October 07

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District TUC
Secretary’s Report October 2007
info@wolvestuc.org.uk www.wolvestuc.org.uk

22 TU branches affiliated for 2007 (18,500 trade unionists), our largest affiliation for 7 years: ASLEF, ASPECT, ATL, Community(Hall Palm), CWU (Wolverhampton), CWU (W.Mids & Worcs), FBU, GMB X13, NASUWT, NUT, UCU City College, UCU University, UNISON General, UNISON Health, UNISON PCT, UNISON University and Unite branches: Amicus 0558, Amicus 3210M, CYWU, TGWU 5/748, TGWU 5/836, TGWU 5/998,

Wolverhampton Together draft Statement of Purpose:
We are united against fascist and racist political parties. We shall strive to ensure that such parties do not gain any foothold or credibility in our city. We will work to encourage people to vote, because low turnouts favour extremist parties. We aim to expose those who wish to divide us. Our principal target is the British National Party. We must not allow people to believe BNP propaganda that it is a normal, respectable political party. It is not. It is a fascist organisation, run by hard-line Nazis. The BNP continues to believe in all the main tenets of Nazism, including a belief in racial hierarchy, anti-semitism, and Holocaust denial. The BNP wants an all-white Britain. The BNP constitution says that anyone who cannot prove a link to Britain before 1948 can never be considered British, and that it is “wholly opposed to any form of racial integration between British and non-European peoples.” Its 2005 General Election manifesto called for white British people to be given preference in jobs, housing, and education. Black and ethnic minorities would become second-class citizens under the law. We pledge to act in a non-partisan manner, across the political spectrum, bringing together supporters of all the mainstream political parties, and supporters of no particular party; bringing together adherents of all the faiths, and adherents of none; bringing together all ethnic and racial groups, excluding none. We stand for the great British traditions of tolerance, equality, and compassion.

The fascists lost heavily in Worcester & Birmingham council by-elections but were 2nd in Nuneaton. The BNP cited the anti-fascist leafleting as their downfall.

TUC shop stewards courses Stage 1, ten Tuesdays from 2 October, H&S Stage 1, ten Tuesdays from 3 October,
At City of Wolverhampton College, Wellington Road 0121 666 6101

Sat 20th October Latin America conference 9.45am-5pm Midlands Arts Centre, B’ham. Workshops: Venezuela, Nicaragua, Colombia, Bolivia, Women’s Network sponsored by UNISON, TUC, CSC, VSC  07931 316743

Sat 3rd November, National NHS demo London, UNISON coach being booked contact Secretary to enquire re places

STOP PRESS: If concerted strike action takes place between UNISON, PCS, CYWU in November along with continued strike action by CWU,
WE WILL ORGANISE A PUBLIC CITY CENTRE RALLY DURING STRIKE DAYS