Branch notes:

  1. There is a rising trend towards the casualisation of employment within HE sector.
  2. As apprentices in the sector postgraduate students are often disproportionately vulnerable to casual employment practices.
  3. UCU worked with NUS on creating the Postgraduate Employment Charter which outlines the key rights postgraduate workers demand of their employers and institutions.
  4. HEC Conference at UCU congress 2012 passed motions HE17 calling for local initiatives around postgraduate recruitment to the union, and the highlighting of the NUS/UCU Postgraduate Charter.
  5. The formation of the Postgraduate Workers Association, which is a network within UCU of postgraduates members organizing initiatives at local, regional and national levels around postgraduate related issues in the HE sector.

This branch resolves:

  1. To support the upcoming Anti-Casualisation Committee day of action in the autumn.
  2. To build on HE17 by running a local postgraduate UCU recruitment drive, in conjunction with Goldsmiths SU where necessary.
  3. To create local Postgraduate Forums, hosted by Goldsmiths UCU branch executive, where postgraduate workers can attend for advice and support.
  4. To support the creation of a local Postgraduate Working Group within the branch that would lead in the organization of recruitment drives, forums and any other postgraduate initiatives.
  5. To distribute information from the Postgraduate Workers Association and encourage members to take part in campaigns initiated by this network.

Proposed: Luke Evans

Motion passed: 26th June 2012