Motions passed at General meetings 2025

Motions passed at Branch meetings in 2025 are added to this page as they are passed by members at our Branch meetings. For motions passed in previous years, see links in the right-hand side menu.

Motions passed at the General meeting on Thursday 27th November 2025

Support Rockstar Workers Fighting Unfair Dismissals

This branch notes:

On Thursday 30 October 2025, video games company Rockstar Games fired 31 members of staff in the UK.
All 31 affected people were members of the Independent Workers’ union of Great Britain (IWGB), and many were on the organising committee of their local branch.
Earlier in October, IWGB had achieved 10% membership density at Rockstar, allowing them to seek recognition.
Rockstar claims that these staff members were fired for sharing confidential information in a public forum. However, the forum in question is in fact a private Discord channel for union members and organisers.
IWGB has launched legal claims against Rockstar for unfairly dismissing staff, claiming that these dismissals amount to victimisation and collective dismissal linked to trade union activity.
Rockstar produces Grand Theft Auto, the world’s most profitable video game franchise, with next year’s launch of Grand Theft Auto VI projected to earn the company over $10 billion.
IWGB primarily organises independent, low-paid and precarious workers, including migrant workers, outsourced workers and gig workers.

This branch believes:

Rockstar’s dismissal of these 31 staff members amounts to a blatant and sweeping act of union busting.
Any instance of successful union busting, against any type of worker in any industry, threatens the security and position of all workers. Large acts of union busting such as this set an especially ominous precedent if unchallenged.
Conversely, any instance of workers holding employers to account and securing better working conditions puts workers everywhere in a stronger position to do the same. For these IWGB workers to win against the extremely wealthy Rockstar has great potential to bolster national trade union movements and weaken employers’ sense of impunity.
It is therefore in this branch’s interest to support the legal claims of the dismissed Rockstar workers and to support IWGB’s campaign for recognition at Rockstar.

This branch resolves:

To make an initial donation of £250 to IWGB’s Rockstar Fighting fund, which supports both the legal campaign on behalf of the dismissed workers and the unionisation campaign at Rockstar.
To make one or more additional £250 donations as these campaigns meet their respective milestones, to be determined in communication with IWGB organisers, as the branch Executive Committee sees fit.

Motions passed at the General meeting on Thursday 23rd October 2025

MOTION 1 – OPPOSE COMPULSORY DIGITAL ID

This branch notes:

The UK government has signalled its intent to roll out Digital ID as a compulsory requirement for citizens.
Previous attempts at ID card schemes in the UK, such as those proposed in 2009, were abandoned due to widespread opposition.
Media headlines suggest “public backing” of Digital ID, yet independent polls and petitions show overwhelming rejection (e.g., online polls showing 96% opposition, petitions exceeding 100,000 signatures).
The government frames Digital ID as a solution for tackling illegal immigration, benefit fraud, and financial crime, despite existing mechanisms already in place for verifying identity in these areas.

This branch believes:

This proposal is not motivated by public interest but risks significant government overreach.
Digital ID is unnecessary, given existing forms of identification already function adequately.
Arguments about tackling illegal immigration are being used to distract from wider issues, while the system would not prevent unlawful employment practices.
Compulsory Digital ID threatens civil liberties, enabling state and corporate surveillance and eroding individual privacy.
Such a system could be misused to track, profile, and influence citizens’ decisions, shaping behaviour in ways that undermine democracy.
Marginalised groups are at particular risk of being targeted, monitored, or discriminated against through the misuse of Digital ID systems.

This branch resolves:

To oppose the introduction of compulsory Digital ID on the grounds of privacy, civil liberties, and social justice.
To send this motion to the OU administration, branch members, and UCU Head Office.
To campaign within UCU nationally against compulsory Digital ID, working with other branches and regions to build collective resistance.
To call for UCU to run a coordinated national campaign on this issue, raising awareness and lobbying against its introduction.

MOTION 2 - AFFILIATION TO TRADES COUNCILS

Branch believes:

Trades Councils are the basic unit of local trade union community organising, bringing together all the branches in an area and often seeking to carry out actions beyond their membership.
Such actions often, and particularly at the current time, include actions to organise against the far right and on climate change. See here, and this educational interactive learning website.
Trades Councils also include educational initiatives, such as supporting trade unionists into further and higher education.
Some are quite busy, with active memberships, some are less so. The lists of Trades Councils are found under:
Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Northern Ireland Committee
Scottish TUC
Trades Union Congress – England & Wales.

Branch notes:

The OU UCU can join any trades council willing to accept our affiliation. The system is opt-in and very flexible. In practice, we allocate a proportion of the membership to each one that we affiliate to, pay an associated subscription, and become entitled to send a derived number of delegates.
The OU UCU is already affiliated to Lambeth Trades Council, for the reason that some members resident in Lambeth previously asked for the branch to support their active participation in the local community. Annual subscription is £15 minimum (total), affiliating 100 members, granting two delegates.
There is no Trades Council listed for Milton Keynes. The closest are in Luton and Northampton.
A member resident in Luton has expressed an interest in attending Luton Trades Council as a delegate. Annual subscription £10 minimum (total), affiliating 77 members, granting 4 delegates.
A member resident in Edinburgh has expressed an interest in attending Edinburgh Trades Council as a delegate. (Subscription & delegate number unknown).

Branch Resolves:

To reaffirm its affiliation to Lambeth Trades Council.
To affiliate to Luton and Edinburgh Trades Councils.
To grant the Executive Committee the authority to affiliate the branch to other Trades Councils without requiring a bespoke branch motion, so long as the affiliation fee is less than £50.
To update the branch website with a list of affiliations, and to notify the next branch meeting about the inclusion of those in the agenda document.
To review and re-confirm all new affiliations, and their financial component, at the following AGM.

MOTION 3 - WORKLOAD

Further to the motion passed at the September 2025 meeting, this branch notes with serious concern that workload has increased not only for academic staff but across most areas of the university, affecting almost all units and staff categories. This has been exacerbated particularly by reduced staff numbers following the voluntary severance, redundancy and vacancy control exercises of recent years.

We remind the university that 1 FTE is not an abstract accounting figure: it represents a real 37 hours per week of someone’s time. We urge management to be true to this when resourcing and setting workloads. When functions are under-resourced and when additional responsibilities are continually added without adjustment , it places unsustainable demands on staff.

Increased workloads lead not only to health and stress risks for staff but also directly affect the quality of service and student experience the university can provide. The impact of this is already visible. Some teams are experiencing high levels of sickness, a clear warning sign that workloads have reached a critical point.

We thank the executive committee for their ongoing work on this issue. As a branch, we reaffirm our commitment to challenging excessive workloads wherever they occur, and to pushing for fair, realistic resourcing across the university. We call on senior management to take urgent and meaningful action to reduce workloads, protect staff wellbeing, and ensure a sustainable future for both staff and students.

Motions passed at the General meeting on Wednesday 24th September 2025

MOTION 1 - MOTION TO SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE MK ANSARS

NOTES:

The initiative MK ANSARS was launched on 11 August 2025 by members of the Milton Keynes community to support high-achieving Palestinian students and graduates from Gaza and the West Bank.
The MK ANSARS provides practical support, including housing, childcare, transport, and help with utility bills, alongside mentoring and community integration.
That the initiative is led by respected local organisations and academics, including Kurshida Mirza (former High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire) and Dr Nela Smolović Jones (Open University).
The launch received modest media coverage, but the group is not yet well known.
That the first cohort includes a PhD student researching grassroots leadership and four Master’s graduates in economics and education.
That the last remaining university in Gaza was destroyed in January 2024, forcing students to migrate for education (UN experts deeply concerned over ‘scholasticide’ in Gaza | OHCHR).
That students who have fled to the UK are unlikely to return due to the destruction of their homes and ongoing geopolitical instability (see Palestinians will not be allowed to return to homes in northern Gaza, says IDF | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian).
That many countries impose exclusionary restrictions on Palestinian refugees, increasing their vulnerability. (On World Refugee Day, the World Must Help Correct the Historic Injustice Against Palestinian Refugees – The Cairo Review of Global Affairs).
That Milton Keynes’ economy has identified a need for skills in leadership, management, financial literacy, forecasting, data analysis, and strategic thinking. (Milton Keynes Business Survey 2023).
That one incoming student is arriving with a young child and will require additional support.

BELIEFS:

That access to high-quality education in a supportive environment is a fundamental right, which the OU and the branch supports across the UK.
That Palestinian students and graduates bring resilience, hope, and valuable skills to our communities.
That their expertise in leadership, pedagogy, and sustainability will enrich Milton Keynes and contribute to local development.

RESOLVES:

To support the MK ANSARS initiative by sharing its fundraising link widely through UCU networks: https://localgiving.org/fundraising/SupportingPalestinianFamiliesinMiltonKeynes
To donate the amount of £250 from branch funds, recognising the geographical link to MK and the nationwide branch’s commitment supporting education and humanitarian action.
To encourage branch members to donate to the initiative, financially or through other means, to help students and graduates settle and thrive in Milton Keynes.

MOTION 3 (Motion 2 was withdrawn from the meeting)

This meeting notes with concern the proposed reductions in AL module full-time equivalent (FTE) for many Law modules and associated practices with other academic and academic-related staff groups.

Issues associated with this include:

The potential to cause a risk-of-redundancy situation for Law tutors next year.
The use of student workload as a measure of AL workload.
Cuts in tuition hours.
More generally, the practice of adjusting the workloads of central and regional academics, including Staff Tutors, Student Experience Managers (SEMs) and other staff groups, whilst still expecting the same volume of work to be completed.

The meeting asks the UCU branch and its executive committee to pursue these issues, consider taking action if necessary, and report back to the next branch meeting.

MOTION 4 (LATE MOTION)

This branch notes that a demonstration of over 100, 000 far right ‘patriots’, racists and fascists took place in London on Saturday 13th September 2025. This was the largest fascist demonstration ever to have taken place in the UK and is a wake-up call for trade unionists and all those who wish to continue living in a democracy (however flawed). Currently, the fascists do not outnumber decent people, there is an anti-racist majority, but they are out-organising us. They must be pushed back immediately. This branch resolves to:

Request that our General Secretary seeks an urgent meeting with the TUC to organise a national fightback against the emerging fascist street movement lead by Tommy Robin-son, including a UK wide/4 nations demonstration to reclaim the streets of London as soon as possible. (before December 2025).
Instructs our UCU executive committee to produce and circulate a letter sent directly to every UCU member about the fascist nature of this emerging street movement, its links to Reform (who have made clear their intention to destroy the NHS) and how this movement is being funded by figures in the corporate world like Elon Musk (who is hostile to trade unionism) and to include in these materials facts that expose the myths and lies expounded by the far right about asylum seekers/refugees who are the current scapegoats.

Motion passed at the Extraordinary General meeting on Wednesday 3rd September 2025

Defence of Recognition Agreement and Dispute Resolution Procedures

This branch notes:

That the recognition agreement between the university and UCU establishes clear procedures for dispute resolution, intended to ensure fair and constructive dialogue on matters affecting staff.
That recent actions by the university have shown a disregard for these procedures, undermining the spirit and letter of our agreement.

This branch believes:

That bypassing or ignoring agreed dispute resolution procedures constitutes a serious threat to union recognition and effective industrial relations.
That the branch must be prepared to respond swiftly and assertively to any recurrence of such behaviour.

This branch resolves to:

Empower the Executive Committee to initiate preparations for, and to commence, formal ballots for industrial action (up to and including strike action) in the event of any breaches of the recognition agreement or its dispute resolution procedures.
Authorise the Executive Committee to communicate this position clearly to the employer and to coordinate with the regional and national union as appropriate.

Motion passed at the Extraordinary General meeting on Thursday 31st July 2025

Defend the Palestine solidarity movement, defend the right to protest against war and genocide, oppose counter-terrorism legislation.

This branch notes:

Increasing use of 'counter-terrorism' legislation against the Palestine solidarity movement since October 2023 including police investigations of academics, the prosecutions against students from SOAS and the initial detention of the Filton 10 (now Filton 18).
The government's proscription of Palestine Action, extending the Terrorism Act 2000 for the first time to a non-violent UK-based movement.
The 2000 Act’s anti-democratic definition of ‘terrorism’, encompassing any ‘serious damage to property’ seeking to influence the government for a political, ideological or religious cause, thus criminalizing a broad range of legitimate political protest.
Widespread condemnation of the government's extension of terrorism laws from organisations including Amnesty, Liberty and the UN, and signatories to numerous open letters, including 100,000 who signed a petition initiated by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and over 1300 legal scholars, academics and trade unionists who signed an open letter condemning the UK Government’s plans to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The prosecution on public order offences of key organisers of the national demonstrations for Palestine including Ben Jamal (PSC), Chris Nineham (Stop the War) and Sophie Bolt (CND).
The campaigning of groups including the Campaign Against Criminalising Communities and CAGE against wider counter-terrorism legislation (including the Terrorism Act 2000, the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005, and the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008).
UCU 2015 Congress’ agreed opposition to Section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 due to its threat to academic freedom and freedom of speech, its racism and its corrosive political impact.

This branch believes

This Labour government’s proscription of Palestine Action, the widening use of terrorism charges and increasing prosecutions of the Palestine solidarity movement is an attack on our right to resist state sponsored violence, designed to silence solidarity and protest and protect the government’s complicity in the genocide of the Palestinian people.
The criminalisation of protest, solidarity and resistance constitutes a grave threat to civil liberties and academic freedom which must be opposed by trade unions.
The use of counter-terror legislation to silence Palestinian solidarity highlights a wider process of racist criminalisation and repression, inherent within successive counter-terrorism legislation since 2000.

This branch resolves:

to publicly state and circulate to members its opposition to the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation as laid out in points above.
to affirm our opposition to the wider counter-terror legislation including the Terrorism Act 2000, the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act (ACTSA) 2001, the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005, and the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 and the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.
To include in our members’ communications the Netpol and Cage articles offering advice on the legal implications of the proscription of Palestine Action.
To write to the new Open University Vice Chancellor and VCE sharing our opposition to the proscription of Palestine Action, alongside the wider positions in this motion, asking them to lobby the government about how the new legislation undermines free speech in academia.
To call on UCU Eastern & Home Counties Region, Higher Education Committee and General Secretary to work with other trade unions to develop collective statements and actions opposing the government's assault on civil liberties and attack on the Palestine solidarity movement.

Motions passed at Branch meeting on Tuesday 22nd July 2025

Motion 1

The Union authorises the Executive Committee to liaise and propose a list of three candidates to be one of the next Chancellors of the Open University. At least two should come from past OU staff with an active role in the Union and one (who may not have an OU connection) with an active role in pursuing social justice issues. The reason for this is that we wish to inspire the Open University members (both students and staff) for a renewed commitment to Open University values and history.

Motion 2

Call on the OU’s new Vice Chancellor to cease justifying the University’s complicity in Israel’s genocide and reaffirm the University’s commitment to social justice.

This UCU branch notes:

That in April 2024, the branch overwhelmingly adopted a motion calling on The Open University to “abandon or avoid all investments complicit with Israel” and to “remove arms companies (such as BAE Systems) from its careers recruitment events”.
That more than one year on, the OU has “evaded, trivialised and dismissed” the demands of the Divestment Campaign, despite it having been backed by over 1,772 staff, students, alumnae and supporters of the OU.
That the Divestment Campaign wrote to the OU’s incoming Vice Chancellor on 30 June 2025 to stress the growing urgency of the Campaign's demands, with over 56,000 Palestinians now killed ; an estimated 377,000 “disappeared” ; and a string of condemnations of Israel by authoritative international organisations.
That in his response, the new Vice Chancellor justified the OU’s investments by deferring to the UK Government’s notion of “ethics” – a Government that is complicit in Israel’s genocide. As he stated: “we use an ethical investment fund which ensures funds are not invested in any organisation that has been sanctioned by the UK Government (among others).”
That in his response, the new Vice Chancellor justified the presence of BAE Systems at careers fairs as avoiding censorship and offering students choice. As he stated: “I wouldn’t support a position of censorship. Students should have the choice of which organisations they wish to engage with in terms of employment.”
That the new Vice Chancellor thereby evades leadership, ethics and accountability, choosing instead to relegate matters of immense humanitarian and geopolitical urgency to statutory compliance and individual choice. As a recent report from the UN Human Rights Council has emphasised, complicit companies have engaged in a “joint criminal enterprise”, where the acts of one ultimately contribute to a whole economy that drives, supplies and enables this genocide.

This UCU branch believes:

That if the UK Government fails to heed the advice of the International Court of Justice “not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” , this does not absolve the University from responsibility. On the contrary, this branch believes that the OU's continued investment in companies complicit in Israel’s genocide is entirely antithetical – and poses substantial reputational risk – to the OU’s foundational mission and historic commitment to social justice.
That institutionally platforming arms companies falls well outside of the scope of the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act, and that students seeking career opportunities with BAE Systems have “free choice” to do so by their own means. Conversely, the branch believes that platforming arms companies makes the OU culpable in sanitising these companies’ complicity in war crimes, again posing considerable reputational risks by undermining the OU's brand and foundational mission.

This UCU branch resolves:

To call on the new Vice Chancellor to declare upfront his choice for the University’s investment portfolio going forward: to align either with the UK Government’s complicity in Israel’s genocide, or else with the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion that member states are “under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. The branch will consider a nil response as a maintenance of the OU’s status quo, i.e., complicity with Israel’s genocide.
To call on the new Vice Chancellor to declare upfront whether, by the logics of offering students choice, the OU should provide a platform to all recruitment companies, regardless of their activities – be it involvement in war crimes, tobacco, fossil fuels, adult entertainment, etc. The branch will consider a nil response as a maintenance of the OU’s status quo, i.e., complicity with Israel’s genocide and a carte blanche for inviting further companies engaged in immoral activities.

References for Motion 2 above:

Palestinian Health Authorities: Israel Kills 44 Waiting for Aid as Death Toll Tops 56,000

Harvard Dataverse: 377,000 Palestinians Estimated as “Disappeared"

International Court of Justice: Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

Amnesty Concludes Israel is Committing Genocide in Gaza

United Nations: Anatomy of a Genocide

Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention and Human Security: Four Facts about Israel’s Genocide

International Criminal Court: Issuing of Arrest Warrants

International Court of Justice: Summary of the Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024

United Nations: From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide

Motion passed at our Annual General meeting on Friday 6th June 2025

Proposed changes to branch rules

In rule 8.6 Equality Officer, insert ‘migrant members’ and ‘non-binary members’ in the enumeration of equality groups in bullet v).
In rules 8.7 to 9.5 inclusively and whenever it applies, add ‘they are’ and ‘they will’ after ‘s/he is’ and ‘s/he will’.
In rule 13.3 and rule 6 add ‘and their’ after ‘his and hers’.

Purpose: To ensure that the local branch rules reflect current equality strands and language. In particular, to ensure that ‘migrant members’ and ‘non-binary members’ are included in the enumeration of equality groups and ensure that the language used is inclusive.

Motion passed at Branch meeting on Tuesday 13th May 2025

PROPOSED LATE MOTION TO UCU CONGRESS - LOCAL ELECTIONS AND INCREASED VOTE FOR REFORM

Congress notes with concern:

The increased vote for Reform UK in the local elections on 1st May,
Failure of traditional parties can lay the basis for a resurgence of the far right, and this may be starting to happen in the UK,
Keir Starmer’s response that Labour should go “further and faster” may be counterproductive. If the Labour government’s plan rests on anti-immigration policies it will lend credibility to the right, and cuts in welfare spending will alienate the grassroots of trade union members and Labour supporters.
Reductions in public spending do not create economic growth, and damage services, including education.

Congress asks the incoming NEC to:

Oppose anti-immigration policies,
Work with other trade unions to expose the anti-union and anti-workplace-rights content of Reform UK’s agenda,
Educate people about why immigration is not the cause of low pay or housing shortages,
Oppose welfare cuts,
Campaign for adequate and fully funded services, including education, health, and social care,
To campaign jointly with other trade unions, and other organisations where appropriate.

Motions passed at Branch meeting on Tuesday 29th April 2025

MOTION 1 – SOLIDARITY AND DONATIONS FOR BRANCHES TAKING INDUSTRIAL ACTION

This branch notes that many of our sibling branches are undertaking industrial action in defence of jobs, pay, and working conditions. Due to current conditions across the HE sector; it seems likely that more branches will need to take this action during 2025.

We recognise the financial and personal challenges that members in these branches face and reaffirm our commitment to collective solidarity.

This branch resolves to:

Send and publicise messages of support to branches engaged in industrial action.
Authorise the Executive Committee to make donations of £250 to the hardship funds of each branch taking industrial action during 2025 (subject to our branch treasurer confirming these donations remain financially viable to the OU Branch of UCU).
Make best efforts to identify and contribute to all affected branches taking industrial action.

MOTION 3 – ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR BRANCHES IN EXCEPTIONAL NEED

This branch recognises that some branches engaged in industrial action may face exceptional financial hardship and require additional support from sibling branches.

This branch resolves to:

Authorise the Executive Committee to agree to make additional donations (of up to £1000) to a branch deemed in significant need subject to the branch treasurer confirming that the donation is financially viable to the OU Branch of UCU.

Motion passed at Branch meeting on Tuesday 25th March 2025

MOTION 1 Adoption of the UCU LGBT+ Charter for Equality, Liberation, and Solidarity by the OU UCU Branch

Preamble:
The UK has made positive steps in improving LGBTQ+ rights, yet many challenges remain. At the Open University, a significant number of LGBTQ+ staff continue to express concerns about their ability to live openly and without fear of facing discrimination and exclusion within the workplace. While the Open University is actively pursuing Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives, there is a perceived gap in addressing the specific concerns of LGBTQ+ staff. This highlights a wider issue within Higher Education, where the provision of intentionally inclusive environments are paramount. Institutions like the OU must ensure that, as with any minoritised group within society, LGBTQ+ staff and students feel safe, supported and included.

Objectives:

To show OU UCU Branch solidarity and allyship with its LGBTQ+ membership.
To increase and enhance inclusion amongst LGBTQ+ staff at the OU through the adoption of the UCU LGBT+ Charter and its suggested actions and commitments.
To leverage the OU UCU branch’s leadership and influence in seeking greater recognition and a clearly communicated commitment from the employer towards LGBTQ+ employees within institutional policy and strategy.

Action Points:

The OU UCU branch executive should sign up and adopt the principles of the UCU LGBT+ Charter for Equality, Liberation, and Solidarity.
The OU UCU branch should recognise UCU’s trans-inclusion statement.

Rationale:

By adopting the UCU LGBT+ Charter, the OU branch will have a clear framework of meaningful actions to improve the experience of LGBTQ+ members, and by extension, the broader LGBTQ+ community of employees.

Conclusion:

The principles of the UCU LGBT+ Charter provide a meaningful opportunity for the branch to demonstrate its commitment to LGBTQ+ allyship and solidarity. Formal adoption of the charter sends a clear message to both staff and the employer of the branch’s recognition of the need for safer and more inclusive working environments for OU’s LGBTQ+ staff and students.

https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/10177/Statement-reaffirming-UCUs-commitment-trans-inclusion

https://www.ucu.org.uk/LGBT+charter