Friday 12-11-2021 - 13:44

The University and Colleges Union (UCU) have recently conducted a ballot for industrial action, including strike action and action short of a strike (ASOS). Because this issue will affect all students, the Student Officer team brought a motion to Assembly to give student representatives a chance to vote on an SU position. 

At the meeting, Assembly, which is made up of a representatives from the Common Rooms, Faculties, Associations and SU Officers voted to pass the below policy. 

As your students’ union, we recognise that the industrial action will affect students in different ways. A postgraduate may feel differently than an undergraduate, who may feel differently to an international student. But we cannot let this dispute put students against each other. This dispute is between UCU and the University, and we are a Union that represents all students in Durham – undergraduates and postgraduates. And our response will make every effort to represent the nuances of how this issue affects students. 

We do not believe there is any contradiction in supporting our striking staff, whilst also making every effort to advocate for the continued quality of teaching and learning. We support our lecturers because we believe they deserve fair and secure working conditions. In our university learning community, the working conditions of our staff are directly linked to the quality of education and teaching we receive. 

As part of our commitment to this policy, the SU will be working with the University and UCU to provide videos and other resources that will help students understand the reasons for and impact of industrial action. 

 

Durham SU policy position on UCU industrial action 

 

Proposer: Seun Twins, Charlie Procter, Declan Merrington, Jack Ballingham, Jonah Graham 

 

Durham SU notes  

1. That the University and Colleges Union (UCU) have recently conducted a ballot for industrial action including strike action and action short of a strike (ASOS).   

2. As well as continuing to protect pensions, which was the focus for the 2018 UCU strikes, staff are also balloting over the ‘four fights’;  

   • Addressing gender, ethnic and disability pay gaps for university staff  

   • End contract casualisation and rising job insecurity   

   • Tackle rising workloads  

   • Fair pay  

3. In 2018 Durham Students’ Union passed policy to support UCU’s strike action 2  

  

Durham SU believes  

1. Many Durham postgraduate research student are adversely affected by the issues raised particularly in UCU’s Four Fights campaign, and as dual members of Durham SU and UCU they will be entitled to vote in the ballot and engage in any industrial action.  

  

Durham SU resolves  

1. Durham SU supports the University and College Union because we want great people to be in great jobs, making our education excellent. Our staff deserve secure and equitable work and their pension contributions protected.  

2. No UCU member will engage in industrial action lightly, and we respect and support the difficult decision they have made. We know that striking is always the last option. This dispute must be resolved, through negotiation, as soon as possible.   

3. There is no contradiction in supporting UCU’s campaign goals whilst recognising that ongoing strike action could harm students’ education. Students won’t have had a ‘normal’ education for three years, and they deserve the full Durham experience. The quicker the dispute can be resolved, the better for students and staff.  

4. The Durham SU Officers will make every effort to advocate for the continued quality of teaching and learning, for reasonable adjustment in assessments, and to represent the interests of all members (including postgraduate research students) to the University administration.  

 

Footnotes 

1.  https://www.ucu.org.uk/hedisputes  

2. Durham SU update: UCU strike action policy @ Durham SU