July 2021

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council

Delegate Minutes Thursday 15^th July 2021

1. Present: Sisters C.Simm PCS(in chair), Whyte UNISON City, D.Weaver UNITE WM/5203 & SWCLP TULO, Welch UCU

   Brothers Kelleher, Marris, Oakley Unite WM6150, Grant UCU, Turner, Deacon UNISON City, Vaughan UNISON Staffs, Juss GMBx13, Childs CWU, B.Simm PCS(Assoc), Rahimi & Z.Ali Unite Community, Scroop UNISON, Russ

   Apologies Bro Martin Musician’s Union, Sis Millar UCU, Hyatt Unite Community, J.Weaver UNISON City

2. Minutes of last Delegate Meeting (June) agreed. Matters Arising: Right to Food Campaign – info received on website; to send copy of our history to Sarah Woolley Gen Sec BFAWU

3. EC Report & correspondence, of note:

1. UNITE GKN Wheels & Auto structures, Hadley Castle Works Telford late request to attend strike on 5 July – Bro Ali reported 40 attending and further strikes postponed pending talks over pay related to reduced redundancy rights

2. Midlands TUC – Better Buses campaign to be run authority-wide via trades union councils and will send out list of contacts collected. But the WMCATUC will be the lead here. NK to raise at Midlands TUC EC. The former UN special rapporteur has produced a damning report on the effect of bus privatisation in the UK on poverty, national meeting to launch the report July 21^st

3. Resignation letter from Sis Taylor as President (14-7-21) due to being unable to get branch nomination. A number of delegates praised her work over many years as President and urged her to continue if nomination can be secured. NK to contact MT for details of her branch and pursue.

4. Researcher into Wolverhampton links to slavery. GM,RM,WJ interviewed four shortlisted candidates; winning candidate has accepted the position. GM to write to unsuccessful applicants. Request for speaker on research from Dudley College once complete.

5. 100 Great Black Britons – press release issued by council, new request from Council for us to distribute books to the 107 schools and libraries at start of next term. re need for distribution. Council to supply list. Speak to NEU, also Wendy Bond UNISON City and seek volunteers from delegates if needed.

6. sent £100 donation to UNISON Sandwell Fire & Rehire at Sandwell Leisure Trust strike fund. Six of our delegates attended rally 22 June, also delegates from Coventry, Birmingham, Worcester and E Staffs TUC, but none from Sandwell TUC. Strike 25 June.

7. Palestine Solidarity campaign re-affiliation request agreed @ £25

8. Radio 4 request (via Midlands TUC) for interviewees re lockdown end, circulated BS & CS responded. BBC did not take up offer.

9. Books:

   Somerset Working Class Autobiography of Dave Chapple, [probably Britain’s most successful Trades Council secretary] three volumes £20 inc p&p from “D.T. Chapple” 1 Blake Place, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 5AU.

   new Hope Not Hate book available Codename Arthur available £13.59 inc p&p about infiltrating Bnp https://hopenothate.bigcartel.com/product/codename-arthur

   four copies available of Michael Cullen – a Liverpool Docker’s Story (donated by Dudley TUC)

4. Delegate reports:

• GMB – ballot at Thompsons re work life balance and proposed reduction of home working. 300 jobs threatened at JCB were secured by GMB. Encouraged affiliation to Show Racism the Red Card.

• PCS – ongoing concerns re safety and customer facing roles and reduction in home working. Sis Simm reported that DWP branch had agreed to affiliate to us; not yet received.

• UCU – Sis Welch will seek younger delegates from her branch and urged other to do likewise.

• UNISON – a left NEC has been elected for first time. Increased pay offer of 1.5% but well below the 10% claim. New office on ground floor civic being used now. Non-council workers now also at Civic and Ministry of Justice (PCS) workers expected too.

• UNISON Staffs – no response re WMDay from Regional Sec. Planning coach to demo at Tory conf in Manchester 3 Oct. Speaker on homelessness locally went down well. Wolverhampton council good record on homing homeless since lockdown.

• UNITE – general secretary elections ongoing. Community branch – summer stalls to be held on Universal Credit cut at end sept

• Labour – Sis Weaver re-elected as TULO for SWCLP. Bro Simm Campaign Co-ordinator.

• Secretary report – Bro Kelleher TUCJCC of 12 July

Drafts of the TUCJCC Programme of Work have been drawn up. Since our annual conference had no debate and all motions were remitted, the document will just be a reprinting of the conference motions.

The TUC Race Task group presentation and anti-racist discussion was recorded as Trades Council Conference, but the TUC links are not accessible. The chat from the conference which was also agreed to be circulated was also “lost” by TUC.

Roger McKenzie has left position as UNISON AGS so is no longer on the General Council or TUCJCC.

Cecille Wright the E.Midlands TUCJCC rep has involvement with a Black Community radio that is seeking trade union based programming.

• TUC Pensioners Network – Bro Deacon reported on renewed attacks on triple lock of basic state pension. Issue is not inter-generational conflict it is about improving tone of lowest state pensions in developed world for this and the future generations. He also urged delegates to take part in government consultations on free prescriptions at 60 and access to cash.

• Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign Boycott Puma Day Sat 10 July Queen Sq protest, 500 leafleted on Puma sponsorship of Israeli football including in the illegally occupied Palestinian settlements.; 8 July Parliament lobby a success with 1000 taking part nationally. 1^st Aug garden party.

  at 8pm – public meeting: Bro Rahimi spoke on the latest upsurge in industrial action in Iran.

• Mass boycott of recent presidential election with maybe only 5% voting and more spoiling ballots. Plenty of video of deserted polling stations nationwide.

• Strikes have begun in southern Iran in oil fields in petrochemical, refinery and pipeline work after wages were not paid. Teachers, bus drivers, refuse, lorry drivers have also gone on strike. Pensioners have demonstrated for first timer. Biggest action since 1979 overthrow of Shah.

• Inflation currently 50%. Power cuts attempts to restrict internet.

• Haft Tappeh Sugar Cane complex, privatised ten years ago sold to Mullahs’ children who took government mortgages and not paid wages for six months. Trade unions were organised then leaders jailed. Solicitors won their case but were themselves jailed. Workers took over factory and government cut off water supply.

• Co-ordination between trade unions new in Iran – no TUC equivalent.

  Agreed to send solidarity message to Iranian oil and gas workers on strike via CODIR.