About Committees & Subgroups

A Working Group (WG) is a relatively short-lived, less formal “committee” that works on a specific issue. They are meant to dissolve after that issue is resolved.  ​

A Subcommittee (SC) is the more formal, longer-lived counterpart to a WG. It is meant to deal with a range of issues that fall under the same category. For example the organising SC. They are often permanent and don’t dissolve. SC are usually caring more decision-making power than WGs. ​

A Standing Subcommittee (SSC) is a SC that will never dissolve and that should be formed at every branch, where possible. UCU has 5: BAME, Disabled Members, International, LGBT+, Womens. UCUE has 4 of these, Women’s will join next year. Our 4 SSC report to the Equalities Rep.  ​

WG or SC can be formed by vote in full committee, they each need at least one committee member as a liaison, but can and should otherwise include, or even be mainly composed of, UCU members, who are not on committee.