April 07

Secretary’s Report April 2007
Wolverhampton, Bilston & District TUC info@wolvestuc.org.uk

TU branches already affiliated for 2007 (13,000 trade unionists):
Amicus 0558, Amicus 3210M, ASLEF, Community(Hall Palm), CWU (Wolverhampton), CWU (W.Mids & Worcs), CYWU-TGWU, GMB X13, NASUWT, NUT, TGWU 5/748, TGWU 5/836, UCU City College, UCU University, UNISON General, UNISON PCT, UNISON University
Welcome to CWU (Wolverhampton) and UNISON University are two new affiliations as thanks to the re-affiliated branches.

Hope Not Hate -Wolverhampton’s anti-fascist election campaign.
WB&DTUC has launched a campaign against the BNP who are standing candidates in 6 wards: Wednesfield N&S, Bushbury N & S, Fallings Park & Tettenhall Wightwick.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR APRIL Leafleting Sessions:
Saturday 14th 10-30am Sunday 15th 10-30am
(meet 3 Tuns Island car park, Stafford road), then:
Monday 16th 7pm Wednesday 18th 7pm
Saturday 21st 10-30am Sunday 22nd 10-30am
Tuesday 24th 7pm Thursday 26th 7pm
Saturday 28th 12- 30pm Sunday 29th 10-30am

Tues. May 1st – Keep Wolverhampton a Fascist-Free Zone theme of May Day festival Pegasus, Craddock St 7-11pm
Wed. 2nd May eve of poll – to be confirmed
Thurs. May 3rd election

There was a good turnout on the first session and a sizeable portion of Fallings Park has already been done.
 Nick 07932797139 for meeting point for each session
We initially have 10,000 Searchlight leaflets and will be ordering more up to 30,000. Despite criticism by some Labour Party councillors, who have made contact for first time, but only during the election campaign. We are organising along the lines of the Searchlight campaign “with a decreasing pool of activists, political parties now commonly ignore those people who do not vote regularly and concentrate on those who vote in every election.. While this might often be a sensible strategy, it is not the right approach when confronting the BNP” – Searchlight latest issue.

WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY SAT 28TH April – 11am, flyer enclosed
1st May Workers’ Day (Tuesday) Festival Pegasus 7-11pm featuring Attila the Stockbroker NOT TO BE MISSED – event has cost £1350 so far so donations welcome from any trade union branches that have not already made their very generous donations.
Advance notice:
– National Shop Stewards Network founding conference, called by RMT but supported by most major unions., following on from 2 previous national gatherings see www.shopstewards.net for details Sat.7th July, Euston , London.
– this year’s Chainmakers’ Festival is to be held Sat. 15th Sept 2007
at the Black Country Living Museum – cheap entry for trade unionists, TONY BENN TO SPEAK