51¸£Àû

51¸£Àû/877Ìý ÌýÌý15 May 2018ÌýÌý

University and College Union

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

ToÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Branch and local association secretaries, Congress delegates

TopicÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 51¸£Àû Congress, 30 May – 1 June 2018: AGENDA - Second report of the Congress Business Committee, including motions and amendments for debate

ActionÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý For debate and decision at Congress 2018

Summary ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý The timetable and motions for debate at the 2018 Congress and Sector Conferences, to be held 30 May – 1 June in ManchesterÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

 

51¸£Àû CONGRESS AND SECTOR CONFERENCES 2018

30 MAY - 1 JUNE 2018, MANCHESTER

AGENDA

1 ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Second report of the Congress Business Committee (CBC)

This report from the meeting of the Congress Business Committee (CBC) held on 11 May forms the agenda for the meetings of 51¸£Àû’s Congress and Sector Conferences to be held on 30 May – 1 June in Manchester.Ìý This report is being sent as part of a mailing to those delegates who requested their papers in hard copy. In addition, a bound, printed agenda, containing the motions set out in this report and the relevant sections of the National Executive Committee’s report to Congress, will be available to all delegates to collect on arrival at the conference venue.

2ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý About this report

Congress motions and amendments are ordered in this report to reflect the order of Congress business. All Congress motions are numbered sequentially. Motions that will be debated in the HE or FE Sector Conferences are numbered sequentially with the prefix ‘HE’ or ‘FE’ – note that motion numbers in all sections have changed since CBC’s first report (51¸£Àû/863). Motions and amendments which have not been ordered into the agenda by the Congress Business Committee appear at the end of this report, sequentially numbered with the prefix ‘B’. The original text of motions and amendments which have been composited are prefixed ‘C’ and can be found at , and will appear in the printed agenda distributed at Congress.

Where motions or amendments appear in this report in the name of more than one submitting body but are not described as ‘composite’, this means that the motion or amendment was received in identical form from the submitting bodies listed.

 

3ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Amendments ordered into the agenda

CBC received 52 amendments from local associations, branches, the National Executive Committee and other committees entitled to submit amendments. Amendments are printed in this report immediately after the motion that they seek to amend, and are denoted by the letter ‘A’ after the number of the relevant motion.

Two Congress amendments were composited (creating composite amendment 49A.1).Ìý The original text of amendments which have been composited can be found at and will appear in the printed Congress agenda.

One amendment, to motion 45, was considered to be out of order as it substantially changed the policy of the motion.Ìý It appears at the end of this report as amendment B21.Ìý

4ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Late motions, including those not ordered into the agenda

Two motions were ordered into the agenda which were not late, but which had been omitted in error from the paperwork prepared for CBC’s first meeting. These appear as motions 16 and FE4.

The committee considered 24 late motions submitted to Congress, eight to HE sector conference and three to FE sector conference.

Six late Congress motions were composited to create one motion which appears in the agenda as motion 52. Two late HE sector conference motions were composited to created one motion, motion HE13.

Three late motions were not considered to be competent business for Congress or the sector conferences.Ìý These have not been ordered into the agenda and appear at the end of this report as motions B18, B19 and B20. One late motion submitted to HE Sector Conference was not submitted in accordance with the congress standing orders, and appears at the end of this report as motion B11.

The remaining late motions were ordered into their relevant agendas as Congress motions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 32, 34, 35, 38, 41, 42 and 53; HE sector conference motions HE24, HE25, HE46 and HE47; FE sector conference motions FE25, FE26 and FE28.

5ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Motions marked ‘EP’

Delegates will note that, as has been done for the past three years, some motions in this report are marked ‘(EP)’. This indicates that those motions are 51¸£Àû ‘existing policy’. The marking is purely advisory, but it is hoped that it will be helpful to Congress and will encourage the formal movement of such motions without the need for full speeches and debate.

6ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Timetable for Congress and Sector Conferences

The timetable for Congress and Sector Conference business as agreed by CBC appears overleaf. Please note that Congress on 30 May starts promptly at 9:30am.Ìý The Sector Conferences on 31 May and the last day of Congress on 1 June will start at 9:00am. ÌýThe HE sector conference will run for an additional 30 minutes to allow discussion of the USS Joint Expert Panel (JEP) and will close at 18:30. CBC reminds delegates that business is scheduled throughout Congress and urges all delegates to remain to the close of Congress.Ìý Congress closes no later than 15:00 on Friday 1 June.

7ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Further submission of late motions

All motions received at 51¸£Àû head office after the deadline for the submission of motions are ‘late’ motions.Ìý For CBC to accept a ‘late’ motion for ordering into the agenda it must satisfy all the following criteria (in accordance with Congress standing order 10):

iÌýÌýÌýÌý it is urgent or timely and requires a decision of Congress or Sector Conference;

iiÌýÌýÌý it could not have been submitted within the prescribed time limit; and

iiiÌýÌý it has been approved in accordance with the standing orders of Congress and the branch/local association rules – normally by a quorate branch meeting.

In submitting a ‘late’ motion, branches/local associations must explain how the above criteria are met, including how the late motion has been approved.

Any further urgent, late motions should be sent to the Congress motions email address, congressmotions@ucu.org.uk, for the attention of Kay Metcalfe, Constitution and Committees team, taking note of the information below about late motion deadlines, and providing all the required information described above. Receipt of late motions will be acknowledged.

If CBC does not consider that the above criteria are satisfied then the motion will not be ordered for debate. These motions may still 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.

8ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Deadlines for late motions

Late motions which are submitted before 12 noon 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 (4 May).

Late motions submitted after 12 noon 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.

The Congress Standing Orders include separate provision for emergency motions to be submitted during the course of the Congress meeting. (Emergency motions on matters which could not have been submitted other than during the course of Congress may be accepted for consideration if submitted to Congress Business Committee in the name of at least 10 delegations).

Any branch or local association needing to submit an urgent, late motion should do so at the earliest possible stage.

9ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Report of the National Executive Committee to Congress

Motions are ordered against the paragraphs of the National Executive Committee’s report to Congress, which can be found in branch circular 51¸£Àû/857 (see ).Ìý Extra headings have been inserted as necessary to allow all motions to be ordered. Delegates attending Congress will receive on arrival a printed book containing motions and the NEC’s report to Congress, set out to reflect sections of Congress business.

10ÌýÌýÌý Standing orders of Congress

The standing orders of Congress can be found at . 51¸£Àû’s rules and Congress standing orders will be provided at Congress to all registered delegates.

51¸£Àû CONGRESS AND SECTOR CONFERENCES, 30 May – 1 June 2018

Timetable of business

 

Sessions of Congress and the sector conferences are open sessions, unless marked otherwise

 

Wednesday 30 May, 09:30-18:00: Congress

09:30-10:00ÌýÌý Opening business, including:

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Welcome and address from Joanna de Groot, PresidentÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Appointment of tellers

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Adoption of the report of the Congress Business Committee

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Adoption of minutes of Congress 27-29 May 2017

10:00-11:15ÌýÌý Private session: Discussion and adoption (motion 1) of the report of the Commission on Effective Industrial Action (paper 51¸£Àû/860)

11:15-12:00ÌýÌý Private session: Section 1: Business of the Strategy and Finance Committee to be taken in private session (motions 2-11; session continues 14:15)

12:00-12:30ÌýÌý Private session: Section 2: rule changes to be taken in private session (motions 12-18)

12:30-14:00ÌýÌý Lunch (from 12:30) and fringe meetings (13:00-14:00)

14:00-14:15ÌýÌý Address by Sally Hunt, General Secretary

14:15-15:00ÌýÌý Private session: Debate of remaining motions from section 1: Business of the Strategy and Finance Committee to be taken in private session (motions 2-11 continued)

15:00-16:30 Section 3: Business of the Equality Committee (motions 19-32)

16:30-18:00 Section 4: Business of the Strategy and Finance Committee to be taken in open session (motions 33-48)

18:00ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Close of first day of Congress business

 

Thursday 31 May: Sector conferences

 

Higher education sector conference, 09:00-18:30

09:00-09:30ÌýÌý Opening business, including:

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Appointment of tellers

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Adoption of the report of the Congress Business Committee

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Adoption of minutes of HE sector conference 28 May 2017

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Report of the Head of Higher Education, Paul Bridge

09:30-10:30ÌýÌý Private session: Motions HE1-HE4 (HE pay 2017-18)

10:30-11:15ÌýÌý Private session: Discussion of the report of the Commission on Effective Industrial Action

11:15-12:30ÌýÌý Private session: Motions HE5-HE13 (USS) to be taken in private session

12:30-14:00ÌýÌý Lunch (12:30) and fringe meetings (13:00-14:00)

14:00-17:45ÌýÌý Debate of motions continues in open session – motions HE14-HE45

17:45-18:30 Ìý Private session: Discussion on USS Joint Expert Panel, and motions HE46 and HE47

18:30ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Close of higher education sector conference

 

Further education sector conference, 09:00-18:00

09:00-09:30ÌýÌý Opening business, including:

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Appointment of tellers

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Adoption of the report of the Congress Business Committee

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Adoption of minutes of FE sector conference 28 May 2017

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Report of the Head of Further Education, Andrew Harden

09:30-12:30ÌýÌý Debate of motions – all motions to be taken in open session

12:30-14:00ÌýÌý Lunch (12:30) and fringe meetings (13:00-14:00)

14:00-16:00ÌýÌý Debate of motions (continued)

16:00 (or when debate of motions is concluded) Private session: Discussion of the report of the Commission of Effective Industrial Action, and discussion on branch mobilisation, GTVO on FE pay: disputes and campaigns

18:00ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Close of FE sector conference 2018

 

Friday 1 June, 09:00-15:00: Congress

09:00-09:30ÌýÌý Section 5: Business of the Education Committee (motions 49-50)

09:30-12:00ÌýÌý Section 6: Business of the Recruitment, Organising and Campaigning Committee (motions 51-70; session continues at 13:00)

12:00-13:00 Ìý Lunch

13:00-14:45ÌýÌý Debate of remaining motions from section 6: Business of the Recruitment, Organising and Campaigning Committee (motions 51-70 continued)

14:45-15:00ÌýÌý Closing business, including

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Election results

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Introduction of incoming President, Vicky Knight

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Closing remarks

15:00ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Close of Congress 2018

CONGRESS MOTIONS FOR DEBATE

Motions have been allocated to a section of the NEC’s report to Congress (). Paragraph headings refer to paragraphs within this report. CBC has added some new paragraph headings to facilitate the ordering of motions.

 

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

1 ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Report of the commission on effective industrial actionÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress receives the report of the commission on effective industrial action set out in 51¸£Àû/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 – 3.2

2ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Appointment of auditorsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress approves the appointment of Knox Cropper as the union’s auditors for the year ending 31 August 2018.

3ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Financial statementsÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress receives the union’s audited financial statements for the 12-month period ending 31 August 2017 as set out in 51¸£Àû/862.

4 ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý BudgetÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress endorses the budget for September 2018 – August 2019 as set out in 51¸£Àû/874.

5ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý SubscriptionsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress endorses the subscription rates from September 2018 as set out in 51¸£Àû/874.

6ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Review of subscription rates and bandsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress mandates the Treasurer and NEC, to review 51¸£Àû’s subscription band structure and subscription rates using the following principles:

1.     subscription rates should be generally proportional to income, with the exception of rates for retired members, joint members, and members covered by special initiatives such as the current four year free membership scheme

2.     subscription bands should avoid members experiencing large increases in subscriptions due to small changes in income

3.     changes should be made incrementally each year, over five years or less, to avoid significant risk to the union’s income resulting from membership loss. The timeframe should be kept under review.

and to:

a.     consult with members and employment special interest group committees

b.     bring subscription rate and band changes to Congress 2019 which implement the next step resulting from the review, and similarly in subsequent years

c.     present a report on the review to Congress 2019.

7 ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Rulebook to include procedures for the conduct of non-statutory ballots University of Oxford

Congress notes:

1.ÌýÌý the dearth of procedural information available to members re: conducting non-statutory ballots

2.ÌýÌý the procedural questions arising from the national e-ballot (4-13 April) including: identity of the conducting organisation; voting/complaints procedures; delays in issue or non-receipt of ballots;  and unilateral endorsement on the ballot ‘paper’ [webpage] itself

3.ÌýÌý the confusion and divisive mistrust arising from the above.

Congress seeks to:

a.ÌýÌý reduce confusion and improve transparency of ballot procedures

b.ÌýÌý encourage members’ faith in the democratic process

c.ÌýÌý support 51¸£Àû ballot staff.

Congress resolves:

i.ÌýÌýÌý to amend the national rules to include provision for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the conduct of non-statutory ballots;

ii.ÌýÌý that these SOPs will be

·             comparable in detail to those rules in place for elections (i.e. Schedules A,B);

·             made available to members on the national website and upon request;

·             reviewed annually by NEC consulting with branch members.

8ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 51¸£Àû structures and decision-making: democracy, transparency and ‘plain English’ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Leeds

Congress notes:

1. Ìý membership and engagement in 51¸£Àû increased during recent industrial action in both sectors

2. Ìý 51¸£Àû's strength lies in functioning as a participatory, lay member-led union

3. Ìý recent disputes highlight:

a. Ìý current union processes make it difficult for members to engage with decision-making when the available information changes quickly

b.ÌýÌý a need for clarity and transparency where union structures must produce decisions in complex disputes (particularly where external parties may affect dispute outcomes or increase uncertainty)

Congress resolves to:

i.Ìý Ìý publicise plain English explanations of 51¸£Àû's decision-making structures including special FE and HE conferences

ii. Ìý formalise mechanisms to achieve maximal participatory democratic input from members in circumstances where a special conference is required but 30 days' notice is impossible, e.g. branch delegates meetings where:

·             branches receive clear guidance on matters for consultation

·      delegates vote on key issues or outputs, including when meetings are 'indicative' in rule.

9 ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Union Transparency and accountability during disputes ÌýÌýÌýÌý City, University of London

The USS dispute, branch delegate and HEC meetings and ballot have produced member anger around issues of transparency and accountability within 51¸£Àû.

Congress resolves that:Ìý

1.ÌýÌý the role and purpose of branch delegate meetings during a dispute should be clarified, including voting rights (per branch or weighted by membership and when and how votes can be called)

2.ÌýÌý during a dispute, any five HEC/FEC members may call for a reconvened meeting of HEC/FEC, within two weeks, to progress the dispute

3.ÌýÌý HEC/FEC must agree contextual information accompanying national ballots of members. Ballot text will be circulated to branch officers at least 1 working day in advance of the ballot going live

4.ÌýÌý a means for members/branches to contact HEC/FEC members is publicised

5.ÌýÌý information about upcoming HEC/FEC/NEC meetings and agenda items is publicised

6.ÌýÌý mechanisms for HEC/FEC to consider relevant branch motions is determined.

10 ÌýÌýÌýÌý No confidence in 51¸£Àû General Secretary Sally HuntÌýÌýÌý Exeter University

Congress notes that:

1.ÌýÌý the conduct of the USS dispute raises serious issues of accountability and process on the part of the national leadership

2.ÌýÌý the General Secretary claims a majority of branches supported taking the unamended proposal to a membership ballot despite refusing to allow a vote on such a measure

3.ÌýÌý UUK statements were presented as victories and recommended to members

4.ÌýÌý repeated requests for documentary evidence of a tally of branches have been refused.

Congress believes that:

a.     this is representative of a democratic deficit in the union affecting members across sectors, manifested through a continuous pattern of unilateral, undemocratic action by the national leadership

b.     our leadership should pressurise employers to accept the will of members, not the other way around.

Congress resolves to call for the resignation of Sally Hunt as General Secretary with immediate effect.

11ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Censure of 51¸£Àû General SecretaryÌý King’s College London

Congress notes:

1.     the decision by the higher education committee chair not to give branch representatives a vote on the UUK proposal at the 28 March USS meeting held at Carlow Street

2.     the subsequent claim made by the General Secretary (GS) that the majority of branch representatives wanted an immediate ballot of members

3.     the failure of the GS to provide any verifiable evidence to support this claim.

Congress believes:

a.     a member-led union requires clarity, transparency and accountability of its decision-making processes

b.     the GS failed to meet these requirements in reporting the 28 March meeting.

Congress resolves:

               i.      to censure the GS for relaying branch positions at the 28 March meeting whose accuracy, in the absence of a vote, or provision of a detailed written list of positions, could not be verified

              ii.      to ensure that in future branch representatives’ positions are recorded in a clear and verifiable manner.

 

SECTION 2: RULE CHANGES to be taken in private session

12ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Rule change: resignationsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Rule 10.1, second sentence, delete ‘after the month’

The amended rule will read:

10ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Resignations

10.1ÌýÌýÌý 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.

13ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Rule change - updating terminology: use of LGBT+ and transÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Rule 18.11.2, first sentence, delete ‘transgender’; replace with ‘trans’. Immediately following, add ‘(LGBT+)’. Final sentence, delete ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender’, replace with ‘LGBT+’.

Rule 19.6, second clause, ‘lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender’; replace with ‘LGBT+’.

Rule 20.5, clause viii, delete ‘transgender (LGBT)’; replace with ‘trans (LGBT+)’

Rule 23.1, in clause iii, delete ‘LGBT’ and ‘LGBTMSC’; replace with ‘LGBT+’ and ‘LGBT+MSC’

Add new rule 38.2, Interpretation of rules

38.2 In these rules, ‘LGBT+’ means lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or any other non-heterosexual or non-binary identity.

Purpose: to update 51¸£Àû’s terminology throughout the rulebook to use the inclusive term ‘LGBT+’, and to replace ‘transgender’ with ‘trans’.

14ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Congress standing orders: speaking timesÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee and South West regional committee

Congress standing order 19, delete ‘five’, replace with ‘four’; delete ‘three’, replace with ‘two’.

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

15ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Congress standing orders: rights of observersÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.

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

16ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Congress standing orders: motions which re-state existing policyÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National Executive Committee

After standing order 26, add new standing order (re-number as necessary):

Motions which re-state existing policy, and which do not create any new policy, will normally be moved formally and taken without debate.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Purpose: To put into standing orders that there will not normally be any speakers to motions which only re-state existing policy.

17 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Congress standing orders: significant spending implications ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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’s 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.

18ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Congress standing order change: order of businessÌýÌýÌý 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

19ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Progressing equality in our workplacesÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress commends progress made by the equality committee during 2017/18 in its work on challenging sexual harassment, parents’ rights at work guidance, the disability toolkit ‘David’s story’, 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¸£Àû 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.

20ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý IntersectionalityÌýÌýÌý Women members standing committeeÌýÌýÌý

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.

20A.1ÌýÌýÌý LGBT members standing committee

Insert as a new penultimate sentence of the first paragraph, in between the words ‘fragmentation.’ and ‘Identity’:

‘Intersectionality as a tool enables understanding and helps reflect complexities inherent in experiences.’

Add new bullet points after ‘Congress calls ..’:

4.     ensure all work is framed by intersectionality thereby exploring equality dimensions, seen and unseen, including class, diversity of gender and sexual identities, neurodiversity and race

5.     utilise organising histories and contemporary understandings within LGBT+ communities informing how an intersectional lens enables vocalisation of diverse experiences.

6.     review 51¸£Àû structures using the lens of intersectionality and make suggestions for improving practice.

21ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Disciplinary procedures and mental healthÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû provides training on mental health in the workplace, there needs to be more provision.

Congress asks that:

1.ÌýÌý 51¸£Àû provides more training and counselling support to members and their reps in extreme situations

2.ÌýÌý 51¸£Àû campaigns for mental health first aiders available on all university and college sites and that mental health issues are not stigmatised

3.ÌýÌý 51¸£Àû campaigns for institutions to provide regular adequate risk assessments for mental health of staff across the sectors.

21A.1 University of Manchester

Add:

4. Ìý 51¸£Àû should further encourage its members, universities and colleges to be open about mental illness and health when and where ever possible so as to change taboos, myths and prejudice.

21A.2 Birkbeck, University of London

Add at end:

4. Ìý 51¸£Àû campaigns for universities and colleges to establish local networks for staff with lived experience of mental health conditions and ensures the networks are centrally involved in key decisions (such as recruitment of counsellors) and policy development.

5. Ìý 51¸£Àû seeks advice on mental health from established service user-led groups such as the National Survivor User Network.

Campaigning for equality, paragraphs 3.1 – 3.7

22 (EP) 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.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý FLA marchers threw bottles, beer cans and coins at SUTR protesters.Ìý An SUTR protestor was called a ‘Black bastard’

3.ÌýÌý the march for a ‘white Europe’ by up to 60,000 fascists and nationalists in Warsaw in November 2017

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

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

6.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý the push from the right to commemorate the legacy of Enoch Powell’s 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’s role in pushing the BNP and EDL to the point of extinction

c.      fascists use vehicles like the FLA to grow.

Congress reiterates 51¸£Àû’s 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.ÌýÌýÌý to support Stand Up to Racism initiatives to further expose racist and fascist elements of the FLA

ii.ÌýÌý 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.Ìý to encourage members to join the Unite Against Fascism visit to Auschwitz in November.

23 (EP) Wearing of the hijabÌý 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’s 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’s reversed its decision, the hijab issue is central to the growth of Islamophobia globally. We have seen Donald Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’ and the ‘Burka ban’ 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.

Ìý23A.1 Redbridge College, University of Brighton (Grand Parade)

Under Congress notes add:Ìý Congress congratulates the recent NEU (NUT section) conference for its robust resistance to any proposed restrictions on pupils wearing the hijab and the prospect of Ofsted inspectors questioning Muslim girls on this matter.

24ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Maternity pay for casualised staff in post-16 educationÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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’ own maternity pay and leave policies could help to eradicate this issue.  

Congress resolves to:

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

2.ÌýÌý use the guide ‘Working Parents’ as an opportunity to raise awareness and produce additional guidance

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

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

25ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Sexual harassmentÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû’s 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 ‘no to sexual harassment’ 

3.     provide training for reps supporting victims of abuse

4.     guidance concerning cases brought against 51¸£Àû 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.

25A.1 University of Sheffield

In the first paragraph delete ‘unspoken’ and replace with ‘unacknowledged’.

Delete ‘resolves’ 1.

Insert:Ìý Encourage 51¸£Àû branches to organise workshops and meetings around the issue of sexual harassment and to campaign for institutions to develop bespoke policies on sexual harassment and staff-student relationships, in line with 1752 group recommendations.

26ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Composite: Combatting domestic abuse and violence against women ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Glasgow Caledonian University, 51¸£Àû 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’s 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¸£Àû endorses the Scottish Government’s 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¸£Àû 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.

26A.1 Women members standing committee

In the second sentence delete ‘irrespective of’ and replace with ‘and is not dependent on’.

Add at the end of the last sentence, ‘Targeted advice should be given to casualised female workers who often suffer in silence, have low confidence in unions or management to protect them; risk losing work for speaking out and who cannot take required time off to recover or escape their perpetrators as implied by the Istanbul convention’.

Disabled members, paragraphs 5.1 – 5.7

27ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý The fight for equality of access to workÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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’s 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¸£Àû supports disabled staff in negotiating and implementing reasonable adjustments through training and guidance

b.   work with other unions and disabled people’s 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.

27A.1 Anti-casualisation committee

After guidance at the end of a. add 'recognising the difficulties casualised staff face in getting reasonable adjustments, due to their inferior contractual situation, lack of voice or disclosure exacerbated by ​their precarious status'.

28ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Medical cannabisÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Disabled members standing committeeÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

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 £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’ availability on the NHS.

Equality for LGBT members, paragraphs 6.1 – 6.8

29ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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’t simply come through inclusion or assimilation into curricula or disciplinary canons.

Congress asks NEC to:ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

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

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

c.ÌýÌý promote LGBT+ research including through the biennial 51¸£Àû LGBT+ research conference

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

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

30 (EP) Global awareness of history and current struggle Ìý LGBT members standing committee

Congress commends close partnership working of 51¸£Àû and Amnesty International, including:

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

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

Congress notes that:

a.ÌýÌý progressing equality isn’t 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–guard.

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

Congress reaffirms

i.ÌýÌýÌý that equality and liberation are at the forefront of our workÌý

ii.ÌýÌý 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¸£Àû LGBT+ survey findings, including regional networks.

31ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Transgender rightsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Halesowen College

Congress notes that:

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

2. Ìý 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 ‘gender dysphoria’, and living as the desired gender for at least two years

3.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý oppose any moves to delay or abandon the consultation over changes to the GRA

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

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

32 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism, and the Defence of Jeremy CorbynÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Brighton (Grand Parade)

Congress notes:

1.ÌýÌý scurrilous, orchestrated, continuing attacks on Jeremy Corbyn, and recent expulsion of Mark Wadsworth from the Labour Party

2.ÌýÌý both are committed, lifelong anti-racists, and opponents of antisemitism

3.ÌýÌý no form of racism is tolerable in any part of the labour movement, including antisemitic imagery or Holocaust denial

4.ÌýÌý the ‘anti-Corbyn campaign’ conflates antisemitism with anti-Zionism, and obscures the threat of real antisemitism

5.ÌýÌý the Tory activist tweet: ‘It’s an actual stroke of genius we’ve been able to pull this off, perfect timing heading into the elections too’.Ìý

Congress believes the campaign:

a.ÌýÌý affects the whole labour movement, including unaffiliated unions

b.ÌýÌý is designed to prevent an anti-austerity government whose leadership is critical of Israel

c.ÌýÌý is a thinly-veiled attack on Palestine solidarity and BDS.Ìý

Congress resolves:

i.ÌýÌýÌý General Secretary will write to Corbyn and Wadsworth expressing solidarity, and issue a press statement

ii.ÌýÌý President will urgently communicate to members policy on anti-Corbyn campaign, Palestine, antisemitism and anti-Zionism.

 

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

New paragraph, Union solidarity, after paragraph 4.4

33ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Support the Picturehouse strikeÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Hackney ACE

Congress notes that:

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

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

3.ÌýÌý Picturehouse is owned by Cineworld, which made £83.8 million profit in 2015

4.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý Picturehouse strikers have spoken at 51¸£Àû anti-casualisation meetings and their struggle against precarious contracts is an inspiration for those fighting casual contracts in all workforces.

Congress resolves to:

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

b.ÌýÌý send a £250 donation to the strike fund

c.ÌýÌý mobilise support throughout 51¸£Àû by advertising future picket lines and protests

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

34ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Unfair treatment of international students taking strike actionÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Leeds

Congress notes:

1. Ìý recent strikes have brought to the fore the differential treatment for staff requiring visas to work

2. Ìý the right to strike is protected under article 28 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

3. Ìý that reporting unauthorised absences before they reach 10 consecutive days is discretionary.

Congress believes:

a.     that none should fear reprisals for engaging in lawful industrial action

b.     that 51¸£Àû has a duty to protect the right to strike for all members.

Congress resolves:

i ÌýÌýÌý to establish a new position for international staff representatives

ii ÌýÌý to demand that universities and colleges protect international staff from any implications arising from participation in strike action

iii Ìý to lobby political parties for changes in Home office regulations and demand the recognition of an ‘equal right to strike’ for any worker on visas

iv Ìý to bring the issues to the European Court of Justice if necessary.

35 ÌýÌýÌýÌý No to union busting at Coventry University!Ìý ÌýÌýÌýÌý West Midlands regional committee

Congress notes:

1.     the shameful history of Coventry University (CU) Group in blocking union representation for members across their subsidiary companies.

2.     the good faith lost by CU Group in breaching agreements to allow union representation for these members.

3.     the sham union organised by CU Group in their most recent attempt to block the democratic rights of our members.

4.     the successful demonstrations organised by Coventry University 51¸£Àû to fight this.

5.     that the actions of CU Group are an attack on our union as a whole.

Congress resolves:

1.     to give full national support to Coventry University 51¸£Àû in all future resistance including demonstrations and any other actions.

2.     to urge members to lobby MPs to support EDM 1178 backing union recognition across CU Group.

3.     that this issue must be championed by our union leadership.

European and international work, paragraphs 5.1 – 5.7

36 (EP) International solidarityÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress recognises the importance of an international dimension to 51¸£Àû'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).Ìý

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

36A.1 London regional committee

Add at end:

Congress resolves to publicise and urge branches to organise regular solidarity events and collections in support of refugees, and to join in with building solidarity delegations to bring support to refugees, working with groups including Care4Calais and Stand Up to Racism. And to work with refugee organisations supporting refugees and asylum-seekers who are being excluded from education.

37 (EP) Free speech Israel ÌýÌýÌý University of Brighton (Grand Parade)

Congress notes the:

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

2.ÌýÌý government’s attempted use of the discredited IHRA definition of antisemitism to deter campus criticism of Israel

3.ÌýÌý bans on activities in Israeli apartheid week

4.ÌýÌý use of security costs to prevent meetings

5.ÌýÌý imposition of so-called ‘neutral’ chairs on Middle East meetings, offending the integrity and professional competence of academic staff

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

Congress believes this campaign:

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

b.ÌýÌý violates universities’ legal obligations (Education Reform Act 1988, Education Act (no.2) 1986, and Equality Act 2010).

Congress resolves to:

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

ii.ÌýÌý inform members about 51¸£Àû policy on Israeli discrimination and illegal occupation, and on opposition to all forms of racism, including antisemitism.

38ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Gaza Protest and the Israeli Response ÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress registers

1.   the continuing weekly murder through March and April of Gaza civilians by IDF snipers (c.40 deaths and c.3,000 injuries by beginning of May)

2.   reported use of dum-dum bullets to maximise trauma

3.   renewed Israeli bombing, damaging infrastructure and killing more civilians.

Congress believes:

a.     Israeli policy seems designed to render life unliveable for Palestinians, enabling further colonisation by Israeli settlers

b.     the use of military might, forced expulsion, systematic constitutional discrimination inside Israel, fully attested use of torture against prisoners, abrogation of Palestinian human rights, and illegal settlement of Palestinian land, are central moral and political issues of today.

Congress instructs the General Secretary to:

               i.      write urging the British Government to reconsider arms trading and military/intelligence cooperation with Israel

ii.ÌýÌý write to the Israeli Ambassador to protest at these murders

iii.Ìý issue a press release.

39ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Support the Catalan people’s democratic right to self-determinationÌý University of Glasgow

Congress notes:

1.ÌýÌý the 92 percent ‘yes’ 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.ÌýÌý calls from Catalonian trade unionists — eg education workers and firefighters—for solidarity from the international trade union movement

3.ÌýÌý 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’s 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’s crackdown in Catalonia.

39A.1 National executive committee

In Congress notes, add:Ìý

4. Ìý the arrest under a European warrant of former Catalan Education minister Professor Clara Ponsati, currently working at St Andrews University.

In Congress resolves, add:

iv. contact the Scottish government urging non-compliance with any order to extradite her to Spain, as her arrest is politically motivated

v. Ìý encourage members to participate in broad-based campaigns for her release

vi. develop links and provide solidarity to Catalan education TUs.

40 (EP) Trump’s visit to the UK ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Brighton (Falmer)

Congress notes that Trump has implemented cuts to women’s 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.

41ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý SyriaÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý London regional committee

The assault on Syria by the US, Britain and France does nothing to deal with the horrors of the ongoing civil war. Western powers, Russia, Israel and Iran are fighting a proxy, and sometimes direct war on Syrian soil.

There is a massive risk that the brinkmanship being played out by these powers will spill over into a wider, even more destructive war.

Western and Russian direct or proxy intervention has been a disaster throughout the region from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the conflicts in Yemen.

Congress opposes all military intervention in the region. Whatever the horrendous nature of the Assad regime the situation for the people of Syria will not be improved by military intervention.Ìý 51¸£Àû will continue to work with Stop the War, CND and other peace organisations to oppose the escalation of the conflict.

42 ÌýÌýÌýÌý 51¸£Àû condemns abduction of unionists and students by Pakistani stateÌýÌýÌýÌý King’s College London

51¸£Àû Congress notes:

1.     seven students and trade unionists were abducted on Sunday 22 April 2018 by the Pakistani army. They had recently attended a solidarity event in Karachi to show their support for oppressed Pashtuns

2.     the individuals are Attaullah Afridi; Umer Riaz; Zain ul Abideen; Karim Parhar; Aftab Ashraf; Muhammad Gulbaz and Bilawal Baloch.

51¸£Àû Congress believes:

a.ÌýÌý the people of Pakistan, and the Pashtun people, have the right to hold rallies and express their grievances in a peaceful manner

b.ÌýÌý illegal abduction of students by the state authorities should be stopped immediately.

51¸£Àû Congress demands:

               i.      Prime Minister Shahid K. Abbasi and Minister of Interior Ahsan Iqbal immediately release the abductees from custody

              ii.      the Pakistani government stop brutalising workers and trade unionists.

51¸£Àû Congress resolves to offer complete solidarity with the struggling workers and trade unionists in Pakistan.

43ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Education, UN sustainable development goals and aid ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Activate Learning City of Oxford College

Congress is reminded of the UN sustainable development goal from 2015 for education which is to ‘ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all’. 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 ‘a front for extreme left wing Corbynistas’, Guardian 12/2/17).

44ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý International solidarity with LGBT+ and disability organisations 51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû to:

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

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 regularlyÌý

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

 

44A.1 Petroc

From the title, delete ‘LGBT+ and disability’, then add to the end, ‘representing people with protected characteristics’.

To ‘Congress deplores’, add a further two points:

3.ÌýÌý how women in many countries do not have access to education and are not allowed freedom to control their own lives;

4.ÌýÌý the persecution, victimisation and expulsion of people of many races and religions worldwide.

In paragraph beginning, ‘Congress encourages solidarity with’, delete ‘LGBT+ and disability’, then after organisations, add ‘representing LGBT+, disability, women, races and religions’

Delete part d, then add a new d and e:

d.ÌýÌý develop links with the equality committees of trade unions internationally;

e.ÌýÌý develop links with other organisations representing people with protected characteristics internationally.

New paragraph, Union participation, after paragraph 6.3

45 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Eligibility to participateÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû.

Congress therefore calls for the incoming NEC 2018 to amend the standing orders for the equality standing committees by deleting sentence 2 of paragraph 1.4Ìý ‘At the time of nomination, candidates must be in qualifying employment under ruleÌý 3.1.1Ìý or have been in qualifying employment within the preceding 12 months.’

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

45A.1ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý West Midlands regional committee

After first sentence in paragraph 1, insert the following before paragraph 2:

It is of concern that despite the rules of 51¸£Àû allowing for the participation of retired members on the Equality Standing Committees, a barrier to this has been implemented by our NEC by changing one sentence in the Standing Orders that apply to these advisory Committees. The supreme policy making body, Congress, has been bypassed by the actions of the NEC without clear reasons why advisory bodies of this type exclude retired members.

 

 

46 (EP) Enabling retired members to contribute at local, regional and national levels ÌýÌýÌýÌý Southern regional committee

Congress recognises the importance of encouraging all 51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû (motion 56: Congress 2016). 51¸£Àû 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.

47 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Addressing under-representation of Black members at Congress ÌýÌýÌý 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.

47A.1 National executive committee

Amendment: Point 2, delete ‘allow’, replace with ‘encourage’; delete ‘who are not part of their delegation as’, replace with ‘as delegates or observers’ (Point 2 to read: ‘encourage regions and branches to send Black members as delegates or observers to Congress 2019…’)

48 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Non-resolutionary business at Congress ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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 – 2.2

49 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Education ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.Ìý

Congress welcomes the committee’s comprehensive statement of 51¸£Àû 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’s 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.

49A.1 Composite: Open University, East Midlands regional committee, London regional committee

Add at end:

Congress urges the education committee to review, assess and incorporate the experiences of branches and members of the many strike committees,Ìý teach outs and extra-curricular educational experiences for staff, students and supporters during the USS strikes and rallies and to consider how these experiences can be used to invigorate the union’s ‘Cradle to Grave’ strategy. A session on these experiences should form part of the next Cradle to Grave conference.

The politics of education, paragraph 3.1

50 (EP) ManagerialismÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû 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.Ìý 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.

50A.1 Anti-casualisation committee

Add after ‘equality’ in the last sentence, ‘precarity, membership of a union,’

Add to the end, â€˜Congress also resolves to encourage members to submit information about experiences connected to this issue to a specially designed page on the 51¸£Àû website.’

 

SECTION 6: BUSINESS OF THE RECRUITMENT, ORGANISING AND CAMPAIGNING COMMITTEE

Introduction, paragraphs 1.5 – 1.9

51ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý New members and officer guidanceÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Sussex Coast College Hastings

Congress states the structure of 51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû will grow membership and engagement. Therefore, Congress resolves to:

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

2.ÌýÌý produce an info graphic and video to explain 51¸£Àû’s structure to be sent to all new members

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

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

52ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Composite: Windrush and Home Office immigration policy Ìý City of Liverpool College (City), North West regional committee, National executive committee, London retired members, Croydon College

Congress notes that the people of the ‘Windrush’ generation have helped to build this country. They belong here.

Congress condemns the disgusting behaviour of the British government in creating a ‘hostile environment’ for immigration by targeting these long-standing UK residents and their families. The threat of deportation, loss of access to work and public services, to those who have, over the years, paid taxes and national insurance, is not acceptable on any level. At least one individual who worked in education lost his job when he was asked to reapply for his position.Ìý Unable to produce the documents requested he found himself in a position of no man's land.

Some 7,000 students have been accused by the Home Office of ‘faking proficiency in English’ and ordered to leave the UK.

It is Theresa May both as minister and as Prime Minister who is responsible for the racially discriminatory and divisive ‘hostile environment’ policy aimed at Commonwealth citizens and all migrant communities, a policy that hits our members and students. Citizens, our sisters and our brothers, have been treated with contempt. Those involved in imposing such practices should be held to account.

The resignation of Amber Rudd does not end the Windrush scandal. An apology from the Prime Minister is not enough and, not good enough. Nor will a ‘forced’ apology help to rebuild the lives shattered by separation and emotional, psychological and financial hardship.  The Government needs to acknowledge the many contributions made by Windrush and put it right, right now.

Congress calls on the NEC to:

1.     call on branches to raise awareness with all members of the root cause of this policy – it is a deliberate racist policy

2.     restate our position on discriminatory practices in the workplace and society as a whole and campaign to remove all forms of racism and promote harmony

3.     actively oppose the ‘hostile environment’ strategy on our campuses

4.     build on its previous work defending migrants by updating its materials putting the positive reality of the role migrant workers play

5.     initiate an annual ‘Windrush day’ on campuses working with migrant and anti- racist organisations to promote the positive contribution of migrants

6.     continue our support for the rights of overseas students and international staff seeking guarantees from governments and employers in the light of Brexit negotiations

7.     encourage members to write to their MPs and Councillors with their objections and horror at the treatment of citizens

8.     support and encourage campaigns against deportations both at a local and national level, working where possible with other trade unions trades councils and the TUC

9.     demand the scrapping of Theresa May’s 2014 racist immigration act

and support the call for:

a.     a complete amnesty for all of the long-term residents who are now threatened with deportation or the curtailment of their rights

b.     an immediate reinstatement of citizenship and the associated rights

c.     a real and actual timeline for compensation.

53ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Deportation charter flights to Nigeria ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý National executive committee

Congress notes with deep concern the planned mass charter deportation flight to Nigeria in the next few days (information circulated by Movement for Justice on 4 May).

Congress opposes forced deportations and considers mass charter deportation flights particularly brutal and secretive. Congress is further concerned about the likely presence on this flight of:

1.     O, classified by home office as adult at risk level 2 and who has PTSD

2.     Windrush generation entitled to UK citizenship.

Congress calls on General Secretary, members and branches to write to:

a.     Immigration Minister and Home Secretary to stop all mass deportation flights, including pending Nigerian one

b.     Yvette Cooper to halt O's deportation.Ìý

c.     MPs, Diane Abbot, reporters to highlight the situation, call for an end to mass deportation flights and for O to be given leave to remain.Ìý

and use social media to publicise the Nigerian deportation flight and O's situation.

54 ÌýÌýÌýÌý 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’s ‘hostile environment’ for nationals from other countries also affects 51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû 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¸£Àû’s policies on education, paragraphs 3.1 – 3.3

55ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Defend post-16 education national demo in autumnÌý 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’ and college principals’ 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 Congress calls 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.

 

55A.1Ìý Disabled members standing committee

Add at end of motion

The demonstration to include participation of disabled members by:

1. including disabled members in planning

2. ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý a well publicised accessible shortened route with stewards receiving appropriate guidance that disabled members can join if they wish

3. signers at the rally

4. consideration of a section that remains free of whistles and loud drumming etc.

Congress also urges all regions and branches to begin to include planning for disabled members participation in protest and strike events.

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

56ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Recruitment, organising and campaigning ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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

57ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Social media ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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 ‘bringing the institution into disrepute’.

Congress resolves to task the appropriate 51¸£Àû 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.

58 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Free speech and white supremacistsÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Black members standing committee

Congress notes:

1.     the use of ‘freedom of speech’ 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.

59ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý British values?ÌýÌýÌýÌý Sutton College

At least four major Muslim organisations and countless education professionals in schools and colleges have noted the underlying racism of this government’s ‘Prevent Strategy’.

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 with all education unions to organise a boycott of the Prevent agenda.

60 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Turning free members into active membersÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Anti-casualisation committee

Congress notes:

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

2.     many casualised staff find 51¸£Àû structures bewildering and resources difficult to find

3.     large numbers of postgraduate students have joined 51¸£Àû, notably during the USS dispute. Many have been at the forefront of the strike, despite (usually) not ‘qualifying’ 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¸£Àû’s internal democratic culture at all levels

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

61Ìý ÌýÌýÌý Supporting casualised staff taking strike actionÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Anti-casualisation committee

Recent 51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû across sectors and job roles

2.     ensure language in industrial action publicity is inclusive of all job roles (avoiding erasure inherent in shorthand like ‘lecturers’ union’)  

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.

61A.1 University of Bath, Keele University

Add to the end: ‘5. reintroduce paper membership forms to facilitate recruitment of casualised staff and others on picket lines, at recruitment stalls and elsewhere in the workplace.’

62 (EP) Casualised staffÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Brighton (Eastbourne and Hastings)

Congress notes that an increasing number of members are casualised staff.Ìý 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.

63 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Campaign on pay in regionsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.

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

Congress notes that:

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

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

3.Ìý 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’s failure discredits:

a.Ìý the Tories’ strategy for delivering public services through outsourcing and privatisation

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

c.Ìý capitalism.

Congress instructs the NEC to:

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

ii.Ìý 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.

64A.1 Women members standing committee

Add bullet point iv ‘demand that institutions conduct an equality impact assessment’.

65 (EP) Fighting austerity in local governmentÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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 £75 billion (more that the state budgets of 16 EU countries) with reserves of £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 ‘People’s Budget’ 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.

66 (EP) Climate change and the TUCÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý London retired members

Congress recognises that the motion on Climate Change at this year's TUC makes progress towards the resolution at 51¸£Àû Congress 2017. However, Congress regrets that there is no mention of opposition to fracking or airport expansion. Congress therefore calls upon the 51¸£Àû 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.

 

 

66A.1ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý South Thames College

Add at end:

Congress notes 51¸£Àû support for the Just Transition Statement in Scotland adopted at the 51¸£Àû Congress, 2017.

Congress calls upon the 51¸£Àû:

a.ÌýÌý to support the adoption of a similar Just Transition statement circulated by the Greener Jobs Alliance and campaign for UK wide implementation

b.ÌýÌý NEC to lobby the TUC for adoption and for branches to get the endorsement of Trades Union organisations

c.ÌýÌý to affiliate to Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group.

66A.2 National executive committee

Add at end:

And to further campaign for the TUC to:

a.     encourage affiliates to affiliate to the Campaign Against Climate Change and the Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group and attend demos and other events organised by them with their banners

b.     support campaigns for carbon disinvestment and ethical investment policies, including by pension funds, local councils, colleges and universities and public bodies.Ìý

67 (EP)Ìý Universal creditÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý East Midlands regional committee

Congress notes that:

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

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

b.ÌýÌý an end to the benefits sanctions regime

c.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý a living wage based on a nationally recognised minimum income standard

e.ÌýÌý full implementation of the TUC’s Welfare Charter.

 

 

68 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Crisis in the NHSÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý East Midlands regional committee

Congress notes:

1.ÌýÌý the NHS is in crisis. Many hospitals are regularly on ‘black alert’

2.ÌýÌý the NHS desperately needs proper funding.

Congress believes:

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

b.ÌýÌý the Tories’ sustainability transformation plans are being used to disguise a further £22 billion of cuts.

Congress welcomes Labour’s 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.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

Congress resolves:

i. ÌýÌý to show solidarity for NHS workers fighting back

ii.ÌýÌý 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.Ìý to show support for national demonstrations for the NHS in its 70th year.

68A.1Ìý Disabled members standing committee

Insert at the end of first paragraph ‘Congress welcomes…’

51¸£Àû supports the social model of disability but recognises that disabled members often need support from the health service so its existence is critical to disabled members ability to live and work.

Congress applauds the immense contribution to the health of the nation provided by the hard working nurses, doctors, and ancillary staff who provide a fantastic service despite harsh budgetary conditions imposed by the Conservative government.

69 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Composite:Ìý The future of social care ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Yorkshire and Humberside retired members, Northern retired members

Congress notes:

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

2.ÌýÌý 51¸£Àû members often face a retirement dependent on a social care system that is underfunded, understaffed, and often unsafe

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

4.ÌýÌý 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¸£Àû 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.ÌýÌý the establishment of a National Care Service funded through general taxation, publicly provided and free at the point of use

b.ÌýÌý UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter for care staff

c.ÌýÌý the NPC’s Dignity Code which covers the way in which older people in care should be treated

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

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

69A.1 National executive committee

Final clause, delete everything after ‘Congress requests NEC to’.  Replace with ‘support and if possible speak to motions on social care at the TUC.’

70 (EP) Defence of defined benefit pensionsÌýÌýÌýÌý 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

Motions HE1 – HE13 to be taken in private session.

HE pay 2017-18, paragraphs 2.1-2.6 (private session)

HE1ÌýÌý HE payÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Higher education committee

HE sector conference notes the report and approves the recommendations of the national negotiators contained in 51¸£ÀûBANHE/32.

HE1A.1 London regional HE committee

Add at end:

Conference further notes that the Retail Price Index (RPI, all-items) has returned to 2012 levels of 3.3-3.6% per annum. The recent UCEA pay offer of 1.7% could amount to a 2% cut in salary and benefits for all staff.

Conference resolves to ballot members for industrial action, to work jointly with the other trade unions and to call a Higher Education Sector Conference in the autumn on HE pay.

HE2ÌýÌý HE pay campaign and industrial actionÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Brighton (Grand Parade)

Conference notes:

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

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

3.ÌýÌý the popularity of the USS campaign’s escalation strategy, and members’ 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.

HE2A.1 University of Sheffield

1.ÌýÌý Delete all references to ‘escalation’ and ‘escalating’ and replace with ‘sustained and disruptive’

2.ÌýÌý Add point 4: ‘Pay has fallen significantly in real terms for all workers in Britain’

3.ÌýÌý Add point D: ‘Work and campaign with all other willing trade unions and groups of workers on the issue of pay and pro-actively campaign and organise for co-ordinated strike action with other unions on pay across all sectors’

HE2A.2 Women members standing committee

Add to bullet point b. after ‘escalating strike action’,Ìý ‘which emphasises the gender pay gap, and particularly highlights the often unjust and considerable low or unequal pay and lack of progression suffered by casualised workers’.

Add to bullet point c. after ‘executive pay’, ‘and the real time pay of casualised staff’.  

HE3ÌýÌý Campaign to restore pay levelsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Birmingham

Sector conference notes:

1. Ìý 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. Ìý 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¸£Àû 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 (EP)ÌýÌýÌýÌý Fair rates for external examinersÌý Ìý 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.

Pensions – USS, paragraphs 3.1-3.16 (private session)

HE5ÌýÌý USSÌýÌý Higher education committee

HE sector conference notes the report and approves the recommendations of the superannuation working group contained in 51¸£ÀûBANHE/33.

HE5A.1 London regional HE committee

Add at end:

In light of the decision to set up a Joint Expert Panel, conference directs HEC to call a Special Higher Education Sector Conference for USS branches in September or October 2018 to review the work of the Panel and progress to reducing the deficit estimate in the current USS valuation round.

 

HE6ÌýÌý Demand to 51¸£Àû negotiators: Restore USS status quo and re-evaluationÌý 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¸£Àû members to continue with strike and other industrial action until an acceptable resolution.

Conference believes this dispute can be resolved with a 51¸£Àû 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.

HE7 Ìý No deficit, no capitulation and democratic reform inside 51¸£Àû ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý no deterioration to the pension that members will receive

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

3.ÌýÌý demand an extension to the June 2018 deadline

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

51¸£Àû is a member driven organisation and this dispute has shown how powerful the membership of 51¸£Àû are. In light of this conference demands that:

a.ÌýÌý any resolution to the current dispute must have the full consultation and endorsement of the 51¸£Àû membership

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

Conference calls for a review of democratic 51¸£Àû governance to expand democratic processes within 51¸£Àû and strengthen members’ participation in national policy decision-making.

HE8ÌýÌý Ending further attacks on USSÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Glasgow

HESC reaffirms previously stated policy on the artificial creation of the USS deficit.Ìý 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.Ìý Their replacement is necessary to remove the threat to future pensions.Ìý

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

2.ÌýÌý replace them by best estimate/internal rate of return, as proposed by First Actuarial who advise 51¸£Àû and cash flow.

HE9ÌýÌý Demand government protection for USSÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University College London

HESC notes:

1.     both valuations of the USS pension in 2017 estimated by modelling the long-term impact of ‘de-risking’ investments

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

3.     the fact that the ‘deficit’ disappears when USS is valued as an ongoing scheme.

HESC believes:

a.     fragmentation would be a disaster for members

b.     the behaviour of the ‘hawk’ 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.

HE10 Removing the Chair of the USS JNC ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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 ‘independent’ 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 ‘independent’ 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.

 

HE11 Electoral reform and removal of the USS board of trusteesÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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’s 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.

HE12 Ensuring our union has access to relevant pension expertise ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.

HE13 Composite: USS dispute: national dispute committee University College London, Goldsmiths University of London

HESC notes:

1.     The reaction of USS branches to the March 12 ‘agreement’ demonstrated that members want a resolution which protects Defined Benefit pensions now and in the future

2.     concerns from many branches and members about the processes concerning the consultative ballot on the USS offer of 23rd March

3.     the lack of transparency about the role of 51¸£Àû negotiators in the USS negotiations and the lack of opportunities to hold union representativesÌý to account

4.     members feel disempowered nationally, compared to the high level of ownership they feel in relation to the dispute locally

5.     while some aspects of negotiations are confidential, to maintain a sense of ownership of the dispute among the membership and to maintain members’ resolve to take industrial action, members must know how negotiations are progressing.

HESC resolves to establish a national USS dispute committee composed of HESC delegates (or substitutes) from USS branches, to which national negotiators and 51¸£Àû Independent Expert Panel members will report. This committee will meet at regular intervals until the dispute is officially terminated and will give a representative steer to the dispute for the current valuation round, including during any suspension or re-ballot.

Motions HE14-HE45 to be taken in open session

HE14 Composite: Campaigning on vice chancellors (VC) and senior managements (SMT) pay ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû, 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 ‘immediate resignation and departure of the Vice Chancellor, Chair of Council and the Remuneration Committee’, in whom Court expressed no confidence.

Conference believes:

1.     VCs should not be on remuneration committees

2.     51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû campaign strategy to branches

b.     reject CUC proposals for a framework that ensures fair, appropriate and ‘justifiable’ 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.

HE14A.1 Compositing amendment 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.

 

 

Gender pay, paragraphs 4.1-4.3

HE15 Gender and equal pay ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû

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.

HE15A.1 Women members standing committee

Add to bullet point 2 after ‘equality strands’, ‘and casualised workers’.

Add bullet point, ‘4. Ensure the matter of gender and equal pay is resourced at local and regional level, as well as nationally in the negotiations and bargaining team’.

HE15A.2 LGBT members standing committee

Add a new point 3

3.   Raise awareness about the challenges posed to identifying pay gaps due to lack of data.Ìý To review and campaign for data to be made available on the grounds of gender identity and sexual orientation taking data protection issues into full consideration.

Existing point 3, renumber and delete all after ‘pay inequality’; replace with ‘and other identified pay gaps.’

Add new bullet point 5:

5.     Review branch guidance on tackling gender pay inequality and include information about conducting pay audits covering other equality strands together with any related data issues.Ìý

HE15A.3 Anti-casualisation committee

Point 2, after 'equality strands', add 'and casualised workers'.

In point 3. after inequality put 'one of which is to recognise the contributory barrier to progression caused by the high numbers of casualised workers in the lower quartile of university and college pay, who have broken careers and who are stuck on teaching-only or zero-hours contracts with little hope of advancement.'

 

Precarious contracts – stamp out casual contracts, paragraphs 5.1-5.2

HE16 Precarious contracts ÌýÌýÌý Higher education committeeÌý

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.

HE17Ìý Holiday pay in higher educationÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû’s national campaign to stamp out casual contracts.

HE18 Paid time on for casualised staff in HEÌýÌý ÌýÌý Anti-casualisation committee

Conference notes the growth in the number of anti-casualisation reps in 51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû to:

1.     develop specific guidance on negotiating facilities time for staff on insecure contracts and ‘paid time on’ 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.

HE19 Fixed term contractsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý make career quality and destinations of post-doctoral researchers a performance indicator of grant success

2.ÌýÌý 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.

HE19A.1 University of Manchester

At the end of motion add:

3. ensure grant applicants are required to provide information in proposals about the career support and development opportunities for staff to be employed on the project.

Workload and safe, sustainable workplaces for 51¸£Àû members, paragraphs 6.1-6.5

HE20 HEC workload campaignÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû 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¸£Àû 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.

HE20A.1 Higher education committee

After ‘notes’, add i;

After ‘metrification and marketisation’ add:

ii the particular intersectional impacts of workload for part-time and casualised staff

Add after ‘the impact for members’:

Including the risk of disabled or other members unable to work excessive hours being capability managed out of their jobs.

After ‘expand the workload campaign’ add and renumber:

2.  to include part-time and casualised workers and intersectional issues

3.  to consider equality issues in the workload campaign.

Academic related, professional staff, paragraph 7.1

HE21 Evidence gathering: Investigating the effect of hubs and ‘service’ centralisationÌý 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¸£Àû team investigate the consequences of moving to a hub or centralisation model and produces a report to share with 51¸£Àû branches.

Industrial action, paragraph 10.1

HE22 Rescind HE7 barring two-hour strikes as an option Northumbria University

No industrial action by a trade union can succeed without its members’ support. The campaign of industrial action in 2013-14 succeeded in securing a pay settlement for 51¸£Àû 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’ business than one-day strikes, as can be seen from the employers’ reaction. At the 2014 51¸£Àû Congress, the union adopted motion HE7, which resolved that 51¸£Àû 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.

HE23 (EP)ÌýÌý National support for local industrial actionÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Leeds

HE sector conference agrees that:

1.ÌýÌý 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’s academic calendar

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

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

HE24 Redundancies at London South Bank University ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý London South Bank University

HESC notes:

1.     LSBU management’s announcement of a proposed cut to staffing costs of £5-8 million

2.     that the regional official was not invited to the meeting at which this was announced (2 May 2018)

3.     that, in breach of JNCHES procedures on disclosure of financial information to HE unions, no financial figures were presented to the unions.

HESC believes that:

e.     this announcement does not constitute the beginning of consultation with the unions

f.      other HEI managements will be monitoring developments at LSBU with a view to emulation

g.     this move by LSBU is a threat to the entire sector and is therefore of national significance

HESC resolves:

                  i.   to fully support LSBU’s 51¸£Àû branch – including via recruitment and organisation, and preparation for a ballot on industrial action

                 ii.   to organise a national campaign in defence of jobs at LSBU.

HE25 Lecture capture and strike actionÌý Ìý East Midlands regional HE committee

During the recent strikes in defence of pensions there were concerns over the possible use of lecture capture as a strike breaking weapon.Ìý Therefore, conference asks the HEC to update the 2013 Bargaining Guide for Branches on Recording/Filming of Lectures to bring it in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and to ensure that:

1.ÌýÌý lecture capture is voluntary

2.ÌýÌý academics retain authorship and performance rights to their lectures

3.ÌýÌý academics have a say in the use of the films and other recordings of their lectures

4.ÌýÌý a condition of any agreement with a university on lecture capture has a clause to exclude films and other recordings being used during industrial action

5.ÌýÌý academic freedom is not curtailed by filming and other recording

6.ÌýÌý students are not put into ethical or other difficulties by filmed or recoded responses in lectures

7.ÌýÌý lecture capture is not for disciplinary uses.

New heading: REF and research

HE26 REF 2020/21 and defence of contractsÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý this adds impetus to the introduction of teaching-only contracts, particularly in post-92 institutions

2.ÌýÌý this further marketises HE, widening the gap between ‘research’ and ‘teaching’ institutions, thus damaging educational quality

3.ÌýÌý even ‘voluntary’ transfer to teaching-only contracts violates the national contract.

Conference resolves:

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

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

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

HEC will:

i.    collect data on contractual variations in the sector

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

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

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

HE26A.1 University of Manchester

Delete ‘particularly in post-92 institutions’ in 1.

Delete para c. and replace by: ‘c. to campaign to ensure all HE institutions have career paths for teaching-focused staff, allowing time for scholarly activity and providing career progression in line with the national academic role profiles’.

HE27 Defending the role of research in post-92 institutionsÌý 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 ‘research-intensive’ and ‘teaching-focused universities’

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 ‘teaching institutions’, or that ‘teaching and practice are our USP’ 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

HE28 Foundation coursesÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû, too, is committed to this.  However, if these courses are aimed at students from ‘low participation’ backgrounds, they are a ‘poverty tax’, burdening the already disadvantaged with more debt.  Alternately, if these courses do not widen participation, they are a ‘failure tax’ on students who do not ‘make the grade’.  Finally, huge revenues have not translated into more support for staff and students.Ìý

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

HE29 Scrap the Office for Students (OfS) University of Warwick

Conference notes that:

1.ÌýÌý OfS is ‘a marketing regulator driving value-for-money’ within the sector (Guardian, 01.01.2018).

2.ÌýÌý The statutory duties of OfS include ‘the need to encourage competition between English higher education providers in connection with the provision of higher education’ ().

Conference believes that:

a.     OfS’s 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’s register, with its emphasis on ‘Prevent duties’, ‘sanctions’ and ‘penalties and suspensions’, 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¸£Àû’s national policy with immediate effect.

HE30 (EP) Office for Students and the lack of student and staff representationÌý ÌýÌý 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¸£Àû on the Board. 

New heading: Governance and management

HE31 The university is oursÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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:

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

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

3.     Staff and students should have an official voice through the creation of a ‘General Assembly’ that is part of the formal structures of governance of the institution.

4.     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.

HE32 (EP)ÌýÌý Harmful management practicesÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.

HE32A.1 Disabled members standing committee

Add new 3 after 2, and renumber:

3. to campaign against the detrimental impact that these harmful management practices have and note that such practices not only impact most severely on those staff with existing mental health conditions but are directly responsible for causing the unprecedented work related stress and associated mental health conditions that are prevalent amongst academic and professional staff in the HE sector. This includes the increasing use of open plan offices for all staff.

HE33 HE staff satisfaction league tableÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû 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¸£Àû website, for the use of prospective employees to assess the levels of staff satisfaction at a potential employer institution.

HE33A.1 LGBT members standing committee

After the first sentence of the second paragraph following the words ‘various criteria.’ insert a new second sentence:

These criteria must include equality issues, and the equalities members standing committees are to be asked to make submissions to these criteria.

Delete the final sentence of the second paragraph and insert a new final sentence:

This could be used to produce a qualitative league table to assess the levels of staff satisfaction at an institution.

 

 

 

HE33A.2 Nottingham Trent University

Add at end: ‘Last year a pilot survey com league table was launched by the University of Brighton and that team would be very happy to provide support in any piece of work agreed by 51¸£Àû.’

HE34 Composite: Compulsory lecture capture and management abuse of lecture capture technologyÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý seeking to impose unilaterally the compulsory recording of all lectures

2.ÌýÌý 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.Ìý

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.

HE34A.1 Anti-casualisation committee

Add to conference notes:

‘3. that pressure to record small group teaching also exists.’

In a, after ‘impossible’ add: 'and to recognise the particular inequities faced by casualised staff who do not have extra paid time to train to execute lecture recording and who risk loss of hours for exercising their right to opt-out' 

Add:

‘c. asks branches to organise meetings and/or questionnaires for casualised teaching staff in order to flush out and deal with abusive pressure on them to record their teaching events.’

HE35 GovernanceÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû 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

HE36 Equal access to higher education for asylum seekersÌý University of Northampton

HESC notes:

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

2.ÌýÌý The importance of STAR’s equal access campaign which would facilitate the ability of asylum seekers’ to pursue higher education by defining asylum seekers as home instead of international students, and

3.ÌýÌý The consistent commitment that 51¸£Àû has shown in recognising asylum seekers' needs to ‘rebuild their lives’ and ‘integrate into their local communities’.

The HESC calls for:

a.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý 51¸£Àû to make the equal access campaign a priority and promote it through the union’s website and the weekly campaign update, and

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

HE37 (EP)ÌýÌý Institutional racism in our universities ÌýÌýÌý Yorkshire and Humberside regional HE committee

Conference notes David Lammy’s expose of the lack of BME access to Oxford University and the recent row over decolonising the curriculum at Cambridge University.Ìý These highlight the reality of institutional racism at the centre of the ‘elite’ Russell group university sector.

51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû at national, regional and local levels must work with SU’s, campus unions and anti-racist campaigns to promote equal access to education for BAME students and to promote a truly global education.

HE38 (EP)ÌýÌý Recruitment, retention and promotion of Black staff in HEÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Black members standing committee

Conference notes that the 51¸£Àû ‘witness’ survey report of February 2016 found that nine out of ten (90.5%) respondents from higher education said they had ‘often’ or ‘sometimes’ 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:ÌýÌý

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.

HE39 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. Ìý 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¸£Àû branches

2. Ìý 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.

HE40 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’s 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’s 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.

HE41 Neurodiversity and higher educationÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû should also encourage the Equality Challenge Unit to support this approach.

HE42 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?Ìý

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¸£Àû 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’ LGBT+ equalities data

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

 

 

HE43 LGBT+ inclusive sex and relationship educationÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý LGBT members standing committee

Conference notes that:

1.     it’s 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.

HE44 Universal credit and its impact on women in higher educationÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.

HE45 Challenging cultures of exclusion and advancing the equality agendaÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 51¸£Àû 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.

USS Joint Expert Panel (private session)

Discussion on USS JEP, motions HE46 and HE47

HE46 HESC to monitor Joint Expert Panel progressÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Oxford

HESC notes:

1.ÌýÌý the outcome of the 51¸£Àû ballot announced on 13 April accepting the offer to form a Joint Expert Panel to re-examine the USS valuation

2.ÌýÌý the central importance of scrutinising the progress of the JEP

3.ÌýÌý the need to continually evaluate the requirement for further industrial action during the pensions dispute.

HESC resolves to convene a special meeting of 51¸£Àû higher education sector conference in September 2018 to consider the progress of the Joint Expert Panel and the need to ballot for a renewed mandate for industrial action.

 

 

HE47  Transparency and confidentiality of Joint Expert Panel (JEP) ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Glasgow

Conference recognises the great importance of the JEP and its outcomes for members pensions and the problems caused by excessive secrecy of the USS Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC). 

Conference believes that transparency should be the default of JEP and that JNC should be encouraged to show greater transparency.

Conference mandates SWG members involved in setting up JEP to:

1.  negotiate a change in terms of reference to make transparency the default, as well as an appropriate confidentiality policy and regular reports from JEP to all stakeholders

2.  agree regular reporting and feedback mechanisms with 51¸£Àû appointed members of JEP

3.  negotiate increased transparency of JNC communications e.g. approved minutes other than confidential matters to be made publicly available.

Conference further mandates HEC to transparency as a default, with agenda, approved papers and approved minutes made available on the website and to develop a confidentiality policy to cover exceptions.

 

 

 

FURTHER EDUCATION SECTOR CONFERENCE

MOTIONS FOR DEBATE

 

All motions to be taken in open session.

FE1 ÌýÌý FE payÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£ÀûBANFE/16.

FE2ÌýÌýÌý FE payÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý London regional committee

Conference notes:

1.ÌýÌý 21% cut in pay since 2009

2.ÌýÌý 9% increase in principals’ pay

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

Believes:

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

b.ÌýÌý that with the growth of super groups a new ‘gravy train’ has been created allowing senior post holders to award themselves extravagant salaries

c.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌýÌý to launch a campaign to expose extravagant salaries of senior post holders and the new ‘gravy train's’ worst excesses

ii.ÌýÌý to write a briefing paper that challenges the ‘we can't afford it’ mantra of the FE employers.

FE2A.1 Bournville College, Capital City College Group (City & Islington College), London regional FE committee, Croydon College, Sandwell College

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Add under ‘notes’:

1.     HE lecturers, school and primary school teachers get paid more than FE lecturers

2.     FE lecturers get paid 14% less than school teachers.

Add under ‘believes’: 

a.     that the coordinated action taken by 12 colleges has laid the basis for a national campaign for fair pay.Ìý 

Add under ‘resolves’:

               i.      if the AoC does not meet our demands for this year's claim then 51¸£Àû to organise an industrial action ballot for strike action to pursue our aims.

FE2A.2 Anti-casualisation committee

In ‘Believes’ point a, change ‘lecturers’ to ‘workers’

Add, at the end of ‘Believes’ point c, ‘if the money is distributed more fairly.’

FE3 (EP) FE pay and 51¸£Àû credibility among FE membersÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý East Midlands regional FE committee

Conference applauds the huge effort by 51¸£Àû nationally to build the HE pension campaign.Ìý In contrast, the FE pay campaign resulted in 14 branches taking action following the September 2017 consultative e-ballot.Ìý Conference needs no reminder of the dire pay situation across FE. However, 51¸£Àû’s credibility among FE teachers regarding its capacity to improve pay and conditions issues is deeply compromised.Ìý A history of discontinued pay campaigns leaves members feeling that 51¸£Àû can do little to improve pay and conditions given the sector’s wider difficulties.Ìý FE is seen as a neglected sector within its own union.

Conference commits 51¸£Àû 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.

FE3A.1 Anti-casualisation committee

Change the word ‘teachers’ to ‘workers’.

Add at end;

‘Conference require FEC to introduce a national, accountable pay claim system that:

a.     records details of every local pay claim, including items first requested, items first offered, items unsuccessful as well as successful.

b.     triggers follow-on claims on an annual (or other timely) basis.’

FE4 ÌýÌý College Principals’ pay ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý NPTC Group

FE sector conference notes:

1.ÌýÌý the measures to limit vice chancellors pay

2.ÌýÌý the fact that College Principals’ pay has increased at a faster rate than lecturers’ pay.

Conference resolves to lobby the various governments and funding councils to limit Principals’ pay to no more than five times the median pay of all employees whether full time or part time.

FE5ÌýÌýÌý Holiday pay in FE, adult and prison education ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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 ‘rolling up’ 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.

FE6ÌýÌýÌý Equal payÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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. 

FE6A.1 Women members standing committee

Add bullet point, ‘5. Centralise fighting gender equality and other equality pay gaps as part of any industrial action’

FE7 ÌýÌý Anti-casualisationÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý table more claims around casualisation

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

3.ÌýÌý support focused recruitment among casualised staff

4.ÌýÌý provide bespoke negotiating training for branches

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

FE8Ìý Ìý Facility time for casualised staff in FEÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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 ‘paid time on’ 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¸£Àû HQ;

d.   encourage branches to assign facility time to casualised reps, as they don’t have the buffer of permanent work.

FE9ÌýÌýÌý Prison educators should have career long access to TPS NOVUS Prison Education

Conference notes that:

1.ÌýÌý many 51¸£Àû members who work in prison education see this as the area of education they want to commit their career to

2.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý 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 (EP) Workload campaignÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû 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¸£Àû 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.

FE10A.1 Women members standing committee

After the first sentence add, ‘Conference also notes excessive working hours particularly impact on those with caring responsibilities who are disproportionately women’.

FE10A.2 Disabled members standing committee

Add, before ‘Conference resolves’:

Excessive workload impacts disproportionately on disabled members e.g. lack of disability adjustments creates vulnerability to capability measures or injury from trying to keep up with unadjusted workload. It is important to get workload reasonable adjustment in place at the start of employment. 

Add to Conference resolves:

4.ÌýÌý include disability equality (adjustments and equal access to work) in campaign 

5.ÌýÌý include reasonable adjustment duty in training for H&S reps

6.ÌýÌý demand employers deliver reasonable adjustments training for all staff including using 51¸£Àû’s David’s Story.

FE11 (EP)ÌýÌý Impact of workload and expectations of FE academic staffÌý 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.

FE12Ìý 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.ÌýÌý campaign to raise awareness of abuse towards staff

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

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

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

FE12A.1 Disabled members standing committee

Add new para 3:

The Tories sustained assault on disabled people has not only deepened poverty but also created an increase in disability hate by lending respectability to the notion we are scroungers, workshy etc. This creeping prejudice impacts disabled members trying to get workplace adjustments as well as in abuse and bullying. 

Add new 5 and 6:

5. to recognise hate crime within campaigns against abuse and bullying 

6. to produce a briefing on combatting disability hate. 

FE13Ìý Further education and mental healthÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Disabled members standing committee

Mental health has become more and more prominent and embedded in 51¸£Àû’s 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 ‘presenteeism’ 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 on how to create working cultures and environments that support the wellbeing 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. 

FE13A.1 LGBT members standing committee

Insert new sentence 3

Statistics from numerous studies show that LGBT people are at significantly greater risk of mental health problems.

Add new bullet points after ‘This conference calls …’

4.     research into mental health of LGBT FE staff with recommendations for improvements.

5.     work with the NUS looking at the mental health of FE learners and what measures can be taken to better support LGBT wellbeing

6.     campaign against cuts to mental health services and for services that can support wellbeing of LGBT staff and learners.

FE14Ìý A more strategic approach to building in ACEÌýÌýÌý Hackney ACE

Conference notes:

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

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

3.ÌýÌý the value of the recent members’ survey and the FOI that has gone out to ACL departments.

Conference asks that:

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

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

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

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

FE15Ìý Access to natural justice for prison educatorsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý NOVUS Prison Education

Conference notes that:

1.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý prison educators are denied a right of appeal unless supported by the education provider

3.ÌýÌý 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:

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

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

FE16 (EP) Ofsted, surveillance, and targeting of Muslim girlsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.

FE17 Women, universal credit and ESOLÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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 ‘head of the household’

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.

FE18 Universal credit: a threat to disabled staff and studentsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Disabled members standing committee

Conference notes:

1.     the change to universal credit can mean a cut in benefit of up to £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 workÌý 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 ‘fix universal credit’, working with disability organisations, benefits campaigners and other unions.

FE19Ìý Challenging LGBT+ discrimination in FEÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý LGBT members standing committee

Invisibility of LGBT+ people in school education continues as part of Section 28’s 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.Ìý campaign for including images of LGBT+ people, stories and concerns

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

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

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

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

FE20Ìý LGBT+ visibility in FEÌýÌýÌý 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.’ 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’t routinely collected

2.     there aren’t 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.ÌýÌý inclusive collection of data about all protected characteristics in FE as informed by 51¸£Àû guidance and recommendation e.g. on LGBT+ equality

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

FE21Ìý Liberate the FE curriculumÌýÌýÌýÌý Black members standing committee

Conference congratulates the work undertaken in HE to broaden the curriculum with campaigns such as ‘Why is my curriculum White?’ and ‘Rhodes must fall’, 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:

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

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

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

FE22Ìý Careers for Black staffÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.

FE23Ìý Organising in ‘supercolleges’ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Lewisham Southwark College

Conference notes the recent area reviews in further education have led to a proliferation in the number of ‘supercolleges’ i.e. where a number of institutions have been merged together under the umbrella of a ‘group’. 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¸£Àû in terms of organising and campaigning.

Conference resolves to:

1.     produce campaigning guidance for branches who are organising within ‘supercolleges’

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

3.     re-affirm 51¸£Àû’s commitment to supporting publicly-run local community education and campaigning against the increasing corporatisation of the sector.

FE24Ìý College super-groupsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Activate Learning City of Oxford College

Conference notes the growth of college ‘super-groups’ aided by the government’s 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¸£Àû should respond to these new developments.

FE25Ìý Cuts and mergers: the apocalypse after area reviewsÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý City of Liverpool College (City)

Conference notes 51¸£Àû predicted that the area review would cause cuts, restructures, redundancies and a loss of places, courses and programmes.Ìý The government argued that the area reviews would make the FE sector stronger and more resilient.Ìý They also guaranteed that students would not be detrimentally affected geographically.

The Hartford campus in Warrington Vale College is under threat of closure.Ìý The site has some of the best resources. The travel to the next site will be very challenging for students.Ìý

Both of the promises from the government have been broken here.

This could happen to any college that has more than one site.

Conference resolves to:

1.     support the sites and branches; support them in their regions; in their efforts to fight cuts, closures and restructures

2.     work with NUS to prevent the cuts to colleges.

FE26Ìý Support for BMET College A-Level teachersÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý West Midlands regional FE committee

FE sector conference notes:

1.ÌýÌý the creation by BMET College of a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for A-Levels.

2.ÌýÌý the aggressive move by BMET management forcing A-Level tutors to re-apply for their existing jobs in competition with external candidates.

3.ÌýÌý the dedication and experience of the existing BMET A-Level teaching team.

4.ÌýÌý the failure by BMET management properly to consult the appropriate unions on this matter.

Conference resolves:

a.ÌýÌý to give full national support to BMET members in highlighting and fighting this reprehensible move

b.ÌýÌý to action 51¸£Àû to monitor this worrying development nationally, and resist the expansion of this practice across the sector.

FE27 (EP)ÌýÌý Commissioner intervention and FE collegesÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.Ìý

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

1.ÌýÌý inefficient mergers and acquisitions

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

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

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

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

51¸£Àû 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.

FE28 Holding college leaders to account ÌýHull College

On 19th April, Hull College Group Branches passed a motion of no confidence in their CEO and ‘Fresh Start’ proposals focused on financial savings and not on investment, education or quality.Ìý Financial mismanagement by her predecessor, her failure to meaningfully consult to mitigate redundancies and cuts to provision, and lack of oversight by governors is irrevocably damaging an already deprived community.ÌýÌý

Conference believes that institutional leadership should accept responsibility and accountability for the damage caused by their actions. They should not be allowed to blame staff, students or government for poor financial governance.Ìý

Conference resolves to expose and publicise examples of financial mismanagement with a register of institutions left needing financial intervention.Ìý Available on the 51¸£Àû website as a tool that local officials can use to hold college leaders to account, this would include: the names of the affected institution(s); the senior executive leader; and their financial legacy.

FE29Ìý Future of further educationÌýÌýÌý 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.

FE30Ìý Funding for FEÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Activate Learning City of Oxford College

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

Conference agrees with Richard Atkins the FE Commissioner that ‘FE sector funding is unfair’ and commends Amanda Spielman Ofsted’s Chief Inspector comments that there should be ‘an increase in funding for 16- 18 year olds and that the FE sector ‘will struggle unless given more funding’.

Conference calls for an immediate increase of £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.

FE30A.1 Hull College

After the second paragraph, insert the new paragraph: ‘Commissioner intervention inevitably follows, resulting in massive bailouts for Colleges who find themselves rated financially inadequate. These bailouts are subject to conditions that are shrouded in secrecy, yet ultimately result in mass redundancies and cuts to provision.’

After the last paragraph, insert the new paragraph: ‘Conference also calls for a campaign to cease the imposition of draconian conditions on colleges who seek a bailout from the transaction unit, and to make public details of any conditions imposed.’

FE30A.2 Lambeth College

Add at end:

Congress notes in the government’s ‘Integrated Communities’ Green Paper: theÌý claim that ‘immigration has put pressure on services’; 770,000 people in England aged 16+ need English, (women disproportionately affected); proposals include community-based English tuition and volunteer-run conversation clubs; FE Funding Cuts and funded ESOL in Colleges are not mentioned.

Congress resolves to campaign to make restoration of FE (and ESOL) funding, and rejection of a reliance on the voluntary sector, central to this paper’s proposals.

FE31Ìý Colleges working together to fight austerityÌý ÌýÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý the effects of austerity on FE has been overlooked for too long, with no significant campaign action by 51¸£Àû to fight it

2.ÌýÌý 51¸£Àû has a duty to protect FE from these attacks

3.ÌýÌý by working collaboratively, 51¸£Àû college branches can fend off/fight back against the worst effects of austerity.

Conference calls on FEC to:

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

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

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

FE31A.1ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

Add at the end of bullet point a, after ‘community resources', ‘and produce a policy document or model toolkit for branches'.

Add a new bullet point d. 'Demand transparency and accountability at all levels of local management and national Government where public money is spent on outsourced organisations'.

FE32Ìý Restore second chance education ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Hackney ACE

Conference notes:

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

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

3.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý invite community organisations and the WEA to take part.

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

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

FE33 (EP)ÌýÌý ApprenticeshipsÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

Conference notes:

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

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

3.ÌýÌý 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.ÌýÌý pays a living wage to apprentices

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

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

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

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

FE33A.1 LGBT members standing committee

Add new bullet points after ‘Conference resolves to …’

f.      remains committed to understanding and assisting the lives of young people facing inequalities in life chances related to factors of class, disability, gender identity, race, sex and sexual orientation

g.     undertakes research to ensure effective support for young people facing adverse life chances including all protected characteristics

h.     ensures that the exclusion of sexual orientation factors in recent research into the impact of apprenticeships in lives of learners is addressed and not repeated.

FE34Ìý Maths and English GCSE compulsion in post-16 educationÌý London regional FE 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.Ìý 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.

FE35Ìý Localising college economiesÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý West Midlands regional FE committee

FE sector conference notes:

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

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

3.ÌýÌý the reckless use of public money in outsourcing a diverse range of college services, from highly paid ‘mocksted’ consultants to web development to personnel data packages, and the lack of democratic accountability for this

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

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

 

FE35A.1 Yorkshire and Humberside regional FE committee

Insert a new bullet point a. and re-letter appropriately:

a.     Demand transparency and accountability at all levels of local management and national Government where public money is spent on outsourced organisations.

FE36 (EP) National action ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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.

FE36A.1 Bournville College, Capital City College Group (City & Islington College), London regional FE committee, Croydon College, Sandwell College

At the end of first paragraph add: ‘The 15 colleges coordinated ballot achieved a 62% turnout with a 93% vote for action.’

At the end of the second paragraph add: ‘That 51¸£Àû in FE can deliver a 50% turnout nationally with a dynamic and creative pay campaign.’

Third paragraph, after ‘This result mirrors’ insert: ‘the HE campaign over pensions and’

Add at end:

Any future national action over pay must be escalating and the AoC to be notified of all the days that we are going to take if they don’t meet out demands.

 

 

 

MOTIONS NOT ORDERED ONTO THE AGENDA

I ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Motions not approved in accordance with the Congress standing orders

Submitted to Congress

B1ÌýÌýÌýÌý University admissions from Access programmesÌý ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû 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.

B2ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Supporting academic freedoms ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû members reported to the 51¸£Àû and, from there, to the media as appropriate.Ìý This provides an avenue for exposure and redress not currently formally available to members.

B3ÌýÌýÌýÌý How much bullying is the right amount of bullying?Ìý Ìý Cardiff University

ACAS estimates that bullying costs the UK economy nearly £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 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Branch structure guidanceÌý ÌýÌý South East regional committee

51¸£Àû Congress recognises that branch structures within multi-site institutionsÌý

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

2.ÌýÌý providing case studies of these branch structures from 51¸£Àû and the wider trade union movement

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

B5ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Refugee support groupsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Hertfordshire

Congress notes:

1.ÌýÌý the setting up of refugee support groups in colleges and universities by 51¸£Àû members and students

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

Congress calls on 51¸£Àû officers to:

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

b.     to disseminate examples of goof practice.

B6ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Rule change: rule 4.1ÌýÌýÌý South East regional committee

Rule 4.1, after ‘…must be in qualifying employment under rule 3.1.3’, delete ‘or 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’;

Replace with ‘or have been most recently employed in such a post.’

The amended clause would read ‘Members shall be entitled to ...stand for any electionÌý 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.’

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¸£Àû.

Submitted to HE sector conference

B7 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Casualisation in HEÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý South East regional HE committee

Conference notes that an increasing number of members in HE are casualised staff.Ìý The reality for many or most is that they are either on short term contracts, hourly paid or zero hour contracts.Ìý 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.Ìý 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 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Academic freedomsÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû members reported to the 51¸£Àû and, from there, to the media as they deem appropriate.Ìý This provides an avenue for exposure not currently formally available.

B9 ÌýÌýÌýÌý Debunking and resisting managementese ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Cardiff University

In The Rise of Scientific Philosophy Hans Reichenbach argues that ‘Analysis of error begins with analysis of language.’ Never has this been more apposite than with regard to the urgent need to debunk and analyse HE management’s Newspeak.

What do excellence, ambition, aspirational, and entrepreneurialism really mean? How is this lexis of the academic übermensch used to oppress employees and to represent performance management as ‘personal development’?

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 selfishnessÌý in our own discourse with the language of altruism.

B10 Ìý Student feedback ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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 ‘student experience’

3.     that they do not represent a genuine democratic engagement with students about their education.

Conference calls on 51¸£Àû 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.

 

 

B11 (Late motion) ÌýUSS disputeÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 51¸£Àû Scotland

Note: this motion also exceeds the word limit.

Conference

1. Ìý congratulates members on the strong strike action, which is transforming the union and which will also enable us to win on marketisation, casualisation, equality issues.

2. Ìý thanks students for their wonderful support throughout the strike

3. Ìý recognises that it is strike action which brought employers to negotiation and will eventually win the dispute, but that political pressure is also useful

4. Ìý recognises the strong rejection by all 51¸£Àû Scotland branches of the proposals and the growing support for the status quo (no reductions in benefits or increases in contributions)

5.ÌýÌý notes that the current valuation of the USS pension scheme is based upon unrealistic assumptions.

6. Ìý believes the USS scheme should instead be valued on an ongoing basis, i.e. as a going concern. If the USS Board need the Government to guarantee the future of the scheme, then USS and UUK should join 51¸£Àû in calling for a government guarantee

7.ÌýÌý further believes that on an ongoing basis there is no need for changes in contributions nor benefits.

Conference mandates HEC to:

a.     officially support the status quo for USS pensions and call for an immediate halt to proposed changes to the pension scheme

b.     propose that this halt period should be used to carry out a fully transparent and independent valuation of the USS fund, its governance and the valuation methodology used. This valuation should include a full gender and equalities auditÌý

c.     propose no changes to the pension scheme should take place until after the outcome of this new valuation process and members have been ballotedÌý

d.     agree that the replacement of missed work due to striking should not be included in any proposed agreement

e.     call on the Scottish government, including through a rally at the Parliament, to put pressure on Westminster to support USS and maintain the status quo e.g. by guaranteeing the 'deficit' or removing the requirement for 'full funding’

f.      encourage members to write to and lobby their MPs and MSPs.

Submitted to FE sector conference

B12 Ìý Casualisation in FEÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý South East regional FE committee

Congress notes that an increasing number of members in FE and Adult Education are casualised staff.Ìý The reality for many or most is that they are either on short term contracts, hourly paid or zero hour contracts.Ìý 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.Ìý 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.

B13 Ìý Lesson observers should be in the arenaÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Bournemouth and Poole College of FE

51¸£Àû 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’s 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.

 

IIÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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

B14 Ìý Protection from inflation for USS pension paymentsÌýÌý Scottish retired members

In proposing changes to the designed benefit USS pension by the Employers (Universities UK), USS noted that ‘Benefits 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’. 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.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

B15ÌýÌý Securing defined benefits ÌýÌýÌý University of Sussex

Congress congratulates 51¸£Àû national officers, staff and the thousands of 51¸£Àû 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¸£Àû needs to announce plans to escalate our industrial action unless and until defined benefits are secured.

B16ÌýÌý The introduction of PRP and the NFAÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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¸£Àû to:Ìý

1.ÌýÌý step up its campaign against PRP in any form andÌý

2.ÌýÌý resist any attempt to undermine the NFA.

Submitted to HE sector conference and considered to be the business of Congress

B17ÌýÌý Sexual harassment policyÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 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’s ‘Breaking the Silence’ approach, GCU’s Gender Based Violence Policy and Strathclyde University’s ‘Equally Safe’ policy. We call on 51¸£Àû branches to actively campaign on this issue in the coming period.

III ÌýÌýÌý Motions considered not to be competent business for Congress or the sector conferences

B18 (Late motion) A 51¸£Àû democracy commissionÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Bournemouth University

Congress notes sector-wide concern in Post-92 university branches about the consultative ballot on USS, the way negotiations with UUK and USS were undertaken and subsequent actions taken by 51¸£Àû’ s leadership; including the decision to ballot affected members on the latest USS offer.Ìý

The implications of the USS dispute for TPS members are significant; Congress calls for a 51¸£Àû Democracy Commission elected by and from branches, regional committees and devolved nations:

1.ÌýÌý to complete a reviewÌý before Congress 2019 of the democratic structures within 51¸£Àû

2.ÌýÌý to investigate the lack of inter-election mechanisms by which to recall or hold union representatives to account

3.ÌýÌý to provide for the election of all senior full-time officials

4.ÌýÌý to recommend changes to 51¸£Àû’s democratic structures at the one day special congress for debate and vote by elected branch delegates

B19ÌýÌý (Late motion) Democracy reviewÌýÌýÌýÌý University of Sheffield, University of Bath

Congress notes:

1.ÌýÌý concerns from many branches and members about the processes behind the consultative ballot on the USS offer of 23rd March

2.ÌýÌý the lack ofÌý inter-election mechanisms by which to recall or hold elected union representativesÌý to account

3.ÌýÌý most senior full time officials of the union are appointed rather than elected.

Congress resolves:

a.ÌýÌý to undertake a review before Congress 2019 of 51¸£Àû’s democratic structures via a democracy commission, including but not limited to discussion of the appropriate number of full time elected officials and how elected representatives are to be held to account

b.ÌýÌý that the commission should be elected by and from branches, regional committees, devolved nations and advisory committees of the union

c.ÌýÌý to empower the commission to recommend changes to 51¸£Àû’s democratic structures atÌý a one day special Congress, for discussion and voting on by branch delegates.

B20 (Late motion) Rulebook to include procedures for motions and reports at HECÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Keele University

HE Conference notes:

1.ÌýÌý the lack of procedural information for documents voted on by the Higher Education Committee (HEC)

2.ÌýÌý HEC procedural questions arising during the USS dispute, including formal mechanisms for amendments.

HE Conference seeks to:

a.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý improve accountability of HEC

b.ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý clarify procedures of HEC.

HE Conference resolves:

i.ÌýÌýÌý to amend the national rules to include provision for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the conduct of all votes undertaken by HEC

ii. Ìý these SOPs will include, but will not be limited to:

·      late papers not available by the standard 7 day circulation, with the exception of emergency motions or responses, must be provided to HEC members 24 hours in advance of meetings

·      all motions, reports, recommendations and documentation or advice voted on by HEC must be open to amendment prior to voting on the motion

iii.Ìý All HEC rules will be made available and easily accessible to all members.

 

IVÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Amendment not ordered because it substantially changes the policy of the motion

Amendment to motion 45:

B21ÌýÌý LGBT members standing committee

Delete paragraphs 2 and 3 and insert a new paragraph

Congress calls upon all devolved nations and regions to encourage and support the work of their retired members’ branches. This work will help ensure that that the voice of retired members is heard across and throughout the union. Through regional engagement members including those on equality members standing committees will hear the voice of members and take up any issues through the relevant structures.