National UCU info & resources
Petition to Prof. Simon Gaskell – please sign and pass on to students, colleagues and others with an interest
Motion passed at QMUCU branch general meeting, 12 November 2014
Queen Mary UCU Motion on USS Dispute
Queen Mary UCU notes:
1. The unprecedented turn-out in the recent national ballot of pre-92 universities and the strong votes for both action short of a strike – including a marking boycott – and strike action.
2. The employers’ proposals for reform of USS that are:
(a) based on a highly contested valuation methodology;
(b) will result in highly detrimental consequences for all members of the scheme; and
(c) may also put the future of the scheme into doubt
3. That a number of employers have responded to UCU’s introduction of a marking boycott by threatening to dock 100% of pay from those members participating in the boycott.
4. That the counter-proposals tabled by UCU national negotiators and endorsed by the HEC concede far too much ground to the employers in implicitly accepting their valuation methodology when this is being widely questioned and clarity sought, including by employers such as Queen Mary.
Queen Mary UCU requests that:
1. HEC take full notice of both the unprecedented nature of the attack on our pensions and also the mandate for action short of a strike and industrial action by members.
2. UCU’s negotiating position does not waver from the legitimacy and reasonableness of our valuation of USS based on the defence of the final salary scheme. Consequently, we ask that UCU’s counter-proposals – as a basis for negotiations with Universities UK (UUK), distributed to members on Thursday November 6 – be withdrawn immediately.
3. A special sector recall conference takes place, as soon as possible, to ensure that UCU negotiators stick to the mandate of the recent national ballot based on UCU’s alternative valuation of USS and adopts counter-proposals based on this or other agreed valuation.
4. HEC authorise national strike action – at the earliest moment – in support of branches where members have been threatened with any pay docking for participation in the marking boycott; after all, the marking is likely to be completed after the dispute is resolved.
5. UCU nationally calls immediately for contributions to the Fighting Fund from across the sector in order to provide maximum support for members affected first by pay deductions.
qmucu.org 