UCU Congress 2026
The Labour government is in turmoil, the war in the Middle East rages on, and Tommy Robinson has once again attempted to mobilise the far right onto the streets. All of this is not separate from the crisis facing post-16 education. These reflect the wider political priorities where public services have been undermined, inequality deepened, and divisions are used to deflect attention from economic failures. Defending post-16 education cannot be separated from wider political struggles. National strategies for industrial action, including access to hardship support for strikers, are essential. But resistance must also link workplace struggles with anti-racist, anti-war, and social justice campaigns capable of challenging the political priorities driving the crisis.
Congress Notes 2026
Congress bulletin (Day 1 & 2) – HESC bulletin – FESC bulletin
Posts
- UCU Congress: delegates vote for national action – now fight to implement Congress decisions
Congress is the annual supreme decision-making body of UCU. For two days delegates from across UCU’s sectors debate together, and then there is one day where FE and HE divide into separate sector conferences. Congress is crucial to the union’s democracy as members, voted by their branches from across the country come together to debate and … - UCU Left Congress caucus
UCU Congress 2026 Congress is next week – it is a key point in the year when members get together and decide on what the national union should be doing. Congress must rise to the multiple challenges we face and vote for national strategies and action that can defend and protect post-16 education. With the recent … - Reform UK feed off despair in local elections – we must offer hopeIn Thursday’s elections, the racist Reform UK party made a historic breakthrough whilst Labour’s vote collapsed. Reform UK took the most votes, most seats and overall control of most councils. In Wales, Plaid Cymru have formed a minority government, with Reform coming second. Labour lost control of the Senedd for the first time and have a …
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- Stop Reform UK
With just three weeks until the local elections, more than 5,000 council seats will be contested across England, alongside elections for the Senedd and Scottish Parliament. Reform UK now has 8 MPs, 983 local councillors, and representation in both the Senedd and Holyrood. In May’s elections Reform UK will be standing in 95% of the local … - The movements converge to turn the tide on the far right
Half a million people descended onto the streets of London on March 28th to show their opposition to the far right and to make clear that anti racists are the majority in Britain. They came from every corner of Britain. This was a movement built in towns, cities and villages from across the UK. The atmosphere …Continue reading “The movements converge to turn the tide on the far right”
- 📣UCU marching Together against the far right📣
It’s now only a few days until what looks set to be one of the biggest demonstrations against the far right in many years.Let’s make sure the UCU bloc is big and loud – bring your banners and your colleagues! 📍We’ll meet at midday at “Start Zone C, Position 7” https://maps.app.goo.gl/Dg4jCd2QxSTELULQ7🚌 If you’ve not got transport yet, you can …Continue reading “📣UCU marching Together against the far right📣”
- NEC elections over: Now the fight for national action beginsThe results of UCU’s NEC elections were announced on Thursday. Many UCU Left candidates were successful – congratulations to all of them. And thank you to everyone who took part, whether by standing as a candidate or helping to get the vote out. UCU Left will still be in a minority on both the FEC and …
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- Scottish Higher Education at a turning point: What future?— Carlo Morelli, Dundee UCU Scotland’s free tuition: an impediment to re-colonialisation? Four UCU branches in Scotland have successfully balloted for industrial action; Strathclyde, Heriot Watt, Aberdeen and Stirling. This is alongside Dundee which has a current mandate and has taken 26 days of strike action since January 2025 and Edinburgh UCU which has initiated a …
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- Stop the Attack on Iran – No more War in the Middle EastUCU Left statement We condemn the attack on Iran by the US and Israel. The US under Donald Trump is attacking country after country. Trump has unleashed ICE thugs on Americans. He will not bring democracy to Iran: he does not support democracy in the USA. Bombing Iran will not support the movement for ‘Women, life, …
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- Stop the Bombing of Iran: This is ‘Regime Change,’ Not Liberation
US and Israel’s decision to bomb Iran has put the world in a very dangerous place. Trump’s initial address, informing the world that military action had started, claimed that this was an attack to ‘liberate the people of Iran.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead this action could very easily spiral into a wider …Continue reading “Stop the Bombing of Iran: This is ‘Regime Change,’ Not Liberation”