June 2016

 

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council

delegate meeting minutes Thursday 16^th June 2016

1. Present – Sis Taylor(UNITE-CYW), Dixon (UNISON Gen), Gaitan FETSALUD, Richards (Trade Union and Communications Co-ordinator Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Action Group Bros Kelleher, Deacon & Turner (UNISON Gen), Bueno (Sandwell UNISON) Childs(CWU), Marris (UNITE), Brackenridge (Labour Group, FBU), Simm (PCS) , Jelic (UCU), Perez General Secretary of UNE (speaker)

   All were welcomed and introduced.

   Apologies – Bro Juss (GMB) J Grant (UCU) S Grant (NUT). Sis Halfpenny (NUT), Battell (NASUWT), Weaver, Ceresa, Whyte & Brealey (UNISON Gen)

    

2. Minutes of last delegate meeting, agreed with correction £200 agreed May Day Committee donation, no matters arising.

    

3. Bro.Marris raised the death of Jo Cox MP for Battley and Spent who had been murdered by a constituent with far right sympathies and possible mental health issues. Rob had worked with her and paid tribute to her work. Minute’s silence was held, agreed to write to her CLP with condolences to her husband and two children.

    

4. no Executive held, correspondence of note:

1. footage of 1^st May but on blu-ray – needs converting and editing, no offers.

2. Campaign for TU Freedom re-affiliation request £35 agreed

3. Chainmakers (Sat 2 July) stall info – copies of public liability insurance sent

4. events also listed on our website: Derby Silk Mill rally demo Sat 18 june; Amnesty Garden Party 26 June Wolverhampton; Wolverhampton PSC garden party Sat 9 July; Wigan Diggers festival 10 September

5. mug, t-shirt sales £10. Book order £5 invoiced

6. 3,000 page views on our website www.wolvestuc.org.uk in last month

7. sent : Cuba solidarity raffle tickets; Boxes x50 for anniversary badges ordered £14.89

    

5. Reports/discussion:

1. delegates’ workplace reports – Bro.Brackenridge is on West Midlands Fire Authority from council – they have plans to cut over 100 from 1,250 firefighters by 2020 – taking on care link contracts.
2. Midlands TUC report – written report spoken to, mentioning of note the PCS Welsh National Museums strike (donations being sought); Derby council has a Jobs and Fair Employment cabinet member and have adopted the TUC Employment Charter; Sandwell council has signed up to the TUC’s Dying to Work Campaign. Bro Turner said he’d raised it with Wolverhampton Council. The report is listed on our website.
3. Annual conference of Trades Union Councils, Bro. Kelleher’s report written report spoken to, mentioning of note the lack of direct input afforded to individual trades unin councils in the conference; only report missing from annual report was that of West Midlands; WMCATUC motion seemingly directed against our TUC; TUCJCC. In the ballot for the West Midlands Trades Union Councils Joint Consultative Committee (TUCJCC) rep, Dorothy Heath from Walsall was re-elected with four trades councils voting for her, Bro.Kelleher had three votes and Jason Hill from North Staffs TUC had two votes; the same split as last year. The report is listed on our website.
4. Secretary’s report – written report discussed. Chainmakers leaflets were received just today, distributed at meeting. We are having a stall.Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign – Bro Deacon reported on a very good meeting held at the university. A positive meeting was held with council leader Roger Lawrence regarding procurement. Another meeting is due with councillor Ian Brookfield chair of WM Pensions Fund.

 

6. speakers at 8pm Mariana Gaitan, a physiotherapist and FETSALUD branch sec, Sandinista Health Workers’ Federation (est 1990) and Domingo Perez General Secretary of UNE (Union Nacional de Empleados), Nicaragua’s largest public sector workers union. The UNE has 30,000 members, up from a post-revolutionary low of 7,000. UNE had strong links with NALGO in the 1980s and UNISON has twinning links.

55% of the population are women; 60% under 35. Sandinista Government (73% approval rating), priorites are peace and stability. Collective agreements have been maintained. Religion strong.

Most of Nicaragua’s working population of 2.2 million work in the informal sector; attempts to organise them. Free healthcare and medicines since 2007. Presidential elections 6 Nov. Louise Richards from Nicaragua Solidarity translated. Copies of our history and anniversary badges were presented.

 

7. Any other business – Sis Taylor visited the UCU picket line on behalf of WB&DTUC.