February 2017

Minutes of Delegate Meeting WB&DTUC
Thursday 16th February 2017

1. Present: Sis Taylor(UNITE-CYW), Welch (UCU) Bro.Kelleher, Everall, Deacon (UNISON Gen), J Grant (UCU), Childs (CWU), Rahimi (UNITE), Juss (GMB)
Apologies Bro S.Grant (NUT), Turner, Pugh (UNISON) Sis Dixon, Whyte, Weaver (UNISON)

2. deferred.section 5a-5e of AGM Elections: Nominations received from Wolverhampton General UNISON and Sandwell General UNISON branches.
Elected Secretary – Nick Kelleher, President Marie Taylor Unite, Vice President Rob Marris Unite, Treasurer John Grant UCU.
Executive Committee positions vacant – put on next agenda

3. Minutes of December Delegate Meeting: agreed. Matters Arising: 3h) TUC Dying to Work report now to go to February Cabinet meeting of council.

4. Executive Committee Report
a) RMT, NUT, UNISON West Mids Police staff, FBU affiliations and cheques; only other affiliation forms received: ASLEF, Sandwell UNISON, UNITE Faith workers, UNITE WM 6151 NULMW, Community Craft and Musicians Union donation. 15 still to affiliate – forms continue to be sent out.
b) NHS demo 4 March 27xtrain tickets bought (7 sold), UNISON General to have half; paid £23.50 each – sell at £10 waged on website,
c) Bro Deacon congratulated on Attendance Allowance campaign victory – put on website
d) Wolverhampton Worker – spoke to Mayor’s office who seem keen to have something on display. Archives approached with new proposal. will deposit after 11 March
e) 17th March – Mary Macarthur Lecture by campaigning, award-winning journalist, Ros Wynne-Jones 7pm @Theatre in St. Michael’s High School, Curral Rd, Rowley Regis, B65 9AN. A buffet will be served. Register at mkesterton@tuc.org.uk
f) Future of TUC Education Midlands Region Briefing 11am on 20th February at Maple House, 150 Corporation Street, Birmingham, B4 6TB.
g) Sun 12th March The MAC, Birmingham play ‘Dare Devil Rides To Jarama’ about 1930s fight for better wages in sport and joining the International Brigade to help the people of Spain fight fascism email going out to 435 of our contacts on 19 Feb
h) Ex&St report on possible future closure of West Park hospital – no more details contact UNISON Black Country Mental Health branch. STP for Black Country – seek future speaker. There may also be Patients’ groups.
i) sent: Access Underwriting Ltd £190 our public liability insurance renewal

5. a) observer for each TUC conference no nominations –noted
b) Trades Union Councils Annual Conference delegate no nomination – noted

6. Reports:
a] urgent delegate reports: none
b] Secretary – written report circulated. Heart/love unions week big box of leaflets and freebies for stall received from Midlands TUC (asked to write and thank); posters made up, stalls given free: Sat 11 Feb @Wednesfield (6 volunteers UNISON, GMB, UNITE, UCU), Sun 12 Feb@Bilston market (7 volunteers UNISON, UNITE, UCU) 250 red carnations in holders (cost £115) given out with join a union leaflet. Photographs taken and put on Facebook and website. Snow and rain but went well engaged with all people.
There had been a small anti-Trump protest in Queen Sq last week by Black Country Stand Up to Racism and UNISON University, though no union speakers listed for rally. Discussion – Trumps politics not dissimilar to what Clinton would have been but very offensive against women, racist remarks, anti-Palestine emerging. Not Muslim ban but political ban of 7 Muslim countries not related to terrorism or ongoing warfare but countries that Trump did not have business links with.
c] TUC Pensioners report – none
d] Palestine Solidarity – no report

7. speaker: Warinder Juss GMB, Thompsons (trade union) Solicitors spoke on the latest attack by this Tory government on access to justice and the rights of working people who sustain injuries due to their employers’ negligence. Currently…If you are injured and it’s not your fault any legal fees, for a lawyer to fight for you to get back any wages you have lost and damages for your injuries, are paid by the person responsible for your injuries. This is your right. The government wants 95% of people injured at work and elsewhere (1 million per year) to be left with no funding for legal help. Personal injury claims only. The government plans to strip you of this right by increasing the small claims limit. To £5,000. If your injury claim falls below the new small claims limit, you will have to pay for your own legal fees. In future If you are a victim of injury – anywhere, including at work – you will have to pay for the legal help you need, and deserve, from your compensation or fight the insurers on your own in your own time. Result will be insurance companies get extra £200million annual profit and the NHS will lose a lot of income generated by insurance company claim backs. It is expected that accidents would also increase since employers may not see H&S improvements to be reasonably practicable unless they would prevent injuries costing £5k+. Whiplash claims to require 6month injury.
8. AOB : University of 3rd Age – is there a Wolverhampton group – check.
Bro Childs is Chair of Wolverhampton Pensioners Convention.
Labour industrial strategy consultation to trades union council deadline ends tonight. Comment on TU Education and personal injury claims.
Trades Union Council conference survey to send in