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Dear Provost,
As we are sure you know, trade union branches are independent bodies of union members subject to union rules, that debate and decide their policies via open democratic processes. It is not in the power of either a Branch President or an Executive Committee of the union to overrule motions passed in properly-constituted quorate General Meetings. If we were to do so, we would be legitimately censured by our members for violating union rules.
Such democratic processes are not to be interfered with by external bodies, including, but not limited to, the employer, the press, or political parties. Like anyone in any academic institution, our members enjoy rights to freedom of expression and academic freedom, and to discuss contentious matters in a civilised manner, or “disagree well”.
A number of motions were debated and passed in the General Meeting on 27 October, which we invite you to read in full in https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ucu/about-us/branch-policy. None calls for violence against civilians. Taken together, they explicitly denounce attacks on civilians, and call for the release of all hostages.
Incitement to (indiscriminate) violence is a criminal offence. We are bound by the law, and refute any implication of incitement. We are concerned that this claim is a significant attack on academic freedom, free speech, and trade union freedoms.
If you take exception to a sentence in a motion, we would ask you to think very carefully about where this argument will lead. Are we to now review all books in UCL libraries, redacting statements supportive of the Arab Spring? Must anti-colonial literature be censored?
One motion expresses support for the proposition that the solution in the Middle East is a popular uprising against oppressive rulers across the region, an ‘intifada’. As the OED definition makes clear, “intifada” simply means a popular uprising.
UCL UCU condemns all attacks on civilians, including the attacks by Hamas on October 7th and subsequent assaults on Gaza and in the West Bank. We also call for the immediate release of all hostages and an immediate ceasefire to prevent further casualties.
We expect UCL as an academic institution to support the rights of its employees to express opinions which, whilst not shared by all, remain a legally protected and important contribution to current debate.
We therefore also request that you have the statement on the UCL website (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/oct/ucl-statement-response-motions-passed-local-branch-universities-college-union) removed immediately.
Yours sincerely
UCL UCU Executive Committee