At Wednesday’s emergency members’ meeting we heard concerning reports of how the events of last week’s students demonstration have been dealt with.
The branch meeting adopted the following resolution, drafted from the floor during the meeting:
“BUCU deplores the suspension of 5 University of Birmingham students who took part in a recent demonstration on campus.
BUCU calls on the the University management to lift the suspensions, and calls on West Midlands police to lift the draconian bail conditions imposed on those students who were arrested. Both the suspensions and the bail conditions contravene the presumption of innocence and principles of natural justice.
BUCU instructs its Branch Administrator to keep BUCU members informed of these issues.
BUCU calls for all UCU members to give all possible support within the law to the suspended students.”
Details of the events can be found in many media reports, including this one: http://london-student.net/news/02/01/university-of-birmingham-suspends-6-students-following-protest-and-arrests/
A petition, with over 5000 signatures, is also being circulated and BUCU members are encouraged to sign: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/prof-david-eastwood-unibirmingham-reinstate-the-students-at-birmingham-university-whose-only-crime-has-been-to-defend-education
Birmingham UCU 
It’s a travesty how Birmingham University has treated students who have exercised their right to protest. This victimization must be resisted by both the student and trade union movements.
As a UCU member I will be asking my branch to pass a similar motion in support. The behaviour of your University is beyond contempt – well done for standing up to them.
[…] of Birmingham appear to have been plunging new depths these last few weeks. Not content with having disciplined and suspended a larger amount of students this academic year for political protest than anyone can remember, and […]