51福利

51福利/863听 听听March 2018听

University and College Union

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

To听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Branch and local association secretaries

Topic听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 51福利 Congress, 30 May - 1 June 2018: First report of the Congress Business Committee, including motions submitted

Action听听听听听听听听听听听听 Amendments to motions in this report to be submitted by 12 noon on Friday 4 May 2018

Summary 听听听听听听 Motions submitted to Congress 2018, as ordered by the Congress Business Committee, and provisional order of business. 听Amendments to motions now invited.听听听听听听听听听听听听听

 

51福利 CONGRESS 2018

FIRST REPORT OF THE CONGRESS BUSINESS COMMITTEE

At its meeting on 23 March, the Congress Business Committee considered 152 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 deadline for amendments to motions in this report is 12 noon on Friday 4 May. CBC does not expect to accept amendments to motions which appear in this report after that deadline.

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 was circulated as branch circular 51福利/857). 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 4 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

1.1        Amendments to motions. The deadline for receipt of amendments to motions set out in this circular is 12 NOON ON Friday 4 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 may be approved by a quorate meeting of a branch committee.

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, Friday 4 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 Friday 4 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 鈥� Congress standing orders require general branch meeting to be called to approve motions.

In submitting a 鈥榣ate鈥� motion the submitting body must explain how the above criteria are met. Late motions can be submitted by branch/LA secretaries using the on-line form at . 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 Friday 4 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 Tuesday 29 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 Tuesday 29 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 Tuesday 29 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

Motions not approved in accordance with the standing orders

Twelve motions did not have the approval required under the standing orders. These motions were not ordered into the agenda and appear at the end of this report as motions B1-B12.

Motions not submitted to the appropriate conference

Four motions submitted to Congress were considered to be the business of HE sector conference. In one case, the submitting body had an unused entitlement to submit a motion to the HE sector conference, and the motion has been ordered into that agenda (motion HE9). In the remaining cases, there was no available entitlement and those motions have not been ordered onto the agenda. They appear at the end of this report as motions B13-B15.

One motion submitted to the HE sector conference was considered to be the business of Congress. This motion appears at the end of this report as motion B16.

2.2听听听听 Compositing of motions

The committee composited seven Congress motions to create three composite motions (EQ4, ROC13, ROC18).

Four HE sector conference motions were composited to create two composite motions (HE5, HE31).

No FE sector conference motions were composited.

Note: One rule change motion (R2) is shown in the name of two submitting bodies, but not described as a composites. This means that the same rule change was submitted in both cases.

An appendix containing the original text of composite motions is available but is not automatically included with this report. The appendix can be found at or requested from Kay Metcalfe at 51福利 head office.

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/857, ). 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            Distribution of this report

Any branch requiring a hard copy of this report or in an alternative format, should contact Kay Metcalfe at 51福利 head office, email kmetcalfe@ucu.org.uk, telephone 020 7756 2500.

After the Congress Business Committee鈥檚 second meeting, delegates will be sent a Congress pack including a hard copy report of all motions and amendments for debate.

 

4            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 arrangements which allow them to be present for the full business of Congress and sector conference, throughout the three days.听 Please note that Congress will close no later than 15:00 on Friday 1 June.

 

Wednesday 30 May

Congress begins at 9:30.

Morning session: opening business, including address by Joanna de Groot, 51福利 president, followed by a session on the report of the Commission on effective industrial action (motion ROC1), business of the strategy and finance committee to be taken in private session (section 1 of this report), followed by rule changes to be taken in private session (section 2 of this report).

Lunch and fringe meetings 12:30-14:00

Afternoon session: Address by Sally Hunt, general secretary. Business of the equality committee (section 3 of this report), followed by the business of the strategy and finance committee to be taken in open session (section 4 of this report).听

 

Thursday 31 May

FE and HE sector conferences, 09:00-18:00, with lunch and fringe meetings 12:30-14:00.

 

Friday 1 June

Congress business begins no earlier than 09:00.

Morning session: business of the education committee (section 5 of this report), followed by business of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee (section 6 of this report).

Lunch break 12:00-13:00 (no fringe meetings)

Afternoon session: continuation of the business of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee (section 6 of this report), and closing business.

Congress closes no later than 15:00.

The inclusion and timing of any external speakers remains subject to confirmation.

 

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 the relevant section of the report. There may be further re-ordering of motions by CBC at its second meeting.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON EFFECTIVE INDUSTRIAL ACTION to be taken in private session

ROC1 Report of the commission on effective industrial action听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress receives the report of the commission on effective industrial action set out in 51福利/860 and adopts its recommendations.

SECTION 1: BUSINESS OF THE STRATEGY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE to be taken in private session

Finance and property, paragraphs 3.1 鈥� 3.2

SFC1听 Appointment of auditors听听听听听听听听 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 2018.

SFC2听 Financial statements听听听听 National executive committee

Congress receives the union鈥檚 audited financial statements for the 12-month period ending 31 August 2017 as set out in 51福利/862.

SECTION 2: RULE CHANGES to be taken in private session

R1听听听听听 Rule change: resignations听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Rule 10.1, second sentence, delete 鈥榓fter the month鈥�

The amended rule will read:

10听听听听听听 Resignations

10.1听听听 A member may resign membership of the union by submitting notice of intention to resign. The resignation shall take effect at the end of the calendar month in which the notice was received by the union.   

Purpose: to allow resignations to take effect with the least practical delay.

R2听听听听听 Rule change - updating terminology: use of LGBT+ and trans听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Rule 18.11.2, first sentence, delete 鈥榯ransgender鈥�; replace with 鈥榯rans鈥�. Immediately following, add 鈥�(LGBT+)鈥�. Final sentence, delete 鈥榣esbian, gay, bisexual and transgender鈥�, replace with 鈥楲GBT+鈥�.

Rule 19.6, second clause, 鈥榣esbian, gay, bisexual and transgender鈥�; replace with 鈥楲GBT+鈥�.

Rule 20.5, clause viii, delete 鈥榯ransgender (LGBT)鈥�; replace with 鈥榯rans (LGBT+)鈥�

Rule 23.1, in clause iii, delete 鈥楲GBT鈥� and 鈥楲GBTMSC鈥�; replace with 鈥楲GBT+鈥� and 鈥楲GBT+MSC鈥�

Add new rule 38.2, Interpretation of rules

38.2 In these rules, 鈥楲GBT+鈥� means lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or any other non-heterosexual or non-binary identity.

Purpose: to update 51福利鈥檚 terminology throughout the rulebook to use the inclusive term 鈥楲GBT+鈥�, and to replace 鈥榯ransgender鈥� with 鈥榯rans鈥�.

R3听听听听听 Congress standing orders: speaking times听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee and South West regional committee

Congress standing order 19, delete 鈥榝ive鈥�, replace with 鈥榝our鈥�; delete 鈥榯hree鈥�, replace with 鈥榯wo鈥�.

Purpose: to reduce the speaking time for movers of motions from five to four minutes, and for other speakers from three to two minutes.

R64听听听 Congress standing orders: rights of observers听 听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

After standing order 21, add new standing order (re-number as necessary):

Only delegates to Conference may speak in debate, including moving, seconding and speaking to motions, and moving and responding to procedural motions. Observers shall have no right to speak in debate.

听Purpose: to be clear in standing orders that observers do not have the right to speak in Congress or sector conference debate.

R5 听听听听 Congress standing orders: significant spending implications 听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

After standing order 32, insert new standing order (re-number as necessary):

When a motion is passed by Congress or a sector conference which on the advice of the honorary treasurer has significant implications for union-wide spending as agreed in the union鈥檚 budget, the aspects of that motion requiring significant expenditure will be remitted back to the NEC (or sector committee, as appropriate) for further consideration.

Purpose: to be clear in standing orders how motions with significant financial implications will be dealt with.

R6听听听听 Congress standing order change: order of business听听听 South West regional committee

Standing Order 65: in section C, move points 2, 3, and 4 to follow point 5, and renumber accordingly.

Purpose: In the normal order of business indicated in the Congress standing orders, to move the financial business of Congress, and rules change business, from before any other motions and amendments which fall under the private business of Congress, to after this business.

SECTION 3: BUSINESS OF THE EQUALITY COMMITTEE

Equality and employment rights, paragraph 2.1

EQ1听听 Progressing equality in our workplaces听听听 National executive committee

Congress commends progress made by the equality committee during 2017/18 in its work on challenging sexual harassment, parents鈥� rights at work guidance, the disability toolkit 鈥楧avid鈥檚 story鈥�, the gender identity and sexual orientation guidance and survey and the continued success of day of action against racism.

Congress further commends the input and advice from the equality standing committees, the equality conference and the equality reps conference which help shape and develop our strategies and approach to delivering more equal workplaces. It is recognised by all national 51福利 equality bodies that branches need more support and advice in furthering equality. 

Congress supports the committee in continuing to focus on these issues by working with branches as well as influencing and changing the government and public narrative that informs our equality rights and the culture we all have to live and work in.

EQ2听听 Inter-sectionality听听听 Women members standing committee听

As a union, we are committed to ensuring equality, fairness and justice for all members. In order to achieve this, there needs to be a recognition of the ways in which different strands of identity and oppression intersect. People are not neatly compartmentalised into separate boxes and it is vital that platforms are available for all. For true solidarity, we need to be speaking to and with each other and acknowledging and celebrating our intersectional differences. Our work needs to be framed with intersectionality in order to avoid tokenism and fragmentation. Identity politics does not fragment, inequality and oppression do.

Congress calls on NEC to:

1.     provide training and education about intersectionality

2.     approach campaigns and struggles through an intersectional lens

3.     maintain the spirit of intersectionality as set out by Kimberele Crenshaw (1989) and avoid neoliberal interpretations.

EQ3听听 Disciplinaries procedures and mental health听听听听听 London Metropolitan University

The social model states that a person becomes disabled by the environmental and attitudinal barriers that they encounter, not by their medical condition. Mental health issues are exacerbated severely by a bullying, punitive, corporate style of management and by redundancy procedures. Reps have to deal with members in states of severe depression, suicidal ideation or situations of extreme stress especially when undergoing disciplinary and capability procedures. Although universities and colleges provide student mental health support, and 51福利 provides training on mental health in the workplace, there needs to be more provision.

Congress asks that:

1.听听 51福利 provides more training and counselling support to members and their reps in extreme situations

2.听听 51福利 campaigns for mental health first aiders available on all university and college sites and that mental health issues are not stigmatised

3.听听 51福利 campaigns for institutions to provide regular adequate risk assessments for mental health of staff across the sectors.

Campaigning for equality, paragraphs 3.1 鈥� 3.7

EQ4听听 Composite: Resisting the growth of European far right and fascist organisations and Football Lads Alliance (FLA) West Midlands regional committee, Yorkshire and Humberside regional committee, University of Leeds

Congress notes:

1.听听 several thousand Football Lads Alliance supporters marched in London last October, including a big racist and far right element, led by ex-EDL leader Tommy Robinson, and with planned marches in Birmingham and elsewhere

2.听听 FLA marchers threw bottles, beer cans and coins at SUTR protesters.听 An SUTR protestor was called a 鈥榖lack bastard鈥�

3.听听 the march for a 鈥榳hite Europe鈥� by up to 60,000 fascists and nationalists in Warsaw in November 2017

4.听听 the new Polish law criminalising criticism of Polish wartime collaboration with the Nazis

5.听听 the election of dozens of fascists and Nazi sympathisers to the German parliament after the last election

6.听听 the growth and recent electoral successes of far-right and fascist parties in Hungary, Germany (AFD) with 93 MPs, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy and the Front National in France (FN)

7.听听 the push from the right to commemorate the legacy of Enoch Powell鈥檚 speech in the Midlands on the anniversary of his Rivers of Blood speech.

Congress believes:

a.     these dangerous trends are fuelled by anti-migrant Fortress Europe policies promoted by European governments and Europe-wide austerity measures hitting workers and the vulnerable

b.     the British trade-union movement鈥檚 role in pushing the BNP and EDL to the point of extinction

c.      fascists use vehicles like the FLA to grow.

Congress reiterates 51福利鈥檚 commitment to opposing the growth of racism and fascism and to encouraging local branches to work with student unions, other campus unions, and other organisations such as Unite Against Fascism and Stand Up to Racism.

Congress resolves:

i.听听听 to support Stand Up to Racism initiatives to further expose racist and fascist elements of the FLA

ii.听听 to support Stand Up to Racism, Show Racism the Red Card and other fan-based anti-racist initiatives which fight racism in the clubs and football grounds

iii.听 to encourage members to join the Unite Against Fascism visit to Auschwitz in November.

EQ5听听 Wearing of the hijab听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress notes:

1.       the announcement that Ofsted inspectors will question primary school girls wearing the hijab

2.       the Sunday Times campaign to ban the hijab in primary schools

3.       the decision by St Stephen鈥檚 school in East London to ban wearing the hijab by girls aged 8 and under. St Stephens also called for the government to override school autonomy on uniform.

Congress believes these are very worrying developments.

Congress further notes although St Stephen鈥檚 reversed its decision, the hijab issue is central to the growth of Islamophobia globally. We have seen Donald Trump鈥檚 鈥淢uslim ban鈥� and the 鈥淏urka ban鈥� in France. The majority of targets of anti-Muslim hate crimes in Britain are women and girls. Those wearing the hijab, niqab or robe are disproportionately targeted.

Congress opposes discriminatory targeting of Muslims on the basis of dress, including bans on the hijab or questioning of Muslim students by Ofsted inspectors.

EQ6听听 Maternity pay for casualised staff in post 16 education听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Women on casualised contracts experience huge detriments in their terms and conditions including maternity provision. Casualised lecturers work usually in term time and for less pay than their permanent comparators. The qualifying conditions for statutory maternity pay and leave has a detrimental impact on their ability to access support at a time when it is most needed. Employers鈥� own maternity pay and leave policies could help to eradicate this issue.  

Congress resolves to:

1.听听 work with Maternity Action and Working Families to campaign for a maternity framework for all parents regardless of contract status

2.听听 use the guide 鈥榃orking Parents鈥� as an opportunity to raise awareness and produce additional guidance

3.听听 survey branches for information about the impact of the statutory framework and local policies including access to shared parental leave

4.听听 raise this issue with universities and colleges and to review their local maternity policies.

EQ7听听 Sexual harassment听听听听听听听 Women members standing committee

Sexual harassment has received growing media coverage recently, running through our political organisations, entertainment industries, universities and colleges and our trade union movement. UCU is working with the Students Union and 1752 group to address this producing far reaching policy complemented by branch training/hotline. 51福利鈥檚 survey revealed sexual harassment as a serious unspoken problem, embedded within predominantly male white power structures. We need to change this culture. 

Congress resolves to:

1.     encourage and help universities to organise workshops on dignity and respect at work for staff and students

2.     organise a #metoo campaign across our colleges and universities and
produce a series of posters, stickers and badges which state 鈥榥o to sexual harassment鈥� 

3.     provide training for reps supporting victims of abuse

4.     guidance concerning cases brought against 51福利 reps

5.     training and support for reps and for members who come forward, especially the casualised and PhD students who risk losing out for speaking out.

EQ8听听 Composite: Combatting domestic abuse and violence against women 听听听听听听 Glasgow Caledonian University, 51福利 Scotland

Congress recognises that domestic abuse is an issue which affects staff and students in the HE, FE and ACE sectors of post-16 education irrespective of class, race, or gender, and welcomes legislative steps to eliminate all elements of this. Congress notes and supports the Domestic Abuse Bill recently passed by the Scottish Parliament which recognises the concept of coercive control as a crucial element used by the perpetrators of abuse. Congress welcomes the Scottish Government鈥檚 commitment to tackling violence against women by supporting the NUS Scotland campaign against violence against women on campus.

Congress also welcomes universities which have prioritised the elimination of gender based violence on campus.

51福利 endorses the Scottish Government鈥檚 recognition of the need to address all forms of violence against women as part of a coherent analysis of gender-based power, and encourages 51福利 branches to support local campaigns to tackle gender-based violence that adopt this approach. 

Congress asks the union to ensure that current advice to members regarding domestic abuse should draw on best practice in all different jurisdictions of the UK to ensure that our advice to members is relevant, up to date, effective and practical.

Disabled members, paragraphs 5.1 鈥� 5.7

EQ9听听 The fight for equality of access to work听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee

Congress notes:

1.     only 47% of working age disabled adults are in work, compared to 76.4% of non disabled adults

2.     disabled people鈥檚 equality of access to work paying a living wage, is frustrated because of the structural inequality of our society

3.     universities and colleges should endeavour to remove barriers to work to ensure workplaces are accessible to all disabled staff

4.     a lack of reasonable adjustments for disabled workers is a major barrier to maintaining employment.

Congress resolves to:

a.   ensure 51福利 supports disabled staff in negotiating and implementing reasonable adjustments through training and guidance

b.   work with other unions and disabled people鈥檚 organisations to campaign for the extension of equality legislation to introduce a time limit for making needed adjustments

c.    use the Day of Action on Disability to focus on issues around access and implementation of reasonable adjustments.

Congress urges every branch to participate in the day of action.

EQ10 Medical cannabis听听听听听听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee听听听听听听听听听

Cannabis as a medicine provides effective relief for chronic conditions including chronic pain and multiple sclerosis. The MS Society announced there is sufficient evidence of its effectiveness. Many disabled people use cannabis illegally to help alleviate a condition or issue.

Countries including Portugal, Spain, Canada, and several states in the USA have decriminalised it. In the UK cannabis possession can lead to a 5-year sentence.

Sativex is a cannabis based medicine which is licenced in the UK for MS. It is not available on the NHS and is only available on private prescription, costing over 拢400 per month.

Cannabis could support a disabled person staying in employment.

Congress calls on the NEC to:

1.     work with other organisations to campaign for the legalisation of possession, supply and cultivation of medical cannabis within the UK

2.     to campaign for Sativex and other cannabis based medicines鈥� availability on the NHS.

Equality for LGBT members, paragraphs 6.1 鈥� 6.8

EQ11 LGBT+ perspectives and presence in education LGBT members standing committee

There have been some moves toward including diverse voices in learning materials in FE and HE curricula. However, the role played by curricula and disciplinary canons in reasserting and reproducing differential power relations and Western-centric paradigms continues.

Congress believes that:

1.     the diverse voices of LGBT+ and other equality groups should be integral to education including in the classroom and in research

2.     learning is an emancipatory practice, whatever the field

3.     emancipation doesn鈥檛 simply come through inclusion or assimilation into curricula or disciplinary canons.

Congress asks NEC to:听听听听听

a.听听 take an active role in reimagining educational institutions and reflecting on how they maintain social hierarchies

b.听听 organise a collection of educational resources promoting LGBT+ visibility across post-school education

c.听听 promote LGBT+ research including through the biennial 51福利 LGBT+ research conference

d.听听 create a database of people working in LGBT+ studies

e.听听 with NUS articulate strategies to decolonise the curriculum.

EQ12 Global awareness of history and current struggle 听听听听听 LGBT members standing committee

Congress commends close partnership working of 51福利 and Amnesty International, including:

1.     the case of Giulio Regeni, a PhD student killed whilst working in Egypt

2.     51福利 LGBT+ action supporting Amnesty campaigns e.g. reported abduction and murder of gay men in Chechnya.

Congress notes that:

a.听听 progressing equality isn鈥檛 simple e.g. the recent repeal of the laws on same-sex marriage in Bermuda. Hard-fought gains can be overturned. We must be on鈥揼uard.

b.听听 we must maintain acute awareness of the history of struggle. Recent backlash against trans visibility has mirrored actions around section 28.

Congress reaffirms

i.听听听 that equality and liberation are at the forefront of our work听

ii.听听 commitment to ongoing work with organisations and campaigns particularly Amnesty International and LGBT History Month.

Congress calls for development and implementation of strategic actions promoting gender identity and broader intersectional LGBT+ equality based on 51福利 LGBT+ survey findings, including regional networks.

EQ13 Transgender rights听听听听听听听 Halesowen College

Congress notes that:

1.听听 trans people, staff and students in FE and HE, face considerable hostility and discrimination

2. 听 in 2017 the government announced a consultation on the 2004 Gender Recognition Act, which currently involves a medicalised process to obtain a gender recognition certificate involving a diagnosis of 鈥榞ender dysphoria鈥�, and living as the desired gender for at least two years

3.听听 trans organisations have proposed changes to obtain a gender recognition certificate through self-declaration, as currently in Denmark, Ireland and Malta.

Congress further notes the government has delayed the consultation after a sustained anti-transgender press campaign.

Congress resolves to:

a.听听 oppose any moves to delay or abandon the consultation over changes to the GRA

b.听听 support the proposed amendments and make a submission to the consultation on this basis

c.听听 promote trans equality in the workplace and encourage branches to commemorate Transgender Day of Remembrance each November.

SECTION 4: BUSINESS OF THE STRATEGY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE to be taken in open session

New paragraph, Union solidarity, after paragraph 4.4

SFC3听 Support the Picturehouse strike听听听听听 Hackney ACE

Congress notes that:

1.听听 BECTU members at six Picture House cinemas are in dispute for the London Living Wage and fair terms and conditions

2.听听 In 2014 Ritzy workers struck for 13 days, succeeding in raising their wage to 拢9.10ph (26% rise)

3.听听 Picturehouse is owned by Cineworld, which made 拢83.8 million profit in 2015

4.听听 The strikers are seeking to extend the dispute to other Picturehouse cinemas and have called a boycott of both Picturehouse and Cineworld cinemas as part of the campaign

5.听听 Picturehouse strikers have spoken at 51福利 anti-casualisation meetings and their struggle against precarious contracts is an inspiration for those fighting casual contracts in all workforces.

Congress resolves to:

a.听听 send a message of solidarity to striking BECTU Picturehouse members

b.听听 send a 拢250 donation to the strike fund

c.听听 mobilise support throughout 51福利 by advertising future picket lines and protests

d.听听 advertise the boycott of Cineworld among members and promote it publicly.

European and international work, paragraphs 5.1 鈥� 5.7

SFC4 International solidarity听听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress recognises the importance of an international dimension to 51福利's work and the value of working alongside EI, TUC, Amnesty and other affiliated solidarity organisations.

Congress welcomes union initiatives to:

1.     defend academic freedom and educators at risk in countries such as Turkey

2.     defend freedom of association and the rights of education workers in countries such as Iran

3.     support rights to education, notably for women and refugees, and the importance of the equality dimension in international work (e.g. LGBT+ rights in Chechnya)

4.     support a global response to the privatisation and marketisation of public education, including the threats posed by global education providers such as Bridge International Academies

5.     encourage the sharing of international experience and mutual solidarity between trade unions (e.g. Zimbabwe, Palestine and Colombia).听

Congress calls on 51福利 to build on current work in these areas and to continue to engage regions, branches and members in our key international campaigns.

SFC5听 Free speech Israel 听听听听听听听 University of Brighton Grand Parade

Congress notes the:

1.听听 continuing attempts to conflate antisemitism and anti-Zionism

2.听听 government鈥檚 attempted use of the discredited IHRA definition of antisemitism to deter campus criticism of Israel

3.听听 bans on activities in Israeli apartheid week

4.听听 use of security costs to prevent meetings

5.听听 imposition of so-called 鈥榥eutral鈥� chairs on Middle East meetings, offending the integrity and professional competence of academic staff

6.听听 successful defiance of censorship at some universities, and successful challenge to the imposition of chairs at LSE.

Conference believes this campaign:

a.听听 is a form of censorship, and infringes academic freedom, and freedom of speech

b.听听 violates universities鈥� legal obligations (Education Reform Act 1988, Education Act (no.2) 1986, and Equality Act 2010).

Conference resolves to:

i.听听听 urge branches to host meetings and debates on Palestine which might otherwise be subject to censorship

ii.听听 inform members about 51福利 policy on Israeli discrimination and illegal occupation, and on opposition to all forms of racism, including antisemitism.

SFC6 Support the Catalan people鈥檚 democratic right to self-determination听 University of Glasgow

Congress notes:

1.听听 the 92 percent 鈥榶es鈥� vote for Catalan independence in October 2017 on a 43 percent turnout, and the Catalan parliamentary elections in December 2017 returned a majority for pro-independence parties

2.听听 calls from Catalonian trade unionists 鈥� eg education workers and firefighters鈥攆or solidarity from the international trade union movement

3.听听 the imprisonment of members of the Catalan government and leaders of civic society under charges of rebellion and sedition.

Congress believes:

a.     the Catalan people have a right to self-determination

b.     the Spanish state has the right to disagree with independence, but the Catalan people must be able to determine their future.

Congress resolves to:

                    i.        message the Intersindical Alternativa De Catalunya expressing solidarity with the Catalan people鈥檚 right to self-determination

                  ii.        call for the release and acquittal of all political prisoners

                 iii.        support actions and initiatives defending democracy and condemning the Spanish state鈥檚 crackdown in Catalonia.

SFC7听 Trump鈥檚 visit to the UK 听听听听听听听听听 University of Brighton Falmer

Congress notes that Trump has implemented cuts to women鈥檚 reproductive rights organisations, undermined LGBT+ rights, introduced travel restrictions on people traveling from some Muslim majority countries, tweeted videos from a British fascist organisation and refused to condemn fascists and white supremacists after the murder of Heather Heyer at Charlottesville.  In February Trump suggested arming teachers in response to the deaths of seventeen staff and students in the Parklands mass school shooting.

Congress believes Donald Trump is not a fit person for an official or state visit to Britain.

Congress resolves to encourage members to support opposition and protests to any proposed visit by him.

SFC8 Education, UN sustainable development goals and aid 听听听听听听听 Activate Learning City of Oxford College

Congress is reminded of the UN sustainable development goal from 2015 for education which is to 鈥榚nsure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all鈥�. This goal is far from being fulfilled when, at the end of 2017, 263 million children world-wide - including some 66 million primary school children -were not in education.

In this context, Congress condemns the attack launched by the right wing press on the state aid budget and the attempt by politicians to discredit aid agencies such as Oxfam when they produce reports documenting the extent of world poverty and inequality (Rob Wilson former Charities Minister described Oxfam as 鈥榓 front for extreme left wing Corbynistas鈥�, Guardian 12/2/17).

SFC9 International solidarity with LGBT+ and disability organisations 51福利 Scotland

Congress deplores

1.       the lack of human rights of LGBT+ people and continued persecution and criminalisation for sexual orientation and/or gender identity in many countries e.g. Chechnya

2.       the continued exclusion, including from education and employment, lack of human and technological support, othering and marginalisation of disabled people in many countries worldwide.

Congress recognises the importance of international solidarity and the valuable lessons we can learn from it.

Congress encourages solidarity with LGBT+ and disability organisations worldwide and asks 51福利 to:

a.     use the website to highlight abuses, campaigns for change and solidarity actions, including letters, signing petitions, demonstrations, political pressure and fund raising听听听听听

b.     encourage members to submit information for the website

c.     circulate to members and branches at least one call for solidarity action with LGBT+ and/or disabled people internationally regularly听

d.     develop links with LGBT+ and disabled trade unionists and LGBT+ and disability organisations internationally.

New paragraph, Union participation, after paragraph 6.3

SFC10 Eligibility to participate听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 West Midlands retired members

Congress recognises that inequality is a lifelong scourge, affecting people from the cradle to the grave, appearing in many forms and affirms that fighting against inequality calls for inclusion of all members of 51福利.

Congress therefore calls for the incoming NEC 2018 to amend the standing orders for the equality standing committees by deleting sentence 2 of paragraph 1.4听 鈥楢t the time of nomination, candidates must be in qualifying employment under rule听 3.1.1听 or have been in qualifying employment within the preceding 12 months.鈥�

This requirement arbitrarily excludes participation on these standing committees by most retired members of 51福利, including members for whom issues of equality discrimination may well be a life-long concern both in employment and in retirement.听 It equally disenfranchises members made redundant who face a significant time finding another job.

SFC11 Enabling retired members to contribute at local, regional and national levels 听听听听 Southern regional committee

Congress recognises the importance of encouraging all 51福利 members to continue in membership on retirement, their rights to participate in the work of the union and the valuable contribution that they make to 51福利 (motion 56: Congress 2016). 51福利 also recognises and values the experience and expertise of its retired members and is committed to ensuring that their input is available throughout the union. To that end:

1.     the NEC should implement mechanisms to ensure that retired members are able to contribute at local, regional and national levels, and

2.     that regionally based retired members branches will continue to receive full support from regional and national officials.

SFC12 Addressing under-representation of Black members at Congress 听听听 Black members standing committee

Congress notes the underrepresentation of Black staff from both the Further and Higher education sectors. Congress also notes the positive work being undertaken to increase engagement and develop black activists and the increase in numbers attending the annual Black members conference.

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

Congress resolves to:

1.     task the NEC with establishing a sub-group to develop proposals for the NEC to agree and return to Congress 2019. The aim of the proposals being to increase the numbers of Black members at subsequent national meetings including but not exclusively Congress

2.     allow regions and branches to send Black members who are not part of their delegation as observers to Congress 2019 as a means of mentoring future activists.

SFC13 Non-resolutionary business at Congress 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress notes the practice of some unions of including non-resolutionary business in their annual delegate conference.

Non-resolutionary business is time put aside for sharing experiences and information, or having general discussion, without motions attached, on a specified topic of particular relevance to members. It may start with a short presentation, but includes the opportunity for speakers from the floor.

Congress believes that such sessions could be productive and positive, helping to re-energise delegates as active members of a campaigning, fighting union, sharing experiences and allowing for reflection on how our achievements and successes can be further spread.

Congress asks the NEC to ensure that a non-resolutionary session is scheduled within the timetable for Congress 2019, and for each sector conference, and to review delegate feedback on these sessions, with a view to making them a regular part of Congress.

SECTION 5: BUSINESS OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Developing clear policies, paragraphs 2.1 鈥� 2.2

ED1 听 Education 听听听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress commends progress made by the education committee during 2017/18 in its work on widening access; the transformational nature of FE and HE; defence of academic freedom and continued opposition to the marketisation of education.听

Congress welcomes the committee鈥檚 comprehensive statement of 51福利 policy from cradle to grave as part of its work in support of a National Education Service and encourages all political parties to develop their own NES.

Congress strongly supports the committee鈥檚 commitment to engaging with members and stakeholders, congratulates the committee on its successful 2018 Cradle to Grave conference and welcomes its decision to review the format and venue of the conference to maximise participation across the UK.

The politics of education, paragraph 3.1

ED2听听 Managerialism听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Northumbria University

Education staff widely report burnout, stress, poor health and overall dissatisfaction at work. One cause is rampant managerialism, which is forcing staff into bureaucratic functions and routines that deflect their attention from academic priorities of teaching and scholarship. Managerialism embodies groupthink within a technocracy set on recasting education as a relationship between student-consumers and service providers. Subsequently, staff have been led to adopt new responsibilities, as purveyors of student satisfaction, organisers of enhancement experiences, marketers for degrees, and cast for institutional promotional materials. 51福利 recognises in general the need to adapt to political and economic changes, and calls on employers to facilitate adaptation through collegiate decision-making, rather than a top-down approach.听 Nonetheless, Congress resolves to continue to resist and counteract managerialism, including by researching and reporting on its presence and consequences in education, especially in regard to issues of equality, stress and health and safety.

SECTION 6: BUSINESS OF THE RECRUITMENT ORGANISING AND CAMPAIGNING COMMITTEE

Introduction, paragraphs 1.5 鈥� 1.9

ROC2 New members and officer guidance听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Sussex Coast College Hastings

Congress states the structure of 51福利 can be daunting for new members: branch officers, regional officers, sector conferences and ending with congress. By laying out the roles and responsibilities clearly 51福利 will grow membership and engagement. Therefore, Congress resolves to:

1.听听 provide case studies by officer, for officers about what their roles and responsibilities are

2.听听 produce an info graphic and video to explain 51福利鈥檚 structure to be sent to all new members

3.听听 provide half day training for officer roles via regional offices.

The rights of international staff in a post-Brexit work, paragraph 2.2

ROC3 Supporting non-UK EU nationals and their partners from third countries University of Lincoln

Congress notes that employers, landlords, mortgage lenders, etc. are dealing with uncertainties created by Brexit by discriminating against non-UK EU passport holders so as not to fall foul of real or imagined Home Office regulations. This and the Home Office鈥檚 鈥榟ostile environment鈥� for nationals from other countries also affects 51福利 members, including those from third countries in relationships with non-UK EU nationals.

The Home Office has asked people to leave within two weeks or face deportation, often on dubious grounds. Branches do their best to support members but are not necessarily equipped to do so in these circumstances. A dedicated caseworker at national level would be useful not only to help members but also to collect data on the number of people affected.

Congress asks that 51福利 provide a specific contact at national level for members and branch officers requiring advice and support until legal certainty has been restored.

Widening support for 51福利鈥檚 policies on education, paragraphs 3.1 鈥� 3.3

ROC4 Defend post-16 education national demo in autumn听 London regional committee

Post-16 education faces an ongoing assault headed up by the Tory government of privatisation, marketisation and casualisation.

While staff face pay freezes and attacks on their pensions, students pay record tuition fees. But VCs鈥� and college principals鈥� pay are at record levels.

With growing opposition to attacks on education and support from the Labour front bench for a progressive vision for our colleges and universities we want to build the biggest possible resistance.

As part of this process we call on NEC to initiate a major demonstration to defend education in London in the autumn term and seek support from NUS, other campus unions and the wider movement.

Get the Vote Out 鈥� winning disputes of national significance, paragraphs 4.1 鈥� 4.3

ROC5 Recruitment, organising and campaigning 听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 National executive committee

Congress notes the work of ROCC in supporting members and branches to Get the Vote Out; its work for early career and international staff; the fight against marketisation; and campaigning for a fair alternative to fees and loans for students and instructs NEC to prioritise in 2018/19 the generalisation of GTVO and its benefits to every branch in the union.

New paragraph, Campaigns, after paragraph 4.3

ROC6 Social media 听听听听听听听 Chesterfield College

Congress notes that a number of institutions have cited alleged staff use of social media, including during their own time and off premises, in pursuing disciplinary procedures against members generally on the grounds of 鈥榖ringing the institution into disrepute鈥�.

Congress resolves to task the appropriate 51福利 national committee to examine this situation and produce clear guidelines for members in respect of the use of social media, the boundaries and dangers to be aware of, and the policies branches should seek to negotiate with managements.

There are issues of freedom of speech as well as management infringements on the legitimate roles of union representatives involved and the union needs to support and empower staff to take all necessary action in order to prevent heavy handed, bullying and inappropriate management behaviour and management encroachment on the private lives of staff or on the roles of union reps.

ROC7 Free speech and white supremacists听 听听听听听 Black members standing committee

Congress notes:

1.     the use of 鈥榝reedom of speech鈥� discourses to defend the right of white supremacists and right populists to insult and attack immigrants, Muslims and Black people without consequence (for example Berkeley Free Speech week)

2.     the framing of free speech within a Eurocentric "clash of civilisations" narrative deeming Black, immigrant and Muslim communities in particular as incapable of free speech

3.     the silencing and discrediting of those who challenge racism and colonialism, or draw attention to the consequences of UK foreign policy (notably Lola Olufemi)

4.     the unwillingness by politicians to recognise the threat to academic freedom and freedom of speech posed by Prevent.

Congress affirms academic freedom and freedom of speech and condemns these attempts at co-option by right populists and white supremacists.

Congress resolves for guidance and campaign resources to be produced to branches to organise public events to raise awareness of these issues.

ROC8 British values?听听听听 Sutton College

At least four major Muslim organisations and countless education professionals in schools and colleges have noted the underlying racism of this government鈥檚 鈥楶revent Strategy鈥�.

The attempt by central government to peddle wider human values as being somehow particularly British values is made even more pernicious by the failure to uphold those values within its own practice.

This Congress calls on the government to reverse the obligation on schools, colleges and universities to teach British values and to promote in its place an agenda that unites rather than divides.

Congress further demands that this agenda be devised in consultation with and the agreement of those charged with delivering it, rather than simply foisting it upon them.

In the event of the government ignoring or rejecting this demand, this union will work all education unions to organise a boycott of the Prevent agenda.

ROC9 Turning free members into active members听听听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

Congress notes:

1.     the introduction of free 51福利 membership for some casualised staff has partially addressed some issues that arise when recruiting in FE and HE

2.     many casualised staff find 51福利 structures bewildering and resources difficult to find

3.     large numbers of postgraduate students have joined 51福利, notably during the USS dispute. Many have been at the forefront of the strike, despite (usually) not 鈥榪ualifying鈥� for the pension scheme.

Congress resolves to:

a.     consolidate and promote practical advice for branches to establish and manage strike hardship funds, including clear instructions and worked examples to support casualised workers whose contracts and working conditions vary (e.g. when demonstrating proof of income)

b.     develop and promote materials to support casualised members in understanding and engaging with 51福利鈥檚 internal democratic culture at all levels

c.     produce material promoting the annual meeting for staff on casualised contracts to casualised and free subscription members.

ROC10听 Supporting casualised staff taking strike action听听听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

Recent 51福利 industrial action highlights incredible solidarity from casualised members across sectors, despite low pay, poor working conditions, and often not qualifying for a pension. Deductions disproportionately affect casualised members; many experience difficulty obtaining proof of contracts and lost income.

To support secure work and security in retirement for everyone, Congress resolves to: 

1.     publish annual breakdowns of figures for casualised members joining 51福利 across sectors and job roles

2.     ensure language in industrial action publicity is inclusive of all job roles (avoiding erasure inherent in shorthand like 鈥渓ecturers鈥� union鈥�)  

3.     produce guidance and targeted materials to support branches in publicising issues affecting casualised staff in diverse roles during industrial action

4.     support branches to build on national fighting fund provision through working with casualised members to ensure practical solidarity and support at branch level, e.g. through hardship funds, food parcels and ensuring vulnerable casualised members feel protected during industrial action.

ROC11 Casualised staff听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 University of Brighton Eastbourne and Hastings

Congress notes that an increasing number of members are casualised staff.听 The reality for many or most is that in both FE and HE many they are on either short term contracts, zero hours contracts or are hourly paid. Staff in both sectors are often pitted against each other.

Congress agrees that the campaigns to challenge such practices should be prioritised and increased - practices that leave highly skilled lecturers having insecure employment and the stress of having to input a lot of unpaid and unrewarded work on the vague promise of a post and vie for the said post with colleagues and comrades are completely unacceptable.

ROC12 Campaign on pay in regions听听听听听听听听听听 North West regional committee

Congress notes:

1.     the power of collective action

2.     the role of the region in coordinating action and offering assistance

3.     pay is a central issue: our members are suffering the effects of years of pay cuts, and the media is reporting our colleagues' difficulties balancing their commitments to education and paying bills

4.     a pay campaign can be galvanising for recruitment among part-time, casualised and full-time staff

5.     pay exposes discrepancies and inequality.

Congress agrees:

a.     a national and regional effort that produces a roadshow on pay where regions are central in campaigning across branches

b.     regions to plan and facilitate regional campaigning rallies, with appropriate funding

c.     for regions to empower members and branches to come together to participate in activities on the pay issue and recruit members

d.     regions to actively support local branches to prepare and pursue Part 2 claims.

ROC13 Composite: Carillion and lessons for outsourcing in FE and HE Yorkshire and Humberside regional committee, London regional committee

Congress notes that:

1.听 January鈥檚 collapse of Carillion, the UK鈥檚 largest outsourcing company, threatened 30,000 jobs directly plus thousands more in suppliers

2.听 F&HE will be directly impacted due to PPI, cleaning, security and other void Carillion contracts

3.听 the government ignoring profit warnings and continuing to treat Carillion as preferred bidder was gross incompetence and cronyism.

Congress believes university and college student and staff interests will be best served by bringing services in house. Carillion鈥檚 failure discredits:

a.听 the Tories鈥� strategy for delivering public services through outsourcing and privatisation

b.听 neoliberal privatisation as a fundamentally anti-working class economic scam

c.听 capitalism.

Congress instructs the NEC to:

i.听听 develop, publish and promote an explicit alternative educational strategy based on universal free education from cradle to grave

ii.听 a national and local industrial action strategy to stop privatisation and marketisation, working with student and other unions to protect our universities and colleges as public institutions under the democratic control of staff, students and communities

iii. send a letter to all institutions demanding that they end outsourcing of student and staff services and call upon them to enter negotiations with the relevant trade unions to negotiate the bringing back of services in house.

ROC14 Fighting austerity in local government听听 听听听听听听听听听 University of Sheffield

Congress notes:

1.     that much of the Tory austerity onslaught is administered through cuts to local authority grants

2.     that Northamptonshire County Council has literally run out of money and many councils are now using reserves to meet their legal obligation to provide services

3.     that Labour Councils jointly control budgets of 拢75 billion (more that the state budgets of 16 EU countries) with reserves of 拢13.5 billion.

4.     that the weak and divided Tory government does not have the political legitimacy to impose austerity on local government.

5.     the success of the Sheffield 鈥楶eople鈥檚 Budget鈥� campaign and other similar initiatives up and down the country

Congress resolves:

a.     to urge all councils to refuse to carry out any further cuts to jobs and services

b.     to campaign to restore local government funding

c.     to show solidarity and support to councillors who refuse to vote for cuts.

ROC15 Climate change and the TUC听听听听听听听听听 London retired members

Congress recognises that the motion on Climate Change at this year's TUC makes progress towards the resolution at 51福利 Congress 2017. However, Congress regrets that there is no mention of opposition to fracking or airport expansion. Congress therefore calls upon the 51福利 NEC to continue to campaign within the trade union movement in support of all the demands raised in our 2017 resolution:

1.     energy democracy and rapid transition from fossil fuels

2.     stop airport expansion

3.     no fracking

4.     promotion of alternatives to short-haul flights, including publicly owned rail in UK and Europe

5.     a genuine commitment to reducing lethal air pollutants

6.     a just transition employment strategy to climate jobs and well-paid, skilled, sustainable employment

7.     improved links between anti-war, refugee and climate campaign movements

8.     action against trade treaties threatening climate justice

9.     a climate justice fund funded by wealthy nations and polluting companies.

ROC16听 Universal credit听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 East Midlands regional committee

Congress notes that:

1.听听 universal credit has been beset with IT failures and delays.

2.听听 its implementation has resulted in cuts to the benefit bill at the expense of unemployed and low paid workers, and reduces accessibility to further and higher education for the most vulnerable members of society.

Congress believes that UC must be scrapped.

Congress resolves to campaign for an end to UC and for a properly staffed and funded social security system to include:

a.听听 a welfare state based on need, ensuring decent standards of living for all

b.听听 an end to the benefits sanctions regime

c.听听 an end to current work capability assessments (to be replaced with a genuinely empowering supportive system); outsourcing social security contracts to the private sector; inadequate staffing levels; benefit caps

d.听听 a living wage based on a nationally recognised minimum income standard

e.听听 full implementation of the TUC鈥檚 Welfare Charter.

ROC17 Crisis in the NHS听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 East Midlands regional committee

Congress notes:

1.听听 the NHS is in crisis. Many hospitals are regularly on 鈥榖lack alert鈥�

2.听听 the NHS desperately needs proper funding.

Congress believes:

a.听 staff are experiencing severe stress because of increasing demands and falling staffing levels

b.听听 the Tories鈥� sustainability transformation plans are being used to disguise a further 拢22 billion of cuts.

Congress welcomes Labour鈥檚 2017 manifesto pledges. However we cannot wait for a change of government. The TUC must organise solidarity with NHS workers and fight for the NHS now.听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Congress resolves:

i. 听听 to show solidarity for NHS workers fighting back

ii.听听 to affiliate to Health Campaigns Together and support its initiatives including 7 July Health Campaigns Together national event in conjunction with the TUC, Labour and other parties and campaigns supporting the NHS

iii.听 to show support for national demonstrations for the NHS in its 70th year.

ROC18 Composite: 听The future of social care 听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside retired members, Northern retired members

Congress notes:

1.听听 the ongoing crisis in social care and the prospect of a green paper consultation due in the summer

2.听听 51福利 members often face a retirement dependent on a social care system that is underfunded, understaffed, and often unsafe

3.听听 working members often find themselves paying exorbitant costs of care for older relatives

4.听听 80% of social care is provided by the private sector, whilst year-on-year local authority cuts undermine their profits and quality of provision.

There have been cuts of 40% in care budgets; private care homes are closing and many are criticised for poor standards; at least 30,000 homes are sold to pay for care every year; self-funders - some of whom will be 51福利 retired members - are unfairly subsidising those residents receiving local authority support and over 1.2 million people are not getting the care they need.

Congress believes that the distinction between health care, as a free service, and social care, subject to charging, is unjustifiable.

Congress agrees to work within the TUC and with the National Pensioners Convention and others to support:

a.听听 the establishment of a National Care Service funded through general taxation, publicly provided and free at the point of use;

b.听听 UNISON鈥檚 Ethical Care Charter for care staff;

c.听听 the NPC鈥檚 Dignity Code which covers the way in which older people in care should be treated;

d.听听 a structured system of training and qualification for care staff.

Congress requests NEC to submit a motion on social care to TUC.

ROC19 Defence of defined benefit pensions听听听听听听 East Midlands retired members

Congress recognises that attack on Defined Benefit (DB) pensions has moved from the private sector into the public sector with the aim of shifting risk away from the employer onto the employee. Right wing think tanks such as the Centre for Policy Studies have discussed how to turn non-funded DB schemes such as the TPS into Defined Contribution schemes

Congress further recognises that a unified response from the union movement is necessary to defeat these attacks. The NEC is asked to encourage the TUC (which has been happily and legitimately involved in alliances to further Collective DC schemes) to set up a campaign involving unions and other appropriate campaign bodies to defend DB schemes.

The NEC shall report back to Congress 2019 on the progress made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR CONFERENCE

MOTIONS FOR DEBATE

HE pay 2017-18, paragraphs 2.1-2.6

Motions HE1 鈥� HE4 to be taken in private session.

HE1听听 HE pay听听听听听听听听 Higher education committee

HE sector conference notes the report and approves the recommendations of the national negotiators contained in 51福利BANHE/XXX.

HE2听听 HE pay campaign and industrial action听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 University of Brighton Grand Parade

Conference notes:

1.听听 the 27.5 RPI rise since 2009, against the 9% total salary increase

2.听听 that members鈥� acceptance of a sub-inflation offer in 2017 followed years of ineffective pay campaigns without a commitment to serious industrial action

3.听听 the popularity of the USS campaign鈥檚 escalation strategy, and members鈥� refusal to squander that industrial strength, or to tolerate a damaging compromise.

Conference reaffirms its 2016 policy of escalating industrial pay action, and the recuperation aim for lost real income and instructs HEC to -

a.     prepare a claim, with other unions if possible, to restore 2009 real pay values within five years

b.     build a pay campaign around the use of escalating strike action

c.     develop a strategy for the reduction of salary differentials in HE, including excessive executive pay

d.     resolves to seek a retiming of the annual pay talks so that industrial action can commence in early autumn.

HE3听听 Campaign to restore pay levels听听听听听听听 University of Birmingham

Sector conference notes:

1. 听 the transformative effects of the strikes in the pre-92 universities, and more broadly across the union, in defence of decent pensions for members

2. 听 the strikes have raised the profile of associated issues such as governance, workload, management bullying, casualisation, pay and so on.

Conference also believes that stagnating and real-terms declining pay in the sector for teaching and other staff in comparison with the exorbitant remuneration packages served up for vice-chancellors and other senior staff is unjust and unsustainable, and that 51福利 members in HE, including the thousands of new members in the sector, are right to demand that the union urgently addresses the need to restore pay at least to inflation-adjusted levels achieved in the 2006 pay campaign.

HE4 听 Fair rates for external examiners听 听听 University of Central Lancashire

Conference notes the refusal of the employers to discuss external examiner remuneration as part of the pay negotiations in 2017. It therefore calls upon the HEC to redouble its efforts in this regard, to campaign for and negotiate towards nationally standardised remuneration for external examination of courses and the external examiners of research degrees, at levels that accurately reflect the time and effort required to carry out these duties.

Motions HE5 to be taken in open session

HE5 听 Composite: Campaigning on vice chancellors (VC) and senior managements (SMT) pay 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside regional HE committee, Southern regional HE committee

Conference notes that at a time where academic staff have suffered pay cuts, and are asked to do more and more by their institutions, VC and SMT are enjoying bonanza pay rises which far exceed those of the majority of academic staff. This is divisive and should be reversed.

Conference commends Bath University 51福利, and the other recognised trade unions at the university, for their long and exemplary campaign for greater transparency over senior pay at the University of Bath. Subsequent to the publication of the Higher Education Funding Council of England (Hefce) report into governance at Bath, the University Court demanded (requested) the 鈥榠mmediate resignation and departure of the Vice Chancellor, Chair of Council and the Remuneration Committee鈥�, in whom Court expressed no confidence.

Conference believes:

1.     VCs should not be on remuneration committees

2.     51福利 and other recognised staff unions and NUS student representatives should be on the remuneration committees to promote transparency.

Conference calls on HEC to:

a.     commend the Bath University 51福利 campaign strategy to branches

b.     reject CUC proposals for a framework that ensures fair, appropriate and 鈥榡ustifiable鈥� pay for senior managers as insufficient

c.     extend the FoI requests to publish all Senior Managers pay, not just that of VCs

d.     campaign nationally for greater transparency around remuneration decisions

e.     campaign for a public register of vice-chancellors' pay and perks

f.      campaign for all VC and SMT pay to be pegged to the average wage in the institution, and for it to be, at a maximum, 10 times the lowest paid contracts within the institution.

Conference demands fair pay and a pay cut to all VCs and SMTs.

HE5A.1 Compositing amendment 听听听 Southern regional HE committee

Delete bullet point f, replace with:

f.      campaign for the imposition of a cap on senior pay of 4.5 of median pay of the overall workforce.

Pensions 鈥� USS, paragraphs 3.1-3.16

Motions HE7-HE13 to be taken in private session

HE6听听 USS听听 Higher education committee

HE sector conference notes the report and approves the recommendations of the superannuation working group contained in 51福利BANHE/XXX.

HE7听听 Demand to 51福利 negotiators: Restore USS status quo and re-evaluation听 Cardiff University

Conference notes the overwhelming rejection of pension change proposals by members in Wales and across UK, 13/3/18.

Conference commends the solidarity and resolve of 51福利 members to continue with strike and other industrial action until an acceptable resolution.

Conference believes this dispute can be resolved with a 51福利 and UUK agreement on the status quo for contributions and benefits, maintained until a re-evaluation, based on transparent, academically robust methodology, in which we have confidence. Any proposal falling short of this is unacceptable.

Conference resolves to call on HEC and negotiators to publicly and officially adopt a negotiating position demanding the status quo be maintained with respect to USS contributions and benefits. When a transparent, academically robust re-evaluation in which we have confidence is concluded, negotiations must begin to secure a long-term future for our defined benefits scheme.

HE8 听 No deficit, no capitulation and democratic reform inside 51福利 University of Kent

Conference congratulates members in the strike action in the USS pensions dispute. Conference authorises negotiators to adhere to the following principles:

1.听听 no deterioration to the pension that members will receive

2.听听 not to accept that the USS is in deficit

3.听听 demand an extension to the June 2018 deadline

4.听听 no rescheduling of work for which pay has been deducted.

51福利 is a member driven organisation and this dispute has shown how powerful the membership of 51福利 are. In light of this Congress demands that:

a.听听 any resolution to the current dispute must have the full consultation and endorsement of the 51福利 membership

b.听听 members must have the ability to debate executive proposals in a timely manner with due diligence.

Conference calls for a review of democratic 51福利 governance to expand democratic processes within 51福利 and strengthen members鈥� participation in national policy decision-making.

HE9听听 Ending further attacks on USS听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 University of Glasgow

HESC reaffirms previously stated policy on the artificial creation of the USS deficit.听 It recognises the relationship of the attacks on pensions to the wider attacks on free education and academic freedom and the threats of marketisation, privatisation and austerity.

HESC recgonises that the current valuation approach based on 'self-sufficiency' and the use of test 1 are likely to create a deficit at subsequent valuations and will therefore be used as a pretext for further attacks on our pensions.听 Their replacement is necessary to remove the threat to future pensions.听

HESC calls on the USS negotiators to either negotiate with UUK or obtain the support of the chair of the joint negotiating committee to:

1.听听 get rid of test 1 and the gilts based self-sufficiency approach to valuation;听

2.听听 replace them by best estimate/internal rate of return, as proposed by First Actuarial who advise 51福利 and cash flow.

HE10 Demand government protection for USS听听听听听听听听听听听听 University College London

HESC notes:

1.     both valuations of the USS Pension in 2017 estimated by modelling the long-term impact of 鈥榙e-risking鈥� investments,

2.     the behaviour of Cambridge and Oxford universities in calling for the fragmentation of the scheme;

3.     the fact that the 鈥榙eficit鈥� disappears when USS is valued as an ongoing scheme.

HESC believes:

a.     fragmentation would be a disaster for members

b.     the behaviour of the 鈥榟awk鈥� employers was driven in part by both increasing competition between universities and increased speculative borrowing for capital projects.

HESC calls for a high-profile campaign, including lobbying ministers and MPs, to demand the government underwriting of the pension scheme in order to protect USS for the future.

HE11 Removing the Chair of the USS JNC University of Sussex

The JNC of USS has taken two votes with major consequences for the USS pension scheme.

In 2010 the ongoing pension scheme was changed from a final salary scheme to a scheme based career average earnings.

On this occasion the JNC vote was split evenly for and against, the vote was carried in favour of closing the final salary scheme, by the 鈥榠ndependent鈥� chairman siding with the employers.

In 2018 the JNC took a vote on the current proposals to change the ongoing USS from a defined benefit to defined contribution scheme.  Again the JNC vote was split evenly for and against, and again the vote was carried in favour of moving from defined benefit to defined contribution by the 鈥榠ndependent鈥� chairman siding with the employers.

Conference therefore demands the resignation of Sir Andrew Cubie from the post of chair of the joint negotiating committee of the universities superannuation scheme.

HE12 Electoral reform and removal of the USS board of trustees听 听听听听听听听听听 University of Sussex

The USS board of trustees has been responsible for expediting a highly inaccurate actuarial evaluation of the USS pension fund and they have provided a spurious prediction to the pension鈥檚 regulator who now requires increased contributions to the pension fund. This has resulted in UUK deciding to discontinue the defined benefits pension scheme and replace it with an inferior defined contribution scheme. This has caused the largest industrial dispute that the university sector has known. Due to this multi-layered failure by the USS Board of Trustees we therefore express no confidence in the board of trustees. Conference calls for a thorough review of the electoral and/or appointment processes of the chair of the JNC and the board of directors of USS, following which a process of election is implemented that ensures transparency and accountability in voting and appointments in the interests of the members of USS as a whole.

HE13 Ensuring our union has access to relevant pension expertise 听听听听听听听听听 University of Sheffield

HESC notes that the valuation of the USS is complex and that its understanding requires the assimilation of significant amounts of background material.

HESC also notes that our membership contains significant expertise in areas related to pension valuations which could prove invaluable to the superannuation working group.

HESC resolves that the superannuation working group should be authorised to co-opt onto their committee such expertise as is necessary to ensure that our union best uses the full potential of its membership.

All remaining motions to be taken in open session

Gender pay, paragraphs 4.1-4.3

HE14 Gender and equal pay 听听听听听听听听听听听 Higher education committee

Conference notes that all HEIs, except those in Northern Ireland, are required to declare their gender pay gaps by 30 March 2018.

Conference welcomes the work of New JNCHES to produce the equal pay reviews and gender pay gap reporting guidance for HEIs.

Conference also welcomes the work of branches to negotiate with employers on tackling the gender pay gap.

Conference therefore calls on HEC to:

1.     continue work to secure more agreements and timelined action plans to close the gender pay gap and publicise good practice throughout 51福利

2.     encourage branches to work with employers conducting pay audits to consider other equality strands and to close any identified pay gaps

3.     identify discernible patterns to the causes of gender pay inequality, and review branch guidance on tackling them.

Precarious contracts 鈥� stamp out casual contracts, paragraphs 5.1-5.2

HE15 Precarious contracts 听听听 Higher education committee听

Conference welcomes the progress made in building local campaigns and negotiations on casualisation in higher education in the last year. Conference notes that both the rise in recruitment among early careers academics and the USS dispute have had a galvanising effect in many higher education branches, reinforcing the need for casualisation to be a national priority for the union. Conference calls for more work to:

1.     table more claims around casualisation

2.     support the development of branch-based campaigning strategies

3.     support focused recruitment among casualised staff

4.     provide bespoke negotiating training for branches

5.     build the capacity of branches to be able to exercise industrial leverage in support of casualisation claims at local level.

HE16听 Holiday pay in higher education听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

Conference notes that universities operate a variety of practices in relation to the payment of holiday pay to hourly paid staff. Some universities still roll up holiday pay unlawfully, while others pay it at the wrong rate.

Conference further notes the outstanding disagreements with UCEA over whether holiday pay should be counted in comprehensive hourly rates and congratulates those branches that have fought for hourly paid staff to be paid the correct holiday pay.

Conference calls on the HEC to

1.     encourage more branches to identify detrimental and unlawful practices in relation to holiday pay for hourly paid staff

2.     provide negotiating guidance, legal advice and campaigning support to branches to enable them to pursue claims for correct payment and back payment

3.     ensure that the issue of holiday pay forms part of 51福利鈥檚 national campaign to stamp out casual contracts.

HE17 Paid time on for casualised staff in HE听听 听听 Anti-casualisation committee

Conference notes the growth in the number of anti-casualisation reps in 51福利 HE branches and the vital role that these reps play in campaigning and negotiating in their institutions.

Conference also notes that casualised staff who perform representative roles in HE are rarely granted facilities time, either for trade union duties or activities and in many cases face the choice of losing teaching hours or not participating in their union.

Conference calls on 51福利 to:

1.     develop specific guidance on negotiating facilities time for staff on insecure contracts and 鈥榩aid time on鈥� for hourly paid staff

2.     encourage branches to ensure the allocation of facilities time to casualised reps

3.     support casualised staff to perform democratic duties within the union, including NEC membership.

HE18 Fixed term contracts听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 University of Glasgow

Conference recognises that research funders encourage and facilitate the hiring of researchers on short-term, insecure contracts, and yet do not take responsibility for the challenging working environments this practice creates. Much more could be done by the research councils to support research staff and reward principal investigators who help develop rather than exploit their research staff. Conference urges HEC to campaign for UK research councils to:

1.听听 make career quality and destinations of post-doctoral researchers a performance indicator of grant success

2.听听 ensure reviews of funding applications include a reviewer (ideally a union representative) whose main responsibility is assessing the potential impact of future applications on the careers of funded researchers.

Workload and safe, sustainable workplaces for 51福利 members, paragraphs 6.1-6.5

HE19 HEC workload campaign听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Higher education committee

Conference notes that workload intensification is a significant issue for members and is linked to top-down management increased metrification and marketisation.

Conference welcomes the work undertaken by 51福利 branches and staff to launch a UK-wide workload campaign utilising the statutory rights and functions for trade union safety representatives.

Conference believes that 51福利 needs to further develop workplace organisation to

reduce workload intensification and the impact for members.

Conference recognises a joined up approach - incorporating health and safety, campaigning, and organising elements - builds leverage with the employers and supports effective local and national workload collective bargaining against the use of workload management for increased managerial control.

Conference resolves:

1.     to continue and expand the workload campaign

2.     to support local campaigns and negotiations for improved workload agreements

3.     to support an increase in the number of safety representatives throughout the sector

4.     to uphold the standards of performance agreed in the framework agreement.

Academic related, professional staff, paragraph 7.1

HE20 Evidence gathering: Investigating the effect of hubs and 鈥榮ervice鈥� centralisation听 University of Leeds

Conference notes the move to a hub or centralisation model for services (e.g. IT, health and safety) across many universities and the consequences of this, including downgrading and members being moved, against their will, to different roles in the university.

Conference requests that the national 51福利 team investigate the consequences of moving to a hub or centralisation model and produces a report to share with 51福利 branches.

Industrial action, paragraph 10.1

HE21 Rescind HE7 barring two-hour strikes as an option Northumbria University

No industrial action by a trade union can succeed without its members鈥� support. The campaign of industrial action in 2013-14 succeeded in securing a pay settlement for 51福利 members which was twice that of any other public sector workers. This was due in part to the programme of 2-hour strikes, which succeeded in getting members to come out on strike who would not normally do so, and caused more disruption to the employers鈥� business than one-day strikes, as can be seen from the employers鈥� reaction. At the 2014 51福利 Congress, the union adopted motion HE7, which resolved that 51福利 abandon this strategy. All options for effective industrial action should be available to members, therefore HESC resolves to rescind that motion and leave open the opportunity for 2-hour strikes, given the past successes of this form of strike action.

HE22 National support for local industrial action听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 University of Leeds

HE sector conference agrees that:

1.听听 local officers and committees in branches who have won industrial action locally are in the best position to determine the timing and nature of their next steps, suited to their Institution鈥檚 academic calendar

2.听听 all interventions by HEC or its subcommittees should expedite 51福利 procedures to facilitate local branches in winning victories in their disputes and must avoid causing delays and loss of momentum

3.听听 HEC subcommittees should not create additional ad hoc procedures which replicate the impediments of the TU Act 2016.

New heading: REF and research

HE23 REF 2020/21 and defence of contracts听听听听 University of Brighton Falmer

Conference notes institutions must submit all staff with a significant contractual research requirement to the 2020/21 REF.  

Conference believes that:

1.听听 this adds impetus to the introduction of teaching-only contracts, particularly in post-92 institutions

2.听听 this further marketises HE, widening the gap between 鈥榬esearch鈥� and 鈥榯eaching鈥� institutions, thus damaging educational quality

3.听听 even 鈥榲oluntary鈥� transfer to teaching-only contracts violates the national contract.

Conference resolves:

a.听听  to defend post-92 national contract, and 'scholarly activity time'

b.听听 no local agreements will be made by branches worsening contractual terms

c.听听 contractual differentiation can only be based on teaching relief for publishable outputs.

HEC will:

i.    collect data on contractual variations in the sector

ii. 听 discuss the threat of the REF at a delegate conference in autumn 2018

iii.听 agree a draft negotiating position for all branches re the REF code of practice

iv.听 establish a monitoring group of members to work with branches to ensure compliance with the national agreement (and national contract).

HE24 Defending the role of research in post-92 institutions听 听听听听听听听 West Midlands regional HE committee

HE sector conference notes:

1.     the TEF and institutional responses to the Stern review threaten to further polarise the sector into 鈥渞esearch-intensive鈥� and 鈥渢eaching-focused universities鈥�

2.     the downgrading of terms and conditions at London Metropolitan University

3.     the stripping of academic status of staff employed in the educational development service at BCU

4.     declarations by managers that post-92 institutions are 鈥渢eaching institutions鈥�, or that 鈥渢eaching and practice are our USP鈥� justifying the undermining and under-resourcing of research

5.     comments by Andrew Adonis suggesting that post-92 institutions lose university status.

HE sector conference affirms the importance of research at post-92 universities and rejects its restriction to Russell group universities.

HE sector conference resolves to:

a.     carry out a study on access to research time, research support and research-related progression opportunities at post-92 institutions for staff at all career stages;

b.     produce guidance and campaign resources for post-92 branches campaigning to safeguard or improve research resources.

New heading: Educational student matters

HE25 Foundation courses听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Northumbria University

Conference is alarmed by the increasing number of 1-year foundation (level 3) courses offered by universities.  To compete in league tables many universities have raised their tariff entry levels, selling these courses to students while generating huge revenues. Universities claim these courses widen participation; 51福利, too, is committed to this.  However, if these courses are aimed at students from 鈥榣ow participation鈥� backgrounds, they are a 鈥榩overty tax鈥�, burdening the already disadvantaged with more debt.  Alternately, if these courses do not widen participation, they are a 鈥榝ailure tax鈥� on students who do not 鈥榤ake the grade鈥�.  Finally, huge revenues have not translated into more support for staff and students.听

Conference commits to researching the extent of these courses, their costs, and their impact on members; campaigning with the Students鈥� Union so these courses genuinely contribute to widening participation; and raising the profile of this issue in the national media.

HE26 Scrap the Office for Students (OfS) University of Warwick

Conference notes that:

1.听听 OfS is 鈥渁 marketing regulator driving value-for-money鈥� within the sector (Guardian, 01.01.2018).

2.听听 The statutory duties of OfS include 鈥渢he need to encourage competition between English higher education providers in connection with the provision of higher education鈥� ().

Conference believes that:

a.     OfS鈥檚 regulatory powers to enhance competition between British universities, between students, and between academics, is fundamentally detrimental to practices of teaching, learning and research, as well as to the idea of education as a social good and human right

b.     OfS鈥檚 register, with its emphasis on 鈥楶revent duties鈥�, 鈥榮anctions鈥� and 鈥榩enalties and suspensions鈥�, is designed to shut down campus debate and the right to protest, while making discrimination against large sections of the academic community the norm.

Conference resolves to:

               i.      publicly condemn the design and function of OfS

              ii.      make the demand for scrapping OfS part of 51福利鈥檚 national policy with immediate effect.

HE27 Office for Students and the lack of student and staff representation听 听听 West Midlands regional HE committee

Conference notes the controversy surrounding appointments to the board of the Office for Students, and the scandalous appointment of Toby Young. Conference calls for HEC to campaign for more representation for students as well as representation from 51福利 on the Board. 

New heading: Governance and management

HE28 The university is ours听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Goldsmiths, University of London

Congress believes that democratic governance of our universities is vital so that all staff and students can participate fully in how their institutions are run.

Congress instructs the HEC to develop a toolkit and to actively campaign for good democratic governance based on the following principles:

Governing bodies and all relevant sub-committees should be representative of the diverse communities that each university serves.

Governing bodies and all relevant sub-committees allocate equal votes to staff and student representatives.

Staff and students should have an official voice through the creation of a 鈥楪eneral Assembly鈥� that is part of the formal structures of governance of the institution.

Democratic elections should be held for all chairs of university committees within the formal structures of governance; for heads of department/schools; for deans and pro-vice chancellors or their equivalent, and for vice-chancellors or their equivalent.

HE29 Harmful management practices听 听听听听 Women members standing committee

HE is responsible for encouraging critical thought and promoting social justice. It should be challenging all forms of violence and oppression when it occurs.

The continual marketisation of HE is creating a hostile environment for staff: competitiveness and individualism leaves little room for humanity and compassion. Whilst the effects of oppression may be addressed in the classroom, the ways in which they impact upon the working lives of staff are often overlooked. The current climate allows dehumanising and harmful practices by management in their treatment of staff.

Conference calls on HEC to:

1.     support HE staff to obtain the ideals of humanity, compassion and justice their everyday working lives

2.     hold to account institutions that engage in harmful discriminatory and oppressive practices against members

3.     interrogate and expose the gendered, raced and classed oppression that may underline the treatment of staff in appraisal, disciplinary procedures and other interactions with management.

HE30 HE staff satisfaction league table听听听 Nottingham Trent University

Conference deplores the emphasis in the UK HE sector on divisive league tables which only record quantity but fail to recognise the quality of the contribution made by HE staff, and encourage a targets-based managerial culture which undermines and devalues this contribution. However, given that this seems to be the only language understood by the profit-driven management of HE institutions today, conference feels that there is no alternative but to pursue a similar strategy, implementing an 'employer quality' based ranking system for UK Universities, focusing upon the wellbeing and satisfaction of their employees.

Conference recommends a short biennial survey, gathering data from 51福利 members registering their relative levels of satisfaction with their employer on various criteria. This would be used to produce a league table, available on the 51福利 website, for the use of prospective employees to assess the levels of staff satisfaction at a potential employer institution.

HE31 Composite: Compulsory lecture capture and management abuse of lecture capture technology听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Nottingham Trent University, Edge Hill University

Conference notes with concern that many universities are ignoring their own guidelines and those issued through Jisc by:

1.听听 seeking to impose unilaterally the compulsory recording of all lectures

2.听听 disregarding the performance and moral rights of the staff concerned in not seeking their consent.

Conference further observes, with concern, the abuse, by management of lecture capture technology in attempting to break strike action in the recent dispute over pensions.听

While conference is not opposed to lecture capture per se, after due consultation, it affirms as a principle that opting in, rather than opting out, is the best way of protecting staff rights.

Conference:

a.     urges HEC to intensify pressure on universities to adopt opt-in only policies and to reject policies which make opt-out difficult or impossible

b.     calls on HEC to build on guidance to branches in order to ensure that abuse of lecture capture technology during industrial action is not possible in future.

HE32 Governance听 听听听听听听听 51福利 Scotland

Congress recognises the improvements made in the revised Scottish Code of Higher Education Governance published in 2017.  In particular the recommendations for staff, student and trade union involvement in arrangements for determining senior pay are to be welcomed.  However it is recognised that a minority voice on remuneration committees will not of itself address the issue of excessive executive pay and that broader action is required. Congress urges HEC to push for 51福利 involvement on remuneration committees and to produce guidelines for alternative models of determining senior pay.  Guidelines should include advice on possible multipliers of average pay, job sizing, and extending the salary scale beyond point 52.

New heading: Equality

HE33 Equal access to higher education for asylum seekers听 University of Northampton

HESC notes:

1.听听 The sterling work done by the Students Action for Refugees (STAR) in听 support of the rights of refugees and asylum seekers

2.听听 The importance of STAR鈥檚 equal access campaign which would facilitate the ability of asylum seekers鈥� to pursue higher education by defining asylum seekers as home instead of international students; and

3.听听 The consistent commitment that 51福利 has shown in recognising asylum seekers' needs to 鈥渞ebuild their lives鈥� and 鈥渋ntegrate into their local communities鈥�.

The HESC calls for:

a.听听 all branches to work with STAR affiliates and student unions to campaign for equal access to HE, including pressuring each university to offer at least 10 scholarships that cover study and maintenance costs;

b.听听 51福利 to make the Equal Access Campaign a priority and promote it through the union鈥檚 website and the weekly Campaign Update; and

c.听听 The HEC to provide regular reports on the progress made to win equal access.

HE34 Institutional racism in our universities 听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside regional HE committee

Conference notes David Lammy鈥檚 expose of the lack of BME access to Oxford University and the recent row over decolonising the curriculum at Cambridge University.听 These highlight the reality of institutional racism at the centre of the 鈥榚lite鈥� Russell group university sector.

51福利 reiterates its support for equal access for BAME students across post-16 education and for a curriculum that offers students access to global and not simply Eurocentric culture.

Conference believes that 51福利 at national, regional and local levels must work with SU鈥檚, campus unions and anti-racist campaigns to promote equal access to education for BAME students and to promote a truly global education.

HE35 Recruitment, retention and promotion of black staff in HE听听 Black members standing committee

Conference notes that the 51福利 鈥榳itness鈥� survey report of February 2016 found that nine out of ten (90.5%) respondents from higher education said they had 鈥榦ften鈥� or 鈥榮ometimes鈥� faced barriers when seeking promotion. Conference also notes that little has changed in the sector. The latest Equality Challenge Unit data tells us that fewer than 8% of UK professors are from a BME background (male 6.2%, female 1.7%).

Conference believes that all universities must address the issue of promotion of black staff and the barriers faced as a matter of urgency.

Conference resolves to:听听

1.   ensure that branches raise the issue of promotion and retention of black staff with their institution

2.   ascertain more closely what the barriers are to promotion for black staff in higher education

3.   work with relevant stakeholders to challenge institutions in this area.

HE36 Curricula and working practices in relation to Afro-/Afri-phobia University of the West of England

HESC notes "The International Decade for People of African Descent (IDPAD) 2015 -2024", with thematic objectives of recognition, justice and development, was launched in 2015 by the United Nations. There are disproportionately low numbers of African heritage academic and professional staff in HE. Existing curricula and pedagogy at all levels of education contribute poorer educational outcomes for African heritage students. The UK government has failed to implement recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

HESC instructs HEC to:

1. 听 set up a working party to investigate issues with curricula and working practices in relation to Afro-/Afri-phobia and develop policy and actions for 51福利 branches

2. 听 implement suitable policies and measures and with adequate resources to officially recognise IDPAD.

HESC calls upon branches to collaborate with community representatives to address Afro-phobia/Afri-phobia, a specific form of systemic racism, marginalising African diaspora communities from access to human rights.

HE37 Eugenics and the London Conference on Intelligence Black members standing committee

HE sector conference notes the secrecy surrounding the London Conference on Intelligence (LCI), hosted at UCL over the last three years. The conference focussed on the appalling racist ideology of eugenics.

HE sector conference also notes:

1.     the participation in LCI by the disgraced Toby Young

2.     Young鈥檚 appointments as the director of the New Schools Network and board member of the Office for Students, after which he resigned in scandal

3.     Young鈥檚 misogynistic comments, disdain for the disabled, misogynistic comments, and hostility towards the working classes and the LGBT+ community.

HE sector conference believes:

a.     LCI is a misuse of UCL premises

b.     that eugenics threatens to give academic credibility to racism and should be robustly opposed.

HE sector conference resolves to:

               i.      oppose LCI

              ii.      publicise any further LCI events to ensure that they are heavily boycotted

             iii.      make explicit to all education institutions the racist agenda of LCI.

HE38 Neurodiversity and higher education听 听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee

This conference calls for a fact sheet and training workplace reps on neurodiversity.

Differences in a way that a person processes information and learns is termed neurodiversity, and includes autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and other related differences. These differences can become highly disabling as significant misunderstandings exist about the labels, and how they affect people. Simple reasonable adjustments are not put into place creating barriers to participation in the workplace. This has become acute in Higher Education where staff are being disciplined or placed on capability as their condition or issue is not recognised or understood.

Conference therefore ask for a positive factsheet giving straightforward myth-busting information about neurodiversity from a social model perspective focusing on the strengths and achievements of neurodiverse employees and the importance of reasonable adjustments to create accessibility. 51福利 should also encourage the Equality Challenge Unit to support this approach.

HE39 LGBT+ promotions and funding equalities data LGBT members standing committee

Without data that answers questions, including the following, claims that systemic anti-LGBT+ prejudice no longer exists are at best superficial and at worst disingenuous.

Do HE staff who identify as LGBT+, and those whose research or teaching is on LGBT+ have equality of access to training and promotions?听

How many university E+D committees act on LGBT+ promotions equality data?

Are people who identify as LGBT+ paid the same as heterosexual cis gendered colleagues?

Are people who identify as LGBT+ represented in successful bids to research funding bodies in a way that is proportionate to our numbers in the HE population?

Conference calls on 51福利 to:

1.     campaign for positive action and greater transparency on promotions equality data

2.     request LGBT+ promotions equality data from HEIs

3.     analyse:

a.        LGBT+ promotions equality data

b.        RCUK and charitable funding bodies鈥� LGBT+ equalities data

c.        marketisation impact on the offer of LGBT+ studies.

HE40 LGBT+ inclusive sex and relationship education听听听听听听听听听 LGBT members standing committee

Conference notes that:

1.     it鈥檚 been 30 years since the introduction of Section 28. Whilst it was fully repealed in 2003 its pernicious legacy remains

2.     HE is in a unique position with institutions delivering initial teacher training (ITT)

3.     the government has started consultation on sex and relationship education (SRE)

4.     inclusive SRE is more important than ever.

Conference resolves to

a.     work with education unions and others campaigning for a SRE curriculum including healthy relationships and consent, understanding sexuality, sexual health and staying safe, media and cultural representation of sex and gender, emphasising the importance of self-identification in sexual orientation and gender identity throughout

b.     promote respect for a diverse range of families and relationships, reflect ethnic diversity, a range of beliefs and disabilities, LGBT+ inclusion and access for all

c.     support embedding LGBT+ concerns, including inclusive SRE, into ITT teaching and curriculum.

HE41 Universal credit and its impact on women in higher education听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Women members standing committee

Conference notes:

The worst effects of the changes to welfare (rolling individual benefits such as housing benefit, JSA/ESA and working tax and child tax credit into one single payment) will predominantly fall on women. In HE women struggling to survive on insecure and low paid work are particularly affected. PhD students are often on zero hours contracts, many casualised lecturers have long periods (up to six months a year) where they are not given work, hence are forced to claim although they are not necessarily entitled. 

HE conference resolves:

a.     to pressure political parties to make changes so that women can claim benefits in their own right without their partners/husbands

b.     to work with other unions and welfare rights groups to campaign to fix or scrap universal credit and for dignity and respect to be put back into the welfare system so that it provides payment to those in need.

HE42 Challenging cultures of exclusion and advancing the equality agenda听听听听听听听 51福利 Scotland

Congress recognises:

1.       Universities are taking Athena Swan seriously due to the impact on funding

2.       The potential for using AS to advance the equality agenda and the risk of window-dressing activities which do not lead to meaningful change.

Congress agrees to ask HEC to:

a.     collect information from members and branches on successful initiatives

b.     produce and circulate guidelines on the effective use of AS

c.     encourage branches to use AS to encourage departments, schools and institutions to:

                        i.   organise regular seminars and poster campaigns on e.g. removing barriers to trans students and staff, ending violence against women, intersectionality and celebrating the equality calendar

                       ii.   provide non-binary options in data collection and do not collect unnecessary data

                     iii.   provide sufficient gender neutral facilities, including toilets and changing facilities

                     iv.   move beyond equality audits in ending the gender pay gap

                      v.   start to dismantle institutional sexism and other discrimination.

 

 

FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR CONFERENCE

MOTIONS FOR DEBATE

 

FE1 听听 FE pay听听听听听听听听 Further education committee

Conference approves the report on the FE England 2017/18 pay round and progress in the 2018/19 round as circulated in FE branch circular 51福利BANFE/XX.

FE2听听听 FE pay听听听听听听听听 London regional committee

Conference notes:

1.听听 21% cut in pay since 2009

2.听听 9% increase in principals pay

3.听听 the merging of colleges has led to new super groups.

Believes:

a.听听 that pay remains a central issue for all lecturers working in the sector

b.听听 that with the growth of super groups a new 鈥榞ravy train鈥� has been created allowing senior post holders to award themselves extravagant salaries

c.听听 that whilst government funding cuts have done significant damage to the sector there are enough funds in colleges to award real pay increases to all staff.

Resolves FEC:

i.听听听 to launch a campaign to expose extravagant salaries of senior post holders and the new 鈥榞ravy train's鈥� worst excesses

ii.听听 to write a briefing paper that challenges the 鈥榳e can't afford it鈥� mantra of the FE employers.

FE3听听听 FE pay and 51福利 credibility among FE members听 听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 East Midlands regional FE committee

Conference applauds the huge effort by 51福利 nationally to build the HE pension campaign.听 In contrast, the FE pay campaign resulted in 14 branches taking action following the September 2017 consultative e-ballot.听 Conference needs no reminder of the dire pay situation across FE. However, 51福利鈥檚 credibility among FE teachers regarding its capacity to improve pay and conditions issues is deeply compromised.听 A history of discontinued pay campaigns leaves members feeling that 51福利 can do little to improve pay and conditions given the sector鈥檚 wider difficulties.听 FE is seen as a neglected sector within its own union. Conference commits 51福利 to building an ongoing, national FE pay campaign focused on its members, college boards, students, communities, and decision-makers aggressively to press the pay and conditions case. The campaign should aim to build the ground over time for significant industrial action, providing national resources and support to college branches to that end.

FE4听听听 National action 听听听 Further education committee

The overwhelming votes for action at 15 FE colleges in February, smashing through the Tories anti-union thresholds, show what is possible when we give a clear strategy to branches.

Union officers and activists worked seamlessly together to deliver impressive votes for strikes using a successful GTVO strategy.

This result mirrors the massive support for action in defence of USS.

The results show we need a more confident approach to building national action over crucial key issues like pay and pensions.

FE5听听听 Holiday pay in FE, adult and prison education 听听听听听听听听听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

Conference notes that 11 years after it was ruled unlawful, the practice of rolling up holiday pay is still common in colleges, prison education and adult education providers.  Conference also notes that in many cases holiday pay is not paid at the correct pro-rata level.

Conference calls on the FEC to:

1.     provide guidance for branches in helping them to identify unlawful 鈥榬olling up鈥� practices or unlawful detriments to part-time staff in the payment of holiday pay

2.     provide negotiating and legal support for branches to lodge claims for correct payment and back payment of unpaid holiday pay where appropriate

3.     ensure that the issue of holiday pay forms part of the campaign for fair treatment for casualised staff in FE, adult and prison education.

FE6听听听 Equal pay听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Further education committee

Conference notes that all employers of 250+ staff are required to report their gender pay and bonus gaps by 30 March 2018.

Conference also welcomes the work branches are doing to engage with employers on eradicating the gender pay gap (GPG), however more must be done as a gap still exists.

Conference therefore call on FEC to:

1.     remind employers of their legal duties and where necessary, report GPGs

2.     continue work to secure better agreements on eradicating the gender pay gap and publicise good practice throughout the union

3.     encourage branches to work with employers in conducting pay audits to consider other equality strands and where the data is available, work to close any identified gaps

4.     gather data to identify if there are discernible patterns to the causes of gender pay inequality, and review available branch guidance to ensure its currency and effectiveness. 

FE7 听听 Anti-casualisation听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Further education committee

Conference welcomes the progress made in building local campaigns and negotiations on casualisation in further education in the last year, in spite of the challenging environment. Conference calls for more work to:

1.听听 table more claims around casualisation

2.听听 support the development of branch-based campaigning strategies

3.听听 support focused recruitment among casualised staff

4.听听 provide bespoke negotiating training for branches

5.听听 build the capacity of branches to be able to exercise industrial leverage in support of casualisation claims at local level.

FE8听 听 Facility time for casualised staff in FE听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Anti-casualisation committee

Conference notes:

1.   members need recompense for time spent dealing with union matters, attending activities, annual/committee meetings, conferences and training

2.   over a third of staff are casualised and, consequently, encounter great difficulty arranging to attend union activities, let alone claiming facility time

3.   how hard it is, even after laboriously negotiating time, to claim for time spent in lieu of work duties

4.   casualised members lose hours and therefore pay, in order to participate

5.   many members are prevented from attending and participating altogether.

Conference requires FEC to:

a.    review guidance about negotiating 鈥榩aid time on鈥� for hourly-paid staff

b.    formalise procedures, to support all members, especially casualised workers, to negotiate adequate and reasonable paid facility time off work

c.    arrange for NEC duties to be supported by 51福利 HQ;

d.   encourage branches to assign facility time to casualised reps, as they don鈥檛 have the buffer of permanent work.

FE9听听听 Prison educators should have career long access to TPS NOVUS Prison Education

Conference notes that:

1.听听 many 51福利 members who work in prison education see this as the area of education they want to commit their career to

2.听听 most prison educators are members of the TPS and access to this scheme is at risk in the next round of retendering of education contracts

3.听听 the decision as to the education provider lies solely in the hands of the prison governor, who through the commissioning process decides what pension scheme our members are eligible to join.

Conference therefore instructs the NEC to lobby MPs, the TPS and HMPPS to ensure prison education is a recognised part of the teaching profession and therefore prison educators should have access to TPS, whoever the education provider is, throughout their career.

FE10 Workload campaign听听听听听听 Further education committee

Conference notes that workload intensification and excessive working hours continues to be a significant issue for members.

Conference welcomes the work undertaken by 51福利 branches and staff during 2017 to launch a workload campaign utilising the statutory rights and functions for trade union safety representatives.

Conference believes that 51福利 needs to further develop effective workplace organisation to reduce workload intensification and the associated detrimental impact this has for members.

Conference recognises that a joined up approach - incorporating health and safety, campaigning, and organising elements - builds leverage with the employers and supports effective local and national workload collective bargaining.

Conference resolves:

1.     to continue and expand the UK wide workload campaign

2.     to support local campaigns and negotiations for improved workload agreements

3.     to support an increase in the number of trade union safety representatives throughout the sector.

FE11听 Impact of workload and expectations of FE academic staff听 Southern regional FE committee

A report by the YMCA Awards found last year that over half of FE teachers found the long working hours to be one of the biggest challenges in their profession. Additionally 62% reported that resource issues, for example having a large amount of marking, were creating real challenges for teachers in the FE sector.

The increasing workloads and expectations we all experience as teachers are impacting on our ability to provide meaningful teaching and learning opportunities for our learners.

Conference calls on the FEC to:

1.     campaign for reasonable workloads for academic and support staff including appropriate remuneration and remission of hours when staff take on additional roles

2.     acknowledge the mental and physical strains that large workloads have on both staff wellbeing and subsequent financial impact when it goes wrong.

FE12听 Verbal and physical abuse within the FE sector Suffolk New College

Conference notes there appears to have been a rise in verbal and physical attacks to staff from students and that workplaces seem to be doing very little to support staff in creating a safe working environment.

Conference also notes that other workplaces, including the NHS and Royal Mail have a zero tolerance policy on verbal and physical abuse towards staff, however in the further education sector we are expected to accept a short suspension and to continue teaching those that abuse us.

Conference resolves to:

1.听听 campaign to raise awareness of abuse towards staff

2.听听 encourage workplaces to offer better support to staff facing abuse from students

3.听听 encourage workplaces to adopt a zero tolerance policy on abuse to staff

4.听听 to work together with other unions to tackle the issues across the entire education sector.

FE13听 Further education and mental health听 听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee

Mental health has become more and more prominent and embedded in 51福利鈥檚 work. In further education increasing numbers of students and staff are reporting mental health conditions and issues. The services to support people are often absent or patchy. Colleges often react to a situation rather than tackling the causes of mental health such as high workloads and precarious and insecure contracts. Sickness absence policies also force staff into 鈥榩resenteeism鈥� increasing mental health conditions and issues.

This conference calls upon FEC to:

1.     support and disseminate the NUS charter for mental health which includes mental health training for staff

2.     work with the AoC on guidance and how to create working cultures and environments that support well being and health of staff

3.     call on the AoC to recommend disability leave policies and to ensure provision of counselling services (staff and students) in all colleges. 

FE14听 A more strategic approach to building in ACE听听听 Hackney ACE

Conference notes:

1.听听 the important work done by members teaching in adult and community education sector, directly employed by local authorities

2.听听 that progress has been made in understanding the challenges faced by members in the ACE sector.

3.听听 the value of the recent members鈥� survey and the FOI that has gone out to ACL departments.

Conference asks that:

a.听听 priority is given to gathering and collating the data provided by the FOI

b.听听 this information is used to inform a strategic plan on how to organise in ACE

c.听听 bargaining guides and recruitment materials are produced specifically for staff in ACE

d.听听 that a meeting of ACE members will be consulted in developing this strategy before the Annual ACE meeting.

FE15听 Access to natural justice for prison educators听听听听听听听听听听听听 NOVUS Prison Education

Conference notes that:

1.听听 members who work in prisons, can be excluded from their place of work and subsequently dismissed from their job, even if their employer finds they have no case to answer

2.听听 prison educators are denied a right of appeal unless supported by the education provider

3.听听 that prison educators can be interviewed by prison staff without access to support or representation.

Conference believes that HMPPS would not be able to treat their own staff in this manner and our members are placed in a position where they are unable to access natural justice.

Conference therefore instructs the FEC to:

d.   raise via media and through lobbying of MPs that prison educators cannot access natural justice under the current exclusion procedures

e.   using the OLASS Forum seek to agree new procedures and review the PSI with HMPPS to release this tension and protect our members.

FE16听 Organising in 鈥榮upercolleges鈥�听听听听听听听听听听 Lewisham Southwark College

Conference notes the recent area reviews in Further Education have led to a proliferation in the number of 鈥榮upercolleges鈥� i.e. where a number of institutions have been merged together under the umbrella of a 鈥済roup鈥�. These groups have, more often than not, been formed against best interests of college staff, students and the local communities affected by the mergers, and many jobs have been lost.

Though many new college groups have been formed according to local geography, there are some which do not fit this model and this brings particular challenges to 51福利 in terms of organising and campaigning.

Conference resolves to:

1.     produce campaigning guidance for branches who are organising within 鈥榮upercolleges鈥�

2.     ensure that branches who are part of college groups remain within their local regions of 51福利

3.     re-affirm 51福利鈥檚 commitment to supporting publicly-run local community education and campaigning against the increasing corporatisation of the sector.

FE17听 College super-groups听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Activate Learning City of Oxford College

Conference notes the growth of college 鈥榮uper-groups鈥� aided by the government鈥檚 area reviews but also developed by colleges themselves seeking economies of scale and diversification.

In some cases these super-groups have extended their reach beyond FE into schools, studio schools, UTCs and international work. As this type of college has evolved there has often been:

1.     a rationalisation of provision leading to cuts

2.     harmonisation of terms and conditions of employment, often to the lowest common denominator

3.     the growth of high paid chief executives and other senior staff.

Conference calls for a review of how 51福利 should respond to these new developments.

FE18 Ofsted, surveillance, and targeting of Muslim girls听听听听听 Women members standing committee

Conference notes:

1.     Ofsted announced they will question girls about wearing hijabs

2.     that this follows a pattern of targeting of the clothing of Muslim women and girls which has seen college managements attempt to ban the niqaab

3.     that it is part of a wider racist and sexist cultural process weaponising Muslim women and girls as part of a deliberate attempt to divide society

4.     Prevent strategy surveillance and control together with this new Ofsted policy act destructively within our colleges and harm communities

Conference recognises that girls and women have the right to wear whatever they want. Conference resolves:

a.     to campaign against this targeting of Muslim women and girls

b.     to renew our efforts to opposition to Prevent and all policies which use the language of equality for surveillance, control and policing of students and workers 

c.     to campaign for policies which achieve equality through educational empowerment.

FE19 Women, universal credit and ESOL听听听听听听听听听听听 Women members standing committee

Conference notes:

1.     the worst effects of the changes to welfare benefits by rolling individual benefits e.g. housing benefit, child tax credit etc. into one single payment will fall on women

2.     where there is a joint claim the likelihood is this will lead to and/or exacerbate dependency particularly amongst new refugee women and women facing domestic abuse as the dependent of the male 鈥榟ead of the household鈥�

3.     currently under fee remission rules for adult courses in FE, those in receipt of JSA/ESA, get free courses including ESOL. If a woman is part JSA claiming household but not named on the claim, this risks excluding her from access to education.

Conference resolves:

a.     to work with other unions e.g. PCS and welfare rights groups to campaign to change universal credit

b.     to demand change to fee remission rules so that women dependents automatically get free courses

c.     to press for free ESOL courses for all.

FE20 Universal credit: a threat to disabled staff and students听听听听听听 Disabled members standing committee

Conference notes:

1.     the change to universal credit can mean a cut in benefit of up to 拢58 a week for disabled people

2.     as UC is paid a month in arrears it can cause rent arrears and force some students to use money needed for disability needs and food for rent

3.     further education students moving from ESA to UC lose the right to study without being forced to look for work听 and all disabled people, are forced to undertake mandatory health and work conversation or face sanction

4.     Disabled staff who could claim ESA on sick leave or on redundancy, may get no benefit under UC.

Conference believes introduction of UC can affect the ability of our students to remain on course and succeed and may disadvantage disabled staff.

Conference resolves to join campaigns to 鈥榝ix universal credit鈥�, working with disability organisations, benefits campaigners and other unions.

FE21听 Challenging LGBT+ discrimination in FE听 听听听听听听听听听听 LGBT members standing committee

Invisibility of LGBT+ people in school education continues as art of Section 28鈥檚 legacy. This leads to FE staff facing challenges caused by the failure of others to tackle anti-LGBT+ feelings and language.

Conference notes with concern:

1.     the Pride and Prejudice LGBT+ report findings including that 17% of staff experienced name-calling in the workplace and 10% had been threatened or intimidated.

2.     little evidenced progress for LGBT+ equality in FE

3.     FE staff being left to challenge LGBT+ discrimination with little support or training.

Conference resolves to:

a.听 campaign for including images of LGBT+ people, stories and concerns

b.听听 work with unions, organisations and projects such as TUC, Schools Out, Voices and Visibility providing LGBT+ resources across the sector

c.听听 support FE branches in celebrating LGBT+ events e.g. LGBT History Month

d.听听 campaign for action on anti-LGBT+ behaviour

e.听听 support LGBT+ members who are feeling bullied and harassed.

FE22听 LGBT+ visibility in FE听听听 LGBT members standing committee

The Local Government Act came into effect in May 1988, including the infamous Section 28. It stated local authorities "shall not intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality.鈥� Though this was repealed in 2003 FE still operates in its shadow.

Conference notes:

1.     a systemic lack of evidencing and promoting LGBT+ presence amongst the staff and/or students - data isn鈥檛 routinely collected

2.     there aren鈥檛 precise figures on the make-up of FE workforce

3.     we cannot evidence data on the percentage of FE teachers who identify as one protected characteristic or an intersection of several.

Conference calls for:

a.听听 inclusive collection of data about all protected characteristics in FE as informed by 51福利 guidance and recommendation e.g. on LGBT+ equality

b.听听 recognition of our varied existences, our real families and communities in all aspects of how the companies, institutions and other providers in FE operate.

FE23听 Liberate the FE curriculum听听听听 Black members standing committee

Conference congratulates the work undertaken in HE to broaden the curriculum with campaigns such as 鈥榃hy is my curriculum White?鈥� and 鈥楻hodes must fall鈥�, to make the learning experience for Black students more inclusive and representative.

Conference notes:

1.     42% of Black students believes the curriculum does not reflect issues of diversity, equality and discrimination

2.     courses do not adequately reflect or acknowledge the diverse and intersectional experiences of Black students.

Conference believes that a fully inclusive curriculum can assist in addressing the attainment gap faced by Black students.

Conference resolves to:

f.     challenge the marginalisation of Black students in FE and to campaign with the NUS to liberate the curriculum in FE

g.   work with the AoC and other stakeholders in developing a framework for a fully inclusive curriculum

h.   produce guidance on how FE courses can be more inclusive.

FE24听 Careers for Black staff听听听听听听听听听听听 Black members standing committee

Conference notes the continued failure of the further and adult education sector to establish a reliable set of data on staff disaggregated by ethnicity. The higher education sector has the Higher Education Statistics Agency which produces datasets allowing based on information supplied by each university but here is no equivalence in further and adult education.

Conference believes that a reliable source of data is vital to ensure the further and adult education sector has an open and transparent career path which Black staff can access.

Conference resolves to:

1.     work with relevant stakeholders to facilitate the setting up of a Further Education Statistics Agency

2.     seek feedback from further and adult education branches with regard to the data collection that is currently undertaken

3.     provide guidance for branches on the type of monitoring to request from their institution and how best to organise around this issue.

FE25听 Commissioner intervention and FE colleges听 听听听听 Bradford College

Bradford College, Hull College, and Kirklees College in Yorkshire and Humberside have all seen recent intervention by the FE Commissioners, due to what can be described as, mismanagement.听

Mismanagement of finances in the sector stems from government policy resulting in:

1.听听 inefficient mergers and acquisitions

2.听听 new buildings that are not fit for purpose and incur massive debt as public funding is unavailable

3.听听 debt resulting from the underfunding of further education courses

4.听听 the marketisation of FE, resulting in unrealistic expansion plans and competition for students

5.听听 the rising pay of senior post holders agreed at secretive remuneration committees.

51福利 acknowledges that mismanagement which leads to government intervention, is of national significance.

Conference resolves to campaign for the introduction of democratic management structures that include: competent governors, elected union officials and students; all to be provided with appropriate information and resources to allow their active involvement in strategic decision making.

FE26听 Future of further education听听听 Further education committee

Further education sector conference recognises the support for our educational arguments and industrial strategies being offered by the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn leadership.

Conference believes we must develop this relationship to maximise our influence over the policy of a future Labour government towards FE.

Conferences asks FEC to:

1.     build on its relationship with Labour's front bench and encourages branches to build relationships with local MP's to increase their understanding of the sector

2.     work with other trade unions, NUS and the Labour Party to organise a 'future of FE' conference for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

FE27听 Funding for FE听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Activate Learning City of Oxford College

Conference notes that that the DfE national rates of funding of 拢4,000 per student for full time 16 to 18 year olds and 拢3,300 for 18+ students have been frozen again this year. This is the sixth year that the funding for 16 鈥� 18 year olds has remained unchanged.

Conference agrees with Richard Atkins the FE Commissioner that 鈥楩E sector funding is unfair鈥� and commends Amanda Spielman Ofsted鈥檚 Chief Inspector comments that there should be 鈥榓n increase in funding for 16- 18 year olds and that the FE sector 鈥榳ill struggle unless given more funding鈥�.

Conference calls for an immediate increase of 拢1,000 per student as a first step towards an adequately funded FE provision for these groups of students and proportionate increases for part time students.

FE28听 Colleges working together to fight austerity听 听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

Conference notes:

FE colleges across the country are feeling the effects of austerity. Area Reviews, mismanagement, Commissioner interventions and funding cuts are forcing colleges into restructuring exercises resulting in redundancies, attacks on terms and conditions and loss of community provision.

Conference believes:

1.听听 the effects of austerity on FE has been overlooked for too long, with no significant campaign action by 51福利 to fight it

2.听听 51福利 has a duty to protect FE from these attacks

3.听听 by working collaboratively, 51福利 college branches can fend off/fight back against the worst effects of austerity.

Conference calls on FEC to:

a.听听 mount a nationwide campaign highlighting how austerity is affecting colleges as community resources

b.听听 campaign for increased funding and recognition that colleges are best placed to serve the learning needs of their communities

c.听听 support clusters of college branches to work together to mount joint campaigns against common threats.

FE29听 Restore second chance education 听听听听听听听听听听听 Hackney ACE

Conference notes:

1.听听 adult learning is in crisis once again. Since 2013 over 1.5 million learners have been lost.

2.听听 cuts recently to the Adult Learning Skills Budget (ASB) have had a negative impact on adult learning with a loss of provision.

3.听听 that the coming devolution of funding to metropolitan Mayors will cause uncertainty for the future and unstable funding regime will cause jobs losses.

Conference instructs NEC and national officers to:

a.听听 liaise with David Lammy M.P. and other MPs to hold a parliamentary lobby for adult education this by the end of the year 2018.

b.听听 invite community organisations and the WEA to take part.

c.听听 produce a brochure for all MPs which recognises the full value of wider learning

d.听听 ensure stable and sustainable funding is top of the agenda for restoring adult education.

FE30听 Apprenticeships听 听听听听听听听听听听 Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

Conference notes:

1.听听 the apprenticeship levy is failing to meet government targets, and the number of starting apprentices has fallen drastically

2.听听 private contractors are taking millions from the government to deliver apprenticeships, but are either collapsing, failing inspections or not even being inspected

3.听听 the collapse of LearnDirect, First4Skills and recently, Carillion, have left thousands of apprentices in limbo.

Conference believes the apprenticeship model in the UK is broken, and thousands of young people are being failed in their bid to gain essential skills.

Conference resolves to campaign for a properly funded apprenticeship scheme that:

a.听听 pays a living wage to apprentices

b.听听 encourages employers to provide apprenticeship opportunities to young people

c.听听 protects apprentices in the event their employer/training provider faces financial difficulties

d.听听 does not allow employers to be their own training providers

e.听听 recognises that FE Colleges are best placed to deliver apprenticeship training.

FE31听 Maths and English GCSE compulsion in post-16 education听 London regional committee

Conference notes the unacceptable levels of stress and anxiety compulsory study of English and maths in post-16 education is creating for students and staff.听 Compulsion undermines inclusivity and diversity and has an adverse impact on equalities.

Conference calls on the union to research and develop alternative strategies to widen participation, engagement and improvement in English and maths that is developmental and not punitive.

FE32听 Localising college economies听听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 West Midlands regional FE committee

FE sector conference notes:

1.听听 the growth of multinational and often tax-avoiding corporations as a presence in our colleges

2.听听 the devastating impact of the failure of outsourced companies such as Carillion and Capita for our colleges and communities

3.听听 the reckless use of public money in outsourcing a diverse range of college services, from highly paid 鈥榤ocksted鈥� consultants to web development to personnel data packages, and the lack of democratic accountability for this

4.听听 the success of the Preston model in fighting austerity through a holistic understanding of the economic growth created through localising the economy.

FE sector conference calls on the FEC to:

a.听听 launch a national campaign to challenge the diverting of public money into outsourced corporations

b.听听 develop campaign materials and evidence based resources for branches to challenge college leadership on their financial decisions to outsource.

 

 

 

MOTIONS NOT ORDERED ONTO THE AGENDA

Motions not approved in accordance with the Congress standing orders

Submitted to Congress

B1听听听听 University admissions from Access programmes听 听听听听听听 South East regional committee

Congress notes that Access students in FE are being asked for ridiculously high grades for University entry since replacing the previous pass/fail system with a grading system of pass, merit or distinction.

Congress agrees that 51福利 should campaign for Universities to redress the unrealistic entry requirements, eg distinctions across the board, for our students. Congress also notes that Access students already face many barriers to education, such as immigration status and access to funding, these practices should therefore be deemed discriminatory.

B2听听听听听 Supporting academic freedoms 听听听听听 Buckinghamshire New University

This Congress believes that the right to academic freedoms enshrined in universities' Articles of Government, must be vigorously protected and breaches to the freedoms of 51福利 members reported to the 51福利 and, from there, to the media as appropriate.听 This provides an avenue for exposure and redress not currently formally available to members.

B3听听听听 How much bullying is the right amount of bullying?听 听 Cardiff University

ACAS estimates that bullying costs the UK economy nearly 拢18 billion in lost productivity. Its helpline receives 20 000 calls a year about bullying.

Bullying is bad for employers, leading to increased rates of sickness, higher staff turnover, lower organisational performance, reduced productivity, higher OH and counselling costs, and reputational damage.

Victims of unchecked workplace bullying experience self-harm ideation, PTSD, stress-related illness, loss of self-esteem, career sabotage, and impaired family life and relationships.

Given these high human, organisational, and monetary costs of bullying, how much workplace bullying is the right amount of bullying?

To address this question, Congress calls on NEC to determine:

1.     whether there are recognised HE/FE industry standards for the occurrence of bullying, what these are, how they are calculated, and deviation per institution

2.     calculate how many people leave the profession due to bullying.

B4 听听听听 Branch structure guidance听 听听 South East regional committee

51福利 Congress recognises that branch structures within multi-site institutions听

1.听听 providing guidance notes on the pros and cons of different branch structures, such as a single branch, sub-committees and coordinating committees

2.听听 providing case studies of these branch structures from 51福利 and the wider trade union movement

3.听听 providing a checklist to assist branch, regional and national to ensure that due diligence has been followed.

B5听听听听听 Refugee support groups听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 University of Hertfordshire

Congress notes:

1.听听 the setting up of refugee support groups in colleges and universities by 51福利 members and students

2.听听 the importance of such groups in providing material support and combatting xenophobia and racism.

Congress calls on 51福利 officers to:

a.     organise a conference/workshop to collate examples of good practice

b.     to disseminate examples of goof practice.

B6听听听听听 Rule change: rule 4.1听听听 South East regional committee

Rule 4.1, after 鈥樷��must be in qualifying employment under rule 3.1.3鈥�, delete 鈥榦r have been in qualifying employment within the preceding six months, unless a pattern of casualised work in the post-16 sector can be proved within the preceding 24 months鈥�;

Replace with 鈥榦r have been most recently employed in such a post.鈥�

The amended clause would read 鈥楳embers shall be entitled to ...stand for any election听 in the Union, except in the case of NEC and National Negotiator positions, where the candidate at the time of submission of nomination must be in qualifying employment under rule 3.1.1 or have been most recently employed in such a post.鈥�

Purpose: to remove the requirement that members standing for NEC and National Negotiator positions, if not currently in qualifying employment, must have been in qualifying employment within the last six months or have had a casualised pattern of relevant work within the past 24 months. Any retired or unemployed member would be eligible for these positions provided their most recent past employment qualified them for membership of 51福利.

Submitted to HE sector conference

B7 听听听听 Casualisation in HE听听听听听听听 South East regional HE committee

Conference notes that an increasing number of members in HE are casualised staff.听 The reality for many or most is that they are either on short term contracts, hourly paid or zero hour contracts.听 In addition, staff in these sectors are pitted against each other in the vague hope that if they work hard enough they will be given a permanent contract.

The multiplier of a half an hour for every teaching hour for marking, paid at admin rate is insufficient and should be scrapped as insufficient and exploitative. Conference agrees that the campaigns to challenge such practices should be prioritised and increased.听 Practices that leave highly skilled lecturers having insecure employment and the stress of having to input a lot of unpaid and unrewarded work on the vague promise of a post and to vie for said post with colleagues and comrades are completely unacceptable.

B8 听听听听 Academic freedoms听听听听听听 Buckinghamshire New University

This conference believes that the right to academic freedoms enshrined in universities' Articles of Government, must be vigorously protected and breaches to the freedoms of 51福利 members reported to the 51福利 and, from there, to the media as they deem appropriate.听 This provides an avenue for exposure not currently formally available.

B9 听听听听 Debunking and resisting managementese 听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 Cardiff University

In The Rise of Scientific Philosophy Hans Reichenbach argues that 鈥楢nalysis of error begins with analysis of language.鈥� Never has this been more apposite than with regard to the urgent need to debunk and analyse HE management鈥檚 Newspeak.

What do excellence, ambition, aspirational, and entrepreneurialism really mean? How is this lexis of the academic 眉bermensch used to oppress employees and to represent performance management as 鈥榩ersonal development鈥�?

How does the new management lexicon embed inequalities: misogyny, misandry, bi/homophobia, racism, transphobia, and ableism?

Conference calls on HEC to:

1.     create a glossary of management buzzwords and euphemisms, with plain English translations

2.     develop training in how to recognise and debunk managementese

3.     endeavour to replace intrusions of the language of selfishness听 in our own discourse with the language of altruism.

B10 听 Student feedback 听听听听听听听听 听听听听听听听听听 University of Hertfordshire

Conference notes:

1.     the flawed nature of collecting student feedback by anonymous questionnaires

2.     the increasing use of these metrics to intensify work and bully lecturers through the rhetoric of the 鈥榮tudent experience鈥�

3.     that they do not represent a genuine democratic engagement with students about their education.

Conference calls on 51福利 branches to;

a.     campaign against the use of such statistics

b.     consider ways in which cooperation can be withdrawn

c.     to engage with students is exploring alternative and democratic methods of engagement with students about their education

Conference calls on HEC to continue to gather evidence of the extent to which this flawed methodology discriminates against female and BME staff, as well as those with disabilities, those with English as a second language and those on insecure contracts.

Submitted to FE sector conference

B11 听 Casualisation in FE听听听听听听听 South East regional FE committee

Congress notes that an increasing number of members in FE and Adult Education are casualised staff.听 The reality for many or most is that they are either on short term contracts, hourly paid or zero hour contracts.听 In addition, staff in these sectors are pitted against each other in the vague hope that if they work hard enough they will be given a permanent contract.

The multiplier of a half an hour for every teaching hour for marking, paid at admin rate is insufficient and should be scrapped as insufficient and exploitative. Congress agrees that the campaigns to challenge such practices should be prioritised and increased.听 Practices that leave highly skilled lecturers having insecure employment and the stress of having to input a lot of unpaid and unrewarded work on the vague promise of a post and to vie for said post with colleagues and comrades are completely unacceptable.

B12 听 Lesson observers should be in the arena听听听听听听听听听听听 Bournemouth and Poole College of FE

51福利 should adopt a policy of advising branches that lesson observers should be subjected to the same rules as those being observed and that this should be transparent. That is: observers should be required to publish relevant lesson observation documents to evidence their own planning and preparation, such as their own schemes of work and lesson plans. These should be available on an appropriate FE college website prior to any lesson observations. Representatives appointed by the branch should then have the right to observe such observer鈥檚 published lessons using the same rule set as is applied to those being observed. Representatives appointed by the branch should also have the right to observe any observer carrying out a lesson observation.

II听听听听听听 Motions considered not to be the business of the conference to which they were submitted

Submitted to Congress and considered to be the business of the HE sector conference

B13 听 Protection from inflation for USS pension payments听听 Scottish retired members

In proposing changes to the designed benefit USS pension by the Employers (Universities UK), USS noted that 鈥楤enefits already earned by both active and deferred members are protected by law and in the scheme rules. Benefits already being paid to retired members are not affected by this decision鈥�. There is, however, no explicit assurance that future payments to retired members will continue to be linked to inflation indices. The current arrangement of CPI index linked to a cap of 5% in inadequate for a sustained period of increased inflation.

Congress supports the continuation of inflation linked protection of pension payments for those currently retired and those that will retire with a defined benefit pension.听听听听听

B14听听 Securing defined benefits 听听听 University of Sussex

Congress congratulates 51福利 national officers, staff and the thousands of 51福利 members and students who made our first nine days of strikes such a success.

Congress believes the union's campaign has fundamentally undermined the employers arguments for its attack on USS.

Congress therefore resolves to continue the present strike programme and believes that 51福利 needs to announce plans to escalate our industrial action unless and until defined benefits are secured.

B15听听 The introduction of PRP and the NFA听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Nottingham Trent University

Congress notes with dismay attempts by university managements to move towards performance-related pay for its lecturing staff in disregard of the NFA.

In particular, it rejects totally the abandonment of incremental salary increases accrued though length of service and their replacement by progression or regression based on managerial assessment.

We call on 51福利 to:听

1.听听 step up its campaign against PRP in any form and听

2.听听 resist any attempt to undermine the NFA.

Submitted to HE sector conference and considered to be the business of Congress

B16听听 Sexual harassment policy听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Glasgow Caledonian University

Conference acknowledges the 2011 survey by the NUS which found that one in four female students had experienced unwanted sexual behaviour while at university. This is a UK wide phenomenon. Figures on sexual victimisation released from a survey of 10,000 adults who took part in the Scottish crime and justice survey (SCJS) for 2014-15 noted young people, particularly young women, experienced the highest level of stalking and harassment: 12.7 per cent of 16 to 24 year old women had experienced at least one type of stalking and harassment in the previous 12 months, a figure which was double the average rate of 6.4 per cent. Conference welcomes initiatives against sexual harassment of students or staff such as Cambridge University鈥檚 鈥楤reaking the Silence鈥� approach, GCU鈥檚 Gender Based Violence Policy and Strathclyde University鈥檚 鈥楨qually Safe鈥� policy. We call on 51福利 branches to actively campaign on this issue in the coming period.

 

 

51福利/863 听March 2018

University and College Union

 

Congress 2018

30 May 鈥� 1 June 2018, Manchester

 

Form for submission of amendments or late motions

Deadline for receipt of amendments: 12 noon, Friday 4 May 2018

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 16 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 Friday 4 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.