HESC Calling Motion

Motion to call a Higher Education Sector Conference to debate UCU’s HE industrial strategy

Under Rule 16.11, branches from 20 Higher Education institutions must pass this motion to require UCU to convene a HESC. Please use the wording below, especially the wording highlighted. Send all motions passed to UCU HQ c/o Paul Bridge, Head of HE, pbridge@ucu.org.uk.

Motion

This UCU Branch notes

  • the end of the HE pay round 2016 with a 1.1% pay offer and proposals that branches negotiate locally to reduce casualisation and the gender pay gap;
  • the passing into law of the Trade Union Act 2016, imposing a 50% turnout on trades disputes, making national industrial action much more difficult unless we can mobilize members to vote;
  • the developing context of an HE and Research Bill and tuition fee market intended to set universities against each other, that is likely to lead to employers holding down wages to expand, and imposing job losses and casualisation;
  • the fact that in addition to pay scales, pensions are nationally determined and cannot be defended branch-by-branch.

This UCU Branch believes that UCU urgently needs a new industrial action strategy, one which combines the building of local organization and nationally coordinated local disputes with a revised and renewed commitment to the preservation of national bargaining.

This UCU Branch therefore resolves to call a Special Higher Education Sector Conference under Rule 16.11 to debate UCU’s industrial strategy in Higher Education.

It encourages other branches to adopt a similar resolution with this call for a Special HE Sector Conference.

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