Thread by @NJSHardy

Ok, here's are some updates on #UCU2018 and the debate over Motions 10 and 11 (respectively, no confidence in and censure of General Secretary Sally Hunt: see ucu.org.uk/circ/html/UCU8…)

Before we get to those motions, a note that the amended version of B19, calling for a democracy review, was passed by overwhelming majority.

Now to Motions 10 and 11: one speaker argued that the motions involved taking action against another union and therefore were inappropriate.

Somebody responded that Congress should only be suspended in a case of grave disorder, which this is not.

Someone else responded with some sort of point about people not in the room, and the need to protect UCU staff.

Someone else raises the question of whether a comparable no confidence vote was once debated/passed in one of UCU's predecessor unions, NATFHE.

Throughout the debate, people are making the basic point that union members have a right to hold their leaders to account.

Somebody then argues that we should withdraw the motion(s) because UUK is watching us.

Next, there's a vote to withdraw both motions at once.

Then the President (Joanna de Groot) reads out details of the procedure for bringing complaints against the GS.

It is argued that the motions contravene this procedure and could result in legal action.

And now delegates start voting whether or not to withdraw the motions. The results are:

123 - FOR withdrawing the motions
144 - AGAINST withdrawing the motions

And so Congress is suspended: staff walked out (again) because delegates voted to debate the motions.

Just to be clear, I'm not actually at Congress. I just have really, really good hearing. I may have misheard one or two things though - happy to stand corrected on details of the debate.

Important addendum: the Chair, GS-supporting President Joanna de Groot, insisted that both motions be voted on together. This probably reduced the number of delegates who voted to keep them, since one was a lot stronger than the other. But it didn't stop them voting to keep both.

Motion 10 calls for the GS to resign whereas Motion 11 just calls for Congress to censure her. So by conflating the two, the Chair put any delegates who were happy to debate censure but not resignation in an impossible position.