Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council
Delegate Minutes of Thursday 16th MAY 2024
- Present (2024 delegates in bold): Paulette Whyte, Sharon Dixon, Andrew Maybury UNISON City of Wolverhampton; Michael Vaughan UNISON Staffordshire; Sonia Wilkins UNISON Wolverhampton Acute; Metka Potocnick UCU University; Nick Kelleher, John Oakley, John Clark, Thomas Mahon, Rob Marris UNITE WM/6150; Marie Taylor UNITE LE/372; Ali Rahimi Unite Community WM/5115 Apologies: Si Goode, Penny Welch, Tim Martin, John Grant
- Minutes of last Delegate Meeting (April) & Matters Arising
- EC Report and urgent correspondence:
- 2024 re-affiliations – UNITE WM5203 Retired (invoice to be sent to region).
- No change to Outstanding re-affiliations: GMB X13(new branch Sec WJ is chasing up), NEU, UNITE WM7132(Buses) , PCS.
- Future speakers – miners strike anniversary/women against pit closures; Fran Heathcote PCS Gen Sec has agreed to be an online speaker in future; June tbc Adele Williams – (Hope for the future) offering training to campaign/lobby on climate related issues that could include bus franchising – NK to contact current WMids campaign. New Labour Mayor stood on a platform of bus franchising.
- WMDay Plaque – heard nothing since meeting with Urban Design & Conservation Officer – contact to check on progress
- May 1st still to apply for £300 TUC Development grant; discussion at next meeting of how too improve
- Local links to Trans-Atlantic Enslavement – RM liaising with PennyW on progressing research of local manufacture of agricultural tools made locally for use by slaves.
- Liberation affiliation £36/year to be paid and invite speaker
- strike updates: a) ASLEF – written report circulated, strike earlier this month was given support and 96% support locally for continued action b) GMB issue of poaching raised with WJ who raised with GMB in relation to wording on website that encouraged members to ask members of other unions to join GMB. GMB regional officer replied that they thought wording was ok – agreed to take up nationally with TUC as in breach of Trade Union Disputes Procedure (2019) section 2.
- delegate reports: UNISON – Local Govt. flat rate national pay offer of £1,260, response to be discussed at UNISON conference in June. Trade union bloc at June 8th from Old Market Square Wolverhampton Pride parade – contact UNISON for details. NHS pay offer awaited.
- Midlands TUC EC report NK gave report GMB (Amazon) submitted 1st recognition agreement in Europe at Amazon – full range of anti-union tactics by Amazon. Congress House set up dedicated task force. Midlands TUC planning activity days to involve volunteers. GMB strike at Birmingham council. Several E.Mids union disputes reported on. FBU received 4% pay offer with improvements on maternity and p/t rights, USDAW anti-violence campaign seeks dedicated legislation. MU demo on 19 Sept at RSC Stratford. N.Staffs TUC Chartists and Miners event Sunday 18 August
- Secretary report, TUCJCC circulated N.Kelleher
- Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign – protest held @ full council; national demo £10 seats from Wolves 18 May.
- any other business – suggest wear purple at Workers’ memorial Day 2025
- speaker @8pm Andrew Maybury, UNISON Caseworker, who will speak and lead discussion on the problems of organising migrant workers in private care; and how unscrupulous local employers are treating workers as indentured labour. Privatisation has meant 3 employers has become 200 new workplaces and recruitment in this area is buoyant. Health and Care visa for migrant workers are not classed as skilled and sponsoring employers have a hold over workers who must find new employer within 60 days or face deportation if employment ends. Often housing is also linked to employment. Illegal deductions, discrimination, bullying occur and workers are often too afraid to raise such issues. An extended discussion arose. Employment rights at Day 1 as promised by Labour would solve some problems. Talk to be uploaded online.