1. UCU South West Black Members’ Network Launch. 16th October 2024, 10:00 – 12:00 on Teams
Any members who identify as Black are invited to the launch of UCU SW Black Members’ Network. The meeting is scheduled to take place between 10.00 – 12:00pm but may finish earlier.
The Teams link details are below:
Join the meeting now[LINK]
Meeting ID: 365 655 861 633
Passcode: wdeLWj
Dial in by phone
+44 20 7660 8281,167376632# London
Phone conference ID: 167 376 632#
2. Bristol UCU General Meeting Wednesday 16th October 13:00 – 14:00 on Teams
This is our first GM of the new academic year. All members welcome! The agenda will be shared with members in Newsflash and in meeting updates. Agenda items will include UCEA’s 2024-25 offer and the Motion to ‘Oppose Tommy Robinson on 26th October’.
Please join the meeting here[LINK].
Meeting ID: 359 070 751 926
Passcode: V4kZA4
3. Motion to ‘Oppose Tommy Robinson on 26th October 2024‘
Members have submitted a motion to be debated at our first General Meeting (GM) on Wednesday 16th October 2024 13:00 – 14:00 on Teams.
Amendments to the motion will be accepted. Please note: amendments must be sent, with a proposer and seconder, to the Branch Secretary by 17:00, Friday, 11th October at ucu-office@bristol.ac.uk. Amendments will be ruled in or out of order at the discretion of Bristol UCU Branch Officers on objective grounds, for example, on the grounds of unnecessary duplication (already covered by other amendments) or because the amendment is a proposal to change the wording of the motion so that it is made useless, contradictory or unworkable.
If members wish to speak at the General Meeting (GM), for or against the motion, please email ucu-office@bristol.ac.uk by 13:00, Monday, 14th October. This is to ensure a balanced debate.
Motion to Oppose Tommy Robinson on 26th October 2024.
This branch notes:
- Stephen Yaxley-Lennon aka Tommy Robinson has called a demonstration at Downing Street on 26 October. Stand Up to Racism has called a counter-demonstration, this was announced at the Trade Union Congress.
- Robinson’s last London demonstration on 27 July attracted over 20,000 people.
- The breakthrough of racist Reform UK in the British general election where Nigel Farage and another 4 far right MPs entered parliament for the first time.
- The recent successes of fascist parties across Europe with fascist party Alternative fur Deutschland coming first in the recent state election in Thuringia and second in Saxony and the general election success of the Freedom Party in Austria.
This branch believes:
- The week following Tommy Robinson’s last demonstration we saw the outbreak of racist riots in Southport that spread across much of the country and saw attacks on mosques, asylum seeker accommodation and on black people on the street.
- Tommy Robinson was at the centre of the online misinformation that fuelled this outbreak of racist violence. He is a dangerous figure attempting to build a violent fascist street movement.
- Anti-racists up and down the country came out bravely in their thousands on 7 and 10 August to push back the immediate threat in Bristol, Walthamstow, Brighton, Liverpool and many other places.
- We cannot afford to be complacent. The far right and fascist forces in this country are looking to continue to grow. The trade union movement needs to mobilise up and down the country to get to London on 26 October to Stop Tommy Robinson.
- We live in a dangerous time where the far right are close to or already in power across Europe and the US.
- We can stop the slide to the far right in Britain if we commit to antiracist and antifascist struggle. This starts with resolving to outnumber Tommy Robinson’s demo on 26 October.
This branch resolves to:
- Take our union banner and a large delegation to the counter-demonstration.
- Urge other branches in the region to mobilise as well.
- Donate £200 towards cost of transport.
Proposed by: James Cussens.
Seconded by: Nariman Massoumi.