Motions
Motion for Local District/Branch General Meetings
Below is a template model motion to be passed in local NEU district/branch ‘general meetings’. You can find your NEU district/branch here. NEU districts will hold at least three general meetings a year and they are open to all members. The deadline to submit motions is generally 10 days before the scheduled meeting.
If you are planning to submit a motion, please get in touch so we can provide guidance.
Model Motion for Local District/Branch general meetings
[Insert District] NEU Notes
Disarm education is a campaign by educators, parents and students to stop the collaboration of places of education with arms companies and weapons manufacturers.
We have witnessed the proliferation of genocide in Gaza since October 2023. This follows over 78 years of the systematic ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. Over 60,000 people have been killed, 90% of the population has been displaced, and an estimated 60% of all infrastructure has been destroyed.
The UK arms industry has directly contributed genocide of Palestinians: 15% of each F35 fighter jet used by Israel is built in the UK through companies such as BAE systems, Leonardo and Martin-Baker. The UK has licensed the export of arms worth £560 million to Israel since 2008, with the full scale of military production far higher due to the 'open' nature of many export licenses.
There is large scale collaboration between arms companies and places of education. Companies including BAE systems, Rolls Royce and Lockheed Martin spend millions every year to sponsor school events, fund competitions, do careers roadshows, provide work experience, and fund apprenticeship opportunities for students. In 2018 alone, BAE invested £100m in education skills, and early careers. In 2022, they delivered a workshop to a million students using their education roadshow and on average, they visit 435 schools a year. Lockheed Martin has produced a STEM activity pack for British Science week and beyond the curriculum, these companies sponsor at least 39% of University Technical Colleges in England.
Recent years have seen the Palestinian solidarity movement blossom. Student action across the UK has led to successful resistance against the creeping militarisation of our schools. As a direct result of school council walk-outs, in December 2023, Luton Sixth form suspended all ties with Leonardo due to the company’s involvement in the genocide.
The UK arms industry’s contribution to the genocide in Palestine is part of a longer history of involvement in global violence and conflict. Three recent examples illustrate this. First, UK arms companies supplied weapons, equipment, and logistical support to British, U.S., and allied forces throughout the wars in Iraq (2003–2011) and Afghanistan (2001–2021). Second, British Aerospace (now BAE Systems) provided tanks and Hawk jets used by Indonesia in the East Timor genocide (1975-1999). Third, UK arms companies have provided Typhoon/Tornado aircraft, Paveway bombs, and Brimstone/Stormshadow missles worth billions to the Saudi-led coalition that has killed an estimated 377,000 people in Yemen (2015-2025).
[Insert District] NEU Believes
Students and young people should not be exposed to the production of war and violence should not be normalised through education. Now more than ever, is a crucial moment to sever all ties with arms companies, to denormalise the production of war in all facets of society and to disavow our complicity in violence and genocide.
Educators must respond to the calls of over 30 Palestinian trade unions, including the NEU’s sister unions, for trade unions in relevant industries to: (1) refuse to build weapons destined for Israel (2) refuse to transport weapons to Israel (3) pass motions to this effect (4) take action against complicit institutions and pressure governments to stop all military trade with Israel.
[Insert District] NEU Resolves
Uncover ties between places of education and arms companies within the District.
Establish agreements in places of education within the District to prohibit or end any partnerships with companies producing arms.
Affiliate to the ‘Disarm Education’ campaign.
Donate £50 to the Disarm Education campaign.
Motion for Workplace Meetings
NEU workplace representatives can organise meetings to discuss the collective issues they face. This is a crucial opportunity to uncover and end partnerships between companies producing arms and places of education.
If you are planning to bring a motion on Disarm Education to a workplace meeting, please get in touch so we can provide guidance. Please also read our workplace organising guide.
Model motion for workplace meetings
[Insert Workplace Name] NEU Notes
Disarm education is a campaign to stop the collaboration of places of education with arms companies.
The ethnic cleansing of Palestine has escalated into a genocide since October 2023 with over 60,000 people killed.
The UK arms industry has directly contributed genocide of Palestinians through the exportation of over £560 million of arms since 2008
There is large scale collaboration between arms companies and places of education. In 2018 alone, BAE invested £100m in education skills, and early careers.
The UK arms industry’s contribution to the genocide in Palestine is part of a longer history of involvement in global violence and conflict, such as in Iraq (2003–2011), Afghanistan (2001–2021), East Timor (1975-1999) and Yemen (2015-2025).
[Insert Workplace Name] NEU Believes
Students and young people should not be exposed to the production of war and violence should not be normalised through education.
Educators must respond to the calls of over 30 Palestinian trade unions, including the NEU’s sister unions, for trade unions in relevant industries to refuse to build weapons destined for Israel and take action against complicit institutions.
[Insert Workplace Name] NEU Resolves
Uncover ties between places of education and arms companies within the District.
Establish agreements in places of education within the District to prohibit or end any partnerships with companies producing arms.
Affiliate to the ‘Disarm Education’ campaign.
Affiliation Motion for NEU Sections
The NEU is organised into sectoral and equalities sections. The sectorial sections are: independent schools, post-16 establishments, support staff, and new professional and young workers. The equalities sections are: Black, LGBT+ and Disabled. Each section will have a Committee reporting to the Executive and an annual conference. NEU Districts/Branches can formally affiliate to the Disarm Education campaign by passing our affiliation motion. To support the campaign pass the following motion in your NEU Section:
Model motion for NEU Sections
[Insert Section Name] NEU Notes
Disarm education is a campaign to stop the collaboration of places of education with arms companies.
The ethnic cleansing of Palestine has escalated into a genocide since October 2023 with over 60,000 people killed.
The UK arms industry has directly contributed genocide of Palestinians through the exportation of over £560 million of arms since 2008
There is large scale collaboration between arms companies and places of education. In 2018 alone, BAE invested £100m in education skills, and early careers.
The UK arms industry’s contribution to the genocide in Palestine is part of a longer history of involvement in global violence and conflict, such as in Iraq (2003–2011), Afghanistan (2001–2021), East Timor (1975-1999) and Yemen (2015-2025).
[Insert Section Name] NEU Believes
Students and young people should not be exposed to the production of war and violence should not be normalised through education.
Educators must respond to the calls of over 30 Palestinian trade unions, including the NEU’s sister unions, for trade unions in relevant industries to refuse to build weapons destined for Israel and take action against complicit institutions.
[Insert Workplace Name] NEU Resolves
Uncover ties between places of education and arms companies.
Establish agreements in places of education to prohibit or end any partnerships with companies producing arms.
Affiliate to the ‘Disarm Education’ campaign.