- Conference
- 2024 National Higher Education Conference
- Date
- 12 October 2023
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes the rule change passed at National Delegate Conference 2023 which raised the age limit for young members from all those aged 26 and under to all those aged 30 and under.
Conference further notes that this roughly doubles the number of young members in UNISON, and is therefore a unique opportunity to build engagement and activism among young members, including in Higher Education.
Conference notes that recent industrial action in the Higher Education service group has been strongly supported by young members in the institutions taking industrial action, and believes that branches in Higher Education can also build on this enthusiasm to recruit more young members across Higher Education.
Conference notes the 2020 report from the National Young Members Forum, ‘Getting Active in UNISON’ which identified some of the challenges and opportunities in organising young members in UNISON, and which made recommendations to branches wishing to build membership and engagement from younger workers.
Conference asks the Higher Education Service Group Executive to:
1)Publicise the rule change to the age limit of young members across the service group;
2)Consider surveying branches on levels of membership, activity and engagement by young members across the service group, and identifying challenges and opportunities;
3)Work with UNISON’s National Young Members’ Forum to develop a young members’ organising strategy, in line with the “Organising to Win” national strategy, to increase membership and participation across the Higher Education service group with a view to improving industrial strength and organisation and furthering the struggle for HE pay and conditions;
4)Promote engagement of young members within HE branches as workplace contacts and shop stewards;
5)Encourage all HE branches to elect a Young Members’ Officer and work with branches in HE to effectively organise local young members’ groups where possible;
6)Publicise the National Young Members Forum report ‘Getting Active in UNISON’ and its recommendations to branches and regional service group committees in Higher Education;
7)Share examples of successful organising with young members within the Higher Education service group.