UCU members are history makers when we stand together, says Jo Grady

University and College Union (UCU) members are about to become history makers with a pension win that will set the standard for all trade unions, said UCU general secretary Jo Grady today (Saturday).

Speaking at the union’s annual congress in Glasgow, Jo [NOTE 1] paid tribute to the huge successes UCU members in higher, further and prison education have achieved by standing together.

Jo pointed to the many pay deals UCU members have won in further education; the 94% yes vote in prison education that led to Novus staff at 48 prisons across England and Wales getting an improved offer; big anti-casualisation wins in higher education and university members standing firm in their marking boycott against a brutal onslaught by university bosses on their fight for fair pay and decent working conditions.

Jo’s speech paid homage to Glasgow, where Congress is taking place, and its history of working class struggle. She said: ‘It’s wonderful to be here in Glasgow, a city with such glorious traditions of working class militancy and radical internationalism.’

On the Universities Superannuation Scheme pension victory, Jo said: ‘Today, thanks to your bravery and determination, your steadfastness on picket lines, in the face of freezing winds and vindictive employers we are on the verge of seeing our retirement benefits restored, in full. This will be the biggest pensions win in British trade union history.’

On anti-casualisation wins in higher education, Jo said: ‘We won at the Open University, almost 5,000 staff moved onto permanent contracts, the biggest ever decasualisation win in higher education…We won at Sheffield Hallam a victory which saw an end to zero-hour contracts for associate lecturers.’ 

On the marking and assessment boycott, Jo said: ‘Branches are fighting and rolling back the threat of punitive pay deductions – whilst vice-chancellors are disgracing themselves and their institutions. It is our members who are the heartbeat of this sector.’

On further education, Jo said: ‘We are fighting harder than ever.Some of our lowest paid members have shown genuinely inspiring bravery and confidence.’

On prison education, Jo said: ‘I cannot not mention our amazing prison education members – a stunning 94% YES vote for strike action – wow. And that vote won an improved pay offer.’

Jo closed her speech by telling UCU members that by standing together we can save the education sector. She said: ‘Together, we will build an education sector that belongs to us. To the staff. To the students. To the people.’

Comrades and friends, welcome!

It’s wonderful to be back together, in person, after four years of zoom and teams.

And it’s wonderful to be here in Glasgow, a city with such glorious traditions of working class militancy and radical internationalism.

From the Cotton Weavers who were murdered fighting against wage cuts in the 18th century to the Women’s Peace Crusade activists who took a stand against the slaughter of WW1, And, more recently, the heroes who stopped an immigration raid in Pollokshields just two years ago.

So, welcome to Glasgow, and welcome to UCU Congress!

Firstly, I want to turn to higher education and our USS pension’s dispute.

Today, thanks to your bravery and determination, your steadfastness on picket lines, in the face of freezing winds and vindictive employers we are on the verge of seeing our retirement benefits restored, in full.

This will be the biggest pensions win in British trade union history.

The UCU – setting the standard for all workers. On pay and conditions, the fight goes on with our national marking and assessment boycott.

Let me say this: I have never been so proud to be part of this union as I have in recent weeks, watching you all stand firm in the face of vindictive, bullying behaviour from employers. You have refused to bow down.

Branches are fighting and rolling back the threat of punitive pay deductions – whilst vice-chancellors are disgracing themselves and their institutions. It is our members who are the heartbeat of this sector.

We aren’t backing down.

They want to break our members. They want to break the union. They. Never. Will.

We know our power. And now so do they.

When we stand united against the employers – we win.

Let’s hear some noise for every one of this wins.

We won at the Open University – almost 5,000 staff moved onto permanent contracts – the biggest ever decasualisation win in higher education.

Absolutely phenomenal.

We won at Cambridge – where our branch incredibly won recognition after 800 long years – the only dispute that’s lasted longer than the USS pension’s one.

We won at Sheffield Hallam a victory which saw an end to zero hour contracts for associate lecturers.

In the UCU we win across the union. In further education we are fighting harder than ever.Some of our lowest paid members have shown genuinely inspiring bravery and confidence.

Let’s hear some noise for every single one of these wins!

West Thames, Newham, Hopwood Hall, Abingdon and Witney, Croydon, Hugh Baird, Capital City Group, and Waltham Forest.

This Congress also sends solidarity to members at Manchester College, Bradford College and UCEN Manchester have been on the picket these past few days.

This Congress sends solidarity to members in more than ten other colleges with strikes coming up.

I cannot not mention our amazing prison education members – a stunning 94% YES vote for strike action.

And that vote won an improved pay offer.

Every single one of you is an inspiration.

The UCU is a union that excels in and out of the workplace.

We want to build better universities and colleges – but we also want to build a better society.

Whether it’s calling out this rotten government that preys on division or holding a Labour Party that is simply not offering enough to account – we will never be afraid to speak truth to power.

And let me be clear Congress. We cannot sit around, hoping and waiting for politicians to provide the answers to our issues. Change is not a spectator sport. The UCU and our members can and will offer hope and inspiration to our workplaces and in our communities.

In the UCU – they come for one, they come for all. They target one, they target all.

That’s why we continue to prioritise our thriving equalities work.

More than any other union, we have been an ally to trans and non-binary people – we make no apologies for our unequivocal support for that community.

We are proud, too, to stand up for fully accessible workplaces; the right to abortion; the decriminalisation of sex work. And to fight against institutional racism and the hostile environment.

Our solidarity doesn’t stop at borders, because throughout history the cause of labour and the cause of freedom have been one and the same.

That’s why UCU stands in solidarity with every single worker across the globe facing oppression, war and the impact of colonialism.

Let me now turn to what made our industrial battles possible:

You have won not one, but two incredible national ballot results, smashing the Tory thresholds!

Through tactical innovation and hard graft we became the first education union in the UK to win a national strike ballot.

That was a crucial moment:

No longer are we a union that takes isolated action, picked off by the bosses.

No.Now, we challenge the employer at the same coordinated, national scale on which they attack us.

Make no mistake about it – every employer we face knows that this union now wins a ballot anytime, anyplace and under any circumstances.

But we cannot sit back.

As we face the fights ahead, we will not be afraid to escalate our action in the face of bullying bosses.

We will focus on building and strengthening our union.

The bigger the union the bigger the change we can deliver – in the workplace and in wider society.

Just imagine what we could achieve with many thousands more of your colleagues in the union.

As we have said time and time again: the longer the picket line, the shorter the dispute.

That’s why in the coming weeks and months, we will launch the biggest recruitment drive in UCU history- asking every member to play their part in building the union.

I will finish by saying this: Our wins this year have been achieved through unity.

Facing the fights ahead, let’s focus our energy on the real enemy: the employers.

We won’t bow to their bullying.

Together, we can build on our victories and turn UCU into an unstoppable force.

Together, we can win on pensions

Together, we can win on pay

Together, we can win on conditions

In every single workplace. In every single college. In every single university.

And together, we will build an education sector that belongs to us. To the staff. To the students. To the people.

This is our sector. This is our union. This is our moment.

UCU and Proud.