April 2014

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Present: Sis. Halfpenny (NUT), Dixon (UNISON Gen)

Bros. Deacon, Kelleher (UNISON Gen), Rahami(UNITE), Juss (GMB), MacMillan (CWU), J.Grant (UCU),

Apologies: Sis. Battell (NASUWT), Ceresa (UNISON), Taylor (CYWU-UNITE) Bros. S Grant, Cole (NUT) Marris (UNITE), Thomas (Community)

Delegates were welcomed and introductions made

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Minutes of last delegate meeting were agreed as correct.

Matters Arising

4(i) Affiliated branches ASLEF, Community 17000, Community Craft, Community Region 4 Associates, CWU. GMBx13, NASUWT, NUT, PCS (C&V), RMT, UCATT, UCU(college), UNISON Acute, UNISON General, UNISON Police Staff, UNISON University, UNITE WM6150, UNITE 6151

Branches affiliated to us last year but not so far for2014: FBU, CYW-UNITE (both have agreed) and POA

4(ii) Saturday 18th October Demonstration  Britain Needs a Pay Rise in London – Midlands TUC Reserved Grant agreed £300, £300 ticket sales expected; will need to raise £300 ourselves. Coach £575, but will have to pay for tube tickets from coach park to demo. Charges:- waged £10, unwaged £5.00 and those with no money free of charge.

4(xi) Meeting with Rob Johnson, Midlands Regional TUC secretary, and Sis Taylor and Bro Kelleher to ascertain purpose of West Midlands CATUC. Regarding motions to regional TUC the rules do not seem to be in ‘sync’ with national TUC. This will be checked to see if so. Rule change would be hard to bring about as cannot go through non-functional WMCATUC. Would have to be put via trade union such as UNISON so it will have a long time scale before there is a change. Currently each trade council does not have a seat on regional council which seems unfair.

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Correspondence of note

3.Bar volunteer places available at Glastonbury and Latitude.

6. Workers Memorial Day 28th April 2014 at 12.30. Speakers Irwin Mitchell Solicitors and Satinder Bains expert on the effects of asbestos.

7. Birmingham Peoples Assembly – ‘Hands Off Our Unions’ meeting 7pm Monday 28th April, The Priory Rooms, Bull Street.

8.No More Pinochets in Latin America! No to extreme Right Coup Plotters in Venezuela, Carrs Lane Church Centre, Birmingham Tuesday April 29th 7pm. There is evidence that the media portrayal of Venezuela uses lies and errors including using photographs of Chile, Spain etc

9. Ruskin College – International Labour and Trade Union Open days all 11am to 1pm – Friday 2nd May, Friday 30th May, Saturday 21st June, Wednesday 30th June. Subject Taster Day Social and Political Studies Friday 6th June 10am start. See website http://www.ruskin.ac.uk/study/open_days

10. The possibility of Banner Theatre productions in the future were discussed, maybe more suitable for Peoples Assembly.

11.More places arefollowing our lead and doing their own May Days. Coventry 1st May 7pm £1 music., speakers, food etc Sandwell TUC 4^th May

12. Re-affiliations: Campaign TU Rights £35, Hope Not Hate £50, Venezuela Solidarity £30 all agreed.

Information that Farage is speaking at Dudley and protest 18 April

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Reports/Discussion

a) NUT – teachers’ industrial action report – There was a good rally in Birmingham on the day of strike action 26th March 2014 and a decent turn out. Victoria Square was full. Bro Grant believed that Wolverhampton had the highest number of schools closed in the area.

b) UNISON – re threat to council jobs – Ongoing sis Ceresa and Bro Kelleher both offered jobs in similar fields. Groups of workers who have had essential car user allowances withdrawn will not be using cars.

c) CYW-UNITE – No further information.

d) UCU/ UNISON strike action in University and Higher Education – There is a planned Anti-Casualisation Day of Action Wednesday 6th March. No delegate present to report.

e) Other delegates’ workplace reports – None

f) Secretary’s Report – Attended Midlands Trade Union Councils Conference on 29th March

The meeting was in Fairpay fortnight and an activity was planned in the Bullring by the Bull but had to move away as not ‘booked’! There was just photographs of people holding posters and it was a missed opportunity of interacting with the public by giving out leaflets etc. Only 14 delegates at the conference no one from Birmingham or Sandwell. There were no motions. Presentation by Andy Goodall, Leftspace on websites for trades union councils.

Black Country Peoples’ Assembly 29th April venue to be confirmed. meetings seem to be about organising promotion of each other’s events. 21st June Peoples’ Assembly national demonstration London.

Leafleting for May 1st – Tuesday 22nd April 6pm, Wednesday 23rd April 6.30pm, Thursday 24th April 6.30pm all at Pegasus.

f) Palestine SolidarityCampaign– There is leafleting Saturday 3rd May at Sainsbury’s St George’s from 10 am to 1pm. there is a social event/ meeting Friday 20th June, Haya Al Farra

from the embassy will speak the venue to be confirmed. This year is UN year of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Bro Deacon Attended Midlands TUC pensioners AGM and was elected as vice chair. A previously submitted report will circulate at the next meeting.

No Speaker – discussion – elections 22nd May 2014 Nominations for local elections and European due 22nd April. Some delegates believed UKIP should be targeted as well as BNP. It was agreed that BNP should be challenged as a matter of course as BNP are aligned with fascists. Farage was a different matter but some delegates supported fighting against UKIP. Unions21 campaign on the Internet may be helpful. Sis Dixon to publicise voter registration amongst young BME groups. Sis Taylor could target youth council.? Bro Kelleher to send out email to delegates to ascertain opposition to UKIP and willingness to undertake a campaign.

It was agreed that if the BNP stand we will leaflet wards as previously. If we are against UKIP then delegates need to come forward and put arguments forward.

Any Other Business It was proposed and agreed that £250 should be donated to Wolverhampton May Day Committee.