UCU - University and College Union

Through our contacts with the TUC, EI and other education unions UCU is able to join in campaigning work at international level on issues affecting human and trade union rights.

We are involved in campaigns concerned with Burma, Colombia, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Venezuela and the Middle East.

UCU's latest solidarity resolutions from our annual congress can be found here (motions 37-L10)

Iraq

UCU is opposed to the current occupation of Iraq and is one of the many UK unions affiliated to the Stop the War Coalition. UCU also believes that Iraqi trade unions have an important role to play in the establishment of a democratic civil society. In Britain, practical support for the Iraqi trade unions is channelled mainly through the TUC's Iraq Solidarity Committee and the TUC's Aid for Iraq Appeal raises funds to support Iraqi trade unionists in practical ways.

Israel/Palestine

UCU supports the Friends of Bir Zeit University and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which are working to build civil society in Palestine.

Trade Union Friends of Palestine (TUFP) was formed in 1980 with the purpose of mobilising and co-ordinating support for the cause of the Palestinian people within the trade union movement. Its aims are:

Burma

Sanctions are working - Don't let them be relaxed too soon!

The Burma Campaign are asking you to email the British Foreign Secretary asking him to ensure that EU sanctions on Burma are not relaxed until there are fundamental and irreversible reforms, and until Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's democracy movement agrees to their being relaxed.

You can copy and paste a message to the Ministers on the Foreign Office website here: Contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office - Link

Just choose Burma in the subject menu. It takes only 2 minutes.

You can write your own message, or copy and paste the message below:

Dear William Hague, Foreign Secretary, and Jeremy Browne, Minister of State

I am writing to thank your government for the leading role it plays in ensuring European Union policy on Burma has been focused on promoting human rights and democracy in the country.

Britain is the leading country in the world supporting the people of Burma in their struggle for human rights and democracy.

Recent political changes in Burma are welcome, but they are relatively small, and in the past year, human rights abuses have actually increased.

We are aware that some EU members want to use the limited changes so far as justification for lifting targeted economic sanctions on Burma. To do so will remove the incentive for the military backed government to make deeper and more fundamental changes.

The EU must respond positively to changes when they do happen, but any relaxation of pressure must be carefully calibrated and caution is vital. There have been too many lies from the military backed government for its words to be trusted. They must be judged on their actions.

Please use your effective veto power within the EU to ensure that EU sanctions are not relaxed until there are fundamental and irreversible reforms, and until Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma's democracy movement agrees to their being relaxed.

Yours sincerely

Cuba

Free the Miami Five

Cuba Solidarity Campaign are currently campaigning on behalf of the so-called 'Miami Five'. René González, Antonio Guerrero, Ramón Labañino, Fernando González and Gerardo Hernández are all serving lengthy jail sentences in the US, but are only 'guilty' of trying to stop further terrorist attacks against their country. The 'Miami Five' also continue to be denied visits by their families.

More about the Miami Five and how you can write solidarity letters to them

The Cuba Solidarity Campaign (CSC) is a British campaign for the defence of Cuba and its peoples' right to self-determination and national sovereignty. UCU supports CSC.

CSC calls for the normalisation of all diplomatic, economic, cultural and scientific relations with Cuba by the US government.

Colombia

Help free Colombia's Dr Miguel Angel Beltran Villegas

Dr Miguel Angel Beltrán is a Colombian academic who has been imprisoned by the Colombian government since May 2009 without being convicted of any crime. Please add your name to our open letter calling on the government to release Dr Beltrán, which we will publish in the Colombian national press.

General secretary Colombia visit 2009

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt visited Colombia in 2009. A short video, shown as part as the keynote speech to Congress, looks at the threat to trade unionists in the country: www.ucu.org.uk/Colombia2009

Challenge EU trade support to Colombia

Justice for Colombia is running a campaign challenging European Union trade preferences for Colombia. Astonishingly, the EU currently provides Colombia with special trade benefits meant only for countries that respect fundamental worker rights and human rights. Colombia clearly does not fit the bill, and JFC and allies in the trade union movement are calling for the EU to open an investigation into the regular abuses perpetrated in Colombia.

Write to your MEP to ask for an inquiry into Colombia's commitment to respect core labour standards as laid down by the ILO.
- find your MEP here
- (.rtf) file type icon

use this model letter (.rtf) [15kb]
- find out more at the JFC website

Amnesty: Colombian government in denial

The Colombian government is in denial about the country's human rights situation, according to a new Amnesty International report 'Leave us in peace! Targeting civilians in Colombia's internal armed conflict', which was launched on 28 October 2008. Colombia's internal armed conflict has pitted the security forces and paramilitaries against guerrilla groups for more than 40 years. It has been marked by extraordinary levels of human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, with civilians by far the principal victims. Amnesty International's recommendations in this report echo and support the demands and aspirations of the many human rights defenders, community activists and trade unionists who continue to strive for justice often at great personal cost.

Colombia is the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist and the education sector is one of the most difficult areas of the public services to be active. Teachers, lecturers and students are routinely harassed, threatened and assassinated for doing what many of us do on a day-to-day basis.

Link:
UCU is affiliated to Justice for Colombia

Venezuela

The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign is a broad-based campaign in solidarity with the people of Venezuela. The aims are to:

Guatemala

Guatemala is now considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for trade unionists, alongside Colombia. Despite both national and international condemnation of the escalating levels of violence, the Guatemalan government has not yet undertaken any serious investigations nor made any arrests in connection with reported incidents, demonstrating near total impunity towards the perpetrators of these continual violations of fundamental human rights in the country.

Africa

Another priority area has been Southern Africa and particularly the campaign for human and trade union rights in Zimbabwe. UCU is also affiliated to Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA).

Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) campaigns with the people of Southern Africa as they strive to build a better future. Working for peace, democracy and development across the region, ACTSA is the successor organisation to the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

ACTSA influences decision-makers in Britain and Europe on policies that affect Southern Africa. It keeps the region in the public and political spotlight through lobbying, publication of reports and briefings and media work.

International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR)

UCU also supports the International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR) is an organising and campaigning body with the fundamental purpose of defending and improving the rights of trade unions and trade unionists throughout the world. It aims are:

International solidarity