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This is a reminder that we have called an Extraordinary General Meeting this Thursday 16 January inÌý, Cruciform Building, Gower Street ()

All union members are welcome to attend and vote.

This meeting is the first opportunity to discuss the national USS and ‘Four Fights’ campaign, the strike action we have taken, and next steps in these national campaigns.Ìý

UCU branches in 37 institutions are re-balloting, 12 in London. We can strengthen our own hand by helping colleagues in local universities to get over the 50% turnout threshold by volunteering some time. Please contactÌýucu@ucl.ac.ukÌýif you are interested in helping.

Negotiations are ongoing. A pay negotiation meeting took place on Friday, and we expect to receive a report on the latest developments.Ìý

We have received one motion for debate, which (unusually) has been drafted and circulated by USS national negotiators in the Four Fights campaign - see Appendix below. We believe it is right and proper that colleagues discuss it. If passed this will be sent to the UCU Higher Education Committee (the body that is empowered to call industrial action).

UCL UCU Executive Committee

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Appendix: motions for debate

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Motion 1: Maintaining unity between Four Fights and USS dispute

UCL UCU acknowledges the need to fight back against increasing casualisation, damaging workloads, antiquated gender and race pay gaps and a decade-long erosion of our pay.

UCL UCU notes the decision from HEC to coordinate ballot distribution and strike days for the Four Fights and USS disputes. This strategy allowed for UCU’s most successful ballot turnout results on pay ever and led to eight days of impactful strike action which is empowering our national negotiators.

UCL UCU recognises the need to increase pressure at this point and that in order to win we have to move towards escalating our industrial strategy.

UCL UCU supports this existing strategy towards our ongoing disputes in HE, and believes that strike action in pursuit of the Four Fights should continue to escalate simultaneously with action over USS, beginning with the 14 days endorsed by the Higher Education Sector Conference in December 2019.