Our motions to UCU Congress 2019
These are the motions proposed by members of UCU University of Leeds branch and agreed by all members at our general meetings which are on the agenda to be debated by all branches at UCU Congress 2019. Composite motions are composited by the congress business committee from two or more similar motions proposed by different branch, so these may not reflect the exact wording agreed by members of this branch but ought to reflect the intent.
Motion 9 – Composite: Representation of migrants in UCU structures (University of Leeds, The University of Manchester)
Congress notes:
1. migrants, defined as non-U.K citizens, constitute a large demography within UCU’s membership
2. UCU’s structures currently do not represent migrants, thereby leaving them vulnerable to discrimination, harassment, surveillance and other forms of oppression
Congress believes:
a. all workers should be treated equally independent of immigration status
b. racist and anti-migrant sentiments are fuelled by policies such as Hostile Environment and discourses surrounding Brexit
c. there should be no place for targeted racism and legal discrimination within our sector
d. only direct migrant representation can advance UCU policy and organising strategies on matters specific to migrant members such as mobility rights, visa fees, NHS surcharge, social security.
Congress resolves to:
i. recognise migrant status as a protected characteristic under UCU Equality structures
ii. implement rule changes necessary to ensure the representational gap is closed
iii. ensure protection of migrant members is a priority for UCU.
Motion 84 – Rule change: Inclusion of migrant representatives in the equality structures (University of Leeds)
Rule 23.1 (equality standing committees), first sentence, delete ‘four’, replace with ‘five’. After ‘iv. Women Members’ Standing Committee (WMC);’, add new point v. ‘.v. Migrant Members’ Standing Committee (MMC)’.
Rule 23.2 (annual equality conferences), first sentence, delete ‘four’, replace with ‘five’.
Purpose: To allow the recognition of UCU’s migrant members as an equality group with a standing committee and an annual conference established on the same basis as UCU’s other equality groups.
Motion 85 – Rule change: Inclusion of migrant representatives in NEC (University of Leeds)
Add new rule 18.11.4:
18.11.4 There will be two National Executive Committee seats for representatives of migrant members, at least one of whom shall be a non-EU migrant member. Candidates for election to these seats must state they are a migrant member and can remain on committee for three years after receiving ILR.
Renumber existing rule 18.11.4 and subsequent rules, and any subsequent references to these rules, as necessary.
Rule 19.6 (Scheduling of biennial elections) First sentence, change ’18.11.3’ to ’18.11.4’. After ‘representatives of LGTBQ+ members’, delete ‘and’, replace with comma; after ‘representatives of black members’, add ‘and two representatives of migrant members’.
Rule 19.7, delete ’18.11.3’, replace with ’18.11.4’.
Rule 20.5 (counting order for NEC elections): after “ix. Representatives of black members;” add “x. Representatives of migrant members;” re-number existing points x-xiii as xi-xiv.
Purpose: To allow the recognition of UCU’s migrant members (which will include refugees and asylum seekers) through two NEC seats for migrant members. These will be listed as equality seats, for which all members may vote, scheduled in the same years as elections for equality seats other than women, and placed in the counting order for NEC elections at the end of the equality seats (and before casually employed, land based and prison seats).
Motion 20A.1 – Composite (Women members standing committee, University of Leeds, National Executive Committee)
In the second paragraph, after the first sentence which ends in ‘not a biological one’, remove full stop and add new sentence, ‘and modern evidence indicates that neither are binary’.
After the last sentence in the last paragraph, take out full stop and add, ‘and formal recognition of non-binary status for data gathering purposes and for options for non-binary and no gender indication options on passports and other documents that indicate gender’.
Motion 21A.1 – Composite (University of Leeds, LGBT+ members standing committee)
In Congress notes 1, delete from ‘potentially profound consequences…’ to end of clause. Replace with ‘the potential to significantly improve trans people’s lives’.
In 3. insert ‘trans and other’ between ‘feminist’ and ‘scholars’.
In Congress believes a. add at end after ‘equality’: ‘under the Equality Act 2010 and other legislation, and supports proposed changes to the 2004 Gender Recognition Act that support trans people and their rights.’
In Congress believes c, delete ‘potential conflicts of rights’ insert ‘the rights of oppressed groups’.
In ‘Congress calls on UCU to ii; add ‘and trans people’ after ‘academics’.
In Congress calls on UCU to ii, at end, delete ‘and gender’ insert ‘gender and gender identity’.
In final sentence (iii), add at end ‘underpinned by solidarity with all oppressed groups and promote unity in action of women and trans people in the face of attacks on either group.’
Motion 93 – Amend Congress standing order 18 (University of Leeds)
Congress standing order 18 (quorum), delete “(subject to rounding up to the nearest whole number)”
Add at end:
‘except where only a subset of the branches in a sector is eligible to vote on the topic under discussion, in which case the quorum shall be a fraction of 150 members proportionate to membership in that subset. Quora shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number.’
Purpose: To have a quorum for sector specific conferences on matters relating to a subset of the sector which is line with the membership of that subset.
This page was last updated on 23 May 2019