On 14th August 40 activists in the University and College Union (UCU), from workplace reps and rank-and-file members through to National Executive Committee (NEC) members, met online to discuss the next steps in the fight for our union to have a voice in a new party of the working class.  

This was a follow-up to the online ‘Trade Unionists for a New Party’ meeting called by Dave Nellist, the former Labour MP (1983-1992) and now the chair of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), on 21st July, addressed by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, which over 1,000 trade unionists attended.  A full video of that meeting can be seen at https://youtu.be/fTTmB-itr4U?si=CS3s5DEUioGeUzUg.

In chairing the UCU follow-up and proposing a model motion for UCU members to take into their branches for discussion, National Executive Committee (NEC) members Duncan Moore and Marco Tesei explained that since UCU passed motion 63 at the union’s annual congress in May, major developments in the struggle for independent working class politics have come apace.  This meeting was for UCU members to discuss how to campaign for UCU to engage in the formation of a new party.

UCU, like many other unions, has never been affiliated to Labour.  The union’s current rules state that no part of the funds of the union or of any branch shall be used for affiliation to any political party.  For UCU to affiliate with a new party would require a change to our rules, achievable only by a two-thirds majority vote at congress.

But the UCU rule book is clear that the union can spend the political fund in any way that Congress or the NEC deems to be in the interests of UCU members.  Currently UCU spends members’ money lobbying parliament and campaigning, and to have a stall at Labour Party conference.

UCU congress motion 63 called for the union to invite Jeremy Corbyn and the other independents (now including Zarah Sultana) to a meeting of our national executive to discuss how they can support our union’s fights in parliament, and for UCU to encourage our own members to stand in elections to campaign for our union’s policies.

Since the announcement of a new party, implementation of motion 63 has become urgent, as the question of the new party’s structure and what role the trade unions can have within it are debated over the next few months.

The ‘UCU for a new party’ meeting resolved to raise the motion in all our branches and also agreed to contact our relevant NEC members (by sector and/or region) to ask about progress on motion 63, to keep the pressure on the leadership.

Contributions to the debate included points about the advantages of a federal structure for a new party to enable the collective voice of trade unions to be represented – and for left political organisations including the Socialist Party to be able to affiliate, because of the importance of open debate about ideas, programme and tactics to defend policies in the interests of the working class.

Whether or not UCU should affiliate depends ultimately in what say our union could have within the new party’s structures, which is why it is important that these issues are discussed now.

Jen Forbes, a UCU member who stood for Labour under Corbyn’s leadership, when she was a member of the Communication Workers Union, explained about the importance of having the support of her union and union branch when she stood, and how important it would be for UCU to do the same. Another member, however, argued that the process was happening the wrong way round – instead of being bogged down with motions and the slow-turning wheels of the union, it was important to build struggle. But others answered that actually these two processes are not separate – the strikes and campaigns are vital, but how much better if there was a political voice for those battles being built at the same time.

The next meeting to discuss progress on the model motion and the possibility of a rule change will be in late September/early October, where we can discuss next steps. ■

Model motion for UCU branches:

Post 16-Educators need new political representation: it’s time for the trade unions to take the lead in founding it.

This Branch Notes:

• The ongoing funding crisis across all post-16 education sectors, Labour’s delays in implementing its Employment Rights Bill, and ongoing attacks on public services and disability benefits.

• The passing of UCU congress motion 63, which called for new political representation for post-16 educators, and:

– Believes “it is time for UCU and the broader trade union movement to look for an alternative political voice to Labour”;

– Resolved to: “Encourage UCU members to stand in elections, linking up with other trade unionists, to fight for our union’s policies” and “To invite Jeremy Corbyn, the Independent Alliance in parliament and other pro-worker MPs to attend our National Executive for discussion about how they can support our union’s fight for post-16 education funding in parliament”.

• Other developments related to the founding of a new political, trade union-based party, including:

– The decision by the Unite conference to reassess the union’s relationship with Labour in light of Birmingham Labour council’s threat to ‘fire and rehire’ striking refuse workers;

– The statement on the creation of a new political party by the bakers’ union (BFAWU) Executive Council (at https://www.bfawu.org/statement-on-the-creation-of-a-new-political-party/);

– The statement by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana calling for a new political party “rooted in our communities, trade unions and social movements”, with over 600,000 people signing up to be kept informed which will include many UCU members and other trade unionists.

This branch believes:

• These are positive developments toward establishing a political voice for post-16 educators, the working class, and the wider communities we live and work in.

• The more than half a million people signing up to be part of the founding process for “your party” is an indicator of the huge potential support there is for a working-class based alternative to Labour. Such a party has the potential to cut across the divisive rhetoric of Reform.

• A new party will be stronger and have more political authority if trade unions – collectively representing more than six million members – participate in the founding of a new party and are represented in the democratic decision-making process of a new party.

• Our union, along with other trade unions, can and should play a leading role in the founding of a new party.

This branch resolves:

• To urgently write to the chair of NEC, the chair of the Strategy and Finance Committee and Jo Grady to call for the urgent implementation of motion 63 and support calls for a special NEC on the question of political strategy to invite Corbyn, Sultana and the Independent Alliance MPs to.

• To call for a joint meeting between the Unite EC, UCU NEC and Bakers’ Union executive, and other relevant trade unions to discuss trade union involvement in the founding of a new workers’ party.

• To encourage members of our branch to stand as candidates in next year’s local elections, linking up with other trade unionists, and to campaign for our union’s policies.  ■

Other Trade Unionists for a New Party follow-up meetings details:

A report of the 220-strong follow-up meeting of Unite activists has been published at https://www.tusc.org.uk/21880/12-08-2025/unite-for-a-new-party-meeting-sets-union-specific-campaign-plan/ and the CWU meeting at https://www.tusc.org.uk/21897/21-08-2025/trade-unionists-for-a-new-party-cwu-meeting-report/.  Reports of the meetings for UNISON, National Education Union (NEU), and GMB members will be posted here in the coming days.

And further initial follow-up meetings to work out the details of what to do next in individual unions are being organised in other unions too.  Registration details for those already arranged are listed below.  And watch out for union-specific meetings for members of the RMT, Equity, ASLEF and others in the coming weeks. 

USDAW – Sunday 31st August, 7pm – https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/voIeXUOaQkGNiB-kC7FMPg#/registration

NAPO – Monday 1st September, 6-30pm – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/U-8GbfJeQOmplAxUIcnXQQ

PCS – Tuesday 9th September, 6-30pm – https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/n8DgsAnBRkONsN1ILTRyxA#/registration