Congress motion
- to campaign with a message of defend education, defend workers’ rights, no to austerity, racism and war
- to engage our members around this message through all possible means and to take part in campaigning activities on such themes, particularly with Stand Up To Racism
- to encourage branches to hold hustings meetings for candidates (except fascists), if possible alongside other unions and student organisations
- to take part in marches and protests that highlight our areas of concern during the election period—such as marches against the school funding cuts
- while recognising that our union is not affiliated to any political party, to call in this election for a vote for Labour.
Statement in support of voting Labour on 8 June
Post 16 education has been under attack over the past 7 years. From the Tory-led coalition to the Cameron and May governments, funding has been cut, tuition fees raised and the EMA scrapped. We have seen the rolling out of marketisation in higher and further education and the narrowing of the curriculum to a training and skills agenda. Despite grand announcements of funding being targeted to help 16-24 year olds to find employment there are still 800,000 without work, education or training.
The General election on 8 June will determine if we are to have more of the same or a radical alternative that, if implemented, would transform lives.
Much of Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party’s manifesto is one that we in UCU have campaigned for, debated and passed policy on and fully support. This includes the scrapping of tuition fees for university students and adults, the reinstatement of EMA, the ending of zero hours contracts and, as Angela Rayner has said, the end of ‘the historic neglect of Further Education’. The proposal for a National Education Service is also one that UCU has campaigned for.
Click here to see Labour’s manifesto.
For the first time in a generation we have the opportunity to put a party into government that has committed to policies that will see, as its mission, to make this country a more equal one.
It is for these reasons, and many more, that we call upon UCU members in England to vote Labour on 8 June.
Sean Vernell – UCU NEC and Vice chair UCU Further Education Committee
Terry Murphy – UCU NEC & Northern Region Chair
Dr Elizabeth Lawrence – past immediate president UCU
Jo McNeill – UCU NEC
Dave Lancaster – UCU NEC
Mandy Brown – UCU NEC & Secretary London Region
Nixon Tod Chair – UNISON FE/6TH Form Colleges Committee
Julie Hearn – UCU NEC
Nina Doran – UCU NEC
Ritchie Bathgate – Chair Gateshead College and UCU national negotiator
Dave Muritu – UCU NEC and Chair of UCU Equality Committee
Sue Abbott – UCU NEC
Bruce Heil – UCU NEC
Elaine Heffernan – UCU NEC (elect)
Laura Miles – UCU Trustee
Margot Hill – UCU NEC
Des Freedman – UCU Goldsmiths University
Christina Paine – UCU NEC (elect)
Lesley Kane
Amy Jowett – UCU NEC
Dawn Livingstone – UCU NEC
Jean Crocker – UCU ACC
Sean Wallis – UCU NEC
Julia Roberts – UCU NEC
Elaine White – UCU NEC
Tom Hickey – UCU Brighton University
Richard McEwan – national negotiator
(All in personal capacity)