Universities urged to give support to staff from EU


The UNISON public services union’s higher education (HE) conference last month called on HE employers to give practical support to university staff dealing with uncertainty following the Brexit vote.


The union’s higher education service group executive called for assistance to be given to the almost 12,500 university support staff and 20% of academic staff who are EU citizens. Universities should, the conference heard, provide such support for their staff. This should include financial support and support with legal advice, as well as paid time off for those who are dealing with residency or citizenship applications.


Reading the service group executive’s decision at the start of conference, UNISON assistant general secretary Roger McKenzie said that members deserve better than uncertainty from “a government seemingly intent on providing as much disinformation and stress as possible”. 


And, he said: “We have to be the ones standing up for the right of our members who provide invaluable services for people in this country.”


Conference backed this up and adopted a policy to oppose xenophobic division and to campaign with fellow education unions and students to support colleagues from other countries.

https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2017/03/he-eu