Goldsmiths UCU General Meeting minutes, 5th October 2011

1) Reports
2) Nominations
3) General Meeting

  • USS Dispute
  • Funeral March protest
  • Unite the Resistance
  • Motion in support of electricians and construction workers
  • Motion in support of Middlesex UCU
  • 30th November strike

4) Any other business

1) Reports

Ben Osborn will be taking over from Kirsten Forkert as Branch Administrator. He will be in the Goldsmiths UCU office (32 Lewisham Way) Mondays and Wednesday 2-4pm, and can be reached at gucu-admin@gold.ac.uk or ext. 7474 / 020 7919 7474

Membership is reported to have risen steadily, with around 50 new members in the last year.

2) Nominations

John Wadswoth elected as President
Des Freedman elected as Secretary
Kay Dickinson elected as Treasurer, with Frances Renton to take over while Kay is away next spring
Branwen Gruffyd-Jones was elected as Membership Officer
Luke Evans was elected as Part-time and Hourly Paid Rep
Pamela Beevers was elected as Casework Coordinator
Natalie Fenton and Ben Levitas were elected as ordinary members
There are still vacancies for Equalities, Learning and Health and Safety reps.

3) General Meeting

1.      USS dispute

‘Action short of a strike’ (working to contract) will start on Monday 10th October

JW proposed an Out of Office message to be set as auto-reply for UCU members, to read as follows:

‘UCU Members are involved in a dispute with our employers over imposed changes to our pensions. We are currently working to contract and as a result you may experience delays in receiving a response to your email.
For further information please visit:
http://bit.ly/dsdQoh’

JW has sent out a list of further suggested actions to the UCU HQ, but had yet to receive a response at time of the AGM.

2.      Motion to hold a Funeral March style protest on Monday October 10, meeting outside the college entrance at 1pm, to spread awareness of the USS dispute raise the profile of industrial action.

Motion passed unanimously. Protesters to meet at 1pm outside the college entrance, wearing black.

3.      Motion on the ‘Unite the Resistance’ conference and building toward the 30th of November strike

Motion passed unanimously. 4 delegates to be sponsored and sent to the ‘Unite the Resistance’ on the 19th of November.

4.      Motion to send message to support to electricians and construction workers currently protesting against pay inequalities.

Motion passed unanimously. Message to be sent.

5.      Motion for GUCU to support Middlesex UCU action.

Motion passed unanimously. Message of support to be sent.

6.      Motion to hold rallies, protests and events before the 30th of November, to raise awareness and build toward the strike. As with last year’s rally, UCU to approach other campus unions and coalition of resistance to organise a rally on campus before 30th of November.

Motion passed unanimously.  Ideas are welcome.

4) Any other business

LE to hold a stall on Monday afternoon, to encourage post-grads to join UCU, and to spread awareness of USS dispute and the upcoming November strike. Anyone who can contribute an hour or two to running the stall should contact LE.