May 2025 minutes

2025 minutes 0

of Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council.

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council Delegate Meeting Minutes Thursday 15th May 2025 online

  1. Present online: (delegates in bold): Michael Vaughan UNISON Staffordshire, Nick Kelleher, Tom Mohan, John Oakley UNITE WM/6150; Marie Taylor UNITE LE/372; Penny Welch, Metka Potocnik UCU Wolverhampton University, Graham Childs CWU, Shahin Ahktar UNITE, Fizza Qureshi Apologies: Si Goode, Dane Cross, Paulette Whyte, Sally Green
  1. Minutes of last Delegate Meeting (April) agreed no matters arising
  2. No Executive held this month. Correspondence:
  1. 2025 affiliationsvery late, still awaiting re-affiliations from RMT, NEU, UCU University, CWU, FBU, GMB x13, PCS, NASUWT and UNISON Acute.
  2. Townsend Theatre seeking venue Ragged Trousered Philanthropists Spring 2026 – EC to seek cost details and discuss – need joint union sponsorship to build audience
  3. Chainmakers – Sandwell unions leaflet https://wolvestuc.org.uk/women-chainmakers-festival/ there will be a leafleting session the week before in Cradley, volunteers needed. WB&DTUC stall has been booked, volunteers needed 28 June
  4. Institute of Employment Rights re-affiliation £70 agreed by delegates
  5. Derby Silk Mill Festival celebration 7th June
  6. Spent: £171.60 London hotel booked for tuc conf delegate; Nicaragua Solidarity affiliation £50; Working Class Movement Library £25 donation; £42.67 Facebook adverts WMDay and May Day
  7. Excellent lecture organised by the Working Class Movement Library https://wcml.org.uk/ to which we affiliate of The Making of the British South Asian Working Class Trade union organisation, Indian Workers Association, communists, solidarity and anti-racist fightback. https://wolvestuc.org.uk/the-making-of-the-british-south-asian-working-class/
  8. Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival 2025 Fri, 18 Jul to Sun, 20 Jul; £61 camping or free on Sunday https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/tolpuddle-martyrs-festival-2025
  1. delegate reports: ASLEF – from Si Goode: Avanti West Coast we have entered into pay talks for 2025 with the first meeting having taken place on the 6th May where we outlined our submission but at this moment no offer has been forthcoming. UCU University AGM held this week all officers re-elected. UNISON consultation for industrial action on pay offer. Reform party led council now after local elections this month has resulted in an increase in union membership. Several of their councillors complained of not wanting to do the work of a councillor after not expecting to win. Only one Labour councillor left in Staffordshire. UNITE 20 May lobby at B’ham council meeting 3pm.
  2. Midlands TUC EC report. NK and RL attended from our trades council. NK reported on very positive actions by new regional secretary with regular reports which we’ve circulated. A plan of action following motions to AGM. Some Reform councillors in Northampton have already resigned triggering by-elections. West Midlands Combined Authority Bus franchising consultation received submissions from UNITE/Midlands TUC and our trades council; it will begin late 2027 and be completed by end of 2029. Cost of franchising £22.5million. No UNITE delegates present so no report on Birmingham Bin dispute, nor at recent AGM.
  3. The Black Country and agricultural tool manufacturers in the Atlantic period report by Dr Angelia Osborne final report received – NK to send to delegates. Executive plus RM, WJ and PW to plan ext steps and arrange launch meeting and invite Roger McKenzie to chair again.
  4. Secretary reported on a successful Workers’ Memorial Day with 50 attending and over 200 at our 1st May. It cost £2,161 with £850 short currently. £300 TUC development grant to be applied for. WJ’s speeches at both events and the new Industrial chaplain were praised by delegates. Steve Pottinger local political poet booked for Friday 1st May 2026.
  5. Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign Nakba anniversary national demo this Saturday in London. Ask for report from local campaign at next meeting.
  6. any other business none
  7. @8pm Fizza Qureshi CEO of Migrant Rights Network spoke and led discussion. £100 donation agreed – will promote their Words Matter campaign with unions at Chainmakers and look at possibilities of commissioning workshop or encouraging unions/TUC to do. The government is treating foreign students as an easy target and UCU members are being expected to report visa non-compliance. Their Justice For Sponsored Workers campaign assists care workers in our region. Starmer’s speech this week was an echo of Powell. Immigration raids by plain clothes police in unmarked vehicles. Announcing restricting migrant care workers which will collapse the already ailing private care sector. https://migrantsrights.org.uk/ is a UK-based charity that works alongside migrants in their fight for rights and justice. They partner with individuals and organisations to challenge policy and legislation; build leadership and campaigning capacity in migrant communities; and raise awareness of migrants’ rights.