Emergency General Meeting – EASE

MONDAY 24th NOVEMBER 2025

MOTIONS RECEIVED

We are the university – ‘Service simplification’, professional integrity and the importance of the university community

This meeting notes that UCL is undertaking a multi-year programme entitled ‘service simplification’. The first stages of this programme have led to disruption and uncertainty for colleagues, with jobs being put at risk. 

This meeting affirms that the university is a community of colleagues and students. Disrespecting the expertise and institutional memory and knowledge of staff in key areas damages the day-to-day working of the university and the experience of both students and colleagues.

The meeting affirms the value of fully engaging all staff and students in discussions about the future shape of the university, including across service areas. 

The meeting agrees: 

  • To form an action group to investigate the detail and future phases of the service simplification programme;
  • To liaise with the student union to share information and identify common interests between staff and students relating to proposals for service areas;
  • To share information about the plans for service simplification and its implications with all members;
  • To create advice for members on tactical and effective use of existing workplace procedures relating to institutional change.
Developing an industrial response to the EASE and MarComms restructuring process

UCL UCU notes:

  1. That at the UCL UCU EGM on 11 July 2025 members passed an amended motion committing UCL UCU to:
    1. Invoke the UCL Collective Dispute Resolution Procedure and notify UCL of a formal dispute to press ‘resolves’ demands (1) a pause/moratorium on EASE projects, and (2) a commitment to no compulsory redundancies of staff arising out of any current or future EASE proposals.
    2. To encourage other recognised campus trade unions (UNISON and UNITE) to be party to the formal dispute described at (6) but to progress any dispute unilaterally if they choose not to be party to the UCL UCU formal dispute.
  2. Activity focused on influencing UCL governance via Academic Board, culminating in a decision by UCL Council to progress the EASE process with two minor concessions: an extra review and one extra year of pay protection for staff that accept a downgraded role.
  3. On 11th August 2025 UCL UCU Executive Committee launched a petition ‘Pause EASE & MarComms restructures at UCL’ which has attracted over four hundred public signatures.
  4. UCL UCU Branch Officers / Negotiators have not provided an update on progressing the UCL Collective Dispute Resolution Procedure.

UCL UCU believes that:

  1. The amended motion passed on 11 July 2025 committed UCL UCU to progressing the above three activities in parallel.
  2. There is no evidence that UCL UCU has pursued a formal industrial dispute with UCL.
  3. Only the most rapid possible progress to a formal industrial dispute with UCL will enable UCL UCU negotiators to pause the EASE proposals and protect staff from redundancies and downgrading.

UCL UCU resolves to:

  1. Record a vote of thanks for those involved in progressing the campaigning activities undertaken to date.
  2. Request a report from UCL UCU Branch Officers / Negotiators on the progress toward creating a formal industrial dispute with UCL.
  3. In consideration of the report received at resolves (2), to prioritise progressing a formal industrial dispute with UCL with the following aims:
    1. To pause future EASE restructuring proposals.
    2. To get UCL to agree that staff will not suffer a financial detriment from any current proposals (redundancy or downgrading).
  4. To regularly report progress on resolves (3) to future General Meetings.

See appendix two of the UCL Trade Union Recognition Agreement for details and timescale of the UCL Collective Dispute Resolution Procedure.

Next steps in EASE campaign

UCL UCU notes 

  1. That “EASE” and other “Service Simplification” programmes are threatening compulsory redundancies of staff and radically centralising the management of departmental teaching administration.
  2. That UCL UCU voted on 11 July to take a series of steps including 

    “6. to invoke the UCL Collective Dispute Procedure and notify UCL of a formal dispute to press ‘resolves’ demands (1) a pause/moratorium on EASE and Marcomms projects, and (2) a commitment to no compulsory redundancies of staff arising out of any current or future EASE and Marcomms proposals.”
  3. That as a result of that campaign, two AB meetings voted overwhelmingly to pause EASE but Council has overturned that decision.
  4. Council has offered two years of pay protection to staff placed at risk of downgrading, but is demanding the EASE process go ahead.

UCL UCU resolves

  1. To formally declare a trades dispute with UCL.
  2. To trigger a consultative ballot of members regarding industrial action (strike and ASOS) as soon as practicable.
  3. To campaign for a Yes vote in that ballot.
  4. To encourage the other campus trade unions to do likewise.
  5. To take all and any other steps to further this campaign, including a press campaign.