🚨 #USSstrike update 🚨
After general confusion, these motions from the NDC were heard, debated & carried yesterday, during a special meeting of @ucu higher education conference in Manchester. Outline of key info & events in a mini thread to follow 👇👇🏼👇🏾👇🏿
After general confusion, these motions from the NDC were heard, debated & carried yesterday, during a special meeting of @ucu higher education conference in Manchester. Outline of key info & events in a mini thread to follow 👇👇🏼👇🏾👇🏿
Eleven UCU branches signed to get the 2 motions onto the agenda as emergency motions, & delegates voted to accept the report of CBC (congress business committee) who recommended their inclusion. We applaud this grassroots reaction to them being originally left off the agenda ✊🏻
It appears the NDC motions were left off the agenda because HEC did not vote on the 2 motions, but rather put them forward for inclusion. This meant that their status was unofficial & CBC had no choice other than to reject them, as on a technical level they did not exist.
CBC explained to delegates that without a vote by HEC, the 2 NDC motions were invalid in the same way any motion from any branch would be invalid if it had not be subject to the procedure branches must follow for generating motions.
CBC explained that once it had been informed that no vote at HEC had taken place, CBCs hands were tied. It was suggested that any further questions about the process that led to the motions not being included, should be directed by HEC members to the Chair of HEC.
However, this was not the end of the confusion. Despite being quorate earlier in the day for the pay session, delegates were only told after lunch that the number registered for the afternoon USS session was lower. Registration listed 110 delegates, but only 91 attended.
As a result delegates were told any motions carried would not be official, but advisory. Understandably frustration was expressed that this should have been made clear earlier in the day, as delegates who might have stayed to keep the meeting quorate, had already left.
Much like the good Dr Marsh, we at USSb HQ also conclude that whilst the motions might not be binding it would be indefensible to ignore the will of delegates & the motions from that emerged from the conference on the grounds of quoracy.
So all in all, it sounds like yesterday was quite a scramble, but the headline is the NDC motions were heard, debated, and carried. We hope they are heeded & not dismissed because of the quorum issue. Well done to the NDC & all delegates yesterday who supported them. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
