Registration for UCU Congress 2025 closes in just over a week (23rd April), and this year it will feel quite different as it is the first hybrid Congress.
It is vital that we make sure as many members are registered as possible so they can participate in vital debates and votes on how UCU resists attacks on pay, jobs, funding, censorship and fights for equality, welfare not warfare and for climate action. A central debate will be whether UCU backs national action to defend the post 16 education sector – this is desperately needed in HE, FE and Adult Education. Every vote will matter, and every member who wants a progressive left union should be encouraged to stand as a delegate.
The calls for a hybrid Congress were in part to try and ensure Congress was more “open” to members. There were debates that it would enable more disabled members, neurodivergent members and those with caring duties a different way to participate, by participating online. Ensuring Congress is accessible is of course essential, however it is important to recognise that online attendance comes with its own barriers, from technology to simply being unable to step away from other responsibilities while participating remotely. It is vital that online participation does not exclude delegates from debates and networking opportunities, but it is not clear that the tech will offer seamless interaction between in person and online spaces.
UCU Left believes that Congress should be an open and welcoming place for all members to attend. The union must do everything possible to ensure the event, its timing, and the location that hosts it are accessible, and members are given sufficient accessibility and caregiver support. Congress is the sovereign decision making body of the union, the decisions taken will determine the future policy of the union, which will hopefully ensure we can turn the tide and ensure we resist the many crises facing us.
There are important benefits of attending in person:
- Feeling part of a collective body. Attending Congress is an opportunity to be around other members who want to see change and resist the difficulties we are facing in our workplaces and society. There is a great sense of solidarity meeting other like minded people, which is a great antidote to what can often be quite isolated lives.
- Debate and discussion. Members may have certain ideas about motions and how they want to vote, but being in the Congress Hall listening to those speaking, and discussing the ideas with people in the breaks before and afterwards strengthens our collective decision making. Members may put things in a way that we haven’t thought of before, so those conversations off the congress floor can help develop our understanding of where motions and debates are coming from.
- Building networks. If you have been to Congress before, you will know that you meet many new people and reconnect with those you already know. It is an opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other about ways to tackle issues. Issues that seem too big to tackle, or if we feel overwhelmed or unable to make a difference, are shared with others and they will be able to put forward different ideas or agree to set up new networks to share ideas to resolve issues together.
We face high workloads and many of us have personal commitments, it can feel very challenging trying to balance our work, trade union activities and personal lives. However, being online and trying to balance these is even more demanding without the added benefits of the collectivism, solidarity and good chats you can have at Congress.
We therefore, urge all members to come to Congress and in person, and to encourage their colleagues to do the same.