Minutes of delegate meeting Thursday 15th December 2016
Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council
1. Present – Sis Taylor(UNITE-CYW), Whyte, Dixon, Dugmore (UNISON Gen),
Bros Kelleher, Deacon, Pugh,Turner (UNISON Gen), Childs (CWU), Marris (UNITE) Brackenridge (Labour Group, FBU), Beuno (Sandwell UNISON), Martin (MU)
Apologies Sis Brealey, Weaver (UNISON Gen) Halfpenny (NUT),Bros S Grant(NUT), Rahimi (UNITE), Everall (UNISON) Juss (GMB), J Grant (UCU)
All were welcomed and introduced.
2. Minutes of last delegate meeting and no matters arising
3. EC report
a) future speakers, AGM? invite sent to Cnllr Pete Lowe to speak on WM Combined Authority, offer from Greig Campbell re conclusion of Bilston Steelworks project; more copies of his pamphlet have been given to us available at meeting free; contact made with Shrewsbury2 campaign and Ricky Tomlinson, or POA. Invite Lee Barron to attend AGM.
b) TUC Action for Rail 7-9am Tuesday 3 January 2017, @ Wolverhampton Rail Station Bridge. 1,000 postcard order confirmed. Facebook event launched. Press release to be done.
c) heart/love unions week 7-14 February 2017 – 250 red carnations in holders stalls: Sat 11 Feb @Wednesfield, Sun 12 Feb@Bilston market – need to produce visual backdrop for event, see if any official merchandise available, use join TU info
d) Peoples Assembly offer of “I, Daniel Blake” public showing DVD/film @£60 to be arranged, or for ouutdoor showing in town centre or 1st May daytime – it is showing in Lighthouse this month
Correspondence of note
e) Press releases to local and national press and archives, Mids TUC, LP re online version of Wolverhampton Worker. W’ton History Society have sent invition to speak. Wolverhampton Archives have requested our copy as theirs is poor quality. Discussion held and suggestions made of its display in Mayoral chamber or permanent loan to library with one of their duplicates on display? Sec to contact Archives
f) Midlands TUC establishing three working groups to look at the 2017 Chainmakers Festival to be held on Saturday July 1.
g) recontacted Common Ground re Ten Towns post brexit discussion and they finally responsed. They to arrange interviews. Their website http://www.commongrounduk.com shows them to be campaigning to still remain in EU and they have began in Wolverhampton. Newsnight Bexit interviews in Goose pub in Wolverhampton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWch1i2d6vQ&feature=youtu.be Hope not Hate also launching ‘Post-Industrial Communities Project’.
h) Cnllr M.Jaspal re TUC Dying to Work campaign positive response expected agreement to sign up and recognise terminal illness as a protected characteristic in sickness policy in January. Midlands TUC offer to help with publicity has been passed on. UNISON to do joint press release and pointing out that it is a trade union campaign. Wolverhampton Homes, academies, College and University to be written to.
i) Hazards (Keele 28-30 July 2017) appeal £25 to pay; Workers Beer Co Glastonbury & Tolpuddle £882 total – half i.e. ( £300 (donation) & £141 (pre-fund adverts) to be sent to Morning Star); receipts from Stop the War affiliation £50 and London Recruits crowdfund £25 paid online; sold 150th anniversary badge on ebay £5
j) www.wolvestuc.org.uk 3,500 page views and 2,200 post reach of Wolverhampton TUC facebook in last month
k) 2017 WB&DTUC affiliation forms and nomination form for executive officers sent out to branch secretaries
4. Emergency Resolution re TU Education for Midlands TUC AGM adapted by EC from Shrewsbury TU Education :
The TUC national education programme has trained and developed over half a million Trade Union representatives in the last decade.
Yet it’s future Government funding is uncertain.
Without state funding it could be replaced by a non-accredited short on-line course and only larger unions would have the facilities to replicate the existing teaching methods.
The Midlands TUC Regional Council calls upon the TUC:
to keep open the existing Trade Union Studies units and protect the jobs of the 127 trade union studies lecturers
to keep the national TUC education programme accredited at level 1 and 2 and reinstate level 3
and for the national TUC to continue to fund the TUC education programme for the for 2017/18 academic year if government funding has not by then been reinstated.
Passed unanimously
5. Bro Kelleher was elected as our delegate to Midlands TUC regional council
6. Reports/discussion:
a) delegates’ workplace reports: FBU – reduction of councillors on West Mids Fire Authority; roles changing to assist iin home care eg lifting people fallen from beds; government looking again at the failed model of combined authority call centres.
b) Secretary’s report – written report circulated.
c) Midlands TUC Pensioners Network – Bro Deacon reported on NHS Sustainability and Transformation 5-year Plans (STPs) regional ‘place-based plans’ for the future of health and care services.
4 March NHS DEMO London – local coach?
Planned Bedroom Tax on pensioners has been postponed. No statement yet from Wolverhamptonm Council on Pay to Stay yet.
Rob Marris MP gave positive responses to Attendance Allowance letter.
d) Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign – West Midlands Local govt Pension Fund divestment discussions ongoing. AGM 21 Jan London Bro Kelleher & Sis Taylor nominated to be delegate they to arrange if either can go.
e) Latin America conference London, Sis Taylor gave report, excellent conference.
f) Tributes made to Fidel Castro and the internationalism of Cuba by delegates.
7. Black Country entertainer Tim Martin performed his latest material + seasonal refreshments enjoyed.
8. Any other business – none
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