UCU South West Regional Committee Motion
From Michael Carley (Regional Chairperson) on behalf of the UCU South West Regional Committee.
Dear Member,
The motion below was carried unanimously at our meeting of last Saturday 29th October
In the climate of open racism which has developed since the EU referendum, we as South West UCU members
1. condemn attempts to exclude non-UK students and staff from our institutions of Further and Higher Education, and to discriminate between staff on the basis of nationality.
2. condemn the proposal to oblige employers to list “foreign” staff and to treat the employment of non-UK nationals as a reason for shame.
3. condemn the scapegoating of immigrants for problems caused by a policy of “austerity”.
4. condemn the treatment of immigration as a problem to be solved.
5. condemn any rhetoric which divides workers amongst themselves.
We reaffirm our commitment to the fundamental trade union principles of solidarity and unity and
1. demand that institutions of learning remain open to students and staff of all nationalities.
2. demand that our employers guarantee that they will not discriminate between staff on the basis of nationality or implement lists of “foreign” workers.
We will work with and through organizations in the labour movement and beyond to live up to our principles and to stand with our brothers and sisters from wherever they may come.
We ask UCU members to:
1. sign the UCU petition calling for protection for non-UK staff and students post Brexit.
https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/8463/Will-you-help-UCU-stand-up-for-EU-staff-and-students
2. organize within branches and communities to defend staff, students, and anyone else who might be affected, for example, through trades councils, students’ unions, immigrant defence groups, anti-racist organizations, the Migrants’ Rights and the One Day Without Us campaigns.
Further information and resources:
UCU’s legal service now offers immigration advice: https://www.ucu.org.uk/legal#immigration
UCU and CLASS have produced a report on why immigration is good for us all: http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/6865/Why-immigration-is-good-for-us-all-UCU–CLASS-Oct-14/pdf/whyimmigrationisgoodforallofus_oct14.pdf
South West TUC has produced a booklet on immigration in the region. Copies are available through your branch or regional office, or you can download a PDF: https://www.tuc.org.uk/about-tuc/regions/migration-and-south-west-south-west-tuc-guide-population-and-migration
A number of universities have already taken action in support of non-UK staff. For example:
Exeter University is covering the cost for EU staff applying for a permanent residency card, which proves their right to remain in the UK.
Newcastle University is offering interest free loans to staff who wish to become UK citizens:
https://my.ncl.ac.uk/staff/nuconnections/item/welcome-to-this-brexit-edition-of-nu-connections
At UCL, management, trade unions, and the student union issued a joint statement in defence of the rights of EU and EEA residents in the UK:
If you want to discuss this motion further or get more involved in the UCU South West Regional Committee then please contact me via the regional office at exeter@ucu.org.uk. The next meeting will be on January 21st in Bristol (full details will be sent out nearer to the date).
Yours in Solidarity
Michael Carley (SW Region Chairperson)