Conference Scarborough 2006
+ Margaret's photo's at the end

 

The gang of 8 in the 'Scholar'

View from the cliffs

Delegate's Hotel

Report from the 2nd National Educational Sector Conference held on Sunday 11th June 2006 St.Nicholas Hotel, Scarborough

(Attending from the Scottish Region, Margaret Main, Diane Massie, Don Cathcart, Marjorie Parker, Alex Brown, Robert Harkins, Ray Dimattia, and Bill Blyth

List of delegates who attended

Delegate No	Name		Region	Employer
1	Bill	Saint	01 North East	Newcastle University
2	Martin	Bentley	02 Yorkshire & the Humber	University of Sheffield
3	Clive	Hudson	02 Yorkshire & the Humber	University of Leeds
4	Graham	Pearson	02 Yorkshire & the Humber	University of Bradford
5	Lorna	Skiera	02 Yorkshire & the Humber	University of York
6	Karen	Bedwell	03 East Midlands	University of Loughborough
7	Maureen	Gee	03 East Midlands	Leicester University Students Union
8	Ray	Howard	03 East Midlands	University of Nottingham
9	Terry	Lyon	04 Eastern	University of East Anglia
10	Will	Smith	04 Eastern	University of Cambridge
11	Glyn	Baker	05 London	King's College London
12	Tony	Britton	05 London	University of East London
13	Alan	Howard	05 London	King's College London
14	Peter	Howard	05 London	King's College London
15	Tamsin	Piper	05 London	University College London
16	Barbara	Konig	06 South East	Reading University
17	Paula	Barton	06 South East	University of Sussex
18	Trevor	Pitman	06 South East	University of Reading
19	Chris	Stringer	06 South East	University of Surrey
20	Derek	Nethercote	07 South West	University of Bath
21	Richard	Sherwood	07 South West	University of Bristol
22	Rose	Hunt	08 West Midlands	Aston University
23	Jim	Smith	08 West Midlands	University of Warwick
24	Dave	Westwood	08 West Midlands	University of Birmingham
25	Dave	Jones	09 North West	Manchester University
26	Marion	Leibl	09 North West	University of Liverpool
27	Haydn	Morris	09 North West	University of Lancaster
28	Sandra	Robinson	09 North West	University of Liverpool
29	Paul	Thompson	09 North West	University of Lancaster
30	Eric	Wiggett	09 North West	University of Manchester
31	Bill	Blyth	10 Scotland	University of St Andrews
32	Alex	Brown	10 Scotland	University of Strathclyde
33	Don	Cathcart	10 Scotland	University of Dundee
34	Raymond	Dimattia	10 Scotland	University of Glasgow
35	Robert	Harkins	10 Scotland	University of Glasgow
36	Margaret	Main	10 Scotland	University of Aberdeen
37	Diane	Massie	10 Scotland	University of Aberdeen
38	Marjory	Parker	10 Scotland	University of St Andrews
39	James	Cotter	11 Ireland	National University of Ireland
40	Lynda	Coulter	11 Ireland	University of Ulster
41	Gerry	Devine	11 Ireland	University of Ulster
42	Celia	Keating	11 Ireland	St Patrick's College
43	Ronan	Leydon	11 Ireland	Dublin Institute of Technology
44	John	Magennis	11 Ireland	Queens University of Belfast
45	George	McCartney	11 Ireland	Queens University of Belfast
46	Jim	Shaw	11 Ireland	University of Ulster
47	Robert	Stacey	11 Ireland	Carlow Institute of Technology
48	Martin	Stroud	11 Ireland	Queens University of Belfast
49	Tony	Aldridge	12 Wales	University of Wales Swansea
50	Graham	Harry	12 Wales	Cardiff University

1. Apologies, Introductions and National Officers Welcome – Mike Robinson, National Officer

The National Officer welcomed delegates to the conference on behalf of the NEC and General Secretary. The National Officer outlined the changes to the union since the last conference including the mergers with GPM and Unifi. He also drew peoples attention to the standing orders and the administrative arrangements for the day. A number of delegates had indicated their apologies for not being able to attend (see below).

Introductions and Apologies

Apologies

Dave Lyncock , Delegate 17 06 South East, Southampton university
Trevor Pitman, Delegate 18 06 South East, University of Reading .
Marion Leibl, Delegate 26 09 North West , University of Liverpool .
Tony Britton, Delegate 12 05 London , University of East London .

Substitute

Paula Barton 06 South East, University of Sussex

On the panel

James Lazou Research
Dave Trafford NEC
Sue Sharp NEC

Speakers

Bill Rammell MP Minister for Higher Education

Kat Fletcher President NUS

2. Election of Chair

Nominations Haydn Morris , Delegate 27

Nominated by Chris Stringer and Richard Sherwood

Accepted (unanimously)

3. National Report – Mike Robinson, National Officer

Mike briefly presented his full sector report.

Addition points

• Pay Claim . Mike explained the process and the implication of the recent pay negotiations for non HENIC delegates. In particular he covered the relationship with the academic unions, lessons to take forward and the details of the pay offer.
• Survey . Mike introduced the new Job Evaluation survey to delegates and highlighted the positive and negative implications. He highlighted the problems still being faced for those in the Manual grades and the work Amicus was doing to solve them.

4. Outside Speakers

Bill Rammell MP, Minister for Higher Education

The Minister spoke about the importance of the organic link between the Labour party and Trade Unions and highlighted some of the achievements of the current government on employment legislation.

He proceeded to explain the developments in education since the Labour government took office. In particular he focused on the financial implications of top-up fees and investment in higher education. He mentioned his vision for more flexible higher education courses such as foundation degrees and finished by highlighting the importance of support staff in making UK higher education such a success.

The Minister then took questions from the floor.

Kat Fletcher, NUS President

Kat Fletcher spelled out NUS position on higher education funding, illustrating the negative effects of the governments top up fees scheme on students from poorer backgrounds. She illustrated with statistics the trends associated with fees and future predictions on the impact of variable fees and possible privatisations. The NUS recommends a system of progressive taxation to pay for higher education based on the redistributive message of the more you earn the more you pay.

She finished by taking questions from the floor.

5. Composites and Withdrawal of Motions

Conference was asked to consider the three composite motions.

All three were accepted for discussion.

The chair proposed that the motions should be considered in the following way:

• Composite 1 should be taken as a Sector Motion
• Composite 2 should be taken as a Policy Motion
• Composite 3 should be taken as a Policy Motion

Conference accepted the procedural proposal.

The following motions were therefore withdrawn:

1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13

No other motions were withdrawn.

6. Sector Motions

COMPOSITE 1. SINGLE TABLE BARGAINING

This conference believes that university staff unions staff pay is best protected by a single pay spine, common terms and conditions with a guaranteed national minimum pay increase to be achieved by single table bargaining through JNCHES. We call upon the JNCHES negotiators to seek support of all other JNCHES Unions to secure single table bargaining.

MOVER: Richard Sherwood, Delegate 21 SECONDER: Karen Bedwell, Delegate 6 CARRIED

MOTION 3. JOB EVALUATION (as amended)

This Conference is concerned over the current proposals which include the addition of competency tests as part of the job evaluation. We call upon the education sector committee to oppose this application, unless developed in partnership with trade unions and accepted by the membership.

EASTERN MOVER: Terry Lyon, Delegate no SECONDER: Will Smith, Delegate no 10

Other Speakers:

Alan Howard proposed the following amendment at the end of the motion

“… unless developed in partnership with trade unions and accepted by the membership.”

Amendment accepted by conference

CARRIED

MOTION 4. HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING AND SALARIES

This conference notes that salaries of all staff in the higher education sector have fallen considerably behind those of comparators in other sectors.

This conference, therefore, calls on Amicus to lobby the government to make further significant and sustained increases to the budgets for higher education and research councils and to press universities to restore salaries in the sector to the level of our comparators.

LONDON MOVER: Tamsin Piper, Delegate 15 SECONDER: Formally seconded

CARRIED

MOTION 7. RSDI FUNDING

This Conference believes that previous distribution and accountability of monies from University Funding Councils (UFC's) to Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) under the Reward and Development Staff Initiative (RSDI) was opaque and not financially rigorous.

Conference believes that the RSDI funding at some HEI's never reached the intended staff recipient groups within HEI's.

Conference notes that the latest financial reporting by HEI's on RSDI is even less rigorous so enabling some institutions to be able to divert funds into inappropriate projects.

Conference expects that RSDI funding should be reported back to the University Funding Councils in such a way that the funding is transparent and easily accessible so staff can verify where funding has been distributed and how it has been spent.

Conference believes that the Treasury financing to UFC's should be carried out in such a way that further funding from UFC's to HEI's is dependant on compliance with strict funding and accounting regimes. It should not be possible for HEI's to receive further funding until they have complied with the original funding requirements.

Conference calls upon the Higher Education National Industry Committee secretariat to write to all UK UFC's, the Higher Education Regulatory Review Group and Government bodies such as the Audit Office seeking transparency, simple accessibility to the financial data and a change to the latest rules that do not require HEI's compliance before they receive further funding.

MOVER: Paula Barton, substitute delegate SECONDER: Formally seconded

CARRIED

MOTION 8. STANDARDS AND QUALIFICATIONS OF TECHNICAL STAFF IN UNIVERSITIES

This Conference notes the establishment of The Higher Education Academy (HEA). It further notes the Strategic Plan 2005-2010 issued by HEA last year and the aim to develop standards for staff groups that will include Technicians. Conference recognises benefits that may accrue from staff development but is also mindful that if these standards are introduced without trade union involvement there are likely to be associated problems. Only by the fullest and detailed involvement of Amicus in the content, depth and outcomes of such standards and qualifications are employees likely to achieve a practicable workable set of standards and qualifications. To this end we request that the Higher Education Industry Committee through its Officers engage in initial involvement with HEA to explore and advise a future National Education Sector Conference on the value or otherwise of these proposed standards and qualifications.

MOVER: Rose Hunt, Delegate 22 SECONDER: Formally seconded

CARRIED

MOTION 9. BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP

The current situation in the UK HE Sector is providing exciting opportunities as well as testing challenges.

Lay activists are fully involved in the process of implementing the framework agreement in their individual institutions. This is involving, in addition to the local negotiations and being on the various panels, giving detailed advice to lay members on their individual cases relating to their allocation to the new grading structure.

This involvement with members should be making the case stronger than anything else to non-members of the benefits of membership. However, this needs to be concretised by actual recruitment. Many local activists may already be at full stretch so we need to address how the Union can assist this process. It is vital that this opportunity is not missed. Therefore the relevant assistance needs to be agreed quickly and implemented forthwith.

The fact of the UCU merger of AUT and NATFHE with many Amicus members moving into the “academically relate zone” (strictly speaking membership of USS zone) will be a major organisational challenge in the future. This needs to be factored into the structure of the new union to be formed with the T&GWU and the GMB. In HE this will strengthen us numerically but we need to have appropriate integration and harmonisation of the union at the sector and institutional level. This also needs urgent attention with full lay membership involvement.

MOVER Martin Stroud, Delegate 48 SECONDER Formally seconded

CARRIED

7. General Policy Motions

COMPOSITE 2 HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING AND SALARIES

This Conference believes that Higher Education is vital to the future of this country and notes that salaries of all staff in the higher education sector have fallen considerably behind those of comparators in other sectors.

Funding for Higher Education has been an ongoing concern in the sector for many years. Increasing reliance on industry funding and the proposed concentration of funding on RAE grade 5 and 5* departments, to the detriment of lower graded departments, pose a substantial risk to continuity and diversity in Higher Education. Short-term contracts, a narrowing of the teaching spectrum and a loss of positions and skills in under-funded areas are the most prevalent consequences of the market ethos that underlies this trend. This conference believes that a more responsible and long-term view of education is necessary to secure high standards and good working conditions in the sector for the future.

Conference therefore calls on the Amicus NEC to lobby Government and the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly to:-

•  make further significant and sustained increases to the budgets for higher education and research councils and to press universities to restore salaries in the sector to the level of our comparators

•  ensure all Higher Education Sector Staff currently involved in the implementation of the framework agreement for the modernisation of pay structures and the harmonisation of conditions are rewarded for their considerable contribution in ensuring implementation of these agreements by August 2006

•  promote and implement secure and sustainable funding mechanisms that recognize government's responsibility to preserve the necessary independence, standards and diversity of Higher Education Institutions.

MOVER: Alex Brown, Delegate 32 SECONDER: Formally

CARRIED

COMPOSITE 3 TUITION FEES AND COMMERCIALISATION OF

HIGHER EDUCATION

This Conference acknowledges that all the higher education unions were opposed to tuition fees nevertheless recognising that fees are now a fact of life.

Conference deplores the commercialisation of Higher Education that is following the introduction of variable tuition fees. We believe this system and the lifting of the £3000 cap in the 2008 review will cause a further extension of the market in education that will discourage students from poorer families from studying at university.

Conference is opposed to any further increases in real terms of student tuition fees and calls upon the Government to provide a third of tuition fees to reverse a 30% decline in higher education staff salaries.

We believe Amicus should join Coalition 2010, and fully participate in the alliance of other appropriate organisations campaigning for a well-funded and well resourced education sector that is accessible to all.

MOVER: Graham Harry, Delegate 50 SECONDER: Ray Howard, Delegate 8

CARRIED

MOTION 14 STATUTORY BURSARIES

This Conference notes the advance of Lifelong Learning programmes and the increased demand for continual staff development of working people by employers. In some cases employers recognise these issues as well by acknowledging the additional benefit to their companies but often ignoring the extra financial cost to the individual.

Some employers do assist by making contribution toward bursaries or other educational support to employees who seek to obtain degrees or other qualifications. However the numbers of employers who do this is limited.

Conference calls upon the NEC and through the unions political routes to campaign for statutory bursaries by legislation, either by compelling those employers who do not make any contribution to individuals to do so or by specific government grant to employees who seek to obtain degrees or qualifications that will enhance not only the individual but the skill and knowledge base of UK companies and the country as a whole

MOVER: Dave Westwood, Delegate 24 SECONDER: Formally

CARRIED

MOTION 15 HEALTH AND SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS ON IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY REP LEGISLATION

This Conference urges the government to tackle the serious lack of health and safety enforcement in the workplace and to recognise that Safety Representatives have a more thorough knowledge of health and safety management than many of their line managers, business managers and employers.

Changes must be made to the safety representatives ‘ functions defined in the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977 by including the additional function of issuing, to employers and/or their managers, Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs); the introduction of Roving Safety Reps and the right to stop the Job without risk of victimisation.

This Conference calls on the NEC to campaign against any legislation that restricts the dissemination of safety information especially in relation to Bills that cite terrorism or security.

Immediately following this Conference this Union will allocate sufficient resources to actively campaign to secure this important workplace function for trade union safety representatives.

MOVER: Glyn Baker, Delegate11 SECONDER: Formally

CARRIED

MOTION 16 TRAINING

This Conference believes that in line with the union's equality policy, regional education should be provided and accessible for all reps in facilities local to their workplace, in order to encourage training for reps who are, for various reasons unable to attend the unions residential training courses.

MOVER: Will Smith, Delegate 10 SECONDER: Diane Massie, Delegate 37

CARRIED

MOTION 17 CHINA AND ITS WORKERS

This Conference notes that the UK continues to be flooded with a wave of imports from China – clothes, toys, refrigerators etc. Global companies such as Wal-Mart (Asda) are exploiting the opportunity to import products from a country where many workers are forced to work in excess of 48 hours per week and mostly for a mere fraction of what British workers earn.

• Most workers in China are paid less than UK minimum wage
• The workforce is often required to work over 48 hours a week permitted by law
• The enforcement of labour law is generally lax
• There are 114 million internal migrant workers – this is the largest migration in human history
• Those who leave their work may lose two months of pay

Meanwhile, the Chinese government continues to drastically undervalue their currency, making UK products more expensive in China and Chinese products cheaper here. The result is the continued loss of manufacturing jobs and a record trade deficit.

This Conference calls on Amicus to expose wherever possible this grim exploitation of Chinese workers. Our union must campaign for their right to a fair wage and much improved working conditions.

We support the demand for the establishment of independent unions in China which will put the interests of their members first. We urge our government to make clear their Chinese counterparts that human and workplace rights are of paramount importance to the future development of our relationship as trading partners.

MOVER: John Magennis, Delegate 44 SECONDER: Formally

CARRIED

MOTION 18 35 HOUR WEEK

This Conference calls to adopt a policy of campaigning for a maximum working week of 35 hour in all workplaces.

MOVER: Tony Aldridge Delegate 49 SECONDER: Formally

CARRIED

MOTION 19 FREE HEALTH TREATMENT

This Conference calls on the NEC of Amicus to lobby both Westminster Government and the Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembley to provide sufficient funding to consider the implementation of free eye tests, free dental check-ups, free prescriptions for people with chronic illnesses and an annual MOT check. Thus reducing the burden of care presently placed on the NHS and help improve the nations health.

MOVER: Margaret Main, Delegate 36 SECONDER: Formally

CARRIED

MOTION 20 SECTORAL BRANCHES

This Conference notes that sectoral branches continue to provide support for recruitment and organising of members within Amicus. Conference instructs the NEC to maintain, support and adequately fund sectoral branches going forward into the future.

MOVER: Chris Stringer, Delegate 19 SECONDER: Formally

CARRIED

MOTION 21 IRISH MEMBERSHIP

Amicus will end the discrimination of the Irish membership in relation to training, communication, communication materials and the lack of offers/promotions aimed at the Irish membership including setting up of an Irish website.

MOVER: James Cotter, Delegate 39 SECONDER: Formally

CARRIED

Prioritising six motions to take to General Policy Conference

The education sector is only allowed to take six motions to the General Policy Conference . A vote was therefore held.

Straight Voting:

In favour

Composite 2 37 Composite 3 40 Motion 14 8 Motion 15 33 Motion 16 34 Motion 17 4 Motion 18 5

Motion 19 20 Motion 20 34 Motion 21 35

Result:

The conference agreed to take Composites 2 and 3 as well as motions 15, 16, 20 and 21 forward to the General Policy conference.

•  Elections of Delegates

 •  10 delegates to the 2007 Policy Conference

Martin Stroud, delegate 48, advised the conference the delegates from the Irish region were not seeking nomination to the 2007 Policy Conference. Bill Saint, delegate 1 from North East, also advised he was not seeking nomination.

Conference agreed to nominate 1 delegate per region from the other regions.

The following delegates were elected unopposed: 

1. Tamsin Piper ( London ) Delegate 15
2. Diane Massie ( Scotland ) Delegate 37
3. Clive Hudson ( Yorkshire and Humberside) Delegate 3
4. Maureen Gee ( East Midlands ) Delegate 7
5. Will Smith (Eastern) Delegate 10
6. Paula Bartel (South East) Substitute Delegate
7. Rose Hunt ( West Midlands ) Delegate 22
8. Paul Thompson (North West) Delegate 29
9. Derek Nethercote (South West) Delegate 20
10. Tony Aldridge (Wales) Delegate 49

•  One to attend compositing meetings with the conference arrangements committee (2007 conference )

Diane Massie

Elected Unopposed

•  three substitute delegates for 2007 policy conference

Graham Harry Delegate 50

Karen Bedwell Delegate 6

Alex Brown Delegate 32

Graham Harry, Karen Bedwell and Alex Brown were elected

unopposed.

•  One delegate to the 2006 TUC

 Dave Jones Delegate 25

Elected Unopposed

•  One delegate for the 2007 TUC

 Dave Jones Delegate 25

Elected Unopposed

•  12 to the Education National sector committee

The following delegates were elected. 

1. Lorna Skiera Delegate 5
2. Maureen Gee Delegate 7
3. Will Smith Delegate 10
4. Tony Britton Delegate 12
5. Alan Howard Delegate 13
6. Chris Stringer Delegate 19
7. Derek Nethercote Delegate 20
8. Sandra Robinson Delegate 28
9. Alex Brown Delegate 32
10. Robert Harkins Delegate 35
11. Martin Stroud Delegate 48
12. Tony Aldridge Delegate 49

In the evening a special presentation was made to Margaret Main for all the work she has spent on behalf of the Scottish Region through in ASTMS; MSF and finally Amicus. The presentation was made by Amicus National Officer Mike Robinson

Photo's Alex