Motions

Progressing the Four Fights dispute

Leeds Beckett UCU notes:

1. The intransigence of UCEA, who have not improved their 15 March final offer for the 2023-2024 pay dispute;
2. The serious disruption caused by the MAB to management, students, and workers throughout the sector;
3. That the MAB has financially impacted members with little support from the central strike fund;
4. That from the last BDM the branches position was to escalate action whilst also undertaking a re-ballot;
5. That the delay by the General Secretary and officers of the union in authorising a new ballot for industrial action means there will be a break of at least 7 weeks in the current legal mandate for industrial action, which expires at the end of September;
6. That the General Secretary was formally censured at Congress 2023;
7. That the General Secretary and officers have failed to implement key motions passed during Congress 2023;
8. The statements from the General Secretary on 1 August and UCEA indicating that the 2023-2024 pay dispute is deadlocked.

Leeds Becket UCU believes:

1. That from the communications sent 6^thSept 2023 the strategy of five days of action after the calling off the Marking & Assessment boycott is an illogical and incoherent action; therefore we have lost confidence in the leadership and their strategy.
2. That any industrial action should be part of a coordinated strategy with the backing of a new mandate from members.

Leeds Beckett UCU resolves:

1. To call on both the General Secretary and the Higher Education Committee to carry through on the motions carried at Congress 2023;
2. To call on both the General Secretary and the Higher Education Committee to provide a robust and clear strategy for the current dispute;
3. To call on the General Secretary and HEC to call off the five days of industrial action and await a new mandate from members;
4. To call a further all-members general meeting next week to review the situation if the strike goes ahead.

The Leeds Beckett University & College Union branch notes that the five days of strike action called by UCU from the 25^th of September to the 29^th of September places us in a difficult situation at a local and national level.

This branch believes five days of action after the calling off of the Marking & Assessment boycott is an illogical and incoherent action.

This branch believes that any industrial action should be part of a coordinated strategy with the backing of a new mandate from members.

This branch resolves to ask both the General Secretary and the Higher Education Committee to rethink their strategy and call off the five days of industrial action and await anew mandate from members.

 

No confidence in the General Secretary

This branch notes that:

1. UCEA have made no improved offer on headline pay, instead only offering talks on other matters till February 2024;
2. The MAB was suspended on 6^th September 2023 following another e-vote;
3. Five days of strike action have been called from 25^th to 29^th September 2023;
4. The current mandate period ends on 30^th September 2023;
5. The re-ballot dates to secure a new mandate for action are yet to be announced;
6. The General Secretary (GS) was censured at Congress 2023 in response to their ongoing conduct in this dispute;
7. The GS and HEC have failed to carry through multiple motions which passed at Congress 2023.

This branch believes that:

1. The GS has previously enthusiastically accepted an offer from UCEA which actually constitutes a serious defeat for UCU;
2. short notice e-consultations used by the GS and the UCU’s leadership under the GS during the current mandate have undermined UCU’s democratic structures;
3. last-minute decisions taken by the GS and the UCU’s leadership under the GS during the current mandate have undermined our action.
4. grave delays caused by the GS and the UCU’s leadership under the GS in the timetable for the re-ballot have demotivated members.
5. Without a mandate for further action or a live re-ballot the 5 days of strike action in September are a serious strategic misstep which risk further demotivating members and undermining this ongoing dispute;
6. the credibility of UCU as a whole have been compromised by the damaging action of the GS and the UCU’s leadership under the GS.

This branch resolves:

1. that it has no confidence in the GS and in the UCU’s leadership under the GS, for the way the ongoing dispute has been conducted.

This branch calls for:

1. the immediate resignation of the General Secretary.