Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council Delegate Minutes
Thursday 16th March 2023
- Present: Warinder Juss GMBx13; Penny Welch, Edda Nicolson UCU Wolverhampton University; Paulette Whyte, Dick Scroop UNISON City of Wolverhampton; Michael Vaughan UNISON Staffordshire; Di Weaver UNITE WM5203; Marie Taylor UNITE LE/372; Nick Kelleher, John Clarke & Rob Marris UNITE WM/6150; Ali Rahimi UNITE Community; Si Goode ASLEF; Tim Martin MU; Graham Childs CWU; Chaz Stoll, Jim Goodall, Gregor Gall, Russell Lowe + another 9 visitors. One trolled meeting and was removed. Apologies Bob Deacon, John Oakley, Clare Simm, Dane Cross, John Grant
- Minutes of last Delegate Meeting (February) agreed; Matters Arising –
- EC Report and urgent correspondence:
still awaiting some affiliations from branches
#HeartUnions week – went well with stalls at Wednesfield (not busy) and Bilston (busy), lot of cards left over, can use next year. Insta advert cost £26; different audience, 1,100 reached locally, 164 people clicked to join a union; 75% were women under 35.
Plans made for WMDay and 1st May
Affiliations still to be sent: International Brigades memorial Trust £30; Institute Employment Rights £70; Labour Research Dept reported last month as £109 has been offered at £62.50 – agreed to re-affiliate
11 March Cannock counter-protest Dick Scroop took banner. Michael Vaughan reported counter protest out numbered anti-refugee group which was becoming divided from the Patriotic Alternative fascists whoseex NF/BNP speaker spoke of white supremacy. - Reports, strike updates and discussion:
short march and strike rally Wed 15 March for PCS/NEU/UCU plus speakers from W’ton TUC went well and was visible
strike rally Thurs 16 March for RMT/NEU/UCU plus speakers from FBU, ASLEF, UNITE, GMB, Midlands TUC. Several speakers had not spoken before but were all excellent. 100+ turnout, Tim Martin performed (agreed to pay MU rate), ordered £28 spent on somosas; press release resulted in very good Ex & Star write up on line with extensive quotes from speeches.
GMB – strike at Amazon Coventry 13-17 March, recruitment going well as a result, recognition vote to be sought once enough recruited; send message of support via Amanda Geering
UCU – delegates pleased with turnouts for picket and rally and thanked the trades council for assistance. New offer received, picket next Monday and strike Tues & Wed.
UNISON – Over the past 12 years, council and school staff have lost on average 25% from the value of their pay when measured against the Retail Price Index UNISON called for a pay increase of inflation plus 2% – this would amount to 12.7%. Local government employers offer of a flat rate increase of £1,925 was rejected; strike ballot from 23 May on local government pay deal. 2023 is UNISON’s Year of the Black Worker – Paulette Whyte will liaise with us.
UNITE WM6150 made £1,000 donation for Wolverhampton May Day; also agreed £3,300 donation to Hardship for bus drivers and engineers UNITE branch of 3,300 who were due to go on all out strike from today but now due to start continuous all out strike on Monday as talks had not resulted in a good enough offer. Picket at Park Lane, Park Village.
TUCJCC – Nick Kelleher report from yesterday’s national meeting of regional trades councils reps with General Council reps. Officers dealing with trades councils are changing. General Council believes that if Minimum Service anti-strike Bill is passed without amendment then it would be unworkable and be repealed. The International TUC body has dismissed its leader Luca Visatini over Qatar lobbying scandal. Deputy Owen Tudor from UK unlikely to take over permanently. Lot of money distributed to small trade union organisations around the world without enough regulation. Systems not fit for purpose. Document on County Associations to be circulated, Model rules will need to be re-written. Trade Union Council Directory 2023 still in draft.
any other business - Professor Gregor Gall spoke on his book Mick Lynch – The making of a working-class hero. He discussed the complexity behind this term amidst the RMT union’s ongoing industrial dispute and the wider revival of unions and strikes.