AGM Jan 2023 minutes

2023 minutes 0

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council

Minutes of Annual General Meeting on Thursday 19th January 2023

  1. Present (delegates listed in bold): Warinder Juss GMBx13; Graham Childs CWU; Edda Nicolson UCU Wolverhampton University; John Grant UCU College; Kay Cresswell-Green NEU; Bob Deacon, Adrian Turner, Simon Cardy UNISON City of Wolverhampton; Michael Vaughan UNISON Staffs; Marie Taylor UNITE LE/372; Di Weaver UNITE WM/5203; Nick Kelleher, John Oakley & Rob Marris UNITE WM/6150; Zahid Ali, Carol Hyatt, Barbara McGarrity & Ali Rahimi UNITE Community; Russell Lowe; Chaz Stoll UNISON; Billy Holland FBU apologies: Clare Simm PCS, Penny Welch UCU, Sharon Dixon UNISON City of Wolverhampton, Dane Cross Unite WM/7132
  2. Minutes of 2022 Annual General Meeting agreed & no Matters Arising
  3. Presidential Address was delivered by Marie Taylor, full text at https://wolvestuc.org.uk/annual-report-2023/
  4. a] Secretary- discussion of Annual Report & Plan for 2023 was delivered by Nick Kelleher full copy at https://wolvestuc.org.uk/annual-report-2023/ these will be available as colour printed 20-page booklet, currently at printers
    • #HeartUnions week – public activity planned for weekend 11/12 February DW to produce a union Valentine card to give out to public/on pickets rather than our usual flowers. Also spend £50 on online recruitment campaign, as was successful last year.
    • Workers Memorial Day 12-30pm Friday 28 April 2023@ Workers’ Memorial Day Tree by Cenotaph, Civic Plaza. Seek civic flags at half mast. Invite Ian Brookfield as a speaker.
    • May 1st 2023 – check with Pegasus for venue. Decision to abandon our May Day website (http://1stmaywolverhampton.org.uk/) and host our Black Country links to transatlantic enslavement research on our webhosting package, since only two websites can be hosted on our package
    • enslavement links – next steps DW + NK to pursue, website domain name to be decided
    • Strike fundraiser for unions without strike pay suggested. RMT and UCU have hardship funds which accept donations, unclear about other unions.
    • Thanks was expressed by delegates to John Grant UCU College, for his 40-year shift as Treasurer of our trades council b] Treasurer – annual accounts (not available, take at Feb meeting)
  5. Elections: the following posts were elected unanimously:
    • name branch position nominating branches
    • Nick Kelleher UNITE WM6150 Secretary Unite WM6150, UNISON City of W’ton
    • Marie Taylor UNITE LE372 President Unite WM6150, UNISON City of W’ton
    • Michael Vaughan UNISON Staffs Treasurer UNISON Staffordshire, UNISON City of W’ton
    • Di Weaver UNITE WM5203 EC Unite WM6150, UNISON City of W’ton
    • Clare Simm PCS Blk Country EC UNISON City of Wolverhampton
    • Auditor Adrian Turner UNISON City of Wolverhampton
    • Delegate to Midlands TUC Regional Council + nominated for EC – Di Weaver Unite WM 5203
    • Midlands TUC Women’s Committee – Edda Nicolson UCU University
    • Midlands TUC Pensioners’ Network – Bob Deacon UNISON City of Wolverhampton
    • Trades Union Council Annual Conference delegate (17/18 June London) to be decided
    • TUCJCC nomination (national body of trades councils) Nick Kelleher Unite WM 6150
  6. 2023 affiliations with payments so far received from ASLEF, Musicians union, UCU University, NEU. UNISON City of Wolverhampton and UNITE WM6150, UNITE WM5203. Form at https://wolvestuc.org.uk/affiliating-to-wolverhampton-tuc-2023/
  7. urgent delegate reports upcoming strikes – upcoming local strikes from NEU, PCS, UCU University, RMT and ASLEF on 1st Feb – strike rally and march being organised DW/NK in consultation with striking unions who have agreed to take part – meeting to be arranged
    • Unite WM/7132 National Express Buses won consultative strike ballot
    • GMB first UK Amazon strike in Coventry 25 Jan with evening rally
  8. public meeting at 8pm: Billy Holland Fire Brigades Union WM Regional Secretary spoke excellently on the Right To Strike. Proposed new Tory laws would mean employers would need to give notice and name workers to be forced to during strike. No minimum service agreement for strikes but always agree cover for major incidents during strikes. Tory have two years before their election defeat to dismantle the economy. Pensions had massive cut plus ten years more service required. 30 Jan pay ballot ends. Firefighters starting rate is £11.05/hr, less than at McDonalds. 2% offer rejected, some areas want to settle at higher rate, though national bargaining remains.