes shall normally be the three-week period following the
publication of the Congress Business Committee鈥檚 second report.鈥�
Insert
new SO 16: 鈥楶riority motions will be ordered at the start of each section of
Congress business, along with those motions listed in standing order 17 below
as exempt from the prioritisation process. All other motions will be listed in
the relevant section of business, in the order in which those motions were
ranked in the ballot, and will be taken if time permits.鈥�
Insert
new SO 17: 鈥楾he following motions are not subject to the priority voting
process and will automatically be treated by CBC as priority motions:
路 Motions from the NEC dealing with the
union鈥檚 finances (including budget, accounts, appointment of auditors and
setting of subscription rates).
路 Motions from the NEC to change the
rules in order to meet a statutory obligation or to remove conflict or
uncertainty from the rules, or to ensure their operational integrity.
路 Motions from the NEC which an earlier
Congress has instructed the NEC to bring forward, which may include rule
changes or policies for approval.
路 Three other motions from the NEC.
路 One motion from each of the bodies
representing members in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.鈥�
Renumber standing orders as necessary.
Insert new SO 29: 鈥業f, at the time a non-prioritised
motion is reached for debate on the agenda, there is no indication to the chair
of any delegate wishing to speak in opposition to the motion, the vote on the
motion shall normally be taken as soon as that motion has been moved.鈥�
Insert new SO 30: 鈥楳otions which re-state existing
policy, and which have not been designated 鈥榩riority鈥� motions, and which do not
have amendments attached which would if passed create new policy, will be taken
without debate.鈥�
Renumber standing orders as necessary.
SO 49 viii, delete 鈥榞rouping鈥�, replace with
鈥榓llocation鈥�; delete 鈥榰nder paragraph headings within appropriate sections of
the Annual Report.鈥� and replace with 鈥榯o chapters of the NEC鈥檚 report to
Congress, which shall form the sections of Congress business.鈥�
SO 50, delete 鈥榤otions and鈥�; delete 鈥榯hereof.鈥�,
replace with 鈥榦f motions and amendments.鈥�; Add at end: 鈥楾his shall form the
Congress Business Committee鈥檚 second report.鈥�
Renumber standing orders as necessary.
Insert
new SO 57: 鈥楩ollowing the publication of the second report, institutions and
regional committees shall be asked to vote for priority motions as described in
standing order 14. The Congress Business Committee will meet as soon as
practicable after the deadline for the casting of votes. At this meeting, in
addition to relevant matters under standing order 56, the Committee will:
i.
order
the three motions with the highest vote in each section of Congress business at
the beginning of the relevant section of business, along with any relevant
motions excluded from the prioritisation process as set out in standing order
17
ii.
order
the remaining motions in each section of business, in the order of the vote
received in support of the motion
听iii.
finalise
a timetable for the sections of Congress business, providing sufficient time
for the debate of priority motions in each section of Congress business.
These recommendations will form the Congress Business
Committee鈥檚 third report which will be published as soon as possible after the
committee鈥檚 third meeting.鈥�
Renumber standing orders as necessary.
Purpose
To implement the
instruction from Congress 2013 to bring forward, following consultation with
branches and Congress delegates, rule and standing order changes to introduce a
proposed system for the prioritisation of Congress motions most important to
branches and members. The proposal brings forward the timetable for Congress to
allow for a three-week period in which branches (as institutions) and regional
committees vote for three priority motions within each section of the annual
report to Congress.
R4听听听听 Rule changes听听听听听听听 NEC structure听听听听听听 National Executive Committee
18.8.1,
delete 鈥�14鈥�, replace with 鈥榥ine鈥�. (鈥楾here will be nine UK-elected members of
the National Executive Committee who are elected by and from members of the
Higher Education Sector.鈥�)
18.8.2i.
delete 鈥榝our鈥�, replace with 鈥榯wo鈥� (鈥榓t least two will be employed... in a
pre-1992 institution鈥�)
18.8.2ii.
delete 鈥榝our鈥�, replace with 鈥榯wo鈥� (鈥榓t least two will be employed... in a post-1992
institution鈥�)
18.8.4 , delete 鈥�10鈥�, replace with 鈥榝ive鈥�. (鈥楾here
will be five UK-elected members of the National Executive Committee who are
elected by and from members of the Further Education Sector.鈥�)
Delete
clause 18.8.5i (鈥榓t least one will be employed... in land based education鈥�)
18.10.2,
delete 鈥榮even鈥�, replace with 鈥榝our or five鈥�; delete 鈥榝our鈥�, replace with
鈥榯hree鈥� (鈥極f the four or five UK-elected Higher Education seats for which
elections are held each year, the minimum number of seats that must be filled
by women is three...鈥�)
18.10.3,
delete 鈥榝ive鈥�, replace with 鈥榯wo or three鈥�; delete 鈥榯hree鈥�, replace with 鈥榯wo鈥�
(鈥極f the two or three UK-elected Further Education seats for which elections
are held each year, the minimum number of seats that must be filled by women is
two...鈥�)
18.11.1,
delete 鈥極ne seat will be reserved for a representative from the HE sector and
one seat will be reserved for a representative from the FE sector.鈥�
Add
new 18.13.1:
18.13 Seats for
members in land-based education
18.13.1There
will be one national executive committee seat for a representative of members
in land-based education, to be filled by a member of either sector. To be
eligible for election this seat a member must be employed in land-based
education in their main employment, or, if not employed at the time of
nomination, have been most recently employed in land-based
education in their main employment.
18.13.2
(as currently numbered), delete 鈥�18.8.2 or 18.8.5 or 18.12.1鈥�, replace with
鈥�18.8.2, 18.8.5, 18.12.1 or 18.13.1鈥�.
19.1,
delete 鈥楽even鈥�, replace with 鈥楩our or five鈥� (鈥楩our or five UK-elected Higher
Education members of the National Executive Committee will be elected each
year...鈥�)
19.2,
delete 鈥楩ive鈥�, replace with 鈥楾wo or three鈥�. (鈥楾wo or three UK-elected Further
Education members of the National Executive Committee will be elected each
year...鈥�)
19.6,
after 鈥榓nd two representative of black members,鈥� add, 鈥榓nd for the seat
described in rule 18.13.1 for a representative of members in land-based
education鈥�.
Add
new rule 19.10:
19.10
Members of the NEC elected prior to rule changes passed by 51福利 annual Congress
2014 shall continue to serve out the NEC terms to which they were elected.
(This rule to be deleted following the close of Congress 2016.)
20.5,
add at end of order in which ballots will be counted 鈥榵ii. Representative of
members in land-based education鈥�.
Re-number
rules as necessary.
Purpose
To implement the new NEC structure
agreed at Congress 2013.
R5听听听听 Age
Equality Standing Committee听听听听 Southern
retired members鈥� branch
Rule
23 Equality structures
23.1.
In line one delete 鈥榝our鈥� and insert 鈥榝ive鈥�.
Add
new
v.
Age Equality Standing Committee (AEC)
23.2.
In lines one and two delete 鈥榝our鈥� and insert 鈥榝ive鈥�
Purpose
The current 51福利 Equality structures do
not afford to age the same recognition and value as they properly do to Black,
Disabled, LBGT and Women members. This rule change addresses that anomaly.
R6听听听听 National
Meetings of Retired Members 听听听听听 Yorkshire
and Humberside Retired Members鈥� Branch
New Rule 24
(and renumber existing Rule 24 and all subsequent Rules)
National
Meetings of Retired Members
24.1
There will be
a formally scheduled meeting of all retired member branch delegates to Congress
which will be held at a time when Sector Conferences are in session. The
meeting shall elect a chair from amongst those attending. Any resolutions
agreed by the meeting may be forwarded to the NEC if so decided.
24.2The
meeting shall elect 51福利鈥檚 representatives on the Executive and National Council
of the National Pensioners鈥� Convention, representative(s) on the Public Service
Pensioners Council and the 51福利 representative on the TUC Pensioners Committee.
24.3 A
formally scheduled meeting of representatives from Retired Members Branches
shall be held annually in the autumn term, which will have the right to forward
resolutions to the NEC. The meeting will elect a chair from amongst those
attending. Representation shall be on the basis of two members per retired
members鈥� branch.
Purpose
To afford a low-cost opportunity for
retired members to meet and discuss issues specific to their role while
attending Congress.
This would be a formalisation of
existing practice.
to enable retired members to bring
issues to the attention of the NEC.
to ensure that those who represent 51福利 on
retired member matters are responsible to retired members
to provide an additional opportunity for
retired members branch representatives to discuss issues of importance in
between meetings of Congress.
R7听听听听 Rule change听听听听听听听听听 North
West Regional Committee
Rule 29.1
Delete full stop at end
Add
鈥渁greed by National Congress. Any local variations may be agreed by the
National Executive Committee鈥�
Purpose
To ensure that changes to Standing Orders for Regional Committees
are agreed by National Congress. Where Regions wish to have local variations
these can be agreed by the NEC, rather than having to wait for the next
National Congress
R8听听听听 Amendment to Congress Standing Orders:
chair鈥檚 casting vote听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National
Executive Committee
SO 41, delete 鈥榯he person in the Chair shall have the right
to exercise a second casting vote.鈥� Replace with 鈥榯he Chair will declare the
proposition 鈥渘ot carried鈥�.鈥�
The SO will then read: In the event of an equality of votes
the person in the Chair will declare the proposition 鈥渘ot carried鈥�.
Purpose
To remove
the chair鈥檚 second casting vote in line with the principle expressed in the
Rules and NEC standing orders.
SECTION 6: BUSINESS
OF THE EQUALITY COMMITTEE
Section 6 of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress
Equality and employment rights,
paragraph 2.1
EQ1听听 Strengthening equality and
employment rights听听 National Executive
Committee
Congress is concerned at the severe
changes to equality and employment rights. For example, the introduction of
employment tribunal fees, the withdrawal of the equality questionnaire
procedure and third party harassment provisions, weakening the role of the
Equality and Human Rights Commission and the serious intent to further dilute
the Public Sector Equality Duty.
These changes impact on us all but
discrimination cases are more complex and difficult to prove so the added costs
and withdrawal of supportive provisions makes success even more difficult.
In the run up to the General
Election 2015, Congress calls on the NEC to
路
Provide briefings to branches on these issues to enable
members to engage and influence the political debate
路
Work with other trade unions to secure commitments
from political parties to strengthen employment and equality rights
路
Actively engage in the next review of the PSED.
Support for regions and branches,
paragraph 3.1
EQ2听听 Progressing equality locally 听听 National Executive Committee
Congress condemns the coalition
Government鈥檚 intent to eradicate equality rights and its negative impact on
branches鈥� ability to progress equality locally.
Congress notes that many of our
Employers have very bad practices on equality, including not using equality
impact assessments and not taking the need for reasonably adjustments
seriously.
It is important that branches are
supported not only to ensure that employers comply with existing legal rights
and duties but to enable them to negotiate improvements.
Congress calls on NEC to
路
Identify branches to work with to progress best
practice
路
Disseminate best practice and also equip all branches
with information and guidance on existing rights
路
Survey branch equality reps to understand local
challenges and concerns
路
Ensure that equality agreements negotiated at the
national level are implemented locally.
路
Develop collective approaches to progressing and
implementing and equality issues, as this is where we are strongest.听
Campaigning for equality, paragraphs
4.1 - 4.9
EQ3 听 Points Based Immigration听听听听听听 National Executive Committee
Congress celebrates the
contribution of international staff and students to HE and FE and condemns the
attacks on them.
Congress condemns the various
measures taken by institutions to regulate and report on international students
and the fact that many of them interfere in the relationship between students
and teaching staff.
Congress instructs NEC to
1. Carry out a
survey to determine practice in different institutions.
2. Publicly
name and shame institutions with bad practice
3. Publicise
any good practice (without praising the institutions).
4. Revise
guidance on PBI and circulate to members.
5.
EQ4 听Composite: opposition to racist, fascist,
far-right parties听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Barnsley College, University of
Hertfordshire
Congress notes the recent
resurgence and public confidence of far-right, fascist and racist groups
nationally and across Europe. The votes gained by fascist parties across
Europe, and the disturbing role of ultra nationalist groups in Ukraine and
Russia are reminders of the need for the trade union movement to remain
vigilant and committed to working with anti-fascist and anti-racist
organisations.
Congress notes that such success
has been born out of austerity measures and the demands of the international
banking system that has put profit before people.
Congress notes that far-right
parties in the UK have not enjoyed such success. The bankruptcy of the BNP and
the break-up of the EDL leadership can be attributed to the unremitting
campaigning of organisations such as the trade union movement and Unite Against
Fascism who have confronted and opposed such groups whenever and wherever they
appear in public. Congress applauds the work of these organisations and pledges
its continuing support for their actions.
Congress notes the growing
electoral successes of UKIP and calls upon 51福利 and the wider trade union
movement to confront and expose the racism and xenophobia which lies behind
this party鈥檚 policies.
Congress congratulates all those
involved in organising the Anti-Racism Day Demonstration on March 22nd in
London and resolves to:
a. Reaffirm 51福利鈥檚 commitment to
supporting and where necessary actively engaging with, anti-racist and
anti-fascist organisations
b. Encourage all branches to forge
links with anti-racist and anti-fascist organisations locally and regionally
c. Challenge statements made by
public figures and the media which give credibility and strength to far-right
arguments and promote scapegoating.
After paragraph 4.9
EQ5 Composite: Immigration and racism听听听听听听听听听听听 51福利
Wales Council, University of Aberdeen, Eastern & Counties regional
committee, National Executive Committee,
51福利 celebrates the presence of
migrants and refugees and congratulates them on their amazing contributions to
culture and society, particularly in education, research and the labour
movement.
51福利 condemns attacks on them by
government and media, particularly the cap on international students and the
鈥榤igrants go home鈥� vans.听
Congress deplores Government
attempts to demonise immigrants and blame them for failing and inadequate public
services.
Congress believes that such
scurrilous tactics are deliberately aimed at scapegoating minority groups to
divert attention from the real causes of the economic crisis - greedy and
irresponsible bankers.
The trade union movement has a long
and proud tradition of resisting and fighting prejudice and discrimination.
As a teaching union, 51福利 believes
that many of our students will face additional prejudice as a result of the
Government's intolerant and stereo-typical attitude to immigration, and reaffirms
its commitment to campaign against racism and bigotry.
51福利 condemns the ill-informed
arguments and xenophobic language used about migrant workers in the mainstream
media and by the government.
51福利 notes that academic research
points to the positive economic contribution made by migrant workers.
51福利 regrets the failure of the all
mainstream parties to use the rigorous academic research available to
counteract commonly accepted myths.
Congress notes:
鈥�
The Coalition government is
rushing the Immigration Bill through parliament.
鈥�
The Bill proposes reducing
the right of migrants to appeal against deportation; compels workers to police
the immigration status of others, and undermines the right to family life
enshrined in the Human Rights Act.
Congress believes:
鈥�
Immigrants are contributors
to public finances. The pressure on people鈥檚 income and on public services is a
result of austerity and employers鈥� attacks on wages and conditions.
鈥�
Pandering to anti-immigrant
arguments normalises racism, helping fuel the growth of right-wing political
forces.
鈥�
Campaigns such as MAX are
necessary to counter the scapegoating of immigrants.
Congress resolves:
鈥�
To oppose the Immigration
Bill and call on MPs to vote against it.
鈥�
To call on the Labour party
and future UK and/or Scottish governments to undertake to repeal it.
鈥�
To affiliate to Movement
Against Xenophobia (MAX) and support its initiatives.
Congress instructs NEC to:
鈥�
Issue public statements, when appropriate, celebrating
the diversity of students and staff in colleges and universities and
celebrating the economic and cultural contribution of migrants and refugees and
reissue appropriately modified versions whenever there is an attack.
鈥�
Draw on the expertise of our members who are migration
specialists to produce a short fact sheet for members which dispels the myths
on migrant workers. Further, Congress also instructs the 51福利 to consider
affiliating to campaigns against xenophobia.
鈥�
Produce a resource pack for teaching and general
campaigning, on:
(i) The invaluable contribution of migrants and refugees to
society, particularly in education, research and labour movement.
(ii) The importance of internationalism for education and
research.
(iii) The value of academic and cultural exchanges and
cultural diversity.
(iv) Emigration from UK.
鈥�
Step up the campaign for repeal of the cap on overseas
student numbers. 听听
鈥�
Work with other organisations to overturn racist
immigration policy.
Equality for black members,
paragraphs 5.3 - 5.5
EQ6听听 Black representation in 51福利听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Black Members鈥� Standing Committee
Congress notes that the
numbers of black members within 51福利 structures has fallen over the years. Black
members have either not come forward or are finding involvement in the
democratic structures of the union to be an increasing irrelevance. Black
activism is also declining. In regional councils and branch committees the
situation is depressingly similar. As a consequence issues affecting black
members are not raised or discussed at branch and regional levels. The Union
must address this issue urgently. Conference strongly recommends that
Congress
instructs the NEC to ensure that:
路 Each branch
should make an effort to send a black delegate to their region.
路 Each region
should have at least one black member on its committee and seek to co-opt if no
branch submits a black representative
路 A progress
report on the above is sent to 51福利 Congress 2015
EQ7听听 Austerity and racism 听听听听 听College of Haringey, Enfield and North East
London
Congress notes:
1 The austerity policies that are making workers
pay for the crisis.
2 The
disproportionate effect of austerity cuts on BME workers, including in our
colleges and universities.
3听 The successful struggle against attacks on
terms and conditions of BME cleaners at our college, and the ongoing struggles
of low-paid BME workers in many other institutions.
Congress believes:
1听 That these attacks are part of a racist agenda
to blame migrant workers and BME communities for the crisis
2听 That it is in the interest of all workers to
oppose this divide-and-rule agenda
Congress resolves:
1听 That 51福利 should work with other unions to
fight attacks on the terms and conditions of BME workers, including taking
co-ordinated industrial action.
2听 That 51福利 should work to ensure that no worker
in our institutions is paid less than the living wage.
After paragraph 5.5
EQ8听听 Black deaths in custody听听听听听听听听听听 Black Members鈥� Standing Committee
Congress deplores the continuing deaths of
black people in prison and police custody, in young offenders鈥�
institutions during arrest or detention under the Mental Health Act.
Congress believes that it is not acceptable for police and prison officers to
be unaccountable to the communities that they serve. Deaths in custody are an
issue of concern for all trade unionists 鈥� because what happens in Tottenham or
Luton or Winson Green today can happen to any one of us tomorrow.
Congress
agrees to:
Equality for disabled members, paragraph 6.3
EQ9听听 Negotiating reasonable adjustments 听听听听听听听听 Disabled Members鈥� Standing Committee
Congress notes the 51福利 guidance on
reasonable adjustments produced last year and how it provides practical support
for reps and members in understanding and negotiating adjustments. Negotiating
adjustments has always been difficult with employers avoiding their duty to
even consider a request. Members are often subject to open ended discussions
with a focus on costs rather than positively engaging with the request. Members
can often feel isolated and 鈥榰nreasonable鈥� in their right to be treated more
favourably in order to mitigate the effect of being disabled by their
working environment.
Congress calls upon the NEC to
路
Disseminate and publicise the guidance and ask
branches for feedback
路
Organise briefing sessions for reps which will include
the requirements of the duty, recent case law, the test of
鈥榬easonableness鈥�, negotiating checklist and how to take the issue forward as a
collective issue
路
Monitor employer policies and training of managers.
After paragraph 6.4
EQ10 Supporting disabled members鈥� participation and rights at work 听听听听 听听听Disabled
Members鈥� Standing Committee
Congress notes the low disclosure rates of disabled
members at work and within 51福利. This will be for various reasons but lack
of confidence in how the data will be used is a major reason. Without
disclosure disabled members reduce their legal rights and their collective
strength. Evidence shows the biggest group needing representation by 51福利
caseworkers are disabled members. Disabled members鈥� issues need to be
raised collectively so problems are not an individual鈥檚 fight but are a demand
for an institution or sector wide response. Congress calls upon the NEC
to
路
Survey self identified disabled members on
workplace concerns
路
Survey equality reps for views on non
disclosure and progressing disabled workers equality locally
路
Work with national negotiators to progress
disability leave in HE and the FE equality agreement
路
Identify two or three branches to work with
on progressing best practice on disabled members issues.
Equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) members, paragraph 7.2
EQ11 Advancing Sexual
Orientation and Gender Identity Equality in the Workplace听听听 听听听听听听听听听 LGBT Members鈥� Standing Committee
Congress notes the survey 鈥�The Ups and Downs of LGB鈥�s Workplace鈥� launched on 30th January 2014.
This, the first ever large scale national survey of bullying and harassment
faced by LGB workers, it found that LGB workers are more than twice as likely to be bullied or face discrimination. Whilst the survey did not consider the experiences of trans
workers, it is unfortunately all too likely that they face similar problems to
a greater extent
The survey reveals that homophobic and biphobic
stereotypes persist in the workplace affecting our job security and wellbeing. It highlights inadequate management, LGBT staff
network and trade union representative responses to bullying and harassment.
1. Conference calls on all 51福利 branches to tackle the problems caused by persisting homophobia, bi phobia,
transphobia, underlying heterosexism and gender binary prejudice, at work.
2.
Conference urges
all members to educate and organise all workers to deal with these.
Equality
for women members, paragraphs 8.3 - 8.4
EQ12 Female
Genital Mutilation
听听听听听听 Women Members鈥� Standing Committee
Congress recognises FGM as a form of gendered
abuse affecting an estimated 140 million women globally. We offer solidarity to
its victims.
In colleges and universities both staff and
students are affected. Many women and girls are unable to seek protection and
help because of ignorance and prejudice surrounding the issue, including:
Islamophobic or racist notions about the practice; a belief that FGM is a
personal or cultural issue and a lack of sensitive, helpful support to
victims/girls under threat.
Congress
calls on the government to fund meaningful support for women, including:
路
ensuring protection for girls under
threat;
路
funding health services, housing and
benefits for victims
路
granting asylum where needed
Congress
calls for 51福利 strategy to include
路
Working to include FGM in safeguarding
路
Production of education materials &
advice/support for members
路
working with FGM projects that do not
reinforce racist ideas about FGM
EQ13听听 Tackling
sexism on campus听听 51福利 Scotland Executive
Committee
That this Congress notes:
鈥� the importance of ensuring
university and college campuses are welcoming, safe environments for staff,
students and visitors.
鈥� press reports highlighting an
unwelcome 鈥渓addish culture鈥� existing on some campuses
鈥� the government-commissioned
Sexualisation of Young People Review which found: 鈥渓ads鈥� mags promote an idea
of male sexuality as based on power and aggression, depicting women as sex
objects and including articles that feature strategies for manipulating
women.鈥濃�︹�淭he evidence gathered suggests a clear link between consumption of
sexualised images, a tendency to view women as objects and the acceptance of
aggressive attitudes and behaviour as the norm.鈥漑1]
This Congress believes that steps
should be taken to ensure that equality and diversity is enshrined within all
post-16 education institutions, and supports the positive work already
undertaken in some institutions. Congress supports the campaign to seek to
remove all 鈥渓ads mags鈥� from sale in University, College and Student Union
shops.
[1]
New paragraph, equality structures,
after paragraph 9.1
EQ14 Intersectionality and equality
structure听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 West Midlands
Regional Council
Following reductions to the budget
for equality representation, a new conference where all four equality strands
meet simultaneously has replaced the former separate conference. The impact of
this is that those who are disadvantaged by multiple forms of oppression are
now:
鈥� Less able to participate in the
annual conference, share support, and propose and debate essential equality
business
鈥� Less likely to be elected to
represent and take part in decision making on the national equalities
committees
Congress resolves to:
1) Ensure equality arrangements
allow full participation for those who are oppressed in multiple ways
2) Monitor future equalities
arrangements to ensure 51福利 embodies the fairness we pursue as activists by
making sure participation for those oppressed in multiple ways is always
considered primary.
SECTION 7: OTHER
EMPLOYMENT RELATED BUSINESS
Section 4 of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress
New paragraph, employment
conditions and rights, after paragraph 1.5
OR1听听听听 Attacks
on conditions听听 听听听听听听听听听 Lambeth College
Congress notes the increased
attempt to drive down conditions across HE and FE; in particular the attacks on
contracts and conditions at Edinburgh College, Lambeth FE College and Liverpool
University.
Congress believes that these
attacks will have a dangerously negative impact on quality of education, and on
the well-being of staff and are an attempt to remove state-funded education.
Congress resolves to launch a
national campaign against attacks on conditions across HE and FE.
OR2听听听听 Fair
terms and conditions for all staff听听听听听听 Academic
Related, Professional Staff Committee
51福利 is appalled by the cynical use
of reviews and restructuring to make redundancies and replace these staff with
temps or casualised staff within universities & colleges. 51福利 questions the
legitimacy of this practice as many of these posts are not in any way short
term and there is a substantial more permanent job available.
51福利 sees this as an attack on
employment rights of these staff as they are unlikely to have proper contracts
or paid holiday and are unable to afford decent pensions.
51福利 calls on the NEC and all
branches/local associations to fight against this practice at local level,
shaming managements that indulge in this shoddy employment practice.
Environmental work, paragraph 2.3
OR3听听听听 Climate change听听 听听听听听听听听听 Greenwich
Community College
Congress notes:
that recent reports suggest that
the last winter鈥檚 devastating floods in the wettest UK winter for 200 years
were clear evidence of accelerating climate change due to human activity.
that the government have been keen
to divert attention away from their responsibility for the severity of flooding
in many areas due to cuts in the Environment Agency budget and their failure to
address flood prevention measures or sufficient development of alternatives to
energy production through oil, gas and nuclear means.
Congress resolves:
To encourage branches to elect
green reps and bring to members鈥� attention materials on climate change for use
in curriculums and as campaigning materials, such as those produced by the
Campaign for Climate Change.
HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR CONFERENCE
MOTIONS FOR DEBATE
Section 2
of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress
National
negotiations and dispute, paragraphs 2.1 - 2.4
HE1听听
National claim/negotiations with UCEA听听听听 Higher
Education Committee
Conference notes the report and approves the
recommendations from the national negotiators contained in 51福利HE/xxx.
HE2听听 Pay Strategy 听听听听听听听 University of Essex
Conference
is fully committed to national pay bargaining and structures, which provide pay
parity across the sector.
Conference nevertheless recognises that national pay bargaining sets pay levels
at the maximum that can be afforded by financially weak institutions, even
though most institutions can afford to pay more.
Conference thus instructs HEC to:
1)听听 prepare a draft model and strategy
designed to achieve minimum national pay levels to be topped up by local
negotiations over additional pay, holiday allowances, bonuses and other means
of rewarding all staff equally for the success of their institution
2)听听 consult on this draft widely with
branches and individuals
3)听听 prepare a final version for
consideration and ratification by a Special Sector Conference to take place no
later than the end of February, 2015.
HE3听听 National pay negotiation
time-table听 听听听听听听听听听 London South Bank University
HESC notes
路 members鈥�
13% real pay cut over 5 years;
路 UCEA鈥檚
refusal to increase its initial offers during negotiations over 5 years;
路 that
negotiations run from March to August, after the end of the academic year.
HESC believes
路 the
negotiating timetable gravely hinders 51福利鈥檚 prosecution of annual pay
campaigns;
路 members are
angry about their real-pay losses and support a plausible strategy to begin a
process of catch-up;
路 that
industrial action during the year of claim offers the best chance of success.
HESC resolves
路 to demand
that negotiators conclude negotiations by the end of April each year, unless
real progress is being made on the central aspect of any claim (ie the headline
rate of increase);
路 to put
UCEA鈥檚 first 鈥榝inal offer鈥� to members in a ballot for industrial action.
HE4听听 Pay Campaign and Multi-Year
Settlement听听 听听听听听听听听听 University of Brighton, Grand Parade
HESC notes the
positive response to 1-day and
2-hour strikes despite widespread scepticism over their effectiveness;
HEC postponement of marking
sanction left little opportunity for effective industrial response to
stoppages;
HESC policy was January start of
assessment sanction, and two and three-day regional strikes.
HESC believes
rolling the claim into 2014-15 must
not be interpreted as conceding defeat in the campaign;
the 2014-15 campaign should be for
a multi-year, 'inflation plus' settlement (2013-2017) to recoup past losses in
four years.
HESC resolves that the:
role of HEC is to implement
Conference policy, not change it;
2013-14 campaign will continue in
2014-15 with the marking sanction in place from October;
objective in 2014-15 will be a
multi-year, 'inflation plus' settlement;
rolling two-day and three-day
strikes regionally (with other unions, if possible) will happen in autumn and
spring;
51福利 response to punitive action by
individual employers, will be UK-wide industrial action.
HE5听听 Lessons from the 2013/14 pay
campaign听 Yorkshire and Humberside HE Sector
Committee
HE Sector Conference notes:
1.听听听听听听 the commitment
of members to execute the 2013 sector conference decision on the 2013/14 pay campaign shown by
the unprecedented number of days in which they took strike action within a
month.
2.听听听听听听 that the HEC
overturned an accepted plan of action involving a marking boycott in January
2014. Instead, it
introduced the concept of 2-hour strikes to the campaign and delayed the
marking boycott until 28 April.
3.听听听听听听 that HEC鈥檚
introduction of 2-hour strikes left some members bewildered, frustrated or
angry as they had not had an opportunity to discuss the tactic. It also left 51福利 not fully prepared
for the escalation by some employers in terms of punitive pay deductions.
4. 听听听听听 that the HEC has a role in implementing the decisions of HE
Sector Conference; this should not include retreating on decisions voted on by
the elected conference representatives.
HE6听听 Strategy for Industrial Action听 听听听听听听听听听 University
of Hull
Given the little momentum building
up from the current strategy driving the present industrial dispute and its
failure to win the sympathy of the wider public - evidenced by allusions to
well-paid academics wanting more money in times of austerity- we move that 51福利
represent the action as a fight for 'Social Justice', foregrounding the
relative low-pay of non-academic staff (alongside the increasing erosion of
academic pay at the lower end of the scale) against the excessive remuneration
of senior academic staff and VCs. Furthermore, we move that 51福利 abandon the
futility of two-hour strike campaigns and to move towards all-out strikes.
HE7听听 Industrial action and the
impact on members on casualised contracts听听听听听 Anti
Casualisation Committee
HESC notes:
a) members on casualised contracts
(MCC) often report job *security* as their key concern, while supporting the HE
pay action
b) potential disproportionate
impact re loss of pay and future work offers
c) HEIs giving very low pay rates
to postgraduate student staff
d) successful action depends on MCC
participation
e) ways are needed for non-teaching
researchers to participate
We call upon HEC to ensure:-
i. 51福利's position on casualisation
is well-publicised in HE action
material
ii. a fund for postgraduate/ other
low-paid HPLs disproportionally
affected
iii. casualisation is a central
part of future HE annual claims
and to
iv. assess the impact of future
action upon MCC, recognising different needs from those of permanent/ salaried
colleagues
v. implement ways of informing and
involving researchers, HPLs and all MCC, and protecting them from victimisation
vi. provide clear guidance to
branches on these issues.
HE8听听 Casualisation听听听听听听听 Higher Education Committee
Conference notes
路
the ongoing work of HEC to address unacceptable levels of casualisation
within the sector, including our research into the use of super-exploitative
zero-hour contracts;
路
the information circulated to branches about the disproportionate
impact that industrial action can have on our members on casual contracts.
Conference calls on HEC to
assist branches to
路
Assimilate HPLs to fractional contracts and/or to the agreed
institutional pay spine on consolidated rate or equivalent
路
Seek a commitment from employers not to use of zero-hour contracts.
路
Encourage casualised staff to join the 51福利 and to become active in
organising and negotiating for improvements
Conference calls on HEC to
continue working with the Anti-casualisation committee to develop means to
encourage our members on casual contracts to take industrial action in
furtherance of the union鈥檚 objectives and to take account of their particular
circumstances when action is called.
New paragraph,
Senior Staff Pay, after paragraph 2.4
HE9 Composite: Vice-chancellors鈥� pay听听听听听听听 Southern
HE Sector Committee, Yorkshire and Humberside HE Sector
This HE
sector Conference notes:
1.
The above inflation pay rises awarded to Vice
Chancellors across the HE sector
2.
That Vice Chancellors are effectively being rewarded
for the achievements and hard work of all university staff.
3.
That Vice Chancellors' pay awards are usually decided
by committees that are not representative of the workforce.
4.
That the 51福利 campaign 鈥楩air Pay For All鈥� is not
actively supported by these Vice Chancellors.
This Sector Conference notes with revulsion and anger
the excessive pay awards enjoyed by VC's while 1% has been imposed on other
employees.
Conference condemns the resulting
widening gap between the pay of those responsible for delivering higher
education and the fortunes bestowed on senior staff, who, far from looking
after the institutions in their care, are enthusiastic defenders of their own
pay cheques, happy to do the government's bidding while receiving massive
annual increases, at a time when their colleagues and students face increasing
hardship.
Conference also condemns the rank
hypocrisy manifested by this trend, as managers claim that financial restraint
is necessary for the rest of us, but not for them.
This HE
Sector Conference calls on HEC to campaign for:
1.
Pay of Vice Chancellors and other senior staff to be
determined by a fair and transparent process.
2.
Elected members of staff to have at least one seat on
any committee that determines the remuneration of Vice Chancellors.
3.
A reduction in the pay gap between highest and lowest
earners in HE.
Conference instructs HEC to:
(a) intensify its campaign for
increased transparency over executive pay
(b) maximise publicity regarding
the inequality of university pay
(c) Work together with the NUS to expose and oppose inflated
'top' pay.
HE10 Exposing management perks and
indirect benefits听听听听听听听 Teesside
University
We call on HEC to extend the
successful strategy of publicizing VC's pay to all senior managers pay, perks
and bonus packages. Public outrage over MP's duck houses, moats and tennis courts
proved far more effective in exposing greed and in some case fraud than a
simple focus on salary alone.
We call on HEC to instruct twice
yearly FOI requests to be sent to every HEI requesting details of pay and perks
packages for all managers on 拢100,000 or more. This should specifically include
health insurance and other indirect benefits such as accommodation or car.
Copies of company credit card spending for such managers should also be
requested. All information gathered should be shared with Regional officials
and Regional Executives.
Casualisation/zero hours contracts, paragraphs 3.1 - 3.2
HE11 Build the campaign against ZHC听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 University
of Liverpool (against
para 3.2)
Zero hour contracts (ZHC) and
casualisation is endemic across the economy. The rise of ZHC in HE is alarming
and leads to greater job insecurity and inferior terms and conditions.
University of Liverpool is one of the worst offenders in the north-west with
173 teaching staff employed on zero hour contracts.
Conference notes the widespread
opposition to the use of ZHC in HE and other workplaces. In 2013 workers at a
Hovis bakery in Wigan stopped the use of ZHC by taking sustained strike action.
Conference agrees to:
1) Encourage braches to
campaign with other HE unions and students against ZHC.
2) Urge branches to discuss
what mobilisations should be taken to stop this increasing casualisation in HE.
3) Encourage branches to take part
in wider campaigns in their area, working with unions outside of HE, trades
councils and community groups also fighting ZHC.
HE12 Shedding light on terms and
conditions of researchers in HE 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Anti Casualisation Committee
Conference notes:
鈥� the 51福利 Freedom of Information
request on zero hours contracts (ZHCs) was successful in drawing public and
media attention to this aspect of casualistion in FE and HE
鈥� the significant value of
obtaining such data for progressing campaign priorities
鈥� researchers in some HEIs are not
recognised as academic staff
鈥� the ongoing and particular
difficulties experienced by researchers on casualised contracts in HE
Conference therefore calls on the
HEC to work with the Anti-Casualisation Committee to undertake research
(including an FOI request) into the terms and conditions of researchers to
ascertain:
1) Numbers of staff employed as
researchers in HEIs
2) Breakdown of contract types
(permanent, fixed term, hourly paid) for researchers at HEIs
3) any differences in terms of
holiday entitlement, pay and pension membership:
a) in pre- and post-92 universities
b) between researchers and other
categories of academic and academic related staff
HE13 Hierarchies in Pay and Job
Titles for Researchers听听听听听听听听 Birmingham
City University
HE Sector Conference notes that
individuals on casual contracts working as researchers potentially face a significant
variation in pay depending on the job title they are given, with the job title
of 'Research Consultant' in contrast to 'Research Assistant' negatively
affecting salary and how the employer (university) perceives the researcher's
role and degree of participation.
HE Sector Conference resolves to
clarify the job titles of Research Consultants and Research Assistants, and to
investigate whether there are significant differences in salaries and the job
specifications for researchers on casual contracts when they are labelled as
'Research Consultants' or 'Research Assistants'.
REF, paragraphs 5.1 - 5.2
HE14 The Research Excellence Framework (REF) and
gender discrimination听听听听 Women Members鈥�
Standing Committee
Conference notes with extreme concern reports that in the run-up
to the REF 2014:
路
There
was an increase in 鈥渟tar鈥� academics being appointed without any
advertisement of the post, especially in Russell Group institutions, in breach
of Equal Opportunities legislation;
路
Women
were disproportionately disadvantaged in being excluded from the REF,
with damaging consequences for their future
careers;
路
Women
were disproportionately pressurised into moving from research-active to
鈥渢eaching-focused鈥� contracts against their
will.
Conference instructs its officers and officials to obtain accurate
figures on the extent of the above and other gender-discriminatory practices in
relation to the REF, to issue advice to branches and members on how to resist
such practices, and to formulate proposals for eliminating them in future
research assessment exercises.
HE15 REF听听听 South East HE Sector Committee
HESC notes the
(a) completion of submissions to
REF 2014, and HEIs' preparations for next REF;
(b) risk that these preparations
will distort the research agenda;
(c) existence of groups concerned
with the nature and consequences of the current funding regime for research in
HEIs. The Campaign for the Public University, Boycott the Next REF, and Council
for the Defence of British Universities, amongst others, have used the current
funding regime for research as a way of critiquing the programme of
privatisation of HE.
HESC instructs Officers and
Officials to
路
encourage all HE Branches to work with the CDBU, CPU
and Students鈥� Unions to organise regional meetings in autumn and spring to
debate and refine a series of principles to govern the funding and scope of HE
research;
路
hold a joint Conference with other campaign groups to
unify and publicise 51福利鈥檚 commitment to a campaign for a democratic alternative
to the REF.
HE16 REF听听听 听听听听听听听听听 University of
Glasgow
HESC notes the very serious
concerns expressed by members about the REF and condemns the negative impacts
on research, departments and careers.
HESC instructs HEC to set up a
working group on the REF to:
1. Monitor the consequences of the
REF for members and departments.
2. Formulate proposals to be agreed
by HEC or HE officers for a swift response against institutions involved in
closing department or victimising members not submitted to the REF.
3. Formulate proposals for a
proactive response to the next REF, which could include boycott.
4. Organise a conference to discuss
these proposals and those from members and formulate a motion for HESC 2015.
5. HESC believes that REF tactics
have worsened the equal pay gap in universities. HESC calls on HEC to carry out
a review of HEI equal pay figures and to do a comparison before and after REF,
and to act accordingly.
HE17
Abolish the REF!听 Queen Mary University of
London
Conference
notes that the outcome of current REF is likely to further concentrate precious
funding resources in an ever-smaller group of so-called elite universities
We also
note the terrible long-term impact of the REF process on the research culture
within UK higher education, relationships between colleagues and the ambitions
and focus of research.
We call
on 51福利 to launch a national campaign encouraging all research-active staff in
British universities to boycott all cooperation with the next research audit
and demand an alternative mechanism for distributing research funding across UK
HE.
USS pension scheme, paragraph 7.1
HE18 USS听 听听听听听听听听听 Higher
Education Committee
Conference notes developments in respect of USS
and approves the recommendations from the HEC鈥檚 Superannuation Working Group
contained in 51福利HE/xxx.
HE19 USS and the principle of
buy-cott听听听听 University of Warwick
This conference notes:
路
USS is a pensions fund with approximately 拢40 billion
in assets and is one of the UK's largest pension funds
路
USS "strives to integrate environmental, social
and governance issues across its asset classes and to be a leader in
responsible investment"
路
The low level of activity in the UK of pensions funds
using their proxy votes
This conference believes:
路 That
ethical investment could be furthered by large funds like USS using their votes
to direct companies into social and environmental responsibility
路 That USS
should use its votes to buy-cott and boycott
路
51福利 has a duty to pursue this type of agenda
This conference instructs:
路
51福利 to use its position in USS to exercise its votes
voice to develop a more sustainable future for all based around the principle
of buy-cott and boycott.
Teaching-focussed contracts,
paragraph 9.1
HE20听 Composite: casualisation and
teaching-focused contracts听听听听听 Birmingham
City University, HEC
Conference notes the
increased prominence given to teaching in the current policy environment and
that a well-supported members鈥� survey on the use of teaching-focussed contracts
raised a number of issues associated with pay, progression and promotion and
ongoing research requirements.
Conference welcomes the
development of bargaining advice by HEC on the use of teaching-focussed
contracts.
HE Sector Conference notes:
-听听听 the increasing prevalence of casualised
teaching-only contracts, particularly in the run-up to the REF
-听听听 the challenges faced by casualised staff in
developing publications because of workloads and job search demands, but
publications are necessary for securing permanent employment
-听听听 casualised staff must often conduct research
on their own time, with limited institutional support
HE Sector Conference believes:
-听听听 Casual contracts and teaching-only contracts
are detrimental to research, and to the next generation of academics
-听听听 Teaching-only contracts risk polarising the
workforce into teachers and researchers, with teaching perceived as inferior
HE Sector Conference resolves:
-听听听 To affirm existing Congress policy opposing
casualised teaching-only contracts
-听听听 To research the equality impact of
casualisation, and in particular casualised teaching-only contracts;
-听听听 To research the impact of such contracts on
early career researchers
-听听听 To offer guidance to branches instructing
them to campaign and negotiate research support for casualised staff.
Performance and
productivity management, paragraph 10.1
HE21 Bullying听听听听听 Queen Margaret University
Conference notes with extreme
concern the increased incidence in workplace bullying in Higher Education, and
the use of management tools which make bullying appear acceptable. Conference
calls on the 51福利 officers to urge management in educational institutions to
recognise and eliminate all forms of bullying.
Competition and
privatisation, paragraphs 11.1 - 11.2
HE22 Private providers听听听听听听听听听听 Higher Education Committee (para 11.2)
Conference notes the:
路
growth of for-profit
private providers in the provision of higher education;
路
increasing experimentation
with different types of corporate form within the sector
路
establishment of
arms-length companies by existing HEIs.
Conference
路
restates its opposition to
the marketisation and privatisation of higher education;
路
believes that every worker
within the higher education sector should have the right to be represented by a
recognised trade union;
Conference instructs HEC:
路
to monitor the employment
practices of such organisations;
路
develop a strategic
approach and bargaining guidelines to ensure that the 51福利 remains the
recognised union for academic and academic-related staff within the sector.
HE23 Outsourcing of email听听听听 Goldsmith, University of London
Conference notes
鈥� The signing in May 2013 of a cloud computing deal between the Janet network
and Microsoft
鈥� The increased use of outsourcing by universities of email facilities to
private systems such as Microsoft鈥檚 Office 365 and Google
鈥� The participation of Microsoft in NSA surveillance operations
鈥� The inadequate privacy provisions of private cloud data storage services
Conference believes
路 That
university staff should have the right to exercise real choice about how they
access and store data locally
Conference resolves
鈥� To call on branches to urge
institutions to review their contracts with Microsoft for the MS Office 365
Cloud Email and Calendar services in light of the recent NSA revelations and to
seek alternative and viable provision when the contracts expire
鈥� To urge institutions to provide, wherever possible, a range of open access
and open source software services, and appropriate email and data storage
facilities.
HE24 Pathway Centres听听听听听听听听听听听 Northumbria University
Conference expresses concern at the
increasing number of 鈥榩athway centres鈥� at UK universities, whereby private
providers recruit international students and prepare them for entry into
university undergraduate and master鈥檚 degree programmes. The staff employed by
the pathway centres face temporary contracts and worse pay, pensions, terms and
conditions than those of their university colleagues.
This development represents the
thin end of the wedge, opening up the possibility of a two-tier academic
workforce in universities, and giving the privateers a golden opportunity to
demand a slice of undergraduate teaching in future. Business considerations are
taking precedence over academic development more and more frequently.
Conference calls upon the HEC to
develop a strategy to counter such outcomes and in particular to target
recruitment at the pathway centres, in order to secure bargaining rights on
behalf of those staff.
HE25 Internationalisation and
increased marketisation of HE 听听听听听听听听 LGBT
Members鈥� Standing Committee
Conference notes with alarm the
indiscriminate pursuit of market opportunities in the sector. In particular, we
are concerned at the threat to workplace equality, as institutions enter into
lucrative international projects and abandon their commitment and duties. We
note that a number of HE institutions are setting up campuses or collaborating
with countries which enforce discrimination through law, and that this presents
primary discrimination of staff as well as a threat to students. Conference
believes that this is contrary to our understanding of education as the
unfettered development of ideas, thought and critique, and calls on 51福利 to:
Academic-related staff, paragraph
12.1
HE26 Fighting de-professionalisation
and down-grading听听听听听听 Academic Related,
Professional Staff Committee
Conference notes with sadness that
staff are increasingly regarded by management as interchangeable units of
production. This attack on staff members' professionalism, status and dignity
represents a particular threat to academic-related staff, who are viewed as
either managers or service providers, with little control over their own work.
With responsibility removed, downgrading ensues. New staff are recruited into
lower grades, with little prospect of advancement. Individual expertise is
actively discouraged, with staff treated as a homogeneous group, able to be
deployed into any role.
Conference:
-听听听 Reiterates
its belief in the parity of academic-related staff with academic colleagues,
and the right of all staff to be recognised as professionals working within
their area of expertise.
-听听听 Calls on 51福利 to fight attempts to downgrade
and de-professionalise staff, and to support members facing such attacks.
-听听听 Calls on HEC to campaign for the maintenance
of a non-managerial career path for all.
Defend health educators, paragraph
13.1
HE27 Defend health educators听听听听听听听听听 Northumbria University
Conference is alarmed at the
substantial fall, since 2006-7, in the number of academic staff working in the
nursing and paramedical studies cost centre in UK universities. By 2011-12,
there had been an average reduction of 9.5%, and since then the total has
fallen still further. Not only is this putting additional burdens on the staff
who remain, but the age profile is becoming unbalanced as many experienced
staff who leave are not being replaced.
Conference calls on the HEC to step
up its campaigning work to protect jobs and employment conditions and the
future provision of care to patients, clients and carers. Demographic data on
the age profile of health educators should be monitored and pressure put on
employers to replace retiring staff.
New paragraph, governance, after paragraph
13.1
HE28 Towards accountable and
transparent governance in Higher Education听听听 London
Metropolitan University City branch听
Until there is reform of Higher
Education governance, particularly in the post-92 universities, Higher
Education will continue to be run for the benefit of Vice Chancellors and their
friends and to the disbenefit of everyone else. The present lack of regulation
governing appointment of HE Governors allows the type of self-perpetuating
oligarchy that at best works as benign autocracy and at worst as
self-interested "Masonry".
Conference requires 51福利 NEC to put
forward a set of proposals for statutory based reform of governance in Higher
Education for potential inclusion in national party election manifestos for
2015 based on genuine principles of transparency, accountability and local
community interest.
HE29 Governance听听听听听听听听 Higher
Education Committee
Conference notes the increasing:
路
concentration of power in
the hands of a few appointed executives on bodies such as Pre 92 University Court
and Post 92 Board of Governors;
路
focus on commercial
interests at the expense of educational values, Academic freedom and
Institutional Autonomy.
Conference believes:
路
University executive
bodies need to be more democratic, collegiate and transparent in the way they
run HE institutions.
路
That all paid roles should
be on the national pay spine staff to ensure pay equality and transparency at
all times
路
That remuneration panels
must have staff representation.
Conference resolves to campaign for:
路
all governing bodies to be
more democratic and accountable;
路
executive body meetings to
held in open session;
路
transparent and fair
appointments processes, including staff representation, better gender balance,
and an elected Chair of the Governing body.
路
all Universities to have a
whistleblowing policy.
Local Disputes, paragraph 15.1
HE30 Use of 鈥榓cl鈥� grade posts in
post-92 universities听听听 University of
Central Lancashire (against para 15.1)
In the light of 51福利鈥檚 national
policy that grades lower than Ac2 are not to be used for HE work in Post-92
universities, any 51福利 branch鈥檚 attempts to resist the increased use of sub-Ac2
grades locally for HE work will be deemed of national significance and will be
supported by 51福利 nationally.
New paragraph, immigration,
discrimination, international students, after paragraph 15.1
HE31 Immigration Bill听听 West Midlands HE Sector Council
HE Sector Conference notes:
-the recent announcement by the
Immigration Minister to make it easier for institutions to lose their Highly
Structured Sponsor status
Measures within the Immigration
Bill to create a 鈥渉ostile environment鈥�, including charging for healthcare and
requiring landlords to check immigration status
HE Sector Conference believes:
-these measures are discriminatory;
displace blame for the recession onto migrants; will have detrimental effects
on staff and students; and represents the further outsourcing of immigration
controls
HE Sector Conference resolves:
To lobby Universities UK to
publicly oppose these measures
To reaffirm previous Conference motions
urging noncompliance and opposing the outsourcing of immigration controls on HE
staff
To seek reassurance that healthcare
will remain free for overseas students and staff
To monitor the equality impact of these measures
To campaign with the NUS and
Movement Against Xenophobia for the repeal of these measures.
HE32 University Monitoring of 鈥楾ier
4鈥� Students听 University of Warwick
Conference notes:
Universities have become
preoccupied with managing accountability demanded by UK Visas and Immigration
(formerly the UK Border Agency), requiring UK academics to provide information
about student attendance and communication for the purpose of UKVI audits.
Such monitoring is having a
detrimental impact on relationships between staff and students.
Conference declares its opposition
to UK universities requiring their staff to report on 'Tier 4' students for the
benefit of meeting UKVI requirements and resolves to:
1. Coordinate with the National
Union of Students to launch a campaign against discriminatory monitoring of
'Tier 4' students;
2. Towards that end, investigate
the different types of monitoring measures currently undertaken by universities
of their 'Tier 4' students;
3. Call upon the government to
abolish requirements that Universities provide information to UKVI about
student attendance or communication with their tutors.
HE33 Universities, Discrimination
and the Borders Agency听听听 University of
Brighton, Falmer
HESC notes
路 well-established
Congress policy opposing Points-Based Immigration, and the use of educational
institutions for immigration control;
鈥� 51福利 policy urges members not - to
become untrained extensions of the Borders Agency, comply with instructions
that might be discriminatory, and might constitute a de facto alteration of
contracts, or risk legal action;
鈥� existing detailed and exemplary
51福利 website advice for branches and members, including responses to
discriminatory management instructions;
鈥� many universities now have
patently discriminatory attendance monitoring for overseas students, and visa
checking for visiting colleagues, that exceed the requirements of the Borders
Agency for 'trusted status'.
HESC resolves that all:
鈥� HE branches will receive again
robust guidance from the HE Department about responding to management processes
and advising individual members;
鈥� HE members will receive a
dedicated communication explaining 51福利 policy on compliance, the legal danger
to them individually, the moral and political consequences, and the educational
detriment to HE collegiality.
HE34 听 International staff and students in higher
education 听 Black members鈥� standing
committee
Conference
notes that university campuses are now highly diverse and international spaces.
However, international staff and students suffer from increasingly intrusive
processes monitoring their movements and immigration status. 51福利 deplores, in
particular, the practice of fingerprinting international students by some
universities.
This
excessive surveillance contributes to anti-migrant racism and damages the
reputation of UK education across the world. Universities should play no part
in demonising, isolating and targeting migrants.
We
call on the NEC:
路
To raise our concerns about
the improper use of such technologies on educational institutions with UUK and
UKBA;
路
To send letters of concern
to relevant embassies, including India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ghana and China;
路
To collate information
about misuse of biometric surveillance in the sector and to raise awareness of
this issue within 51福利.
New paragraph, mental health issues
in higher education
HE35 Combating occupational health
issues in higher education 听听听 University
of Birmingham
Conference notes both the findings
of the 2013 51福利 report entitled 'Tackling Stress in Higher Education' and the
recent focus in the media on this issue. Conference further notes the evidence
of a rise in mental health problems among those who work in, and study at,
universities.
Conference calls on 51福利 to:
鈥� Work with Universities UK and
other relevant organisations to develop a standardised occupational health
survey that can be used in all higher education institutions, in order to
provide comparative analyses both within the sector and over time;
鈥� Write to all higher education
institutions to ask what measures are being put in place to halt and then
reverse this increase in mental health problems among those who work and study
at universities;
鈥� To distribute all responses to
such a request among all 51福利 members in the form of a report which also
identifies best practice.
New paragraph, funding and students
HE36 Sale
of the student loan book听 听听听听听听听听听 Open University
HE
Sector Conference notes:-
路
The 40% fall in
part time HE students since the introduction of higher fees and the current
student loans system
路
That the proposals
in the Rothschild report and sale of the student loan book will open the door
to lobbying from private companies for higher interest rates on student loans
路
Vulnerable sections
of the population who are debt averse will be even less likely to enter HE
路
That enrolments of
adult part-time students in HE may fall further, exacerbating the damage
already caused by ELQ cuts and fee increases
Conference
re-affirms that Higher Education should be financed by progressive corporation
tax, and resolves:-
路
To make this a
politically sensitive issue, and campaign with student unions and other trade
unions for a fundamental reversal of the policy changes of the last decade, and
return to public finance of higher education.
HE37 Employability Agenda听听听 Southern HE Sector Committee
This Sector Conference notes with
concern that the Employability Agenda is by stealth reducing degrees to
commodities; and at the expense of academic freedom, credibility, integrity and
coherence.
Conference instructs the NEC to
conduct a survey in conjunction with the NUS to firstly ascertain the extent
and consequences of the Employability Agenda in Higher Education; and then to
establish a common position, by way of a statement and strategy for action,
between 51福利 and the NUS.
HE38听 Composite:
support for student activists, right to protest听听听听听 University
of Birmingham, University of Glasgow
HESC thanks NUS and other student
activists for the magnificent support they have shown for the pay Campaign in
HE. 51福利 condemns the increasingly brutal tactics being used to silence student activists.
Conference recognises the
continuing and increasingly draconian approach adopted by University managers
towards student activists engaging in protests against the privatisation and
marketisation of education.
Conference notes that this has been
especially severe at the University of Birmingham this academic year. At least
9 student activists have been subject to disciplinary procedures as a result of
protest activity on campus. Five students have been suspended for a number of
weeks, and two remain suspended indefinitely and without a right of appeal.
None of these students have been found guilty of any crime, and nor have they
yet been found by the University to have broken University rules.
51福利 resolves to:
1. Actively campaign for University
of Birmingham management to lift the suspensions of five students and West
Midlands police to lift the draconian bail conditions imposed on them.
2. Inform all branch officers of
these events, and to seek the support of 51福利 branches for the lifting of these
suspensions.
3. Put pressure on UUK to recognise
the right of students to protest.
4. Together with NUS and other
student activists draw up a charter enshrining the democratic right of students
and staff to engage in peaceful protest, including occupations and public
statements.
New paragraph, new 51福利 branch
HE 39听 Composite: Hastings branch听 University of Brighton (Falmer), University of
Brighton (Eastbourne)
HESC notes
that:听听听听听听听听听听听听听听
鈥� University of Brighton 51福利
members based at the Hasting campus are subsumed within the Eastbourne branch;
鈥� the Hastings campus is up to 1
hour travelling time from the Eastbourne campus;
鈥� neither the culture nor the
facilities exist in the University for virtual meetings;
鈥� the request from University of
Brighton 51福利, supported by members at the Hasting campus, for a new 51福利 branch
at the Hastings Campus was refused in 2012 by the HEC, and a similar motion to
this was not arrived at in the HESC agenda in 2013.
HESC believes that this is an
unreasonable decision taken by the HEC. It deprives 51福利 members at the Hastings
campus of access to effective representation by and in the 51福利.
HESC instructs HEC to accept the
request of 51福利 members based at the Hasting campus of the University of
Brighton to form a new 51福利 branch.
New paragraph, international
HE40 Defending Equality on
International Projects听听听听 Manchester
Metropolitan University
This Conference:
1. notes
路
The听
collaboration between MMU and the Police Force of Qatar
路
The hypocrisy of an institution which claims to
promote听 equality working听 with an organisation which enforces
discrimination
路
The burden on staff working on these projects
2. believes
路
That universities must promote equality in all their
work, in the UK and internationally
路
That all university projects, international and local,
should be equally accessible to all members of eligible staff
路
That collaboration with discriminatory organisations
is not acceptable
3. demands
路
That 51福利 publicly condemn all institutions which
engage with听 organisations which promote
discrimination
路
That 51福利 produce practical guidance on international
working
路
That 51福利 provide national support for branches which
seek to challenge international projects under the Equality Act
路
That 51福利 support any member who refuses to work with
overtly discriminatory organisations, whether in the UK or overseas.
FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR CONFERENCE
MOTIONS FOR DEBATE
Section 3 of the NEC鈥檚 report to Congress
Joint union pay claim, paragraphs
1.1 - 1.11
FE1听听听 Pay England听听听听听听听 Further Education Committee
Conference notes in the last four
years in England:
路
No single pay recommendation has reached 1%
路
The last four increases combined are less than 2%
路
The real-terms loss of pay in the same period is 16%
Colleges said they have no ability to adequately reward staff
however:
路
72% of colleges have been paying off debt
路
听Staff costs as
a % of college income continues to fall
路
FE Principals鈥� pay rose 50.7% in ten years, 2.7 times
the recommended increases for FE staff
Conference believes that many
colleges have choices in how they allocate income but are not prioritising
staff costs.
Conference notes that the vast
majority of colleges support negotiations between the AoC and unions on the
basis they do not have to implement the outcome. Conference supports the
development of a strategy to apply targeted pressure in order to achieve
meaningful national bargaining.
FE2听听听 Needs of
casualised in FE pay claim and industrial action听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Anti Casualisation Committee
FESC notes:
鈥� continuing attacks on FE include
replacement of permanent contracts with insecure and part-time ones
鈥� sessional tutors, agency workers,
those on zero hours contracts and other vulnerably employed members can face an
increased risk to future work through participation in strike action
FESC strongly urges:
鈥� FEC to incorporate
vulnerable/casualised employment as an issue in future industrial action, and
in FE pay claims
鈥� that strike monies are available
to part-time hourly paid and other low paid members where they apply for them
鈥� the production of publicity
materials referring to job security for the vulnerable, and advice to branches
on the position of vulnerably employed members, supporting industrial action
the national negotiators to
consider how:
- proposed action will affect vulnerably employed members
specifically
- to organise and train vulnerably employed tutors, trainers, assessors etc to
participate fully in defending terms and conditions in FE and Adult Education.
FE3听听听 Attacks on bargaining rights听听听听听听听听听听听听 Barnsley College
This conference recognises that increasing numbers of
teaching staff in Further Education are employed on contracts that are not on
the main lecturer scale but are classified as 鈥渟upport staff鈥� with inferior pay
and holiday entitlement. Some colleges have refused to recognise 51福利 as the
union with bargaining rights for these staff and tell them that their union
should be UNISON or GMB.
Conference instructs 51福利
1. To approach UNISON nationally to agree a joint statement
identifying types of staff in colleges that each union should represent.
2. To use the agreement with UNISON to approach the
Association of Colleges to agree guidance to colleges recommending giving 51福利
bargaining rights for the staff agreed.
3. To publicise the unfairness of the situation in which the
main teaching union for Further Education is not given bargaining rights for
substantial numbers of teachers in the sector.
Rename paragraph 3: Equality issues,
paragraphs 3.1 - 3.2
FE4听听听 Sexual Harassment and Sexual Bullying in the
Sector 听 Women Members鈥� Standing Committee
Conference
calls for a campaign to address the experiences of women/girls (staff and
students) in relation to their experiences of sexual harassment and sexual
bullying.
The
NUS and others have drawn attention to 鈥榣addish culture鈥� and shows how this
diminishes the learning experience of women/girls. One young woman
defined sexual bullying as: 鈥楪roping, grabbing, insults, swear words,
stereotypical gender roles, when appearance and sexuality are demonised.鈥�
Evidence shows that this cuts across all aspects of their experience in
education; in the classroom, corridors, social space both inside and outside
colleges and in cyberspace.
Conference
calls for a report for next year鈥檚 conference that draws together research
evidence and produces strategies for institutions and individuals to tackle
this - to include:
路
a review of joint 51福利/AoC agreements
路
ways to links with other unions and
campaigning groups
路
practical advice and support for members
on how to tackle issues.
FE5听听听 Racial
discrimination within FE听听听听听听听听 Black
Members鈥� Standing Committee
Conference
notes the high level of participation of black students in FE; the relatively
low level of black staff 鈥� especially amongst senior management, and increasing
concerns of black members due to racial discrimination. Black workers
experience disproportionate levels of harassment, bullying, disciplinary
procedures and unequal changes in terms and conditions.
Conference
is concerned about the lack of implementation of previous Congress motions to
address racism within FE.
Conference
calls on the 51福利 to:
FE6听听听 Black
workers and activism within FE听听听听听听听 Black
Members鈥� Standing Committee
Conference notes that Black workers have been
disproportionately affected by cuts and austerity measures in FE, resulting in
redundancies, zero hour contracts, part-time and casualised working and
reductions in pay and conditions.
Conference calls on the 51福利 to:
FE7听听听 Monitoring听听听听听听听听听听听 LGBT Members鈥� Standing Committee
Conference notes work undertaken by
NIACE to advance equality in the FE sector including the accompanying
monitoring form. Conference welcomes the thinking and promotion given to non
heteronormative and non binary identities in the sexual orientation and sex
categories. Conference also welcomes the optional use of title prefix.
Conference recognises that Mr, Mrs,
Ms etc prefixes, essentialist Heterosexual, Lesbian, Gay and Bi identities and
Male/ Female binary categories do not have meaning for everyone. Conference
notes that polar positions are in decline each generation. Conference also
notes that this reflects discussions at international level such as Australia
and Nepal in relation to gender identities within monitoring forms.
Conference calls on FEC to
路
engage in promotion of non heteronormative and non
binary identities awareness
路
support promotion in FE of the NIACE monitoring form
路
lobby for development in 51福利鈥檚 own monitoring
practices along the lines of the NIACE form
FE8听听听 Benefit reform and impact on women听听听听听听听 Women Members鈥� Standing Committee
Conference notes:
That the impact of benefit "reform" and changes to FE
funding are putting severe pressure on all further education
students-threatening courses and jobs. They impact women specifically:
a.听听听听听听 Women make up 64%
of the 24+ FE cohort studying at level 3+ and
being less likely to take up tuition fee loans than men are likely
to drop out of level 3+ study disproportionately.
b.听听听听听听 Lone parents
(disproportionately women) moved from income support to
JSA when their youngest child turns five years are often forced to
leave vocational course pathways below level 3 without sufficient study to
provide meaningful employment.
Conference resolves:
To campaign for the right of unemployed people to participate in
part time further education and obtain meaningful qualifications
To highlight in our campaigning the impact of these austerity
measures on women
Conference instructs officers and officials to support branches
campaigning including organising a parliamentary meeting/lobby.
Redundancies and defending conditions of service, paragraphs 4.1 - 4.2
FE9听听听 Zero Hours contracts in FE听听听听听 Further Education Committee
Conference notes the extensive work done by 51福利 on this issue
since the last conference. This work has included conducting research to
establish for the first time the true scale of the use of zero hours contracts
in FE.
Conference notes the findings of 51福利鈥檚 freedom of information
request research and that:
路
60% of the 200 responding colleges use zero hours
contracts
路
Around 30% of all teaching staff in theses colleges
are on zero hours contracts
路
40% of colleges find other ways to address the need
for flexibility than using these contracts
Conference supports action already taken to support branches
with high numbers of zero hours contracts and pledges to continue campaigning
against the use of such contracts by targeting those colleges that have the
highest proportion of staff on zero hours contracts.
FE10听 Part-time and casualised lecturers听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Barnet & Southgate College,
Barnet & Hendon
Conference notes:
鈥� progress in 51福利鈥檚 'Stamp Out Casualisation' campaign
鈥� the continued failure, by most colleges, to meet
legal obligations and their own equality policies. Too many staff, particularly
women, are hourly-paid (often on zero-hours contracts or agency workers). Many
Colleges have failed to address the situation at all, resulting in staff
leaving in frustration.
鈥� that the employment of so many casualised staff
inevitably impacts adversely on quality of delivery, but that the public,
students and parents are largely unaware of the facts.
鈥� the success of a small number of Branches in several
equal pay cases.
鈥� 51福利 legal department鈥檚 renewed determination to pursue
deserving cases.
Conference instructs FEC to arrange to:
1. prepare publicity material for members specifically aimed
at equal pay.
2. re-launch an upgraded 'Stamp Out Casualisation' campaign.
3. present new proposals to the AoC for a national agreement
on ordered progression to established posts for part-timers.
FE11听 Efficiency savings and impact on casualised
staff听听听听听听听听听 Anti Casualisation
Committee
FESC:
鈥� Notes FE managements seeking to renegotiate contracts of
employment for lecturers on secure open ended contracts in order to implement
"efficiency savings鈥�, and the disproportionate impact this has on
casualised members in terms of loss of hours/work.
鈥� Calls on 51福利 and branches to:
1. continue resisting the worsening of terms and conditions
in 鈥渆fficiency savings鈥� and contract re-negotiation drives by managements
2. assess impact on hourly paid staff in terms of threat to
their volume of work and hours whilst also continuing to demand secure
contracts of employment for them.
3. use the information from impact assessment to illustrate
the adverse impact on casualised members and encourage moves towards secure
open ended contracts
FE12听 Filling staff vacancies听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Barnet & Southgate College, Southgate
Conference notes the wealth of anecdotal evidence that few
colleges carry out normal employment practice when vacancies arise i.e. by
advertising immediately for a replacement. Instead a College frequently seizes
the opportunity to employ lower-paid staff and classes are delivered for long
periods by cover, hourly-paid or agency staff and even unqualified technicians.
This contributes to the maybe 20 鈥� 40% of all FE teaching being delivered by
casualised staff. While not suggesting that such replacements are poor
teachers, the lack of permanence, continuity and investment in these staff is deeply
damaging to student confidence and educational quality. Serious equality issues
also apply.
Conference believes that if students, parents and the public
knew the truth there would be a national scandal and colleges would be forced
to revise their practices.
Conference instructs FEC to:
a) Organise a national survey of Branches to gather evidence.
b) Publish a report of the findings.
FE13听 Professional Development/Performance
Management/The Learner Voice South East FE
Sector Committee
This Sector Conference notes that in most colleges:
(a) staff are given little or no support for professional
development;
(b) are very rarely praised or encouraged;
(c) are constantly subjected to a regime of harassment and
suspicion where the emphasis is on performance management and the 'learner
voice' is taken as the most important factor;
(d) many decisions are made by management on the basis of an
uncritical deference to the 'learner voice' and 'learner experience';
(e) the consequences of this are a denigration of professional
authority and the treatment of learners as consumers and that both are to the
detriment of learners' education.
This Sector Conference instructs its Officers/Officials to
mount a campaign to:
(a) ensure that all staff are able to access appropriate
quality professional development;
(b) protect staff from constant harassment;
(c) promote the value of FE staff;
(d) oppose the redefinition of the learner as a consumer and
challenge the deference to the 'learner voice'.
FE14听 Professionalism rather than Performance Management
听听听听听听听听 City of Liverpool College,
Bankfield
Conference is increasingly concerned about the
levels of performance management in the sector.听
The reliance on micro-management rather than a respect for the
professionalism of teachers is resulting in a deterioration of the service and
resulting in members leaving the sector and/or suffering from long-term stress
related conditions.
Conference calls for:
路
a resurgence of the teacher as
professional debate within the union.
路
The FEC to campaign for the re-instatement
of the requirement for teachers to be qualified to teach
路
Negotiations with the Education and
Training Foundation and the employers to identify systematic ways for valuing
teaching and teachers in the sector.
Lesson observation, paragraphs 5.1 - 5.6
FE15听 Composite: lesson observation听听听听听听听听 FEC, New College Nottingham, College of
Haringey, Enfield and North East London, Yorkshire and Humberside FE Sector
Committee, East Midlands FE Sector Committee
Conference notes the continuing prominence of Graded Lesson
Observations as a source of rancour, conflict and stress for lecturers.
We recognise that this represents one of the biggest attacks
on our conditions of employment and professional status that we have faced and
as such, it is incumbent on 51福利 to mount a vigorous campaign.
51福利
believes that Teaching and Learning Observations that are developmental and
ungraded, when used within a supportive framework, can be a highly effective
method of developing classroom practice and teacher confidence.
Many
colleges appear very keen to promote an experimental or innovative approach at
present (COPPS). However, the present system only reinforces the importance of
鈥減laying safe鈥� as a Grade 3 or 4 may lead to a capability
charge against a well-qualified and experienced lecturer. Many lecturers
experience observations as punitive and highly stressful. Observations are used
in many colleges as a tool to control and discipline teachers.
Conference
calls on FEC to draw on the research undertaken by Professor Matt O鈥橪eary and
to actively support branches that are experiencing observation policies that
have been imposed on their members without a meaningful negotiation with 51福利.
The recent research by Dr Matt O鈥橪eary makes a number of
recommendations that can be used as a starting point:
1. Explore alternative supportive models of observation
2. Prioritise the professional development needs of staff
3. Formal allocation of timetabled hours for observation:
pre-observation, feedback and feed-forward meetings
4. Need for a multi-dimensional model of teacher assessment
5. Stop relying on the Ofsted 4-point scale to assess and
measure observations.
Conference notes:
路
Growing concern in branches over graded observations
which treat lesson observations as primarily capability and performance
indicators.
路
Some managements have sought to remove safeguards such
as negative preference, realistic observation windows, acceptable periods of
notification.
路
That graded observations are often based on spurious
criteria and have little pedagogical value.
Conference believes lesson
observations should:
路
incorporate the O鈥橪eary report recommendations, ie
they should be supportive mechanisms for better professional learning,
disaggregated from performance indicators.
路
include elements of professional self-assessment, peer
review and practical teaching support, and should appreciate the need for
contextualising teaching.
路
include timetabled feedback.
听Conference resolves to:
路
step up campaigning for developmental , ungraded
observations;
路
encourage regional FE committees to identify one or
more colleges in which to encourage campaigns for such observation policies;
路
ensure that every college observation policy has been
agreed with the 51福利 branch subject to 51福利 national guidelines;
路
campaign for the abolition of graded observations
across the sector;
路
that the union offers its full support to branches in
dispute over observations;
路
mandate the FEC to develop a toolkit on observations.
New paragraph, Ofsted, after paragraph 5.6
FE16听 OFSTED听听听听听听 West
Midlands FE Sector Council
Conference notes its opposition to the OFSTED inspection
system recognising the detrimental effect it has on education and lectures
lives.
Conference further notes OFSTED has created a culture of fear and loathing
within our colleges and no longer carries any respect within the profession.
We believe that apart from the obvious impact it has on the workload, stress
and health of lecturers, the inspections are not conducive to providing a good
quality balanced education for students.
Conference resolves to:
1) Campaign for non-cooperation with OFSTED inspection arrangements
2) Ballot members to support a boycott of OFSTED and all consultative
inspections around the OFSTED framework
3) Campaign for the abolition of OFSTED
4) Campaign for a bottom-up college based self evaluation framework to replace
OFSTED with a system more appropriate for FE
5) Publicise the public money being spent on consultants and mock inspections
for the 鈥淥FSTED readiness鈥� industry.
Workloads, paragraph 6.1
FE17听 Workload听听
North West FE Sector Committee
This conference believes that increased workloads are due
largely to duplication and sometimes triplication in recording data.
In order to
alleviate this workload, staff should not be expected to:
鈥� Enter
data in more than one place
鈥� Do
withdrawals and transfers
鈥� Provide
management with data that is already centrally held
鈥� Carry out
administration tasks relating to the enrolment process
鈥� Back mark registers
Conference calls on the FE Committee to draw up a checklist
for branches in negotiating arrangements around workloads.
New paragraph, funding, after paragraph 6.1
FE18听 Composite: FE funding cuts FEC, London Regional Committee, Southern FE
Sector Committee, Yorkshire and Humberside FE Sector Committee, Oxford and
Cherwell Valley College, North West FE Sector Committee
Conference notes the government has
decided to cut funding for 18 year olds studying in England. From next year, 18
year-old students in England will see their funding cut by 17.5%. The cuts will
mean that 18 year olds in Colleges will be funded at a lower rate that 16 and
17 year olds. The move, as part of George Osborne鈥檚 Autumn Statement, comes as
the compulsory education age goes up to 18, and is bad news for students and
for colleges.
Conference deplores the continued government cuts to funding
for FE and in particular:
路
EFA cut to 18 year old funding
路
19+ apprentice funding frozen and
路
Remainder of Adult Skills Budget cut 15%
Across England, the move is expected
to affect around 100,000 young people, and while numbers affected will vary
from college to college it will make it much more difficult for FE Colleges to
make adequate provision for this group of students. Also FE Colleges are likely
to be disproportionately affected, compared to schools, because of the larger
number of 18+ students.
This conference rejects the government's cut in funding for
18+ students. This will hit those students who need extra time to achieve their
qualifications and who are often those in most need of extra support. It will
impact hardest on the most disadvantaged and undermine the ability of the
Further Education sector to offer a second chance to those who do not succeed
at school.
For lecturers, this will lead to workload increases, cutting
courses, combining classes and redundancies.
For students, it also has a disproportionate effect on those
with support needs. Furthermore, it seriously disadvantages student progression
and opportunities for training and re-training. This is an equality issue.
For the economy, this goes against the alleged Government
intention to have a skilled workforce.
This all comes after four years of already savage cuts
resulting in mass redundancies and increased workloads for those who remain.
All this coming at a time when the government wants to
increase education participation to 18 years and while further education plays
a vital role give choices and second chances to an otherwise new generation
lost to under employment.
Conference supports the union鈥檚 past campaigning on funding
such as the Knowledge Economy initiative and the parliamentary lobby held on 2
April 2014.
We commend 51福利 for its response to this issue and call upon
the FEC to intensify the campaign against these appallingly pernicious cuts,
working with regions, branches, other unions, the AOC, employers, students,
parents, the media and other stakeholders to fight for a reversal of this cut,
and the implementation of adequate funding for FE and Adult students.
Conference agrees to make a campaign against this policy a
priority and calls on FEC to:
New paragraph, adult education and ESOL
FE19听 Adult education and ESOL听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Lambeth College
Conference notes the drastic cut in adult funding for this
year; the changes in delivery of ESOL which will mean a cut in guided learning
hours of up to 70%; the success of the Action for ESOL campaign 2 years ago in
pushing back attacks on ESOL provision
Conference believes that adult education is in danger of disappearing
completely; that ESOL provision will be doubly hit by the cut in adult funding
and the changes to delivery; that a national campaign to defend all of Adult
Education is urgently needed to defend ESOL alongside the other areas of adult
education
Conference resolves to launch a national campaign to defend the whole of Adult
Education and to look to the successes of Action for ESOL as part of building
that campaign; and to call an organising conference as soon as possible.
FE20听 Support for adult community
learning 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Luton and
Bedfordshire ACE
Conference affirms its commitment
and the importance of Adult Community Learning (ACL).听 Conference recognizes the cumulative impact
on successive cuts in ACL and the difficulties adults face due to fewer
opportunities to learn new skills or improve on current skills in English as a
Second Language (ESOL), ICT and Family Learning.听 This inhibits the ability to overcome
difficulties due to austerity, as well as other training to enable adults find
employment and improve their lives.
Conference calls on the 51福利 to:
路
Monitor ACL and report findings to ACL Branches, the
FEC and听 NEC for urgent action
路
Prepare an Action Plan to increase ACL and Report to next
Conference
路
Work with ACL providers, the government and local
authorities to explore ways in which to market ACL
路
Introduce an urgent strategy to extend union
membership within ACL.
FE21 听Composite: defending adult education听听听听听听 Richmond Adult Community College, City of
Islington College (Finsbury Park)
Conference notes
1.听听听听 The Continued attacks on Adult Education.
2. 听听听 The Coalition Government鈥檚 funding cuts to Further & Adult
Education amount to a 34% cut since 2010
3.听听听听 This year there is an additional 9% cut to
the Adult Funding Rate
4. 听听听 Most courses that are non-qualification
courses are being closed
5. 听听听 There are no opportunities for adults, particularly those on
benefits or in low paid jobs, to retrain or gain new skills.
6.听听听听 Figures published by the National Office for Statistics indicate
that
(i) 15% of 16-64yr olds in this country have no qualifications
(ii) In 50 local council areas across the country this figure rises to 1 in 5
(20%)
7.听听听听 Qualification courses, such as Access courses are being cut and
curtailed. The situation has now been made worse by the introduction of fees.
8.听听听听 Millions
of people who are not working because of ill health or because of retirement
are not able to attend courses that would improve and or maintain their
physical and mental well-being.
Conference 听believes:
That it is a scandal that the Government are cutting funding
to Further & Adult Education and making lecturers unemployed when there are
more than a million adults who could be in college learning skills and
receiving education to help them get a job.
Conference resolves:
(i)听听听听听 To
launch a national campaign to protect and defend Adult Education.
(ii)听听听听听 That 51福利 make Adult learning and its role in the Community a
Central campaigning issue.
(iii) 听听听 That this campaign is part of a strategic lobbying and public
campaigning that aims to influence all political parties听听 and voters in the run up to the coming
General Election.
FE22听 Access to HE/loans听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 West Midlands FE Sector Council
This conference rejects the
government鈥檚 cuts in funding for adult students and the pernicious use of 24
plus loans. In addition changes made by QAA to Access to HE course structures
has resulted in colleges discontinuing their Access programmes and makes a
mockery of the widening participation agenda.
These changes will impact hardest on the most disadvantaged and undermine the
ability of the Further Education sector to offer a second chance to those who
do not succeed at school.
Conference:
1) Instructs the NEC to investigate the impact these changes have made
especially to adults wishing to start Access to HE programmes and to publicise
the importance of Access courses particularly to working class women.
2) Agree to campaign against government鈥檚 cuts in funding and the use of
student loans.
New paragraph, 14-16 year olds in FE
FE23听 14-16 year olds in FE College听听听听听听听听听听 Oxford and Cherwell Valley College
Conference opposes the government鈥檚
decision to allow colleges to recruit 14 to 16 year olds as full time students.
This will be a departure from the current policy which only allows younger
students to attend college but on a part time basis. Conference opposes this
change because:
鈥� It will lead to further
differentiation of pupils into academic and vocational routes at the age of 14
鈥� It will lead to further competition between schools and colleges with
colleges under pressure to recruit students to attract the funding
鈥� Colleges do not have the resources required to provide for younger students
鈥� Teaching staff in FE are not trained for this type of teaching
鈥� It will change the character of FE Colleges where students attend on a
voluntary basis and are treated as adults.
New paragraph, institutions and governance
FE24听 FE Governance听听听听听 Chesterfield
College
Conference notes:
The very significant and unaccountable powers held by College
boards of governors.
The potential for increased powers and scope for governing
bodies through the development of academies and other stand-alone training
providers in the area of post 16 education.
That many governors have been in office for lengthy periods
of time, in many cases in breach of the Nolan guidelines on standards in public
life.
Conference resolves:
To continue to campaign for the full democratic and
accountable governance of Further education colleges with democratically
elected and accountable boards of governors.
To campaign to ensure in the interim that existing boards of governors abide by
the limited guidelines on standards in public life.
FE25听 Revocation of Incorporation 听听听听听听听听听听听 South East FE Sector Committee
This Sector Conference notes that the Incorporation of
Colleges in 1993 led to:
(a) colleges being taken from LEA's without any compensation
for loss of land, buildings and investment;
(b) the misuse of public funds as the newly incorporated
colleges set up unnecessary senior staffing structures with pay levels well
beyond the pay of support and lecturing staff;
(c) the many scandals as colleges misused public money;
(d) the problems for national bargaining with the undermining
of pay agreements and national conditions of service.
This Sector Conference therefore instructs its Officers and
Officials to mount a campaign to draw to the attention of the public and
particularly taxpayers the problems of Incorporation and to lobby for an end to
Incorporation.
FE26听 The University Technical College and other
adventures 听听听听听听听听听 East Midlands FE Sector committee
Conference notes the increasing tendency of educational
institutions to enter into partnerships with each other and with local
businesses to set up alternative bodies (like University Technical Colleges,
studio schools etc.) to run courses they already provide.
These bodies are often run in competition with the local FE
College and sometimes using the same building and under the same management as
the college itself.
This produces a situation where a college (often with the
help of a local university) is in direct competition with itself!
Conference deplores this behaviour. It is the creation of a
market for no practical reason, and adds nothing to the educational provision
of the area 鈥� it is a waste of resources.
Conference calls on the NEC to work with local politicians
with a view to discouraging institutions from engaging in this sort of
ridiculous adventurism.
FE27听 Management鈥檚 failure to follow procedures in
dealing with Student complaints 听听听听听听听听听 Westminster Kingsway College, Peter
Street
Conference believes that
1 local line managers have a duty to resolve any disputes arising between
teachers and students informally in the first place- in a timely manner- by
whenever possible bringing together the staff member and the complainant with a
manager, who should attempt to act as a mediator.
2. management has a duty of care towards teachers and students alike, and that
this must be adhered to. We are deeply concerned that procedures should be
followed and consider risk assessments should be carried out on the effect on
teachers' physical, emotional and mental health.
MOTIONS NOT ORDERED
INTO THE AGENDA
I 听听听听听听 Motions not approved in accordance with
the Congress standing orders
Submitted to Congress:
B1听听听听 An Injury
to One is an Injury to All听 听听听听听听听听听 Nottingham Trent University
Congress notes that a number of
Higher Education Institutions including Nottingham Trent University punished
our members by docking a full day's pay for three two hour strikes. Members
were left isolated and vulnerable to further attacks from our employers.
Congress is resolved to defend members where punitive pay deductions are made
and no breach of contract has been committed by calling an all out national
strike if such an event occurs.
B2听听听听 Defending
and organising around workplace health and safety听听听听听听听 University of Salford
Congress notes:
鈥� that in order to kill off health
and safety, the Government is implementing:
- further
cuts in the HSE budget
- 听cuts in enforcement action of all kinds,
- destruction
of key elements of protective legislation
- 听attacks on sick/disabled members, forcing sick
employees back to work.
路
Members are increasingly confronted by the importance
of rigorous health and safety standards due to increased/intensified workload,
online assessment, cutting edge research and international assignments
Congress believes:
1. organised workplaces are safer
workplaces.
2. attacks on workplace standards are already impacting on
our members physical and mental health.
Congress therefore calls on our
union to:
鈥� encourage the growth of regional networks of
trained safety reps, embedded in branch committees, engaging members, and
promoting health and safety activity.
鈥� sponsor a delegation to the
Hazards Conference and make a significant donation
鈥� encourage branches and regions to support the
Hazards Campaign.
II听听听听听 Motions
not within the remit of 51福利 Congress and sector conferences
听听听听听听听听 The following motion submitted to
Congress was considered not to be within the union鈥檚 aims and objects:
B3听听听听 Age Friendly Cities 听听听听听听听 South East Retired Members鈥� Branch
Congress restates its commitment
to enhancing the quality of life of its retired members. To this end it
welcomes the decision of the City of Brighton & Hove to seek 'Age Friendly
City' status with the World Health Organisation. Congress calls on the N.E.C.
to endorse this initiative and encourage appropriate branches to campaign
locally for their city to commit itself to achieving 'Age Friendly City'
status.
III听听听听 Motions not submitted to the appropriate
conference
Submitted
to HE sector conference and considered to be the business of Congress:
B4听听听听 Performance Management and Bullying听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Women
Members鈥� Standing Committee
Conference:
路
Observes the increasing neo-liberal climate where performance
management / capability procedures are gathering pace in our organisations It
notes the report for the Scottish TUC by Professor Phil Taylor of Strathclyde
University which clearly outlines the realities in workplaces
路
Congratulates the Federation of Entertainment Union members who
have recently (2013) produced a detailed survey on bullying / harassment at
work.
Conference
is called upon to:
路
Publicise and educate in our 51福利 branches
Mount a
campaign for recognition of bullying as a specific clause in legislation.
B5听听听听 Supporting
international Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans students听听听听听听听听 LGBT Members鈥� Standing Committee
The LGBT MSC has
expressed concerns about the situation in a number of countries in respect to
LGBT people. Research in the HE sector has shown that staff can be hesitant to
talk openly about LGBT issues due to perception about attitudes brought to the
lecture hall by students from such countries. Obligations under the Public
Sector Equality Duty relating to preventing homophobia and transphobia are
often not demonstrably met. Concurrently international LGBT students may
experience a difference in support they expect and that which they receive in
this country. More steps need to be taken to protect such students including
setting up services to support LGBT students and to promote awareness about
specific services.
路
Mount an awareness campaign for students of their rights
under the PSED.
路
Work with the NUS to take this forward
路 Ask branches to
ensure they promote this.
B6听听听听 Mental health, stress and
health and safety听听听听听听听听听 University of
Hertfordshire
Conference notes:
鈥� Reports of rising mental health
issues for academics and academic related staff.
鈥� The demands on individual 51福利
branches in conducting casework
鈥� The excellent work done by 51福利 on
stress.
Conference believes:
鈥� That the increase in mental
health issues is related to rising levels of stress with metrics in teaching
and research used to ratchet up the 鈥榩roductivity鈥� of lecturers, researchers
and academic related staff
Conference requests:
鈥� That 51福利 produces a toolkit for
collectively taking up issues of stress and how it can be made central to
health and safety and the negotiating agenda.
B7听听听听 Support Syrian students and
the popular committees听听 University of
Liverpool
On January 2013 Assad鈥檚 air-force
bombed Aleppo University, the city鈥檚 most prestigious HE institution, many
students died. Assad鈥檚 military attacks have killed many students according to
the Union of Free Syrian students and Amnesty International.
Human Rights Watch has documented
Assad鈥檚 government war crimes which has killed 65,000 civilians and
created 9 million refugees.
The popular resistance face
executions from Jihadist groups.
This Conference:
- Condemns
Assad鈥檚 war.
- Is opposed
to US military intervention.
- Condemns
support for the regime by Russia, Iran, and Islamist forces attacks on the
civil oppositionists.
- Pledges to
build links with student resistance and the popular committees.
Conference calls for:
- an end to
the bombardment of civilians.
- unrestricted
access for humanitarian aid throughout the country.
- 听an end to torture and the release of all
detainees by Assad鈥檚 regime. - support the popular resistance鈥檚 right to defend
itself.
ORIGINAL TEXT OF
COMPOSITED MOTIONS
The original text of composited motions appears in a further
appendix to this report, 51福利/578A, available at or
or on request from Kay Metcalfe at 51福利鈥檚 head office.
51福利/578 听April 2014
University and College
Union
Congress 2014
29-30 May 2014,
Manchester
Form for submission of
amendments or late motions
Deadline for receipt of
amendments: 12 noon, Wednesday 7 May 2014
The Congress Business Committee does not expect to accept any
amendments to motions in their first report to be submitted after this
deadline.
1
This amendment /late motion is submitted to (please
tick):
o CONGRESS听
o HIGHER
EDUCATION SECTOR CONFERENCE
o FURTHER
EDUCATION SECTIR CONFERENCE
Branches
are entitled to submit one Congress amendment and two sector conference
amendments.
2
For amendments: Number and title of the motion to
which this amendment refers
3
For late motions: title of motion (10 words maximum)
4
Text of amendment or late motion (amendments must
add no more than 75 word to a motion; late motions: 150 words maximum)
5听听听听听听 For late motions: please state why
this motion meets the criteria for late motions (Congress standing order 10:
urgent, timely, requiring a decision of Congress or Sector Conference, and
could not have been submitted by the motions deadline of 19 March.)
6听听听听听听听 Declaration: I confirm that this
amendment/late motion was passed by a quorate general meeting of (insert name
of submitting body):
Held on (insert
date):
Note:
if the amendment or late motion was not approved at a quorate general meeting
please state how it was approved in accordance with the Congress standing
orders and any applicable local rules. Amendments may be approved by a branch
committee.
Name:听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Signed:
Office
held:
Please submit amendments and
late motions electronically wherever possible. Please use a separate form for
each amendment or late motion.
Amendments and late motions
can be submitted on-line using a form available at .
Alternatively, amendments
and late motions can be emailed to:听 congressmotions@ucu.org.uk. Emails must include ALL
the information required on this form.
If motions are not being
submitted electronically, this form can be faxed to 020 7756 2501, or sent by
post to Kay Metcalfe, Administrator, Constitution and Committees, University
and College Union, Carlow Street, London NW1 7LH.
Receipt of all amendments
and late motions will be acknowledged. If you do not receive acknowledgement of
an amendment or late motion that you have sent, please contact 51福利 before the deadline for receipt of
amendments (12 noon on Wednesday 7 May),
by phoning Kay Metcalfe, 020 7756 2500.
51福利 cannot accept any responsibility for failure of
electronic communication and branches are advised not to leave the submission
of motions by any means (including email and on-line submission) until the last
minute.