March 2019

MINUTES Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council Delegate Meeting Thursday 21^st March 2019

 

1. Welcome & introductions to delegates & visitors

Present: Bro Kelleher UNITE, Baker UNITE, M.Foxall UNITE, Juss GMB, Pugh UNISON, Grant UCU, Barron TUC, Rahimi UNITE, B.Simm PCS, Deacon UNISON, Marris UNITE, Childs UNITE, Bueno UNISON, Stoll UNISON Dudley Sis Taylor UNITE, C.Simm PCS, Ceresa UNISON,

Apologies: Bro Cross, Booker, Hill, Oakley UNITE WM6150, J.Foxall UNITE, Turner UNISON, Brackenridge FBU, Sis Miller UCU, Whyte UNISON, J.Marris

 

2. Minutes of February delegate meeting Minutes Agreed. No matters arising.

3. EC report and Correspondence

WB&DTUC Executive Committee REPORT 13th March 2019

Present Sis Millar, Taylor Bro Marris, Kelleher Apologies: Bro Grant, Simm

1. Wodenstock,, met (14 march) with Cllr Brackenridge and Wolverhampton Council re funding, support, links, advertising. Meeting went well, Wolverhampton Civic Society and Wednesfield Gurdwara may be interested in becoming involved. Date set for Sunday 14^th July at Wednesfield amphitheatre. Fee agreed, Banner Theatre agreed. need to hire generator for about £20. Need to source large Marquee. Application for about £1900 on Spacehive.com/wodenstock and asking branches to donate.

2. Future funding of WB&D TUC. Rob to look at model rules and affiliation fee. 3 months notice needed for raising affiliation fees. May need to write to branches for extra donations for campaigns. Workers beer company are still going but Wolves TUC seem to be off the list.

3. Wolves PCS workers in Universal Credit Strike. PCS failed to inform of picket action in the city on 11 and 12 March.

4. Workers Memorial Day. Speakers will be Andy Chaffer on mental health in the workplace, BCUIM Warinder Juss Thompsons, Marie Taylor WBDTUC. Flyer produced and sent to printers £38 for 1000 A4 Colour. Thompsons agreed to pay £38 for advert.

5. May Day. Still looking for £1000 in donations. Venue Pegasus. Booked Attila the Stockbroker and reckless bboy crew and sound system. Speakers, Cllr Lynne Moran LP, CP & IWA.

6. Midlands TUC Pensioners Network appeal. EC suggest £50. Meeting agreed.

7. Rouse ye Women, Tuesday 9^th April Newhampton Arts Centre. Tickets selling well.

8. 2019 WBDTUC Re Affiliations. Received from NEU, RMT, Community Craft, ASLEF, Musicians Union, Unison City Branches, Unite WM6150, Unite Wolverhampton Homes, PCS DWP Birmingham South. Resent out to other branches by post or email.

9. Motion opposing undercover political policing for Midlands TUC and Midlands Trades Council Conference on Saturday 18^th May.

10. Midlands TUC Regional Council 30^th March Derby Conference Centre Bro Simm Delegate + Sis Simm Observer. Possibly set up stall.

11. Trades Council National Conference, Bournemouth. Bro Simm nominated as delegate.

12. Shrewsbury 24 have been granted donation of £2000 from Unite WM6150.

13. Unite Coaches 30^th March, Wolverhampton to Swindon for Honda Workers support demo.

14. Platform films, £20K appeal for donations towards completion of the film ‘Wapping The Workers Story’. £25 donation agreed

4. Reports

• PCS Sis Simm, PCS has started a civil service wide ballot for industrial action. They are demanding a 10% pay rise to bring all staff up to the real living wage. There was also a 2 day strike in Walsall and Wolverhampton over poor management of the roll out of universal credit. PCS DWP are demanding a reduction to the maximum workload of decision makers and higher levels of recruitment to match increasing demand.

• Unite Bro Baker, Unite has inflicted change of officers at short notice. This was not asked for and has set back various negotiations. Wolverhampton Homes is moving offices, it is not known what effect this could have. New fleet of vehicles has not yet arrived, which is worrying.

• RMT Bro Kelleher has contacted RMT over possible redundancies at Oxley Sidings

• GMB Bro Juss, Amazon campaign, ambulances to amazon far outweigh other businesses. There were well attended demos in November and February. Writing to Andy Street, Metro Mayor about removing public lockers if not union is recognised. MPs have all taken part. Bro Baker suggested Andy Street as speaker to TUC. Carried. Bro Barron suggested TUC host hustings for metro mayor.

• Sec Report Bro Kelleher, The tin plate workers plaque rededication went well. MPs, councillors and press all turned up, good event. Re: Workers Beer Company, anybody interested in working Tolpuddle or Metallica in Ireland contact Nick.

• TUC Pensioners Network Bro Deacon, paper report submitted. Celebrate the Bus, meeting with Unite seemed to go well but appears to have stalled. Unite were brow beaten into signing the cheque. Problem in connecting Unite bus workers to the campaign. Work plan for 2019: over 75s free TV licence most important campaign, NHS campaign very important but unions seem unwilling to work with Pensioners TUC. Sis Taylor suggested inviting Unison regional sec as a way to build links with New Cross and campaigns.

• Wolverhampton PSC Bro Deacon, reminder for campaigning outside HSBC continuing. “Imprisoning a Generation” film premier showing at Friends Meeting House.

5. Speaker Lee Barron, Secretary, Midlands TUC and TUC Silver Badge long service presentations for Sis Taylor and Bro Marris. Engraved tankards were also given to both.

Meeting ends