Congress motions

Motion

Motion title

Strengthen organising by pursuing a Green New Deal through a national joint claim; climate emergency anti-casualisation

Session

2021-2022

Meeting link

Annual Congress

Meeting date

3 June 2022

Status

Passed

Motion

60

Motion text

Congress believes:
1. Climate change, and decarbonization have implications for job security, pay and terms and conditions in HE and FE.
2. Precariously employed members of staff are particularly exposed to these risks.
3. Casualisation undermines the capacity of workers to live sustainably, and to participate and contribute to the shift to a more sustainable education sector.
4. National Joint Claims’ power to secure improvements beyond pay uplifts, and so to recruit and organise members, is under-recognised.
5. Climate emergency anti-casualisation is an area of potential transformation.
6. That precarious employment is often carbon intensive, featuring significant commuting and home moves.
7. That decarbonisation will negatively affect some jobs.
Congress resolves that UCU:
a. Exemplify collective bargaining by developing and submitting a Green New Deal national claim to FE and HE negotiating forums, including but not limited to:
i. A Just Transition Commission in HE and FE, including transition planning and job (role) frameworks, job security, and review of research funding tied to environmental harms.
ii. Sustainable, just work providing stability for employers and employees to adapt, and a roadmap out of precarity.
iii. Skills transition; paid time for sustainability CPD, including on casualised and outsourced contracts
iv. Trade Union environment representatives’ facilities time
b. Use Trades Union Congress structures to promote multi-union campaigning for a Just Transition.

Proposing body

Composite (University of Liverpool, Open University)

Amended

No

Allocated to

Recruitment, organising and campaigning committee (ROCC)

Notes