AGM January 2020

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council

Annual General Meeting Minutes

Thursday 16th January 2020 Unite Office, 6 Victoria Square, Wolverhampton WV1 1LD

1. Present: Sis Taylor UNITE CYW, Millar & Welch UCU University, Ceresa UNISON City, Ahmed UNITE WM6150, D.Weaver UNITE WM5203, C.Simm PCS Bro Kelleher, Marris & Oakley UNITE WM6150, Rahimi UNITE Community, Juss GMB, B.Simm PCS, Baker UNITE Sandwell, Grant UCU, Childs CWU, Turner, Deacon & Pugh UNISON City, M.Singh, T.Singh Apologies: Sis J.Weaver, Dixon & Whyte UNISON City

2. Minutes of 2019 Annual General Meeting agreed, no Matters Arising

3. Presidential Address https://wolvestuc.org.uk/president-s-address-2020/

4. a] Secretary- discussion of Annual Report & Plan for 2020, https://wolvestuc.org.uk/wolverhampton-tuc-annual-report-2019-20/ colour copies printed, for delegates and use at events. 18Million people in Britain have less than £100 savings. Need to promote Credit Unions as overdrafts have increased to 40%. We have not taken up seriously yet Greening the Workplace or other climate emergency campaigns seriously. Wodenstock 2019 was a great success. For a future event stage area needs to be levelled at Wednesfield Amphitheatre or scaffold it. Our Workers’ Memorial Day theme chosen as Safe Mental Health at Work. Agreed our TUC had made some positive achievements promoting trade unionism in the community.

   b] Treasurer – annual audited accounts accepted. Drop in income whilst continuing spending levels, funds dropped from £4,700 to £3,300 in last year.

5. Elected

President (Chairperson): Marie Taylor UNITE CYW

Vice-President: Rob Marris UNITE WM/6150

Secretary: Nick Kelleher UNITEWM/6150

Treasurer: John Grant UCU

Asst Sec. & Green Officer: Bob Simm PCS

Executive Member: Grace Millar UCU University & Clare Simm PCS DWP

Auditor: Adrian Turner UNISON City of Wolverhampton

TUC Pensioners Network Bob Deacon UNISON City of Wolverhampton

TUC Regional Council delegate Nick Kelleher UNITEWM/6150

6. new WB&DTUC rules agreed with vote unanimous; increase of affiliation fee from 10p to 12p with a £10 minimum. https://wolvestuc.org.uk/index.php/wbdtuc/rules

7. urgent delegate reports none

8. speaker Mohinder Singh on the Indian Workers’ Association’s campaign demanding an end to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “tide of anti-Muslim acts” passed last week which grants citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from three of India’s neighbouring countries. The Citizen Amendment Act fast-tracks citizenship for almost every religious minority — except Muslims — from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Indian Workers’ Association described the law as “undermining the basis of India’s secular democratic constitution.” IWA had held a demo in Birmingham this month at which some delegates were in attendance.

   9. A film was shown from Reel News, Tax Justice Network: The Race to the Bottom