UCL-UCU: *RSVP* General Meeting Thursday 5 May

This is a reminder for our next Extraordinary General Meeting on Thursday 5 May, 1-2pm. The meeting will consider arrangements for the 2022 UCU Congress and the decisions of the recent Special Conferences on the ‘Four Fights’ and USS disputes (the latter of which we hope to receive soon).

This message focuses on arrangements for the UCU Congress, which reviews the union’s campaigning work and debates campaigning priorities and policy for the coming year.

Our meeting is scheduled to facilitate the election of delegates, consider possible amendments to motions, and “late” motion(s). We can submit up to one amendment to Congress and two amendments to the Higher Education Sector Conference (HESC).

We have received one amendment for Congress (amending our own motion on the invasion of Ukraine), an amendment for the HESC (reballoting branches over the Four Fights and USS disputes), and one late motion for Congress (on the ‘Rwanda Plan’ and the Nationality and Borders Bill) - see Appendix 1. These will be voted on in the meeting.

Any further amendments should be submitted to ucu@ucl.ac.uk in time for pre-circulation (no later than 17:00, Wednesday 4 May).

Are you interested in attending Congress and Sector Conference? All members are entitled to apply to attend these meetings as a delegate, which will be held online over three days, from Wednesday 1st June to Friday 3rd June inclusive (the 2nd and 3rd June are Bank Holidays). Our branch is entitled to 8 voting delegates. We will vote on nominations received at the meeting, but further nominations may be possible. If you are interested in nominating yourself, let us know by writing to ucu@ucl.ac.uk.

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Appendix 1 - Congress business

Proposed amendment for Congress SFC18 Oppose the invasion of Ukraine - for peace not escalation (UCL)

Add at end:

"d. Call on UK universities to suspend all institutional cooperation and funding arrangements with all state-funded academic institutions in Russia, and in particular those whose leadership signed a statement by the Russian Union of Rectors dated 4 March 2022 endorsing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Congress supports constructive engagement with Russian colleagues and students on an individual basis, in particular those who may be suffering from, or in danger of suffering from, persecution in Russia." (75 words)

Congress SFC18 as amended

Congress stands united in our condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We declare our support for the human rights of those under occupation or suffering oppression.

Congress resolves to:

1. Call on the UK Government to allow unconditional entry to the UK to refugees displaced by and fleeing this conflict, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or citizenship.

Congress further resolves to:

a. Offer our solidarity to any colleagues and students directly and indirectly affected by these events.

b. Support all those calling for peace, including those in very difficult circumstances in Russia and Belarus, and to call on all governments – including our own – to bring about a peaceful end to this war.

c. Call on UK universities to facilitate the resettlement of refugee staff and students.

d. Call on UK universities to suspend all institutional cooperation and funding arrangements with all state-funded academic institutions in Russia, and in particular those whose leadership signed a statement by the Russian Union of Rectors dated 4 March 2022 endorsing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Congress supports constructive engagement with Russian colleagues and students on an individual basis, in particular those who may be suffering from, or in danger of suffering from, persecution in Russia.

Proposed amendment to HE Sector Conference HE5 Effective industrial action on Four Fights and USS (University of Liverpool)

Add at end:

"e. To commence disaggregated reballots in all branches over both disputes from as soon as possible in June to as late as possible in September,

i. with end dates timed to permit action in induction week

ii. with both disputes in the same envelope where possible, and

iii. to liaise with branch officers immediately to identify induction week dates.

Where branches have strike mandates until October, the end date may be extended accordingly." (72 words)

HE Sector Conference HE5 as amended

Conference notes:

1. Decisions taken at previous Conferences, and repeatedly expressed at Branch Delegate Meetings, to maintain the link between Four Fights and USS.
2. The successful action by UCU members at the University of Liverpool last year, which involved both periods of sustained strike action, and a marking and assessment boycott.
3. That brief periods of strike action (1-3 days) are ineffective.

Conference resolves:

a. To maintain the link between the two disputes until sufficient progress is made in one or both to justify separation.

b. To call escalating strike action and a marking and assessment boycott over both disputes.

c. To allow limited local variation, to minimise as far as possible strike action on unproductive days, while maintaining maximum effective action overall.

d. To respond to 100% pay deductions for ASOS by immediately calling further strikes.

e. To commence disaggregated reballots in all branches over both disputes from as soon as possible in June to as late as possible in September,

i. with end dates timed to permit action in induction week,

ii. with both disputes in the same envelope where possible, and

iii. to liaise with branch officers immediately to identify induction week dates.

Where branches have strike mandates until October, the end date may be extended accordingly.

Congress Late Motion 1: The ‘Rwanda Plan’ and the Nationality and Borders Bill

UCU notes

1. The ‘Rwanda Plan’ for offshoring asylum seekers and the Nationality and Borders Bill effectively end the right to claim legal asylum in Britain and threaten the citizenship rights of 6 million people and marks a huge escalation of the government’s racist ‘hostile environment’.
2. Lethal ‘Pushbacks’ in the channel, deportations, and fundamental attacks on the rights of refugees must be opposed.
3. The Ukraine war and the Afghan crisis have exposed once again the government’s failure to respond adequately to humanitarian crisis.

UCU resolves to work with refugee solidarity and anti-racist organisations to oppose the offshoring of refugees and the Nationality and Borders Bill.

UCU believes visa restrictions should be waived for all those fleeing war, whatever their nationality.

UCU will campaign to say ‘All Refugees welcome here’.  (131 Words)