CONGRESS MOTIONS

Resisting Earned Settlement Proposals

Congress notes:

Government proposals to make the granting of permanent residence dependent on financial contributions, rather than length of residence, delaying permanent settled status for up to 20 years.

Congress believes:

This will create a two-tiered society with non-citizens becoming increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, particularly trafficked women and domestic workers.
Children of non-citizens risk losing any route to permanent settled status.
Migrants are irreplaceable members of universities and contributors to international knowledge exchange.

Congress resolves:

To campaign against this attack on the rights of migrants, including lobbying MPs.
To demand employer financial support for migrant colleagues facing the additional costs of seeking settled status.
To defend existing rights of members, including Indefinite Leave to Remain, and oppose other restrictions on rights to settlement.
To sign and support the FiLiA and Project Resist statement: https://www.projectresist.org.uk/jointstatementearnedsettlement

(146 words)

Amendment 1: Remove point 4 “To sign and support the FiLiA and Project Resist statement: https://www.projectresist.org.uk/jointstatementearnedsettlement”

No to imperialist war against Iran

We condemn the imperialist war against Iran and the open involvement of Keir Starmer’s government in this war, following the recent attacks by the US and Israel. The latest heavy bombardments, which have been underway since the 28th of February, are yet another episode in the wider escalation across the Middle East, carrying the risk of widespread bloodshed and unforeseeable consequences for the peoples of the region.

The conflict is the result of sharpening rivalries between powerful imperialist centres competing for control of energy resources, trade routes and geopolitical influence. Escalating confrontations among leading global powers are pushing the region closer to a wider and more dangerous war. The targeting of regional forces must be understood within this framework of inter-imperialist competition.

Invocations of “security,” “stability,” or “self-defence” serve to disguise the real interests of monopolies and ruling classes, which are unrelated to the needs of the working people.

Only the people themselves, through their own struggle, can determine their future and overthrow the forces that oppress them.

The Starmer government bears serious responsibility for escalating Britain’s involvement, by allowing the use of British military bases for what it describes as “specific and limited defensive” strikes against Iranian targets. Such wording cannot conceal the government’s support for the active participation of the British ruling class in imperialist planning, at the expense of the British people.

As Trade Unionists, we stand in solidarity with the people under attack in this conflict, the people of Iran, Lebanon, and all other countries implicated in this war. We stand with the working people of the region that are once again bleeding for the profits of the rich.

We resolve to

– Call for all British support and participation in the bombardment to stop immediately; for all British military bases abroad to be closed and British armed forces deployed overseas to be brought home.

– Ask UCU to send messages of solidarity to sister Trade Unions in the region, including Iranian Teachers Trade Association (a member of Education International, to which UCU is affiliated).

– Call on members to oppose the war and participate in protests and actions. As a branch, to help organise and publicise such actions against the war.

– Send a version of this motion to UCU Congress.

Amendment 2: To the third resolves add: “and to invite members to sign the trade union statement against the war”

SECTOR CONFERENCE MOTIONS

Defend USS Benefits from Conditional Indexation

Conference notes:

USS Limited and the Employers are promoting ‘Conditional Indexation’ as a future ‘reform’ of USS.
‘Indexation’ is the method of uprating your accrued pension. Currently USS is increased annually by a ‘soft cap’ formula based on CPI. Conditional indexation means uprating pension according to whatever USS actuaries say is affordable in a given year.
Conditional Indexation transfers investment and inflation risks from employers to members, and reduces the Employer Covenant; and creates greater inequality between different categories of members.
TPS employers see USS as a cheaper alternative – reducing the Employer Covenant makes USS even more attractive.

Conference resolves

UCU will actively oppose CI and focus instead on improved governance, accrual and benefits to keep scheme sustainable – and stop hemorrhaging members’ money.
UCU will move to industrial action if USS or employers seek to impose CI.

(148 words)

For a serious political campaign to defend HE

Conference notes

The HE market crisis continues, with 15,000 jobs lost last year.
HESA data shows student numbers fell from 2022 to 2024.
Employers are expanding international campus operations while cutting UK jobs.
Government response to employer lobbying by raising fees.
The developing Research funding crisis triggered by UKRI ‘rebalancing’.
The successful campaign by the NUS highlighting the student loan scandal.

Conference believes Government policy on student visas contributes to a hostile environment dissuading students from studying in the UK.

Conference resolves

UCU will launch a serious political campaign to make the case for fully-funded Higher Education and Research, with mass participation events, including National and Regional Demonstrations and Parliamentary lobbies.
This campaign must also
1. oppose ideas that ‘AI’ replaces the need for HE, and
2. defend international students and staff.

(141 words)