OU UCU Divestment Campaign

Background and context

In 2023, Israel launched large-scale attacks on Gaza, escalating its longstanding colonisation and violence to a level that, according to the International Court of Justice, can plausibly be considered a genocide. Among many appeals for international support, Palestinian trade unions specifically called on workers around the world to stop arming Israel and work to end the genocide.

At the national level, UCU supports the Palestinian cause through its affiliation with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, calls for a ceasefire and end to the siege in Gaza, and participation in workplace days of action.

Our branch has also been steadfast in its solidarity with Palestine. In April 2024, we passed a motion calling on the OU to:

  • provide transparency through full records of its current investments complicit with the arms trade and Israel
  • abandon or avoid all investments complicit with the arms trade and arms industry
  • abandon or avoid all investments complicit with Israel
  • remove arms companies (such as BAE Systems) from its careers recruitment events
  • report back on its measures to carry out these actions.

What we’re doing

To push this motion’s goals forward, we: 

  • gather information on the OU’s complicity
  • communicate our findings and viewpoint to OU leadership, UCU members and campaign supporters
  • collaborate with the OU Palestine Solidarity Group and OU Friends of Palestine student group
  • share and discuss ideas for building our campaign and putting pressure on the OU to meet our demands.

Get involved

If you have ideas for how we as trade unionists can build an effective divestment campaign, or simply a passion for the Palestinian cause, we’d love to hear from you! Email [email protected] to speak to a group member about how you can contribute.

Whether or not you’re able to be actively involved, please sign the petition we launched in 2024 calling on the Open University to end its complicity in Israel’s colonial and genocidal activities and in the wider arms industry. Please also share this petition with your staff, student and alumni networks.