Important Communication re: HE Dispute - Please read and respond

From Gemma Tumelty, National President – elect and Wes Streeting, VP Education – elect

Dear All

We are writing to you today to urge you to feed into the decision making process at Tuesday’s meeting of NUS’ National Council. Council is the body charged with making NUS’ policy decisions democratically between Annual Conference- and we want to ensure that as many views, opinions, thoughts and concerns are reflected in its decision making as possible.

We are now entering the 13th week of the higher education dispute over pay. Right across the UK, students are suffering- marks not returned, exams not set, and worries over graduation are real concerns that we have a duty as a movement to respond to.

The dispute has already been a long and rancorous one for us all, and whilst we remain optimistic that talks at ACAS will today bear fruit- we have certainly piled on the pressure again this morning- we must all consider as a movement the real possibility that the dispute may go on for longer than any of us would have imagined.

We are proud of the work done by this year’s NEC, and particularly Kat and Julian in leading the work on the dispute. The response from and work of NUS thus far has focussed on three key areas.

The first has been our work to minimise the damage on all of our members by pressurising all parties to come to a consensual resolution as soon as possible. We have met with the Association of Graduate Recruiters and co-produced guidance that has been sent to all major graduate employers to safeguard students’ jobs, a copy of which is available for all students online/ at

We know that locally too students’ unions have been putting on pressure to minimise harm. Canterbury Christchurch for example has been winning the support of local people through lobbying and local media. This work- the real, day to day work to support our members is the work that is rarely reported or noticed, but is also the work that makes a real and immediate difference in a dispute like the current one.

The second has been to consider properly and accurately our position on the dispute. NUS does believe that students now and in the future deserve the best possible education- particularly if they are being forced to pay for it. That does mean better libraries, facilities, books and facilities- but it fundamentally means better teaching and learning. Motivated, resourced, high quality staff are a bottom line for our vision for education. Too many of our members face course closures when academics disappear; too many are in packed seminars and lectures with overworked postgraduates, forced into teaching to pay for their research.

But more than this- we also know that we must press home the reality that money does motivate. We know that poor student funding means poor recruitment, drop out and low achievement for students. The equivalent for teaching staff means the same- poor recruitment, staff leaving and poor teaching. This is not what anyone wants.

We believe there is almost total unity in our movement over a belief that lecturers do deserve to be paid more- and that the years of underfunding of the profession must be reversed to protect a high quality education system- now, and for the future. NUS must never become merely a “consumer rights” organisation- it must also always argue for the kind of education system students want and deserve.

But it is the third area that has been most controversial. That is over the mechanics of the dispute- and the tactics of both AUT/NATFHE and NUS. Some have misrepresented our position. Some have focussed on the “splits” in NUS or the so called “U Turns” on our position. Our real fear is that whilst students and lecturers are suffering- NUS is infighting- and this has to stop.

Some have claimed that the debate is between a set of unions and the NEC. Of course, nothing is that simple. The truth is that students’ unions are divided on the technicalities of tactics- and the positions do span a range of opinion.

There are those that believe we should unilaterally support all of the teaching unions’ positions, tactics and claims- that we should back the exams boycott carried out by the AUT, for example. We think this would fail our members.

There are others who believe that we should condemn all assessment related action- indeed there are some that believe we should condemn all action as being unreasonable and illegitimate. We also think that this narrow view would ultimately fail our members.

The course we have taken so far is to chart a careful course between the two- to put pressure on UCEA and to put publicly a view that allows lecturers to use real industrial action that has as minimal effect as possible on students. We think that this position- accepting withholding marks but condemning the exams boycott- best reflects the need to support our wider claims for the future of education and funding whilst minimising the effects on students. But we know that has been controversial. It’s controversial for the unions too. Bear in mind that in 9 days time the unions merge and we can potentially have a real influence over the joint position of the newly formed union. But we are aware that NUS’ position is controversial and may have to change as time goes on. And that is why we need- as next year’s leadership on the issues- your views.

We do recognise that NUS is a democratic organisation and has a responsibility to consult with its members. Indeed, NUS is its members. But the hard facts are that elected delegates at Annual Conference chose not to debate emergency motions, or even hear a speaker from AUT. And despite conversation and rumour, an extraordinary conference has not been called. And so our National Executive- led by Kat and Julian- have got on with representing students in the ways we have described. But on Tuesday the NUS National Council- our interim policy making body- will debate the dispute. And we want the debate and the outcome to be as representative as possible.

But it is also important not to assume that there is a simple “for or against” the NEC view. And it is vital that we stop now the bickering, fighting and harming each other in public. If there has ever been a time when students deserved a united, fighting, winning NUS it is now- and they want more than anything to see us working together to put pressure on UCEA and the Unions to end the dispute.

Sadly, as ever in our movement, it is the conflict that is highlighted. It is the “splits” that use up our energy and reportage in the press. As ever, it is not the positive work being done by NUS and its member unions to minimise harm on students that is reported. It’s not the work being done to bring the dispute to an end that takes up our inbox space. And it is not the unity of purpose over a belief in a properly resourced, quality education system that we all highlight. It is conflict.

It is time for that conflict to end.

And that is why we need you to do three things, now.

Firstly we want to know what more of you have been doing locally so we can highlight to other unions the positive work and deals being done locally to minimise harm. Please respond now with any documents, speeches, model motions or other material that we can pass on to others as best practice.

Secondly we want your ideas on other things we can be doing nationally to minimise harm. We’ve already secured positive guidance for graduate employers which will help safeguard positions on graduate recruitment schemes, lobbied professional accreditation bodies to push for more flexible arrangements for students who have been unable to receive their final marks, and lobbied the Government to put in place measures the worst implications for International Students and Disabled Students. But are there are other things? Please let us know- now.

But thirdly we need your view on tactics as the unions head towards merger. We need a position that puts pressure on the unions and on UCEA- one that defends education, resourced and motivated teaching staff and one that allows staff to take real industrial action the likes of which has the least amount of harm on our members. Let us know now- and we will present it all to your National Councillors on Tuesday so they can have a real and informed debate.

If you can, please do today have an exec or sabbatical meeting to get information into us. Please try to send something by 5pm on Friday so we can collate for Council on Tuesday after the bank holiday. And please remember to keep in touch on local action and successes you have as the dispute goes on.

Many thanks for reading and best wishes.

Gemma Tumelty, President – elect

Wes Streeting, VP Education – elect

The Blogs on this site represent the individual views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or practices of the National Union of Students.

All links in blogs will open in a new browser window.

The permanent URL for this specific blog entry is: http://www.officeronline.co.uk/blogs/wesstreeting/272395.aspx