Motions and amendments for Annual National Conference 2005

The motions and amendments received for Annual National Conference are listed below, including motions composited by Steering Committee with the agreement of the submitting bodies. The numbering refers to the paragraph numbers of the Annual Report. Where 'bullet points' appear in motions, Steering Committee has converted these into numbered points for ease of reference: this numbering does not count towards the permitted number of words. Where a motion stands in the name of more than one body, it is a composited motion.

Motion withdrawn The previously circulated motion headed 'Organising', attached to paragraph 68 of the Annual Report, has been withdrawn by Western Region.

In the light of the absence of regional organisers and learning representatives for all regions, those regions without either and or both ask the NEC to provide increased financial support for individual branches, representing no less than 10% of the members' subscriptions in the branch seeking support.

Conference is concerned that the legal services the union provides may have become significantly below the standard in scope and content that members now expect and need.

Conference calls upon the General Secretary to investigate how the Legal Department can be enhanced to provide the highest quality service to all Union members.

Amendment 1

Conference is concerned that full and timely legal information is available for branches at appropriate points to support any potential or proposed industrial action.

Conference notes the restriction of access to ETs due to the change in ET Regulations (2001), which increase the costs that might be imposed on a claimant (£500 to £10000).

The Employment (Dispute Resolution) Regulation 2004 also restricts access to ETs by;

1) allowing costs for complaints that are "misconceived".

2) potentially reducing compensation levels

3) requiring complainant normally to go through a three stage internal process before access.

4) tightening some time limits for application .

Conference urges the NEC to initiate a campaign against these restrictions in conjunction with other unions, the TUC and appropriate campaign bodies.

Conference calls on the Legal Department not to use 'no win-no fee' solicitors to represent members in their legal claims.

Conference welcomes the establishment of a united post-16 education union and wishes a successful conclusion of the NATFHE/AUT merger negotiations.

Conference acknowledges the roles of AE lecturers in both unions and their marginalisation by employers in HE/FE, together with the lack of effective Government financial support for nationwide LEA-funded/organised AE.

Conference demands that NATFHE/AUT merger negotiations recognise the significance of AE to FE/HE and instructs NATFHE negotiators in the merger talks to ensure that AE members are safeguarded within the new union structures through establishing an AE/Lifelong Learning sector conference.

Amendment 1

Add at end 'and an Area structure that enables proper representation'.

This Conference warmly welcomes the planned merger with AUT and looks forward to the undoubted benefits which will accrue.

Conference also believes that the new union which emerges will benefit from a robust regional structure, which would allow regional delegates to attend and regional motions to be sent to annual conference.

Amendment 1

Add at end:

'Conference further instructs the NATFHE NEC to propose to the AUT leadership that joint regional meetings of members are organised in the run up to the merger.'

Amendment 2

Add at end:

'Also that staff working in the Adult, Community, Youth Service, Prison and Landbased education are recognised and reflected in both the organisational structure and the naming of the new union'

Amendment 3

Delete all after 'structure' and replace with:

'Conference agrees that Regions will be strengthened in the new union if there is a carefully planned transitional period, which should begin prior to vesting day. To this end, NEC is instructed to facilitate closer co-operation between AUT and NATFHE at regional level.'

Conference recognises that NATFHE must represent all members in a diverse further and higher education sector. Conference is concerned that members in areas such as adult education and prison education are vulnerable and need recognition, representation and inclusion within NATFHE.

Conference demands that members in these areas are fully represented and supported in any new union and that this is recognised constitutionally. This would require representation on the principal executive committee and the provision of appropriate negotiation and consultative arrangements to ensure that these members are fully supported.

Amendment 1

Add at end

'Conference requires the NEC to:
1) Review support for members employed in LEAs
2) Appoint an official dedicated exclusively to ACE
3) Support ACE branches to secure pay and conditions equal to colleagues in other institutions
4) Ensure published materials are inclusive of all sectors in the union'

Conference welcomes

1) progress made in the merger talks with AUT and

2) moves to incorporate a regional level into the structures of the new Union.

Conference believes that Regions fulfil an important political and organisational role in the Union.

Conference therefore asks the NEC to urge in their negotiations that Regions in the new Union

3) remain as constituencies for elections to the NEC,

4) be kept to a size which allows delegates to take part in meetings,

5) retain the right to send motions to national conferences, and

6) retain the right to elect delegates to national conferences.

Amendment 1

After line 6 insert a new paragraph:

'Regions are particularly important in enabling branches in different sectors to respond to plans by employers to merge institutions, engage in horse-trading of courses, etc, to ensure that any such plans are beneficial and do not involve detriment to employees or to educational provision'

In line 7, delete: 'urge in their negotiations' and replace with: 'pursue their negotiations further to ensure'

The amended sentence would read: 'Conference therefore asks the NEC to pursue their negotiations further to ensure that Regions in the new union'

Amendment 2

Delete in numbered paragraph 4) the words 'a size' and substitute the words 'the current boundaries'.

Add new numbered paragraph '7) Retain the right to submit nominations for membership of the proposed equality committees.'

Conference welcomes progress made in the merger talks with the AUT and moves to incorporate a regional level into the structures of the new union. Conference believes that Regions fulfil an important political and organisational role in the Union. Conference therefore urges the NEC to argue in the negotiations that Regions in the new Union

1) Remain as constituencies for elections to the NEC

2) Be kept to the current boundaries which allow delegates to take part in meetings

3) Retain the right to send motions to national conferences

4) Retain the right to elect delegates to national conferences.

153F MERGER BETWEEN NATFHE AND AUT

Whilst recognising the advantages of a strong single post 16 education union, London Region believes that the proposed timescale for merger with the AUT is unrealistic.

Full exploration and consultation on structural issues is necessary to achieve an enduring constitution and structure for a successful, fully representative and transparent post-16 union.

No merger should be agreed without the position of regional structures (as currently expressed, located and operative within the constitution of Natfhe) being fully protected.

In the event of this not being possible, the timing for merger should be put back for one year.

Note: This motion originally was submitted as an HE Sector Conference motion but Steering Committee advise that it should be taken with the ANC debate on the proposed amalgamation.

This Conference warmly welcomes the planned merger with AUT and looks forward to the undoubted benefits which will accrue.

Conference also believes that the new union which emerges will benefit from a robust regional structure, not necessarily replicating the current NATFHE regional operation, but one which will continue to allow regional delegates to attend and regional motions to be sent to annual conference.

Amendment 1

Delete all after 'structure', add a full stop and insert a new paragraph:

'Conference agrees that Regions will be strengthened in the new union if there is a carefully planned transitional period, which should begin prior to vesting day. To this end, NEC is instructed to facilitate closer co-operation between AUT and NATFHE at regional level.'

Conference is concerned that some aspects of disaster relief programmes can be used to a political agenda that support neo-liberal 're-structuring' programmes and can effectively work against local people and the agenda of grass roots organisations.

Conference calls on the NEC to work with the TUC and affiliates to campaign to ensure:

1) That UK aid is transparent and democratic, and not for military purposes;

2) That the links are made to local groups which work to empower local people - particularly in relation to food production;

3) The exposure of the effects of corporate globalisation.

Amendment 1

Conference is further concerned that the same neo-liberal agenda will need to be opposed within the World Bank in the light of the recent proposed appointment and fully supports workers in that organisation who have proposed a collective response.

This Conference reiterates its opposition to the illegal occupation of Iraq by US and British forces. Conference condemns as hypocritical the claims that occupying forces have brought democracy to Iraq from a war mainly about oil, and the squandering of billions of pounds on war and occupation when public services are under funded. Conference instructs the NEC to campaign with other trade unions and relevant bodies for the immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq.

Amendment 1

After 'democracy to Iraq', insert:

'. In fact the war has caused large scale loss of innocent lives and the wanton destruction of the material, cultural, spiritual and educational life of the Iraqi people. The war and occupation is'

and after 'oil', replace ', and the squandering of billions of pounds' with:

'. Billions of pounds have been squandered'

This conference congratulates and supports the Bolivarian Revolution and the Venezuelan government for utilising the country's wealth and resources for reforms to benefit the working class, the poor and the landless.

Conference views with alarm however the bellicose statements being made by the USA and its allies Columbia and the financial oligarchy in Venezuela which pose a real threat to these reforms.

Conference agrees to join with the NUJ to organise a trade union delegation to Venezuela in solidarity with the Revolution and to support a delegation to the World Youth Festival in Caracas in August 2005.

This conference calls on NATFHE to

1) support the Make Poverty History campaign

2) campaign for the following
a) an increase in aid to poor countries to be channelled directly to working people
b) removal of barriers and tariffs militating against the ability of poor countries to trade with rich ones
c) cancellation of poorer developing world debt
d) popularisation of the Tobin Tax
e) initiation of a campaign with other unions to raise money and support for unions in the developing world.

3) support the right of peaceful protest without intimidation during the G8 summit at Gleneagles this July.

Amendment 1

Add new numbered paragraph 4)

'Explore all practical ways of implementing and supporting Fair Trade products both externally and within the Union.'

Conference

1) Deplores the damaging effects of high skilled migration from developing countries to the UK which is further exacerbated by the market-led drives of HEIs to recruit overseas students.

2) Welcomes the NATFHE/AUT Brain Drain project to look at the implications for HE staff in the sending and receiving countries.

3) Calls for action from the UK government to help improve infra-structure and human capacity in the developing world by supporting education, research and innovation in those countries.

4) Calls for non-market-led educational exchanges in which UK institutions should provide FREE teaching materials to support local development.

Conference asserts that the current prevalence of body stereotyping impacts adversely on many sectors of society. Women can feel inadequate if they don't conform to the glamorous stereotypes; disabled people may not match the accepted idea of the perfect body; black people may feel that the predominant idea of beauty is based on white norms; gay men are under huge pressure to conform to a particular image; and many as they age strive to appear younger.

Conference resolves that NATFHE should campaign and educate to raise awareness of the negative impact of these attitudes throughout society.

176A EROSION OF CIVIL LIBERTIES

Conference notes with horror the New Labour Government's plans to build on their "achievements" in the field of illegal imprisonment without trial.

We are already forced to witness the continuing dehumanising treatment of 'detainees' in the illegally occupied US military base in Guantanamo. The connivance of our Government in this project should act as a warning to us all.

We therefore resolve to combat the erosion of our civil liberties contained in Home Secretary Clarke's proposals for a new range of draconian measures - including detention without trial for individuals or groups which he decides are a 'threat' to society.

Amendment 1

Delete all after 'liberties' and add:

'on the dubious grounds of the fight against terrorism. We support Baroness Helena Kennedy's campaign and deplore these illegal, immoral and racist practices. We demand that the Government restores and upholds the rule of law forthwith.'

Amendment 2

At end, remove full stop and add:

'and the introduction of ID cards.'

Conference notes that 9/11 marked a turning point for Britain's black communities. The number of Asian people, stopped and searched has quadrupled since 2001. The number of racist attacks according to the British Crime Survey now stands at over 200,000 a year.

Conference condemns not just state racism but also the recent manifestations of internal conflict between Sikhs and Hindus, Jews and Muslims, and between black British people of African and Caribbean origin. Conference reaffirms its commitment to empowering black members to self-organise as a priority and on a united basis.

Amendment 1

Add at end of first paragraph:

'Conference condemns Islamophobia and calls upon leaders, educators and activists to challenge, resist and develop strategies to combat demonising, discriminatory treatment and blocking progress of all Muslims at all levels of society: local, national and international. Furthermore, it is imperative that any measures adopted go beyond merely raising awareness.'

Amendment 2

Delete 'not just...Conference' and replace with '...all forms of racism and...', to read "Conference condemns all forms of racism and reaffirms...'

Conference:

1) opposes changes in the law that result in losing the right of trial by jury. The introduction of house arrest, leg tagging and curfews would mean that any UK citizen could be found guilty of a crime without due process of trial;

2) believes that these proposals can be used by any government to suppress information and ideas under the broad blanket of terrorism. A public trial for any crime is the only guarantee that civil rights would not be abused by authoritarian governments;

3) deplores this curtailment of human rights;

4) instructs its Officers to oppose such moves.

Conference notes and appreciates the training on disability legislation provided by NATFHE and the TUC to members, but considers it the role of the employers to provide skilled, expert training for employees. It therefore calls on the NEC to put pressure on employers to fulfil this duty.

Amendment 1

In line one, insert after 'legislation': 'and the promotion and support of good practice.'

Conference notes the new Citizenship Test to be imposed on everyone wanting to become a UK citizen from September 2005.

Conference views with concern the:

1) Overtly political nature of the citizenship materials with distinctions between "good" and "active" citizens.

2) bias concerning Britain's relationship with the world which is presented as neutral but is in fact neutered.

3) omission of "contentious" issues such as Racism, Islamophobia and Exploitation through the Gang System.

4) cost to aspiring citizens where tests for ESOL competence, citizenship and the citizenship ceremony will have to be paid by destitute refugees and asylum seekers.

Conference reaffirms its opposition to racist immigration controls and believes that:

1) all countries should shelter people suffering political persecution;

2) it is in the national economic interests to encourage immigration;

3) immigration is a benefit to any society.

Conference therefore:

4) supports the right of any person to come to live and seek employment in the UK for whatever reason;

5) condemns the playing of the race card by politicians;

6) opposes all quota systems and 'tests' of patriotism.

7) calls upon the NEC to organise a press campaign and use any appropriate public platform to argue the case against immigration controls.

Amendment 1

In (5), replace';' by ', in particular, the proposal to test people arriving in this country from outside the EU as immigrants or supplicant refugees for HIV and TB.'

This union notes the:

increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the UK and Europe confirmed by:
- letter to all Vice-Chancellors from Universities UK;
- 2004 UN conference and OSCE 'Berlin Declaration'.

Believes that:
- anti-Semitism is becoming acceptable in the UK including on university campuses;
- universities and colleges must ensure that staff and students work in an atmosphere free from discrimination and intimidation.

Resolves to:
- produce guidelines on anti-Semitism as part of its anti-racism campaigning;
- develop programmes with the CRE and The Board of Deputies of British Jews to educate academics and students about the dangers of anti-Semitism.

Conference is appalled by recent events that:

1) Gay activists in Jamaica have been told 'being gay is not a human right'.

2) Last December an Iranian fearing deportation from the UK burnt himself to death.

3) Immigration here routinely refuse or gives low priority to those seeking refuge because of their sexuality

4) The home office continues to see as 'safe' countries like Jamaica, Algeria, Egypt and Colombia who persecute LGBT people.

Conference therefore calls for a focused national campaign to challenge the repressive immigration policies of the UK and link into international campaigns to challenge LGBT discrimination worldwide.

Conference draws attention to the 'Charter for Women' and shares its concern at the revival of ideologies that perpetuate women's inequality.

Conference notes the impact male cultural norms have on women's role in the labour movement and labour market.

Conference reaffirms its opposition to:
i) Gender stereotyping in the education curriculum
ii) Male visions of women and girls which judge on appearance rather than ability
iii) The persistence of images of women to serve male gratification.

Conference resolves to challenge all aspects of ideology and culture which demean women and promote strong and positive images of women workers and trade unionists.

Conference deplores the continuation of all forms of inequality imposed upon women and supports women's right to equal pay, reproductive rights, decent childcare provision, equal treatment of part-timers and dignity at work.

Conference acknowledges NATFHE's support for the adoption of 'A Charter for Women' throughout the Trade Union movement and also welcome the recent NATFHE publication 'Equality for Women: A guide for action.'

Conference instructs all Branch Committees to familiarise themselves with the issues addressed by this document and to use it to actively promote equality for the 50% of NATFHE's membership who are women.

Amendment 1

Add new paragraph at end:

'Conference instructs the NEC to campaign for the Government to establish International Women's Day on 8 March to be a statutory holiday.'

Amendment 2

At the end of the first paragraph remove the full stop after 'dignity at work' and add:

'and recognises the growing threat to abortion rights, and a woman's right to choose.'

Amendment 3

Add new paragraph at end:

'Furthermore, Conference calls on the Government to create an additional bank holiday on International Women's Day.'

Conference condemns this government's attack on teachers' pensions. The reforms mean many lecturers working another five years to receive the same benefits they currently receive at 60. A new lecturer retiring at 60 could receive 23% less than current teachers' pension benefits.

This is part of a scandalous attack on all public sector pensions. Therefore Conference instructs the NEC to actively build joint campaigns, including strike action, with other public sector unions to defend and extend decent public sector pension provision.

Amendment 1

Add after '..all public sector pensions.' and before 'Therefore...'

New sentence: Conference notes that our pensions are still under threat despite the pre-election promise of talks.

In last sentence delete 'including strike action,' and delete full stop at end and replace at end with 'up to and including indefinite strike action if necessary.'

213B PENSIONS

Conference notes Government plans to attack public sector pensions by increasing the retirement age from 60 to 65 and ending final salary financing.

Conference believes:

1) This will have a devastating effect on members' lives before and after retirement;

2) The British economy can afford decent pensions for all.

3) The TUC are correct to call for action to defend pensions and that NATFHE must support any future action.

Conference instructs the NEC to campaign, together with the membership, against any attacks on our pensions and to improve from 1/180 to 1/60 salary contributions.

Conference notes the generalised attack on hard-won pension entitlements as one of the greatest betrayals of Britain's working population perpetrated by this New Labour Government.

The proposed choice for public sector workers of slashed incomes at 60 or working until 65 to 'preserve' their pensions is simply unacceptable.

'Live in poverty or die in harness' is a slogan that might appeal to Gordon Brown but it is rejected by NATFHE. Conference congratulates NATFHE members, public sector unions and the TUC on recent initiatives and calls for further action, alongside other unions, in defence of public sector pension schemes. This should include action up to and including strike action.

Conference notes:

1) Disabled members are usually at the bottom of pay levels in education and are marginalised/excluded by institutions.

2) Working in education is causing rising levels of serious work-acquired impairments that adversely affect the work-life balance

Conference believes:

3) Any worsening of pension entitlements will disproportionately hit disabled members.

Conference instructs the NEC to:

4) Lobby the TUC and Government on the pensions issue and disabled teachers

5) Support all TUC action to defend and improve pensions

6) Promote a national pensions campaign for pensions to be based on 1/60th not 1/80th of salaries and received at 60 years.

Conference has no confidence in New Labour reforms of education based on so-called 'modernisation', which is code for marketisation and privatisation of public services. These 'Tory' ideas are designed to undermine employee rights, inject competition where collaboration is needed and place the profit motive ahead of educational needs.

Conference believes that the time is long overdue to reverse this worship of the market in education policy and calls upon the NEC to mount a vigorous campaign for a properly funded, egalitarian and rationally planned modern education system.

Amendment 1

After first paragraph, insert:

'Conference deplores the practice of education being sold in the marketplace on freelance.

Examples of this are:
* Employers who go from college to college to drive prices down; and
* Variences in the fees published by HE institutions'

Amendment 2

Add at end: 'Conference deplores the rhetoric of individualistic competition employed by senior managements in post-16 institutions and urges the NEC to lobby government to introduce structures to ensure that institutional objectives and practices must be expressly linked to community, regional and national educational strategies.'

244 TOMLINSON REPORT

Note: Steering Committee has received representations that the motions on Tomlinson submitted for FE and HE sector conferences more appropriately should be allocated to ANC, in order to have a single high profile debate on this important issue, and the Committee recommends that this approach is adopted. Motions 244B and 244C were originally submitted to the sector conferences but it is recommended that they are dealt with by ANC.

Conference notes that the Tomlinson Report has received much criticism particularly as it is seen to spell the demise of A level provision.

Conference believes that this criticism is unfounded and in essence the report attempts to establish a fully comprehensive 14-19 educational system that offers routes for progression to all and challenges elitist ideas in the teaching profession.

Conference calls for a unified campaign to dispel misconceptions about the report and to show that Natfhe believes in equal educational opportunities for all.

Amendment 1

Insert after 'profession': 'Conference, whilst noting that the Government's 14-19 White Paper has taken on board some of the report's proposals and addresses some of the concerns of both FE and HE, nevertheless regrets that Tomlinson's more radical approaches to issues of standards of achievement, and the academic/vocational divide, have not been adopted.'

Conference notes the 14 -19 White Paper and calls on NATFHE to campaign within a broad alliance for a fuller implementation of the Tomlinson Report.

These would include:
* a 4 level diploma system
* a shift to assessment based on trust in teachers
* content of the new curriculum to encompass core skills and the deep and broad specialist learning
* lines of learning that enable mixing academic and applied programmes
* a credit accumulation and transfer system to tie in with those proposed for adult learning and the HE
* a new curriculum structure based on equality of opportunity.

Amendment 1

Line 1 Delete 'notes', insert 'condemns', after 'Paper' insert: 'for failing to implement the Tomlinson report and being a massive step back from the principles of a comprehensive, and inclusive 14-19 system. Conference'

Delete line 7 all after 'curriculum', insert 'to meet the learning needs of all students'.

Amendment 2

Add at the end of the motion

'* a comprehensive curriculum in which students are not encouraged to make premature choices of particular pathways.

Conference calls for the TUC motions to be used to call for a campaign for full implementation of Tomlinson.'

Amendment 3

Bullet point 3: delete all after 'new curriculum' and add, 'to meet the learning needs of all students'

Conference supports the principle underlining the Tomlinson Working Party on 14-19 education and training recommendations but is concerned about the impact on pay and conditions.

NATFHE believes:
* the 14-19 agenda must address pay and professional inequalities between schoolteachers and FE lecturers
* any reduction in external assessment that results in increasing workloads must be acknowledged, accredited and resourced by colleges and government;
* proper staff development must be provided for any implementations.

Conference calls on NATFHE to:
1. monitor the impact of Tomlinson
2. take up these issues with appropriate bodies
3. campaign around these concerns
4. provide advice/guidance.

Conference is shocked by the failure of government to take account of the needs of part-time students in the FHE sector, in direct contradiction of the principle of 'Life Long Learning'. Whilst paying lip-service to widening participation it has directed funding away from this vital area and is actively discouraging some of the most disadvantaged groups, with dire consequences for educational institutions which are trying to cater for these groups. Conference calls upon NEC to campaign to make part-time provision a major priority for the new government, and to put pressure on the funding councils to properly fund part-time students.

Conference is appalled at the numbers of deaths and accidents that have occurred amongst migrant workers in Landbased industries.

In order to minimise the high H&S; risks to migrant workers caused by language barriers, Conference call on the Government to increase funding for specialist language training for lecturers.

Conference notes the increase in degree level work in Further Education institutions and non-degree level work in Higher Education institutions. Conference believes that the pay levels for work of equal content, type and value should be the same across both sectors. Conference instructs national officials in both sectors to investigate anomalies in pay across the two sectors.

This Conference congratulates NATFHE in Wales on the progress made towards pay parity between FE lecturers and schoolteachers. Conference recognises the increased pressures devolution has placed on Wales Regional Office and its work for members in both FE and HE. Conference instructs the NEC to increase funding to Wales Regional Office and as a minimum to finance a full time branch organiser for Wales.

Conference is appalled at how employers in both Higher Education and Further Education try to thwart their staff by using the courts to try to stop legitimate and properly authorised industrial action rather than dealing with the issues causing the dispute. Conference demands that the NEC works urgently with other TUC unions to persuade the government to redraft the anti-trades union laws imposed by the Tory government to give our members the same rights as those in our European neighbours to take action when employers behave unreasonably.

Conference notes the increasing number of students taking HE courses in FE institutions, and long-standing NATFHE policy - equity for staff and students involved in HE: student experience, resourcing of courses, staff time for teaching, preparation and scholarship. It calls on the NEC to prepare a report on the implications for NATFHE members of:

1) changes in student finances, including fees

2) HEFCE funding of HE in FE institutions

3) management provision of resources for staff and students.

NATFHE must then intensify its campaign to improve provision so that there is a high quality education for all HE students.