The fate of a motion put forward through the Your Ideas platform calling for the Guild of Students to support the upcoming UCU industrial action, is due to be decided upon today as student voting comes to a conclusion on the matter.

The resolution calls on the Guild of Students to ‘unequivocally support campus trade unions in any future industrial action including strikes and Action Short of a Strike, relating to either of the ongoing disputes between UCU and university employers and USS.’ Some of the other resolutions of the motion include encouraging students either to join striking staff at pickets lines or not to cross over these lines, encouraging members to join trade unions and the provision of potable water and lavatory facilities free of charge for those striking.

The motion, championed by UoB Student-Staff Solidarity, states the beliefs of the movement, including that ‘University staff deserve justice in respect of pension income in retirement based on fair contributions,’ ‘a stance of unequivocal support for UCU in respect of both ongoing disputes is the best way the Guild of Students can influence a positive outcome for students’ and that ‘casualisation of University staff, including insecure contracts has a detrimental effect on University staff. This effect is particularly occasioned on staff in the early part of their career, including Guild of Students members undertaking Postgraduate research or working as teaching assistants.’

Furthermore, the motion calls for an amendment to Guild policy on trade unions, inserting into Belief and Commitment 19: ‘that any failure by the University to maintain good industrial relations with its academic or support staff is deleterious to the academic experience and overall interests of students. The Guild believes that University staff deserve to be employed on secure contracts that guarantee dignity in retirement and a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. The Guild further believes that its members should be encouraged to join an appropriate trade union.

‘In the event of legitimate industrial action taken by campus trade unions, the Guild commits to support such action, unless instructed otherwise by the result of a referendum held in accordance with the Guild’s by-laws.

‘The Guild will publicise such action, educate its members as to the reasons for and effects of such action, encourage its members to join staff on picket lines, and lobby University management to engage in negotiations with campus trade unions. The Guild will provide free use of its premises for alternative educational provision and provide refreshment facilities to campus trade unions for the duration of any such action.’

A social media post by the UoB Student-Staff Solidarity offers the tagline that ‘staff working conditions are our learning conditions.’ The group, which calls for students and staff to support the strikes have been a significant presence related to the Your Ideas motion.

The 14-day strikes, which are planned to take place over the next four weeks, are part of the second round of industrial action launched by UCU over disputes concerning pensions, casualisation and staff pay, with the prior occurring between November and December of last year.

The proposition comes after the Guild remained neutral over previous UCU industrial action. The officer team previously issued an apology over claims they misled the student body over that neutral strike stance.