April 2009

WOLVERHAMPTON, BILSTON & DISTRICT TRADES UNION COUNCIL
MINUTES of Delegate MEETING 16th April 2009

ATTENDANCE: SISTERS:. Petford (UNITE0758), Sam (No Borders) BROTHERS: Kelleher (UNISON), Marriott (UNISON), Deacon (UNISON), Childs (CWU), Bostock (POA). Clarke (POA), Grant (NUT), Rahimi (UNITE0758), Baynham (UNITE0758), Dodd (UNITE3210), Evans (UNITE), Cole (NUT), J.Grant (UCU), Kieran (No Borders), Matt (IWW).
Apologies: Brothers: Marris (UNITE), Juss (GMB), Goodall(UNITE), Hardacre (ASPECT), Sisters: Ceresa (UNISON), Kelsey (CWU). Halfpenny (NUT), Taylor (CYWU/UNITE)

1. Introductions to delegates & visitors, new & old, & Apologies
2. Minutes of March delegate meeting agreed no matters arising
3. no Executive Committee April 9th – Correspondence:
3.1. POA, UNITE 0758M, ATL affiliation cheques received.
3.2. London May Day Organising Committee -send support message
3.3. City Wide BME Council invite to meeting – Secretary raised anti-fascist campaigning
3.4. Purchased: WMDay flyers 1000 A4 double sided £70 – distributed to branches and in mailings – funded by UNITE 0758M; May Day Greetings cards £7 for 10 – UNITE organised community venture -40 ordered £28 – for sale to delegates; Samsung CLP315 colour laser printer £120.78 plus £32.99 spare toner, 15 x hi-visibility jackets for anti-bnp leafleting £29.10
3.5. Searchlight & Unite Against Fascism regional timetables of activity pre-euro elections
3.6. Telford TUC re UNION Friday 15 May railway station leafleting – co-ordinate for press release?
3.7. Tolpuddle flyers – distribute in future mailing
3.8. Campaign for Labour Party Democracy – pass to Bro.Childs
3.9. UCU address change – seeking account info for BACS payments
3.10. Rob Marris MP support for UN Gaza war crimes enquiry
3.11. Charter for Women – multi-union charter for adoption, invite to join national steering committee bi-monthly meetings – £20 affiliation – no decision
3.12. No Borders info on campaign – invited to speak
3.13. Working Class Movement library seeking donation and offer to visit
3.14. Birmingham TUC minutes
3.15. Campaign to Repeal Anti-TU Laws AGM Tues 5 May London 6pm
3.16. PPFF receipt & thanks for £1000 donation (half Workers Beer Co money)
3.17. Info re W’ton Pensioners Convention affiliation to national NPC
3.18. Merseyside TUC 18 April conference on Palestine
3.19. TUC LGBT conference observer deadline 24 April
sent: 3.20 Workers beer festival registration of numbers for festivals
3.21 Re-affiliation £30 Campaign to Repeal Anti-TU Laws

4. Reports & discussion:
a) Secretary – May 1st help sought with publicity, Workers’ Memorial Day – shoes needed to represent 18 West Midlanders dead. Anti-fascist Euro-election Day of Action – May 9th discussion on leafleting area priorities. H.Town agreed plus further advice from Searchlight to be sought. Bro.Rahimi offered base venue. Bro.Dodd to get paper into local factories and Bro.Cole schools. Bro.Childs offered help.
b) Treasurer – funds healthy.
c) Council cuts campaign Cnllr Evans reported on campaigns and consultation. UNISON held lobbies but so far the Tory/Lib Dem alliaiance seems deaf to their electors.
d) CWU Keep the Post Public – praise for very well organised demo with big turnout

5. Speakers: Sam & Keiran from Bristol No Borders campaign – Calais activist camp; a joint venture between French activists and migrant support groups and the UK No Borders Network. It aims to highlight the realities of the situation in Calais and Northern France; to build links with the migrant communities and to challenge the authorities on the ground, to protest against increased repression of migrants and local activists. Alively discussion ensued on the concept of No borders. Practical work: Message of support to be sent to camp (end June); offer to join it;information distribution around migrant control issues; website link. £100 plus expenses agreed.