AGM 2025

The hybrid AGM 2025 is being held at 1pm – 2.30pm on Thursday 26th June 2025.

• The in-person meeting is in the Darwin Building room B05 (entrance via Malet Place). Please register in advance if you intend to come in person so we can accurately estimate for catering purposes as lunch will be provided.
• If you are joining online, please register for a zoom link.

For the in-person meeting, food will be available from 12.45pm and the business of the meeting will start at 13.00. We are allowing 1.5 hours for this meeting because running polls in a hybrid meeting can take more time.

Agenda

1. Chair’s Business
2. Draft minutes of previous AGM on 27 June 2024
3. Matters Arising
4. President’s Annual Report
5. Committee Elections 2025-26 & Report of the Returning Officer | Report of the Returning Office – Extended Nominations | Elected members’ candidate statements
6. Treasurer’s Report
7. Delegates Report from Congress 2025
8. Report on UCL campaign for insourcing with guest speaker
9. MyAppraisal with guest speaker from Birmingham City
10. Reasonable Adjustments at UCL (implications of employment tribunal). 
11. Solidarity request for Newcastle.
12. Motions
    
    12.1 Motion 1
    
    Solidarity with BCU UCU
    
    UCL UCU notes
    
    1. Birmingham City University (BCU) UCU branch has taken strike action over the unnegotiated introduction of performance measures and an ongoing restructure of jobs.
    2. The university is outside of national bargaining and has refused to recognise UNISON. UCU is the only recognised trade union.
    3. The branch achieved a 57% turnout in their ballot (closing in April) and has taken some strike action, and is currently engaged in ASOS.
    4. On 19 June, the employer announced that 342 staff were being placed at risk of redundancy, with 320 new posts for which they ‘may’ be eligible.
    5. The branch is considering reballoting for the autumn.
    
    UCL UCU resolves
    
    1. To send a message of support to the branch, and to keep members informed of their campaign.
    2. To make a donation of £1,000 to the branch hardship fund.
    3. To pledge a donation of £3,500 to the branch if they take industrial action next academic year.
    
    12.2 Motion 2
    
    Solidarity with Newcastle UCU
    
    UCL UCU notes
    
    1. Newcastle UCU has been in a lengthy dispute with their employer over compulsory redundancies.
    2. The Vice Chancellor is the current Chair of the Russell Group and has taken a ‘hard line’.
    3. UCL UCU made an initial donation of £3,500 before the start of the action.
    4. However, UCU has only agreed to pay 15 days of strike hardship payments to the branch.
    5. The branch has taken 44 days of strike action.
    (1) Before Easter, members took 30 days of strike action;
    (2) After Easter, the branch called 30 days of strikes to effect a Marking and Assessment Boycott;
    (3) They called a demonstration in Newcastle and got backing from Sector Conference to fund transport for delegations across the UK.
    6. On Friday 20 June, the employer finally withdrew the redundancy threat (Day 44).
    
    UCL UCU further notes
    
    1. The branch has had to take 29 days of strike action more than UCU has agreed to financially support.
    2. The MAB may concentrate hardship among a smaller number of members.
    3. The employer has been punitive in its approach to deductions.
    
    UCL UCU resolves
    
    1. To send a message of solidarity to the branch.
    2. To make a donation of £5,000 to the branch.
    
    12.2 Motion 3
    
    Post Congress Support for the Trade union dispute with Secretary of State for Education over funding
    
    This branch notes:
    
    1. HE14 “Trade union dispute with Secretary of State for Education over funding” overwhelmingly passed at the UCU Higher Education Sector conference.
    2. HE14 included a reference to legal advice that shows the viability of a trade dispute with the Secretary of State over the funding of HE.
    3. HE14 resolves to open a trade dispute with the Secretary of State for Education over HE funding; To coordinate with other HE unions and students to build wide support for the dispute; and To campaign to build awareness and support for the dispute, highlighting the direct link between sector funding, employment conditions and student experience.
    
    This branch believes: 
    1. HE14 was successful because it is the result of a long-term, democratic, rank-and-file campaign organised by workers in higher education
    2. In order to make HE14 a reality in the union, rank-and-file members need to continue campaigning
    3. A well-organised dispute at the national level is necessary to challenge the systemic erosion of working conditions across the sector.
    4. Collective action from all university unions is required to compel the government to reform the funding model.
    
    This branch resolves: 
    
    1.To organise an open general meeting with other campus unions to discuss HE14 and the strategy before the start of next term.
    2. To contact the local student union and other student groups to discuss the campaign and funding model.
    3. To send members to the next cross-branch meeting about the strategy [Date tbc]
    4. To contact the local MP to discuss the dispute, calling on them to raise the issue with the Secretary of State for Education.
    5. To contact the local press to discuss the dispute and the impact on the local community of cuts and redundancies.
    6. To call on the UCU general secretary to work with other higher education unions to establish a democratic “Higher Education Workers Conference” to plan the next steps in the dispute.
    7. To write to HEC to ask for regular updates on opening a trade dispute with the Secretary of State for Education over HE funding.
    

After the AGM, at 5:00pm there will be a branch social in the function room of the Marlborough Arms on Torrington Place. All members are invited to attend.