Add Your Name: Stop the War in Ukraine – Trade Union Statement

If you are a Trade Union official or rep please add your name to the following statement at the bottom of this page:

The war in Ukraine is a disaster for the people there and for the wider population of Europe. Rival powers are now playing out their conflicts over Ukraine, and it is the people of Ukraine who will continue to suffer. We condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and call for the immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops now. We declare our solidarity with the courageous Russian anti-war movement.

NATO’s push to expand into Eastern Europe has been an integral part of the development of the Ukraine crisis. Further NATO involvement, such as pouring in more armaments, a no-fly zone, sanctions or other similar measures, can only lead to escalation and threatens the conflict spilling over into a wider war. We oppose all escalation that could increase the danger of nuclear war.

We condemn the response of the British government which has been to escalate the conflict by sending in large numbers of weapons and increase troop deployments to Eastern Europe. This is now turning the war into an effective proxy war between NATO and Russia, and the main victims will be the Ukrainian people. Rather than going down this road, our government should be doing its utmost to secure peace talks, withdrawal of troops and a ceasefire.

We further call on the British government to open its doors to Ukrainian refugees, waiving visas, and other restrictions to respond to the humanitarian crisis. We also believe that all refugees fleeing conflict deserve our support and the right to asylum.

We urge our unions to support all protests calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops and no escalation by NATO organised by the Stop the War Coalition, CND and other anti-war and peace organisations.

Signees:

Geoff Abbott, Newcastle University UCU
Mark Abel, UCU NEC Member
Anne Alexander, Cambridge UCU
Juliana Aojinnaka, UCU NEC
Yaseen Aslam, App Drivers & Couriers Union President
Dave Barnes, TSSA Network Rail National Rep
Mike Barton, London Retired UCU
Sherelle Cadogan, Aslef LU BAME Rep
Alex Callinicos, KCL UCU
Mairead Canavan, NEU NEC Member (Personal Capacity)
Warren Chambers, NEU NEC Member(personal capacity)
Sweta Choudhury, PCS South West Regional Committee
Sarah Collins, EIS Area Officer
Jenny Cooper, NEU NEC Member
Helen Davies, UNISON NEC
Chris Denson, NEU Executive (Personal Capacity)
Shaun Doherty, NEU Ctte Member
Deepa Govinddarajan Driver, UCU NEC
Nadia Edmond, UCU Branch Secretary
Dr Gail Edwards, Newcastle University UCU
Jess Edwards, NEU NEC Member (Personal Capacity)
Sarah Ensor, PCS NEC Member (Personal Capacity)
Karen Evans, UCU NDC
David Fellows, Unison ESAB RMS Chair
Iain Ferguson, UCU Retired Members Branch (Scotland)
Helen Field, Unite Community Southampton Area Chair
Nicola Field, Kingston UCU Postgraduate Representative
Charlotte Foster Lewis, RMT H & S REP
Babs Gisborne, UCU West Midlands RM
Donny Gluckstein, EIS Council
Penny Gower, EIS-FELA National Executive (Personal Capacity)
Dan Grace, Unison Rep
Talat Ahmed, University of Edinburgh UCU
Christinna Hazzard, LJMU UCU
Tom Hickey, University of Brighton UCU, GP
Colin Hicks, ASLEF Industrial Relations Rep
Orlando Hill, NEU School Rep
Margot Hill, Croydon Branch Sec UCU
Christian Hogsbjerg, University of Brighton UCU Treasurer
Mark Hollinrake, PCS Shop Steward
Jack Hopkins, Unite NW/70209 Branch Treasurer
Bee Hughes, UCU NEC
Amy Hughes-Stanley, Liverpool John Moore’s University UCU Treasurer
Pete Jackson, PCS Midlands Chair
Ritchie James, Unite the Union North West Regional Secretary
Alex Kenny, NEU National Exec (Personal Capacity)
Naina Kent, UCU Hackney ACE, UCU NEC member
Graham Kirkwood, UCU Newcastle University UCU Branch Chair
Sarah Lahm, University of Leeds UCU
Gawain Little, NEU NEC Member (Personal Capacity)
Emeritus Professor Henry Maitles, University of the West of Scotland UCU
Angela Mccormick, EIS FELA Executive and Branch Convenor
Richard Mcewan, UCU NEC
Paul McGarr, National Education Union District Officer
Elizabeth McLean, NEU National Executive
Laura Miles, Yorkshire and Humberside UCU Retired Members Branch
Unjum Mirza, Aslef Equalities Rep
Linda Moore, Ulster University UCU
Carlo Morelli, UCU Scotland Past President
Simon Murch, NEU NEC Member (Personal Capacity)
Chris Neville, Unite NW/70209 Branch Chair
Kenneth Newton, Unite Branch Officer
Tim Nicholls PCS Regional Committee (Personal Capacity)
Sandy Nicoll, UNISON NEC member
Arthur Nicoll, UNSON Co-Chair Dundee City UNISON
Mark O’Brien, UCU University of Liverpool UCU Committee
Robert O’Connell, ASLEF Branch Chair
Susan Olech, Usdaw Rep
Glyn Oliver, Unite Community Branch Secretary
Thomas O’Neill, ETU Organiser
Marianne Owens, PCS NEC Member
David Owens, PCS Secretary Merseyside ARMS
Professor Megan Povey, University of Leeds UCU
Paul Power, NEU Secretary Haringey TUC (pc) and President Haringey NEU (pc)
Lucia Pradella, King’s College London UCU
Wendy Press, UCU LSA
Bernard Regan, NEU Trustee
Karen Reissmann, Unison NEC
Julia Roberts, Lambeth College Branch Secretary
David Robinson, NEU President
Emma Rose, NEU NEC (Personal capacity)
Camilla Royle, UCU LSE UCU
Miriam Scharf, Newham NEU International Solidarity Officer
Roddy Slorach, UCU Imperial College
Alex Snowdon, National Education Union Northumberland District Secretary
Prof Phil Taylor, University of Strathclyde UCU, Branch Cttee
Kevin Treweeks, UNISON Branch Secretary Plymouth
Vladimir Unkovski-Korica, University of Glasgow UCU
Sean Vernell, UCU NEC
Sean Wallis, UCL UCU Branch President
Saira Weiner, Liverpool John Moores University, UCU NEC
Mary Wilkins, West Midlands Retired UCU
Sheena Wheatley, NEU Exec (Personal Capacity)
Liz Wheatley, UNISON NEC
Paul Williams, PCS NEC member
Marion Winters, UCU Branch President Heriot-Watt UCU
Claire Wormald, Unison Branch secretary