Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council
Delegate Meeting MINUTES of Thursday 15th October 2026
Present (delegates in bold): Karin Dannehl, Metka Potocnik UCU University of Wolverhampton; Nick Kelleher, John Clark, Rob Marris,Thomas Mohan UNITE WM/6150; Marie Taylor UNITE LE/372; Ali Rahimi UNITE WM/5115; Graham Childs CWU; Dane Cross UNITE WM/7132; Warinder Juss MP GMB X10; Michael Vaughan UNISON Staffordshire; Sandra Whittaker NEU; Kelly Newell City of Wolverhampton UNISON; Jaydeep Jhamet (IWW); Hussan Houssani
Apologies: Si Goode ASLEF; Robert Lipke UNITE WM6150
- Minutes of September Delegate Meeting; no Matters Arising
- Warinder Juss MP gave an update on his work in Parliament and on the new PM. He’d met with Royal Mail along with Sureena Brackenridge regarding delivery delays particularly affecting hospital appointments; company losing money and private business model failing, needs change. Took part in Oct 9th UNITE Black workers event; concern over UNITE members joining or supporting Reform-UK, yet it is an anti-union party; attacks on TU facility time,and sackings due to illness expected. They would threaten migrant visa which affect UNISON healthcare workers and the whole system which relies on them. Opposed the changes from 5 to 10 years to obtain leave to remain in UK. Met with FBU re proposed cuts. New PM Andy Burnham has banned imports from illegal settlements in Occupied Palestine. Broken the Triple Pensions lock. Didn’t have an answer about how to bring peace in Ukraine war, which Britain continues to support against Russia.
- Executive was inquorate; correspondence of note:
a) our film show – ‘The Man With The Plan’ Thursday 26 Nov with Townsend Theatre and Midlands TUC posters and flyers available;invites sent to branches; Dozen tickets gone so far, Eventbrite adverts for week before, set up at cost of £20. Book your free advance tickets here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wolverhampton-screening-of-the-man-with-the-plan-tickets-1996007892337
b) Metka Potocnik UCU re campaign around ending violence against women and girls (between 25 November – 10 December) put in contact with cnllr Coogan. Put on website https://wolvestuc.org.uk/16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence/ Events at Civic centre and university
c) UNISON Wolverhampton University £560 donation for Workers memorial stone – £3,430 target reached and fundraise closed.
d) Midlands TUC Equalities conference Birmingham Sat 31 Oct – see our website for registration
e) 2027 WB&DTUC affiliation form is now on our website
f) BFAWU re the Right to Food Commission report, Composite 8 being carried at TUC Congress, letter to trades councils to get involved.
g) Nicaragua solidarity’s AGM will take place on Saturday 24th October at 11.30am. Our delegate can attend online
h) Together Alliance summits Manchester 17 October, London 24 October
i) Black Country & Enslavement research project – Fri 9 October stall cancelled. Also to be taken to Archives.
j) WB&DTUC accounts audit awaiting from AT
k) Employment Rights leaflets. NK to contact LP
l) problems with Teams – locked out of paid trades co account - delegate reports:
a) ASLEF Si Goode-Update on the Avanti West Coast and West Coast Partnership Developments transition to public ownership expected on 7th March 2027. and transfer to DfT Operator Ltd (DFTO), the Government’s rail owning group and delivery partner for its public ownership programme. The DFTO is responsible for bringing train operators into public ownership ahead of the creation of Great British Railways (GBR) and already manages most of the operators across the country.
b) BFAWU report received threats of large scale redundancies at unionised Greggs; despite £90million in dividends paid out to shareholders in last few weeks and a £1.7million bill for the CEO’s annual pay.
c) FBU – The Fire Brigades Union is campaigning against proposed changes to fire cover across the West Midlands, which could see night-time fire engine availability reduced at 14 stations including WOLVERHAMPTON. Petition https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-cuts-to-west-midlands-fire-service
d) UCU – further organisational restructure and redundancies ongoing; activists being lost. Professors being bullied over financial pressures. Partnerships being drawn up with outside colleges to run their courses Meeting to be arranged with MPs and branch officers to explain situation, WB&DTUC to assist.
e) UNITE – Dane Cross reported that bus driver will be TUPE’d from WM Transport to WM Buses as the franchise id taken in by WMCA on 1st November. Unite meeting re Caring for Special Educational Needs Children 6-7pm online 26 Nov – circulate - Secretary report was circulated ans on website
- Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign – national demo took place last weekend. WMPensions Fund survey re ethical investment and divestment from arms manufacturers had 7,000 responses – awaiting outcome
- any other business none