Congress 2025: Business of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee

Motions have been allocated to a section of the NEC's report to Congress ( UCU2173 [809kb]). Paragraph headings refer to paragraphs within this report. CBC may have added some new paragraph headings to facilitate the ordering of motions.

Section 2: Business of the recruitment, organising and campaigning committee

Paragraph 2: Campaigning 

7   Recruitment, organising and campaigning - National executive committee 

Congress notes the progress made in implementing the policies set by Congress that fall within ROCC's remit, notably:  

1. support for national disputes wherever these exist   
2. support for branches, including GTVO and disputes    
3. support for other priority campaigns  
4. strengthening recruitment to build greater union density in all our sectors    
5. developing training and education for activists.  

Congress supports continued focus on these areas, working to:    

1. actively support recruitment, campaigning and organising activities nationally, regionally, and locally    
2. engage and involve our diverse groups of members    
3. ensure issues of climate justice and sustainability are integral to our work  
4. actively campaign for the secure and long-term funding of HE, FE, adult and prison education 
5. actively campaign against attacks on the rights of refugees and asylum seekers and other migrants    
6. actively campaign, and support branches in campaigning, against the increasing casualisation of work across all sectors 
7. campaign with other unions and external organisations where appropriate. 

CARRIED AS AMENDED

7A.1  Westminster Kingsway College

After point 5 add the following sentence (not numbered) "Congress further notes the government's Austerity 2.0 strategy with further cuts to education and the welfare state likely to be announced in the Autumn Budget.)

Add at the end "Resolves 1) To submit an amendment to this year's TUC calling for a UK-wide demonstration to oppose the government's cuts strategy. 2) For UCU to call a lobby of Parliament on the day of the budget in October in defence of post 16 education."

CARRIED

8  Defend universal pension and welfare rights - East Midlands retired members branch 

Congress notes that the means testing of the Winter Fuel Allowance is likely to be a precursor to further attacks on presently universal rights and benefits. Means testing does not enable help to be given to all the supposed target group. It also introduces a threshold that has already left many of those who are defined as being in poverty out of its scope. 

Means testing has been suggested for the triple lock and the state pension itself. Further targets could easily encompass concessionary travel and free health care. 

A defence of the universal principle avoids an increasing division between those who can pay and those who cannot afford the basic necessities of a civilised existence. 

Congress calls upon the NEC to organise a campaign in collaboration with other unions and campaign groups to oppose further erosion of universal welfare rights. CARRIED

9  Urgent action on the crisis in social care - Southern retired members branch 

After many years of underfunding, inadequate provision, service failures and a number of reviews and proposals to increase funding that were never implemented, social care in the UK is still in crisis. Most care services are outsourced to commercial providers whose priority is maximising profits. Market based approaches have failed. This requires addressing urgently. 

Congress welcomes the Casey review, which is due to report in 2028, but understands that this will do nothing to alleviate current unmet needs that require urgent intervention now. 

Congress instructs the NEC to campaign alongside other organisations for: 

1. new sources of funding for social care based on a reduction in government spending on defence and an end to subsidies for arms manufacturers
2. new funding to be specifically allocated to local authorities for the in-house provision of additional care
3. political acceptance of the principle that public spending should prioritise 'people not profits'. CARRIED

10  Campaigning on Green Issues - University of Glasgow 

Congress notes:  

1. UK government 2050 net zero targets
2. UN Climate Conference (COP 30) in November in Amazonia in Brazil
3. insufficient progress by most countries, including UK, to meeting inadequate climate targets.  

Congress agrees to work together with other trade unions. Just Transition Partnership, Campaign Against Climate Change/Trade Union Group and Climate Justice Campaign to:  

1. put pressure on government to provide additional funding for just transition away from fossil fuels, including at Grangemouth, and to renewables with no loss of jobs
2. home insulation and transition away from fossil fuel heating  
3. campaign against the third Heathrow runway  
4. use COP 30 to organise round climate issues.  

Congress further agrees to:  

1. affiliate to Campaign Against Climate Change
2. call on General Secretary to: 

• move UCU electricity to renewables-only supplier  
• survey UCU operations and discuss with NEC implementation of measures to reduce environmental impacts. CARRIED

11  Fuel Poverty, Retrofitting, and Energy Justice - London Retired Members 

To campaign for energy justice, for the introduction of a national energy allowance and for a mass housing retrofit programme. The Energy for All manifesto and advocating better training in retrofit skills, can contribute to a just transition that addresses fuel poverty and ensures a sustainable future. 

The NEC to launch a campaign around fuel poverty and housing retrofitting, calling for a national free energy allowance, funded by higher tariffs on luxury energy consumption and taxation of fossil fuel profits. 

Endorse the Energy for All manifesto launched by Fuel Poverty Action and add UCU's name to the list of supporters. 

Use UCU's position in education to advocate enhanced training in low-energy housing retrofitting, ensuring students and workers can gain the skills needed for green jobs. 

Encourage UCU branches to campaign locally on fuel poverty, collaborating with tenants' unions, community groups, and activists to ensure a green transition. CARRIED

12  Union action on climate change - Bradford College  

Congress welcomes the motion passed at the 2024 TUC Congress:  

1. declaring that the climate emergency affects all workers adversely and is a key trade union issue for everyone  
2. calling for a year of trade union climate action including engagement with community and climate justice groups.  

This Congress resolves:   

1. to support the year of trade union climate action, starting in autumn 2025, with COP30 in Brazil, 10-21 November - a key mobilising moment of unity.    
2. keep campaigning on climate issues in union activities: including green bargaining in all Reps training, and working with the Heat Strike campaign  
3. support branches organising outreach events, and joint local activities with other unions, community and climate justice groups   
4. sign-up to the campaign for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty; support initiatives to fund essential climate finance for the Global South, such as Brazil's proposal for a global 2% tax billionaires.  CARRIED AS AMENDED

12A.1 Open University

In Resolves d, after 'Treaty' delete ';' and add "to provide a global roadmap to halt the expansion of fossil fuels; to raise awareness of it amongst members, sister unions in the TUC, Scottish TUC, Welsh TUC, the ETUCE and Education International, and explore holding joint meetings and campaign events with the Treaty campaign."

Add new point e and move the remaining text from point d (from 'support initiatives' to motion end) into point e.CARRIED

13  Trade union year of climate action - New City College (Poplar)  

Congress notes  

1. the TUC motion calling for a year of TU climate action, which should start September 2025 with the Brazil COP as a key mobilising moment  
2. the re-election of Trump on a climate change denial platform  
3. the insufficiently addressed existential threat of ecological breakdown contributing to the epidemic of mental health afflicting colleges and universities.  

Congress believes  

1. the UK should support and implement Brazil's proposal for a global 2% tax on all billionaires to fund Global South green transition  
2. the UK shouldn't increase military spending at the cost of all other investment (e.g. pay, post-16 education sectors and green transition).  

Congress resolves  

1. UCU to organise a Climate/Ecological Education Conference with other unions and climate campaigns during the year of action
2. work with other unions and climate campaigns to build workplace events during the TU year of climate action. 

CARRIED

 Paragraph 4, Engaging and organising 

14  Higher Environmental Risks demand stronger roles for Environmental Reps - University of Manchester, North West regional committee 

The environmental and ecological crisis remains a global threat that all educationists need to address. The attack on 'Green' issues by Right wing press and Reform has begun to undermine the credibility of this essential UCU policy. 

Congress resolves to: 

1. strengthen the role of UCU in negotiations to establish and maintain comprehensive Climate Action Plans for each AE, FE and HE education setting 
2. encourage all branches to establish the role of Green Reps as "Branch Environmental Officers" serving as a core officer role 
3. campaign with local branches for member Learning Agreements and Facility time for Environmental Officers 
4. request the TUC to enable the appointment of further Regional Green Bargaining Officers to support the development of regional and sub-regional networks of Environmental Officers. 

CARRIED

15  Training UCU representatives to support members struggling with addiction - Yorkshire and Humberside regional committee 

Congress notes that in the UK: 

1. there are estimated to be over-600,000 alcohol-dependent drinkers
2. alcohol misuse is the biggest risk factor for death, ill-health and disability among 15-49 year-olds
3. alcohol-specific deaths increased in 2020-2022 following Covid-19
4. workplace stress causes excessive alcohol consumption. 

Congress believes: 

1. alcoholism and other addictions should be treated as diseases which cause suffering to addicts and those around them
2. workplace issues and alcohol abuse can reinforce each other
3. guidance is needed in unions to support representatives supporting members with alcohol-related problems. 

Congress resolves to: 

1. research good practice to support representatives supporting members struggling with addiction
2. encourage branches to campaign and negotiate for employers to adopt addiction policies which support staff rather than stigmatise or punish
3. develop training and guidance, including via UCU's CPD programme, on support for representatives supporting members who are struggling with addiction.  

CARRIED

16  Fair facility time agreements for national anti-casualisation work - Anti-Casualisation Committee

Congress notes:  

1. UCU's anti-casualisation work is essential in the fight for secure contracts and working conditions across the sector.   
2. many reps and activists undertake this work without facility time from the employer.   
3. disproportionate numbers of Black, women, LGBT+, migrant, disabled workers, and those with caring responsibilities are on insecure contracts.  
4. disabled reps often need DWP recognition of paid hours to obtain support assistance to participate in union work.  

Congress resolves:   

1. UCU campaigns and negotiates with employers for facility time for national anti-casualisation work in local agreements 
2. UCU provides direct support to enable those with caring responsibilities or disabilities and those on zero-hour, hourly or part-time contracts to participate at all union levels
3. UCU works with other UCU equality networks to highlight the disproportionate impact of unpaid union work and lack of facility time done by those from intersectionally minoritised groups.  

CARRIED

17  Challenging strike breaking tactics - West Midlands Retired Members 

Congress notes with concern that Birmingham City Council called in the army on 14th April to help co-ordinate the plans to use strike breakers and staff from other councils to clear uncollected rubbish. It is a disgrace that a Labour Council is going to such lengths, and spending vast sums, to undermine legitimate industrial action rather than reaching a settlement with the union.  

These workers provide an essential service; they are right to defend their pay and conditions.  

Congress will:  

1. write to BCC to express our dismay and urge them to resolve the dispute through negotiations not strike breaking tactics.  
2. send a message of solidarity and a donation to the strikers from this congress.  
3. circulate information to branches and encourage them to also send solidarity messages and donations.  
4. work with other trades unions to organise, build and attend a demonstration of support. 

CARRIED