This motion was passed at GUCU branch meeting on 20/09/2023
This branch notes that:
- The marking and assessment boycott (MAB) came to an end on Wednesday 6 September.
- On Friday 15 September, UCU’s Higher Education Committee (HEC) announced that it had voted to allow individual branches flexibility around the upcoming strike dates on Monday 25 – Friday 29 September.
- On Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 September negotiations recommenced between SMT and the GUCU negotiating team.
This branch believes that:
- UCU’s initial strategy of escalating action, of which these strike dates were the next step, is no longer immediately possible due to the lack of a continuous mandate period.
- As a result, these strike days provide our national union with little leverage in the still unresolved Four Fights dispute.
- Goldsmiths SMT should return pay deducted from staff for participation in the MAB, as well as the cancellation of further deductions taken in October, now that the marking is being undertaken, as has happened at Sussex university.
This branch resolves to:
- Immediately contact UCU to ask that the 5 days of strike action in September (Monday 25 – Friday 29) are called off at Goldsmiths, and ensure return of marks by 12 noon on Monday 9 October, in return for SMT agreeing to:
- Repay one half of the deduction from salary for participation in the MAB for the one week in June (salary deducted in August; repayment would be in the October or November payroll);
- Cancel the deduction from salary for participation in the MAB for the one week in August (salary due to be deducted in October);
- A contribution of 20% of all reasonable childcare costs for Goldsmiths staff, including casualised workers and funded students (commencing academic year 24/25);
- The removal of completion/continuation fees for PhD students (commencing academic year 24/25);
- Work towards eliminating the gender and ethnicity pay gaps on a phased basis. The College would hope to achieve this within three years – however, as yet the gap has not been costed and a detailed action plan would need to be worked out and agreed. This would be included in the People Plan and the College overarching ten-year strategy.
It is noted that:
- The College adopts the principle of eliminating pay gaps; and
- The College commits to use their best and reasonable endeavours to eliminate the gender and ethnicity pay gaps; and
- The College would establish a working group, which would include GUCU and Goldsmiths UNISON representatives. The working group would agree Terms of Reference (ToR) and would report on progress to PODEC and Council.
- Continue to mobilise for the upcoming reballot in the pay and conditions dispute