On 14 August the Higher Education Committee (HEC) called for 5 days of strike action from 25th September. On the back of membership feedback, a majority of the Higher Education Committee (HEC) called for a meeting to be held to consider options around the forthcoming 5 days of strike action.
The HEC commended the sacrifices that members have made to get us to this point, and also the need for the union to develop a clear national strategy. However, they also had received evidence from numerous branches of mixed levels of support for the forthcoming strike action. On this basis, the HEC agreed to give individual branches the option of calling off the forthcoming 5 days of action.
To engage members of Southampton UCU on this issue, an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was held on Tuesday 19th September for members to decide if they wished to participate in the 5 days of action.
The meeting was quorate, and it was also attended by the Southern Regional Official, Moray McAulay.
The following motion was passed at the University of Southampton UCU Branch Emergency General Meeting:
Motion 1
Branch resolves to request an exemption from the national strikes planned for 25-29 September 2023.
For: 73% (106)
Against: 26% (38)
Abstain: 1% (1)
145 responses
Notification of this result has been submitted to UCU Head Office where elected HE Officers will make the final decision regarding Southampton UCU’s withdrawal from participating in the coming 5 days of action.
The meeting also discussed and passed a motion on moving to a formal dispute over the University’s unprecedented decision to refuse to hear members’ grievances about pay deductions resulting from participation in the Marking and Assessment Boycott.
Motion 2
Branch expresses its astonishment and disgust at the University’s unprecedented decision to refuse to hear members’ grievances about pay deductions resulting from participation in the Marking and Assessment Boycott.
Branch believes that employment procedures should be applied fairly, consistently, in an unbiased manner, and in accordance with ACAS guidelines. The operation of such procedures should be free of partisan interference from senior leaders and external organisations such as UCEA and UUK.
Branch resolves that it has no confidence in the University’s ability to apply its grievance procedure in a fair, reasonable and unbiased manner.
Branch instructs the executive to move this matter towards a formal dispute.
For: 96% (117)
Against: 2% (3)
Abstain: 4 % (5)
122 responses
The Executive Committee has been approached by the University of Brighton UCU branch requesting a donation to the Brighton UCU fighting fund, and therefore, the following motion was passed at the EGM.
Motion 3
Branch notes that the University of Brighton has proposed to sack up to 130 members of staff, with c. 400 staff being at risk of redundancy. UCU members at that university are currently taking indefinite strike action in protest at these plans.
Branch expresses its solidarity with members of staff facing redundancy at the University of Brighton and its support for UCU members involved in this action.
Branch calls on the University of Brighton to negotiate with UCU and to remove the threat of compulsory redundancies.
Branch resolves to donate £500 towards the Brighton UCU fighting fund.
For: 96% (114)
Against: 0% (0)
Abstain: 4% (5)
119 responses