UK trade union debates on Ukraine, 2022-5

The main national conferences of virtually all UK trade unions take place between April and July. Each of the four rounds since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine has seen debates around motions on Ukraine. Each round has resulted in an expansion and strengthening of UK union solidarity with Ukraine, though with a couple of setbacks occurring too.

The point is not just passing formal policies, but creating openings to mobilise unions and their members in support of Ukraine and its workers’ movement, both through their formal structures and through grassroots networking. That work is going on in a range of unions and industries; if you’d like to help in yours, get in touch.

Understanding the debates among and stances taken by UK trade unionists and their representatives is important. This year-by-year list of debates and decisions is not fully comprehensive; and many more unions have issued statements of support for Ukraine or even organised practical solidarity without conference discussions. Some, notably train drivers’ union ASLEF and mine workers’ union NUM, have a record of solidarity with Ukraine going back long before the full-scale invasion. This article mainly notes significant arguments or decisions at union conferences, ie involving significant numbers of activists. More information about various unions can be found by following the links.

(This is, of course, in addition to numerous branches and other lower level bodies taking positions on Ukraine)

Only two union conferences have (very narrowly) voted for Stop the War Coalition type positions opposing aid for Ukraine. The first was post-16 education union UCU in 2023; this was then overturned by a Ukraine solidarity motion passed in 2024. The other, this year, was rail and transport union RMT; its AGM delegates tied on a motion calling for an end to aid to Ukraine, but it was passed on the chair’s casting vote. More below.

2022

The 2022 conferences took place soon after the full-scale invasion, creating some additional complications in getting motions submitted and prioritised.

The conference of post, telecoms and tech workers’ union CWU voted down a Stop the War type motion on Ukraine. Unfortunately due to a slip up there was no Ukraine solidarity motion on the agenda.

At the conference of teachers’ and school workers’ union NEU, the Ukraine solidarity motion was not prioritised for discussion – but delegates made their view clear by voting down the STW type motion after lively debate.

The conference of civil service union PCS voted overwhelmingly for motions to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and affiliate to Ukraine Solidarity Campaign, making it the third national union to affiliate (after ASLEF and NUM) and the first after the full-scale invasion.

2023

Pro-Ukraine policy was unfortunately once again not prioritised for debate at NEU conference, but delegates voted down a STW type motion for the second year in a row. This conference also saw the founding of the NEU Ukraine Solidarity Network.

The Scottish TUC Congress – representing the bulk of unions across Scotland – passed policy in solidarity with Ukraine.

PCS conference voted to reaffirm its pro-Ukraine policy.

By nine votes, the Congress of post-16 education union UCU passed a STW type motion calling for an end to military aid to Ukraine; it passed a pro-Ukraine motion by a much bigger margin. The passing of the anti-Ukraine motion led to widespread outrage among UCU members, and the establishment of the UCU Members for Ukraine network.

The biennial Policy Conference of big general union Unite – the UK’s largest private-sector union – voted for an Executive Council statement on Ukraine that condemned Russia’s war, called for immediate withdrawal and expressed solidarity with Ukraine, but was contradictory and confused in several respects.

In September, the UK TUC Congress – the conference representing the great bulk of UK trade unions – voted overwhelmingly (around 95pc to 2pc, with 3pc abstaining) for a pro-Ukraine motion put forward by ASLEF, NUM and GMB.

2024

A Ukraine solidarity motion was prioritised on the agenda of NEU conference and it seemed very likely it would pass; but Stop the War supporters engaged in a variety of undemocratic tactics to prevent the vote from being reached.

UCU Congress passed a reasonably strong Ukraine solidarity motion; although a couple of amendments passed weakening it, other amendments failed, and it still clearly overturned the policy passed in 2023. The motion hailed Ukraine’s resistance and agreed to affiliate to Ukraine Solidarity Campaign – despite an attempt to remove this specifically, focused on our support for military aid.

The conference of the UK’s largest union, public sector union UNISON, finally got to discuss Ukraine for the first time, as a result of the efforts of the newly formed UNISON Ukraine Solidarity network. It passed a Ukraine solidarity motion, including affiliation to USC, by a margin of about 70pc to 25pc. In 2022 the left-led UNISON National Executive Council had adopted a STW type position but done little about it, and appeared not to want the issue discussed at conference. By 2024 left-wing Ukraine supporters on the NEC, working with branch officers and grassroots activists, were able to break through.

2025

NEU conference finally got to vote on a Ukraine solidarity motion, despite new attempts to run out the clock. There were votes on two wrecking amendments, both defeated, and on the motion itself. The vote on one amendment was recorded: it was defeated 63.4 percent to 36.6. The motion itself passed by a bigger margin.

A Ukraine solidarity motion was submitted to the Delegates Meeting of journalists’ union NUJ, but not reached.

UCU Congress discussed two motions entitled “Welfare not warfare”, opposing higher military spending and militarisation in the UK. Delegates passed the first, which did not mention Ukraine; but voted to remit the second, which tried to use these issues to disparage UK support for Ukraine.

A Ukraine solidarity motion was submitted to the conference of firefighters’ union FBU, the first time any motion on Ukraine had been submitted. Although, after some manoeuvring, it was eventually withdrawn, its submission in itself marked progress, reflecting increased solidarity activity in the FBU.

A motion was submitted to PCS conference attempting to overturn its pro-Ukraine policy in favour of one opposing aid to Ukraine. Although the motion wasn’t reached, it seemed pretty clear it would have been defeated, and organising against it gave a boost to Ukraine solidarity work in the union.

Two years on, the sections of the 2023 Unite Policy Conference position committing to solidarity with Ukraine’s trade union movement had not been carried out. Unite has done very little about Ukraine. Motions submitted to the 2025 Policy Conference by three branches, promoted by the new Unite Ukraine Solidarity group, set out a series of practical steps to put the policy into action. The final motion put together from them passed with only a few abstentions.

The AGM of rail and transport union RMT debated a motion focused on opposition to military support for Israel, but also including opposition to aid for Ukraine. There were other motions on Israel; including the two issues in a single motion was a ploy to ensure it passed. Despite this, and despite repeated speeches in favour by RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey – making use of an unusual RMT rule that allows a national executive representative to speak at will on any motion – the delegates tied 27-27-10 (RMT’s is an unusually small conference). The motion was then passed on the casting vote of the chair, national President George Welch. The fact that the RMT leadership could not, even with real effort, win a plurality of delegates for their position is significant.

Just before its 2025 conference, the Central Executive Committee of general union GMB agreed to affiliate to USC, making it the sixth national union to do so (ASLEF, NUM, PCS, UCU, UNISON, GMB).