October 2019

MINUTES Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council Delegate Meeting Thursday 17^th October 2019

 

1. Welcome & introductions to delegates & visitors present + apologies

Present: Bro Kelleher UNITE, B Simm PCS, Deacon UNISON, Baker UNITE, Childs CWU, Oakley UNITE, Rahimi UNITE, Pugh & Turner UNISON City, Grant UCU, Bueno UNISON. Sis C Simm PCS, Ceresa UNISON City, Taylor Unite, Welch UCU,

Apologies: Millar UCU, Whyte UNISON, Ahmed UNITE, M Foxall UNITE, Juss GMB, Marris UNITE, Cooper UNISON

2. Minutes of September delegate meeting & matters arising

Minutes agreed. Matters arising: Page 2 part 6 change 6,500 to 65,000 signatures. Part 8 the £700 is not in yet and needs chasing up.

3. EC report and Correspondence: Bro Kelleher

1. Speakers: Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform. Will get in touch.

2. TUC Midlands Equality Conference: Bro Deacon may be going. Other delegates have been asked to register.

3. Network Event: Event postponed. Bro Simm and Sis Ahmed will attend in future.

4. Proposed new WB&D TUC Rules Change: Rules circulated. Bro Grant suggested clause for TUC to raise fees without need for 3 months notice. Discussed. Withdrawn.

5. Friends of Women Chainmakers Event: popular event so register soon if intending to go.

6. Wodenstock Stall: Sis Taylor and volunteers raised £100 through sales of strawberries and later Jam sales. The meeting thanked Sis Taylor and co for hard work.

7. Diamond Busses: Bus pass has been expanded to include women affected by pension age changes. National Express will be doing the same. Response has come back from Roger Lawrence but Bro Deacon suspects the changes are not widely publicised. Sis Taylor and Bro deacon suggested asking Roger for a report on the take up of these passes.

8. Len Mclusky, Coventry: Future of work speaker, Coventry Methodist Hall

9. Heart Unions Campaign: Need to decide which weekend to work. Will do Bilston and Wednesfield as before and possibly Wolverhampton Market too. Need to make videos of peoples comments and feelings about unions. Bro Baker added that unite can supply activist with the kit and skills needed.

10. Workers Memorial Day: speaker suggestions. Sis Simm suggested contacting James Bloodworth.

11. May Day: Discussion and suggestions for Bands, Speakers etc.

12. Wodenstock: Possible suggestions for a 2020 event. Speak to Councillors about moving former-fountains. Bilston in June held Steelstock. Seemed similar. It was more expensive but washed out. We should aim for nearest Sunday to Black Country Day. Bro Foxall agreed to help organise.

4. Reports

1. Unison: Bro Turner, Ongoing discussions over waste and recycling. Job evaluations are happening but the rates are good. Possibly unfair to similar roles.

2. UCU: Penny, Pay Ballot. Employers are currently sitting on cash. Will report and ask for help on the picket.

3. RMT: Bro Kelleher, Campaign on ending poverty pay. The wage battle has been won.

4. PCS: Sis Simm, Elections for General Secretary are ongoing.

5. UNITE: Bro Kelleher, Bro Foxhall sent update. Wolves homes are currently trying to bypass unions in changes and evaluation process.

6. Labour Group: Sis Simm, Boundary commission have been looking at Wolverhampton to see if Wards need changing and number of councillors need reducing. 7 Cornfields site reported in media is inaccurate and no plans to build. Traveller site is also in review.

 

5. Midlands TUC Pensioners Network: Bro Deacon, Currently need to know what Labours position on Care is, a national care service needs to be implemented. Labour Party currently not showing much support.

6. Wolves PSC: Bro Deacon, Leaflets have been passed around about new events. Information about new big event sponsored by Tus.

7. Speaker Bro Stuart Baker HS2 Union Busting- HS2 has dismally failed to uphold its 2015 framework agreement with the trade unions and has given Costain and Skanska free reign to undertake union busting activities. Framework Agreements are normal in big constructions and all contractors must abide. Campaign is not against HS2 but the contractors who have ongoing Blacklisting cases against them. Excessive Executive pay yet some workers are having to pay umberalla companies to cash their pay cheques. TU site access being denied. Demo held in Birmingham in October more to follow.

8. AOB: None Arising

Meeting Close