General Secretary, supported by the ‘Independent Broad Left’, calls for up to 27% cut in costs from UCU staffing, and an end to Annual National Congress and Conferences
On Friday 25th January, after the General Secretary had publicised the union’s financial difficulties in The Higher, the NEC debated the future of the UCU. Was it to be a campaigning organisation, fighting for members’ jobs, pay and conditions, and defending public FE and HE, and academic freedom? Alternatively, was it to be a servicing organisation providing individual counselling and call-centre advice?
By 33 votes to 23, the majority of the NEC (led by the Communist Party-dominated ‘Independent Broad Left’ (IBL) group) supported a set of proposals from the union’s Senior Management Team that could involve a cut of up to 27% in staffing costs, and thus a cut in support for members and campaigns, and an end to the union’s annual delegate Congress and FE and HE Conferences.
- Retreat from a campaigning union
- Erosion of member-led union democracy
- Cut of up to 27% in staffing costs
- Pre-emption of Congress Commission on union structure