UCU: Fixed-term and hourly paid staff

Motion

Motion text: Congress notes that large numbers of academic and related staff in HE and FE are on fixed-term and/or agency and/or hourly-paid contracts.
Careers are thus disrupted, and hampered by chronic problems of status.
Many staff suffer very low pay, no occupational sick pay, and barriers to pension membership. Pay awards and Job Evaluations often discriminate against Fixed Term and Hourly Paid staff.

Congress instructs the NEC to combat casualisation across all sectors by:
using the collective strength of the union to fight for proportional and/or permanent contracts and against the imposition of 'self-employed' status
making effective use of fixed-term and part-time legislation, including identification of suitable test cases
seeking effective ways to challenge all claims of 'objective justification';
strongly resisting the use of 'zero-hour' contracts as a loophole
mounting a determined campaign for effective redeployment policies
challenging employers to ensure that employment practices meet equality legislation
intensifying the recruitment drive among fixed-term and hourly paid staff
drawing up and implementing a charter and/or advice note for Branches/Local Associations
Making every effort to include hourly paid staff in national negotiations, including increases for hourly paid staff as part of any agreed national pay award.