
Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council
Minutes of Annual General Meeting Thursday 16th January 2025
@ Unite Office, Wolverhampton and also online
Present in person or online: (delegates in bold): Tim Martin Musician’s Union; Adrian Turner, Bob Deacon, Jane Ceresa UNISON City of Wolverhampton; Michael Vaughan UNISON Staffordshire; Dane Cross UNITE WM/7132; Nick Kelleher, Andy Taylor, Tom Mahon, John Clark, Robert Lipke, Rob Marris UNITE WM/6150; Marie Taylor UNITE LE/372; Ali Rahimi Unite Community WM/5115; Sonia Wilkins UNISON Acute, Warinder Juss MP GMB X13, Graham Childs W’ton CWU, Jess Stoll and Hugh Dudley TUC; Angelina Osborne.
Apologies: Si Goode, John Oakley, Penny Welch, Di Weaver.
- Presidential Address https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/nick-kelleher/episodes/Presidents-Report-e2tks41/a-abnvt94 by Marie Taylor, also appears in annual report. Thanks to Marie.
- Secretary- Nick spoke on the Annual Report & Plan for 2025 https://wolvestuc.org.uk/wolverhampton-tuc-annual-report-2024-25/ Nick thanked.
Agreed to order colour 20-page copies to include the President’s report. - Treasurer – annual accounts presented and questions were taken, will now be audited. Michael thanked.
- Minutes of 2024 Annual General Meeting agreed with no Matters Arising.
- Elected:
a] President Marie Taylor of UNITE LE/372
b] Secretary Nick Kelleher of UNITE WM/6150
c] Treasurer Michael Vaughan of UNISON Staffordshire
d] Vice-President Di Weaver of UNITE WM/5203
e] other members of Executive Committee Tom Mahon, Robert Lipke both of UNITE WM/6150
f] Auditor Adrian Turner of UNISON City of Wolverhampton
g] delegates to Midlands TUC – Regional Council – Robert Lipkie; Executive Committee – Robert Lipke;
Pensioners’ Network – Bob Deacon declined nomination. He was thanked by delegates for the many years that he served as our nominee and for all the work which he had done. Bob thanked delegates for being nominated as their representative throughout this time.
h] TUCJCC nomination – Nick Kelleher
I] Trades Union Council Annual Conference delegate (7/8 June London), deadline is 2 May, so put on future agenda, else NK agreed to attend as a delegate, since his expenses will be paid by the TUCJCC and will also be attending. - speaker Angelina Osborne presented her interim report on research on our behalf of us on connections to slavery: local manufacture of agricultural implements.
Nails, Ox chains and slave collars were manufactured in the Midlands largely in cottage industries – forges in home outhouses etc. Tools for use specifically for sugar or cane production were also made here; then sold through merchants via London, Bristol and Liverpool onto plantations including in the Caribbean and US. The Research seems in a difficult but under-researched field and could be picked up by others after. Due to complete around April. Delegates were appreciative of the work done so far and provoked lively discussion. - urgent delegate reports?:
ASLEF report received will be circulated.
Warinder Juss gave his impressions of being a new MP. He first welcomed the Israel-Palestine ceasefire. He took part in the Violence Against Women debate last week. Despite their online protestations no Reform MPs took part or attended. The Employment Rights Bill is at Committee stage. Likely exemption on Fire and Rehire when employer threatens closure.