UCU Scotland congress 2022

Resolutions of the 16th Meeting of UCU Scotland Congress
Friday 1 April 2022
 

1 - Democratising University Governance

Universities should be self-governing communities of staff and students dedicated to education and research. UCU are concerned at the ever-increasing managerialism of university senior management. Ultimately, this is a result of university governmental structures which marginalise the role of staff and students. The only solution is to give staff and students a real say in university governance. The only way to solve this problem is to allow university staff and students a real say in the appointment of principals and other senior managers. The majority of members on University governing bodies, such as University Courts, should also be elected by university staff and students.     

UCU resolve to lobby the Scottish Government for a change in legislation to ensure:  
1. that a majority of the members of court are elected by staff and students; and     
2. Staff members should be a majority of the selection committee in the appointment of university Principals. 

2 - 2022 Scotland rules change motion 

The purpose of this rule change is to reserve one of the elected ordinary member seats of the UCU Scotland Executive Committee for a Black* member.    

Congress amends the UCU Scotland rules as follows:    

Rule 6.2iii:      

After 'up to three ordinary members,' add 'at least one of whom shall be a Black member,'.  After 'elected by the members of UCU Scotland.' add 'In the event of no Black member standing for election the seat reserved for a Black member will remain vacant.'     

6.2iii will now read: 'up to three ordinary members, at least one of whom shall be a Black member, being members of Scottish local associations or of any Central Group in Scotland, elected by the members of UCU Scotland.  In the event of no Black member standing for election the seat reserved for a Black member will remain vacant.'    

Schedule A, paragraph 4a:     

After 'and ordinary members of the Executive Committee' add '(including that at least one ordinary member be a Black member)'.    

Schedule A, paragraph 4a will now read: 'the vacancies that will exist for Vice-President, Honorary Treasurer, Equality Officer and ordinary members of the Executive Committee (including that at least one ordinary member be a Black member) at the end of the next annual meeting of UCU National Congress;'    

Schedule A, paragraph 5e:    

Current 5e becomes 5f and new text is inserted at 5e reading 'in the case of the ordinary member nominations, and if it is applicable, a statement that the candidate is a Black member.'    

Schedule A, paragraphs 5e and 5f will now read as:     

'e. in the case of the ordinary member nominations, and if it is applicable, a statement that the candidate is a Black member.    

'f. any further information reasonably requested by the returning officer in the notice published to members under paragraph 4. of this Schedule; all of which must be received by the returning officers not later than the deadline set under paragraph 4 of this Schedule.'    

[* UCU uses the term 'Black' in a political sense to refer to people who are descended, through one or both parents, from Africa, the Caribbean, Asia (the middle-East to China) and Latin America. It refers to those from a visible minority who have a shared experience of oppression. The word is used to foster a sense of solidarity and empowerment.]  

3 - Focus industrial action on research as well       

Congress notes that:  

• Strike action places a heavier burden on colleagues who are teaching during strike days    

• Many members are reluctant to take action which directly harms students and our employers exploit that    

• Many universities claim the main reason they cannot afford to address concerns over pay, pensions and workload is a structural underfunding of research (claiming it costs 25% more to conduct than they get paid to do it).     

• Research funders can powerfully influence behaviour change of UK Universities (e.g. Athena Swan)    

Congress calls on UCU Scotland to:    

• Target research activities such as REF submissions, internal and external grant reviewing, ResearchFish submission in future industrial disputes.    

• Negotiate with major funders to gain their assistance in tackling the funding issues that Universities use to justify worsening working conditions of colleagues.  

4 - Maximising participation  

UCU Scotland believes:   

1. Maximising participation and democracy within the UCU is vital to ensuring UCU is a member-led union    

2. UCU Scotland has encouraged this with regular branch delegates meetings on specific issues over the past two years over and above its regular voting delegate-based Scottish Executive meetings     

3. Calls for voting UK-wide Branch Delegate Meetings before Higher Education Committees have been ignored by UCU.    

UCU Scotland Congress resolves to:    

1. Call on UCU to ensure voting Branch Delegate Meetings are held prior to all HECs    

2. Put forward a rule change to UCU Congress requiring such BDMs.    

5 - USS and Four Fights

Dundee UCU acknowledges the great strength of solidarity across our movement for USS and the four fights.   

Dundee UCU also acknowledges the belligerent behaviour of both UUK and USS in our negotiations.   

Dundee UCU is extremely concerned with the structural oppression and intersectionality that is embedded within both campaigns.   

Dundee UCU calls on UCU Scotland to:   

• Provide data on the overall impact the pension cuts will have to those with protected characteristics    

• Provide data for the impact upon workers with protected characteristics on the gender pay gap etc   

• Develop a branch briefing on these multi-faceted concerns.  

6 - More tactical timing of UCU strikes    

UCU branch members note with concerns that UCU national strikes have yet to win the 4 fights.    

We call for UCU leadership to discuss more tactical timings of UCU strikes taking into account the differences amongst nations and regions, different universities, departments and job types, alongside coordinated national strikes, designed to maximise impact.    

More targeted strikes, such as during assessment marking times may be such a time as university leaders will be aware of the huge impact these could have on both on students graduating as well as the need to find and pay for external markers since work during the strike will not be re-scheduled.    

7 - Long Covid  

UCUS notes the complexity of SARS-CoV-2 infection that includes its ability to generate symptoms that can persist for more than 3 months. This is defined as Long-Covid and symptoms include fatigue, impaired cognitive skills, and breathing difficulties.    

UCUS therefore resolve to call on a coordinated approach between the Scottish Government and Universities Scotland in partnership with UCUS reps: 1) to recognise and support staff and students suffering from Long Covid by adjusting workloads, and assisting/advising on accessing health services, 2) for the Scottish Government to record and monitor the rates of Long Covid in staff and students and develop a fully costed action plan (if needed). 

8 - Support for Covid protection

This Congress notes with concern the government's political decision to end Covid measures, which is not informed by science with cases currently dropping mainly due to less testing.     

The scientific community is increasingly calling for government to reveal the scientific evidence for this decision and warns that another wave of infections is coming. Covid becoming endemic creates conditions for new Covid variants The assumption that these will continue to get milder is dangerous and will cause many more deaths and disability especially among the most vulnerable and deprived. WHO experts have warned Britain against lifting all restrictions.    

To live with Covid, Congress ask UK and devolved governments to continue Covid measures: mask wearing, vaccination, self-isolation, sick pay for all staff, urgent funding for HEPA air filters and CO2 monitors in all university teaching rooms, without which there cannot be a fair and just transition to living with Covid.   

9 - Free, accessible, integrated and good quality public transport

Congress notes transport's significant contribution to emissions and the importance of measures to reduce them.     

Congress notes:    

1. The importance of reducing car travel by improving public transport and facilities for cycling walking and wheeling in reducing car travel.    

2. The barriers of cost, lack of accessibility, a badly designed public transport system, limited service late at night and in rural areas.    

Congress agrees to put campaign and put pressure on Scottish government and local administrations for:    

1. Free, public transport (buses, trains, ferries and trams) throughout Scotland, which is fully accessible to all disabled people and includes quiet carriages.    

2. An improvement in services, including much higher frequency services at night and in rural areas, possibly using minibuses, and integration of timetables and services.    

Congress agrees to:    

1. Affiliate to Free our City Campaign and Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance    

2. Support broad-based events for improved public transport.   

10 - No to Cambo 

Congress deplores COP 26 as a missed opportunity and affirms its commitment to campaigning for replacement of fossil fuels by renewables to keep global temperature rises below 1.5oC.         

Congress welcomes the decision to postpone development of the Cambo oil field near Shetland.    

Congress calls on Scottish government to increase pressure on the UK government not to improve approve drilling of oil and gas wells and to campaign for both governments to end support for new oil and gas infrastructure.    

Congress agrees to campaign together with the STUC and relevant affiliates for the Scottish government to make it a legal requirement for firms in the oil and gas industries to set aside sufficient revenues to provide retraining and support for moves to other industries of oil and gas workers threatened with job losses due to the closure of oil fields or other oil and gas infrastructure, or make up pensions  if close to retirement.

11 - Equality Impact Assessments   

Congress notes:    

1. The measures taken by various universities to at least give lip service to combating racism and promoting equality and diversity.     

2. Most university still have policies and procedures which are directly or indirectly discriminatory    

Congress agrees to campaign for:    

1. Scottish Education Funding Council and Scottish Government to require universities to carry out two-yearly equality impact assessments of their policy and procedures, particularly those related to admissions and progression of students and appointment, gender, progression, job retention and promotion of staff in consultation with groups of Black and minority ethnic, Disabled and LGBT+ students and staff and change any found to be discriminatory.    

2. Scottish Universities to carry out two-yearly equality impact assessment as above and make changes if found to be necessary.     

12 - Eradicating sexual violence in post-16 education 

The UCU sexual violence task group reports that in the past five years 1 in 10 university and college staff have directly experienced workplace sexual violence.   

Congress notes in post-16 education:   

• 52% of those who experienced sexual violence did not report it to their employer   

• 70% experienced sexual violence as an ongoing pattern of behaviour   

• Insecurely employed workers were 1.3 times as likely to experience sexual violence than permanently employed   

• Workers on insecure contracts, disabled workers, LGBTQ workers, and BAME workers are all at greater risk of sexual violence.   

Congress demands UCU:   

• Continues to pressure government and employers to work with trade unions and sexual violence prevention workers to address gender-based violence, including by enforcing policies, allocating resources to prevention and counselling, and replacing nondisclosure agreements with transparent procedures;   

• Continues to pressure government and employers to provide decent, secure jobs, given casualisation and structural inequalities exacerbate sexual violence.   

13 - UCU and devolution 

Congress believes:    

• UCU needs to recognise that the implications of devolution are that there are four HE polities in the UK;    

• treating its own decision making as 'UK with implications for devolved nations' potentially disadvantages devolved nations;    

• UCU should take steps towards acknowledging this in campaigns and industrial action;    

• Devolved Nations Working Group should be re-established for regular meetings.   

L1 - Solidarity with sex workers; Government contempt for representative organisations

Congress notes:   

• The non-response by the Scottish Government to SCOT-PEP's letter dated 23rd February by the deadline 7th March,  

• Expected Scottish legislation partially criminalising sex work; students and HE workers including UCU members engage in sex work;  

• Universities' duty to support the health and well-being of students and staff;   

• The unanimous position of all UK sex-worker led organisations for decriminalisation.  

 Congress believes:  

• The Scottish Government is not meaningfully engaging sex workers and their organisations; universities and student unions should consult and support sex workers in universities;   

• The labour movement should include and demonstrate solidarity with sex workers and their organisations.  

Congress resolves:   

• To actively support decriminalisation of sex work and oppose partial criminalisation;   

• To work with sex workers, their organisations and allies on making all Scottish universities supportive of both student and staff sex workers.   

• To prioritise the health and wellbeing of student sex workers above ideology and prejudice. 

L2 - Ukraine: no to war, no to escalation of war

Union notes:  

1. Russian invasion of Ukraine.  

2. Over 4 million displaced persons.  

3. Staff and students with connections to Russia and Ukraine.  

Union believes:  

1. This is an illegal invasion and Russia should pull out with immediate effect.  

2. NATO eastward expansion has contributed to the crisis.  

3. The UK treatment of Ukrainian and other refugees has been appalling.  

Union resolves:  

1. To call for an immediate end of Russian invasion.  

2. To oppose moves by any governments and parties, including NATO, to escalate this war.  

3. To call on universities and colleges to help those affected by the conflict.  

4. To call on the government to waive visa requirements for refugees from conflicts.  

Motions Remitted to the Scottish Executive Committee

R1 - Effective industrial action

Congress believes that:  

The Higher Education Committee (HEC) has failed to adequately consult with branches to coordinate meaningful dates and ensure that all branches take industrial action at effective times.  

Congress believes that the actions of local branches are central to a successful dispute and sector-wide action should take place based on input from branches as to when action will be most effective.  

Congress demands that:  

Given the timetable of marking and assessment at Scottish universities, an emergency meeting takes place between branches, HEC, the General Secretary and National Officers to discuss effective dates for further action with authorisation given to notify employers, when necessary, within legal timeframes.

This dispensation is made to all branches in the sector, enabling them to take action when it is most effective.  

All future industrial action is informed by identifying the most effective times and form of action, with branches meaningfully consulted in advance.  

R2 - USS litigation

1. UCU Scotland welcomes the lawsuit raised against USS directors over their mishandling of the 2020 valuation by two UCU members Dr Neil Davies, Bristol Medical School and Dr Ewan McGaughey, King's College London. 

2. UCU Scotland notes that the case has been given permission by the English High Court to proceed to a hearing on the merits and should the action succeed this creates the possibility of preventing the cuts to the pension benefits currently planned by USS. 

3. UCU notes that litigation is very expensive and that this legal action, which could benefit all members of USS Pension scheme, relies on crowdfunding. 

4. Therefore, as part of the campaign to protect UCU members' benefits it is agreed that UCU Scotland should give a donation of £10,000 to support this legal action.  

5. UCU Scotland calls upon National UCU to support this litigation.