Resolutions: countering repression

UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

Before the meeting debated these motions the chair read out the following statement: “Because Palestine Action is a proscribed organisation, avoid any activity that could be seen as supporting or coordinating with it, as this may carry serious legal risks. UCU advises that if you wish to express views on Gaza or Palestine, you do so through lawful, peaceful events and campaigns, and follow the law at all times.”

The following resolutions were carried at the extraordinary general meeting 21 January 2026. The first is a resolution to send a motion to Leeds Trades Union Council, the second is a resolution for the branch.

Resolution: Countering repression (Leeds TUC)  

    Motion to send to Leeds Trades Unions Council 

    Leeds TUC notes that: 

    • Heba Muraisi, held in HMP Newhall, is at grave risk of death after more than 70 days on hunger strike, while Kamran Ahmed has reached more than 60 days in HMP Pentonville.  
    • that hunger strikers are all held on remand, prior to their trial, and well over the 182 day limit and have been subject to draconian and dehumanising conditions in prison following the proscription of Palestine Action including being denied access to books and activities, being restrained during hospital visits and faced non-association orders.  
    • the hunger strike is believed to be the biggest such coordinated action in the UK since those by IRA prisoners in 1981, when 10 people died 
    • the police violence at hunger strike protests has been escalating locally and nationally, pepper spraying and assaults of protesters at HMP Newhall on 3 January   

    Leeds TUC  believes that:  

    • The appalling treatment of hunger strikers and protesters is a part of the wider repression  

    Leeds TUC resolves to:  

    • organise a protest supporting the hunger strikers and invite affiliated branches 
    • organise a Know Your Rights session for trade unionists 
    • work in collaboration with affiliated branches to protect our right to protest and freedom of speech 
    • write to Lammy and Starmer, to intervene and make sure the prisoners’ conditions are improved and their rights are upheld 
    • write to prison governors, demanding they protect prisoners’ rights 
    • write to Prisoners4Palestine sending a message of solidarity and inviting them to speak at a Leeds TUC meeting 

    (246 words) Proposed by Anja Komatar. Moved by Anja Komatar, seconded by Fozia Bora. The motion was carried. 

    Resolution: Countering repression 

      This branch notes that: 

      • Heba Muraisi, held in HMP Newhall is at grave risk of death after more than 70 days on hunger strike, while Kamran Ahmed has reached more than 60 days in HMP Pentonville.  
      • that hunger strikers are all held on remand, prior to their trial, and well over the 182 day limit and have been subject to draconian and dehumanising conditions in prison following the proscription of Palestine Action including being denied access to books and activities, being restrained during hospital visits and faced non-association orders.  
      • the hunger strike is believed to be the biggest such coordinated action in the UK since those by IRA prisoners in 1981, when 10 people died 
      • the police violence at hunger strike protests has been escalating locally and nationally, pepper spraying and assaults of protesters at HMP Newhall on 3 January  

      This branch believes that:  

      • the appalling treatment of hunger strikers and protesters is a part of the wider repression  

      This branch resolves to:  

      • allow members to take the branch banner to protests supporting the hunger strikers 
      • organise a Know Your Rights session for staff and students 
      • collaborate with the campus unions and students to protect our right to protest and freedom of speech 
      • write to Lammy and Starmer, to intervene and make sure the prisoners’ conditions are improved and their rights are upheld 
      • write to prison governors, demanding they protect prisoners’ rights 
      • write to Prisoners4Palestine sending a message of solidarity and inviting them to speak at a meeting on campus 

      (250 words) Proposed by Anja Komatar. Moved by Anja Komatar, seconded by Fozia Bora. The motion was carried. 

      Resolution: Protest is not terrorism

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      Before debating this motion the chair of the meeting read the following statement to the meeting: “Because Palestine Action is a proscribed organisation, avoid any activity that could be seen as supporting or coordinating with it, as this may carry serious legal risks. UCU advises that if you wish to express views on Gaza or Palestine, you do so through lawful, peaceful events and campaigns, and follow the law at all times.”

      The branch resolved to send the following motion to Leeds Trades Unions Council.

      Leeds TUC notes that: 

      • the Home Secretary’s decision to proscribe Palestine Action has drawn wide criticism from across the trade union movement, human rights organisations and wider society 
      • since proscription, thousands have been arrested under the Terrorism Act for holding signs 
      • TUC policy passed unanimously at Congress 2025 demands the repeal of the proscription of Palestine Action and condemns “the home secretary’s abuse of anti-terrorism legislation to ban a non-violent, direct action group, persecute opponents of this move and target peaceful activists.”  

      Leeds TUC believes that:  

      • the proscription of Palestine Action constitutes a major assault on our democratic rights and civil liberties and must be challenged by the trade union movement  
      • the attack on the Palestine solidarity movement through court action against the national coalition for Palestine demonstration organisers is likewise a highly repressive move 
      • protest which targets property or disrupts ‘business-as-usual’ is not terrorism and has a long and proud history as part of many struggles for justice and against oppression  

      Leeds TUC resolves to:  

      • sign the Protest is not terrorism open letter collectively and circulate to affiliated branches 
      • organise a public meeting with local trade unions on defending the right to protest and invite speakers from Defend our Juries, Protest is not Terrorism open letter and the organisers of the national demonstrations for Palestine.  
      • send a delegation with our banner to join the “witness circle” at any upcoming Defend our Juries actions  
      • write to our MPs expressing opposition to proscription and other attempts to repress the Palestine movement 

      (250 words) proposed by Anja Komatar. Moved by Anja Komatar. The motion was carried at the extraordinary general meeting 21 January 2026.

      Resolution on redundancies and precarity

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      This Branch Notes: 

      • That while VER has raised concerns regarding redundancies among senior members of staff, redundancies have persisted amongst early career researchers, most notably teaching and research fellows. 
      • The University’s current policy of someone on a fixed term contract being put on an “ongoing”/permanent contract after a third year of employment has been offered. Yet, Faculties have continued to find ways around this agreement by making these staff redundant and hiring new, fixed term staff the next year, or utilising postgraduate researchers to “keep costs down”. 
      • That no trade union can be successful in its aims if it does not prioritise its most vulnerable and precarious members. Yet, little progress has been made on issue relating to precarious, junior or minoritised staff within this branch, or nationally. This exacerbates employment issues such as the one noted above; it encourages the turn within the sector towards precarious contracts and excessive workloads. 

      This branch resolves to: 

      • Refocus on redundancies at large, including a significant focus on redundancies of ECRs. This branch should not be running any campaign which does not prioritise its most vulnerable and precarious members. 
      • To pressure the University, including with potential walk-outs or strike action, if it does not comply with the spirit of previously held agreements on precarious to ongoing contracts, and make substantial changes to its redundancy policies. This includes not being able to hire new precarious staff if they are not equipped to keep current ongoing staff. 

      (242 words) Proposed by Anne Caldwell. Moved by Anne Caldwell, seconded by Sinéad D’Silva. The motion was carried unanimously at the extraordinary general meeting 21 January 2026.

      Branch resolution on AI

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      This Branch Notes: 

      • The University has pushed staff across the university to support the use of AI by students and staff; in some cases, putting staff in positions where they are pressured to use it in their teaching, research or administrative practice by colleagues or supervisors. 
      • Further, it does not take into account the limitations of this technology. There are legitimate ethical concerns, such as its use in producing false information, reinforcing discriminatory stereotypes, and the unauthorised use of intellectual property, to name only a few. 

      This Branch Resolves to: 

      • Notwithstanding that there may be legitimate use cases that may be agreed with members of staff, ensure that the University does not mandate that any member of staff use or teach AI; nor can staff be mandated to use it by any Faculty, School or Professional Service within the University. 
      • Pressure the University to engage in legitimate and honest discussion regarding and supports research into the environmental impact of data centres.   
      • Pressure the University to engage in legitimate and honest discussion regarding and supports research into the ethical concerns of AI, as noted in the fourth bullet point above. 

      (248 words before amendment) Proposed by Anne Caldwell. Moved by Anne Caldwell, seconded by Kate Hardy. The motion was carried at the Extraordinary General Meeting 21 January 2026.

      Branch resolution (untitled, on AI)

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      This branch notes anecdotal evidence from academic and support staff that the university is encouraging staff to use AI across our work. We are also aware of moving goalposts in the university’s traffic light system for academic integrity. There are numerous issues with both: besides the worker’s rights issues with AI (both in terms of platform worker exploitation, and theft of intellectual property) and the environmental issues with data centres, there is a serious concern that encouraging the use of AI will degrade the work of academic and support staff by transforming teaching and marking into prompt-engineering, and will preclude students gaining crucial critical thinking skills. 

      To understand both issues better, we resolve to ask school and service representatives to informally collate the issues which are arising in their schools and services, and present a compiled report back to the next branch meeting so we can understand what the issues are across the University

      (154 words.) Proposed by Josh Habgood-Coote. Moved by Josh Habgood-Coote, seconded by Simon Hewitt. The motion was carried at the Extraordinary General Meeting 21 January 2026.

      Branch resolution: Police presence, freedom of expression and student wellbeing on campus

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      This branch notes:

      • Three students were arrested on campus on 21st October following a peaceful protest against the inclusion of arms companies complicit in genocide at a careers fair
      • The police were ‘informed’ by SMT about the protest
      • Such a move is in line with a wider authoritarian approach currently being adopted at the University
      • A recent report on the detrimental impact of the presence of police on campus on marginalised students and staff
      • That the University of Leeds has University of Sanctuary status

      This branch resolves to:

      • Write to the senior management team asking them to:
        • respect students’ right to freedom of expression, specifically in the right to express lawful views and opinions freely
        • commit to a policy of no police or armed forces on campus unless there is a meaningful, direct threat to a person(s).
        • conform with its status as a University of Sanctuary, by not allowing companies onto campus whose corporate activities are part of causing people to seek sanctuary in the first place
      • Support students in their right to freedom of expression, including peaceful protest on campus

      This resolution was carried by members of the branch at the ordinary general meeting 13 November 2025. The text here is subject to approval of the minutes of that meeting. The motion was proposed by Kate Hardy and seconded by Sandy James.

      Branch resolution: revitalizing our branch

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      This branch notes:

      • The HE sector faces a severe national crisis, with over 15,000 jobs lost in the past year.
      • While the University of Leeds has not initiated redundancies, management has introduced an early retirement scheme without union consultation.
      • Colleagues face growing uncertainty due to fluctuating student numbers and a turbulent international context.
      • Persistent issues around workload, casualisation, and insecurity will be worsened by the proposed scheme.
      • Following intense industrial action, branch meeting participation and local rep activity have declined.
      • A national ballot on pay, conditions, and redundancies is underway, with other campus unions balloting simultaneously.

      This branch resolves to:

      • Reinvigorate committee and rep activity to boost participation and mutual support.
      • Recruit new caseworkers to manage the early retirement scheme and potential restructuring.
      • Encourage reps to hold local meetings to gather concerns and shape a renewed branch strategy.
      • Urgently request a meeting with the VC for meaningful negotiation on the scheme and future workforce plans.
      • Work closely with the other two campus unions to coordinate “get the vote out.”
      • Protect and strengthen democracy and equal voice within branch structures.

      This resolution was carried by members of the branch at the ordinary general meeting 13 November 2025. The text here is subject to approval of the minutes of that meeting. The motion was proposed by Gabriella Alberti and seconded by Jane Holgate.

      Branch resolution on ethical procurement and the boycott of HP

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      This Branch Notes:

      • That the university is planning a technology refresh using HP laptops.
      • That HP-branded corporations provide technology and services to the Israeli military, police, and Population and Immigration Authority, which are used to maintain a system of occupation and discrimination against Palestinians.

      This Branch Believes:

      • That the university’s procurement processes should be ethically sound and not complicit in human rights violations.
      • That the use of HP products contradicts our ethical principles and established commitment to support the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).

      This Branch Resolves:

      • To urgently raise these concerns with university management.
      • To demand the University reviews its procurement policy to ensure a check for complicity in Israeli apartheid is included.

      This resolution was carried by members of the branch at the ordinary general meeting 13 November 2025. The text here is subject to approval of the minutes of that meeting. The original motion was proposed by Anja Komatar and seconded by Nigel Bubb. The meeting amended the motion as proposed by Shazia Mirza, seconded by Fozia Bora. The resolution above is the text as amended.

      Nominations needed for branch campaigns officer

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      Nominations are needed for a branch campaigns officer, as the post wasn’t filled at the annual general meeting.

      You can find out more about the role at https://www.leedsucu.org.uk/about-us/standing-for-election-to-the-ucu-committee/. The campaigns officer is also part of the branch’s negotiating team.

      Please send your nominations by email to ucu@leeds.ac.uk by the close of Thursday 16 October.

      (Or you can email a.j.u.smith@leeds.ac.uk if you prefer not to alert current officers to your candidacy in advance of the deadline).

      You don’t need to give reasons for your nomination, just please make clear what role you are nominating someone for. For example:

      Dear UCU branch administrator

      I wish to nominate Maria Garcia for the role of campaigns officer.

      Yours faithfully

      James Smith

      To be eligible for election two members must nominate you and you must confirm you accept the nomination by the deadline.

      Please don’t ask large numbers of colleagues to nominate you as this creates extra work for the branch administrator; only two nominations are needed and the number of nominations is not published so there is no advantage in having many nominations.

      Our branch rules go into more detail about the roles of different officers, election processes etc. If you have any question about the nomination or election process email the branch administrator or the honorary secretary at ucu@leeds.ac.uk

      Department rep by-election October 2025

      UCU University of Leeds Branch Posted on by

      The UCU branch committee is calling a set of by-elections for where there are department rep vacancies, to ensure there are reps across the university

      If there is a vacancy in your area (see list below), please think about which of your colleagues might be a good UCU rep. For example, someone that colleagues have confidence in, whose judgement they trust, and who is a good listener.

      The deadline for nominations is the end of Thursday 16 October. See below for how to nominate someone.

      This is a by-election, which means current reps do not need to be re-elected. The term of office will be until the next full elections in May/June.

      What does a UCU department rep do?

      A network of department reps across the university is crucial for maintaining and increasing the strength of the union and ensuring the branch committee learns about problems in different areas.

      UCU department reps are a point of contact for union members in that school, department, service or area, and they alert the branch committee to issues concerning members in their area.

      Most, but not all, department reps also support members with individual problems at work (but only outside of their own department).  Department reps don’t negotiate with local management on behalf of the union – all consultation and negotiation with UCU is done centrally by the negotiating team.

      Department reps will try to welcome new staff and make sure they know about the union.

      You can find out more about the roles of UCU reps at ucu.org.uk/rep

      Department reps and remaining roles available

      Professional services

      Digital Education Service

      Claudia Rogers, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 health and safety rep

      Human Resources including ODPL

      Jenny Rivas Perez, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      4 health and safety reps

      IT

      Andi Rylands, department rep

      Louise Marr, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      4 department reps
      6 health and safety reps

      Library

      Emily Haikney, department rep
      Nicola Barnett, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 health and safety reps

      Lifelong Learning Centre

      Rachel Walls, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 health and safety rep

      Research and Innovation Service

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      3 health and safety reps

      Student Education and Experience (not otherwise listed)

      (This covers all areas, unless listed separately, in Student Success and Educational Engagement, Student Curriculum and Operations, Student Experience and Support)

      Simon Welsh, department rep

      Alexa Athelstan, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      5 health and safety reps

      Professional services, except those listed separately

      Remaining roles available:
      13 department reps
      13 health and safety reps

      Facilities directorate

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      3 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures

      School of Design

      Eirini Boukla, department rep

      Lindsey Waterton Taylor, department rep

      Mark Taylor, department health and safety rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      School of English

      Tony Crowley, department rep

      Brendon Nicholls, department health and safety rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department reps
      1 health and safety reps

      Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies

      Gill Park, department rep (equality)

      Remaining roles available:
      1 health and safety rep

      School of History

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Languages, Cultures and Societies (except Language Centre)

      Corinne Painter, health and safety rep

      Fabio Sarranito, department rep

      Ingrid Sharp, health and safety rep

      Leah Wang, department rep

      Ruba Khamam, department rep

      Sarah Hudspith, health and safety rep

      Sarah Waters, health and safety rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep

      Language Centre

      Angela Hume, department rep

      Sara Montgomery, health and safety rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      1 health and safety rep

      School of Media and Communication

      Helen Thornham, department rep

      Joanne Armitage, department rep

      Miriam Kent, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Music

      Ewan Stefani, department rep

      James Mooney, health and safety rep

      Remaining roles available: none

      Performance and Cultural Industries

      ally Walsh, health and safety rep

      Matty Elliot, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      1 health and safety rep

      School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science

      Simon Hewitt, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (office / unless listed separately)

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      1 health and safety rep

      Faculty of Biological Sciences

      School of Molecular and Cellular Biology

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      3 health and safety reps

      School of Biomedical Sciences

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Biology

      Chris Hassall, department rep (covering all the faculty)

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Biological Sciences (office / unless listed separately)

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department reps
      1 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Business

      Faculty of Business (Leeds University Business School)

      Alex Seehaus, department rep

      Andreas Georgiadis, department rep

      Jane Holgate, department rep

      Stefan Kesting, department rep and health and safety rep

      Tao Jiang, department rep

      Vera Trappmann, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      7 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

      School of Chemical and Process Engineering

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Chemistry

      Lavinia Onel, department rep

      Sandy James, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Civil Engineering

      Barbara Evans, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      3 health and safety reps

      School of Computing

      Hamish Carr, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering

      Paul Steenson, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Mathematics

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      3 health and safety reps

      School of Mechanical Engineering

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      3 health and safety reps

      School of Physics and Astronomy

      Tim Moorsom, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      2 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (office and unless listed separately)

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      1 health and safety rep

      Faculty of Environment

      School of Earth and Environment

      Jonathan Busch, department rep

      Natalie Kopytko, department rep

      Valeria Tolis, health and safety rep

      Remaining roles available:
      6 department reps
      7 health and safety reps

      School of Food Science and Nutrition

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Geography

      Asa Roast, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      3 health and safety reps

      Institute for Transport Studies

      David Watling, department rep

      Paul Timms, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Environment (office / unless listed separately)

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      1 health and safety rep

      Faculty of Medicine and Health

      Leeds Institute of Medical Research (LIMR)

      Remaining roles available:
      4 department reps
      4 health and safety reps

      Institute of Clinical Trials Research (LICTR)

      Duncan Wilson, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      3 health and safety reps

      Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM)

      Remaining roles available:
      4 department reps
      4 health and safety reps

      Leeds Institute of Health Sciences

      Dan Howdon, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      4 health and safety reps

      Leeds Institute of Medical Education

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine (LIRMM)

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      NIHR RDN CC

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department reps
      1 health and safety rep

      Leeds Institute for Data Analytics (LIDA)

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department rep
      1 health and safety rep

      School of Dentistry

      Nigel Bubb, health and safety rep

      Remaining roles available:
      3 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Healthcare

      Remaining roles available:
      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Psychology

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Medicine and Health (office and unless listed separately)

      Remaining roles available:
      4 department reps
      4 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Social Sciences

      School of Law

      Amanda Keeling, department rep

      Carrie Bradshaw, health and safety rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Politics and International Studies

      Charlie Dannreuther, department rep

      Lata Narayanaswamy, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Education

      Richard Badger, department rep

      Indira Banner, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 health and safety reps

      School of Sociology and Social Policy

      Claudia Raviden, department rep
      Maria Rovisco, department rep

      Remaining roles available:
      2 department reps
      2 health and safety reps

      Faculty of Social Sciences (office / unless listed separately)

      Remaining roles available:
      1 department reps
      1 health and safety reps

      Department rep roles

      The committee changed the roles and boundaries changed for the 2024-2026 term of office, with the aim of members electing teams of reps to work together in their area.

      The list above shows who your elected reps are and where there are still vacancies. (This is a by-election, which means you do not need to re-nominate reps who are already elected for 2024-2026.)

      Instead of nominating for particular department rep roles or areas of focus (anti-casualisation, postgraduate, equality) these can be agreed later between the department reps elected. (Anyone taking a particular role is also still a general department rep.) This should give reps more flexibility if someone moves mid-term.

      In a large department, if a rep wants, the website could list a specific work area to help members to find them and to decide who might best understand their issue. For example, a department rep for the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies might want to be listed with “(French)” after their name, but they would still be a rep for the whole school.

      The number listed for health and safety reps includes workload reps. (You can specify “workload rep” or “health and safety rep” in your nominations if you wish but a health and safety reps can change focus to being a workload rep and vice versa, subject to appointment by the health and safety officer and appropriate training.)

      Nominations

      To nominate a colleague (with their agreement!) please email ucu@leeds.ac.uk, ideally include the word “nomination” in the email subject, saying, for example:

      Dear UCU branch administrator

      I wish to nominate James Smith for UCU department rep for the School of English

      Yours faithfully

      Maria García Sánchez

      Each candidate needs two nominations by the deadline and to have confirmed by the deadline that they are willing to stand to be eligible for election. Nominations normally have to be from UCU members in the same department, but exceptions can be made for very small departments.

      It would be helpful if candidates could arrange to be nominated by not more than two colleagues, copying you in so you know it’s been sent, as excess nominations create unnecessary work.