Subject: Solidarity with UCU strikers

Date of meeting: 19 October 2023

Proposer: Councillor Goldsmith

Seconder: Councillor Pickett

Ward(s) affected: All

Notice of Motion

Green Group

This council notes:

1) The indefinite strike by the University and College Union against 22 compulsory redundancies being made at the University of Brighton, that began on the 4^th of July, following redundancies announced in May;

2) Concerns that plans to sack staff risk a reduction in lecturers teaching students in education, engineering, humanities, art, media and sports science; threatening the quality of education at the university, and that 82 staff have already been made redundant to date

Therefore, resolves to:

3) Express its support and solidarity with the strike action, demonstrating this council’s concern with the plans and urging the university to maintain a quality education offer in our city through any means possible prior to considering cutting lecturer jobs,

4) Request the Chief Executive to make representations to Universities UK [3] and Government, urging improved funding for local universities, particularly post-Brexit, given the Higher education sector contributes £95 billion to the economy and supports 815,000 jobs.

Supporting Information:

The Humanities programme at the UoB has been in operation since 1998.

Universities UK: Join the conversation on funding:
https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-research/publications/opening-national-conversation-university