September 2004

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District TUC September 2004 Secretary’s Report www.wolvestuc.org.uk wolves.tuc@unisonfree.net

The West Midlands County Assoc. of TUCs has postponed its annual seminar planned for Sept 15th.

Next EC Thurs 9th September next delegate meeting Thurs 16th September

Workers Beer Company:
We have raised over £1,950 this year by sending teams to work on the bars and enjoy Homelands, Glastonbury and Leeds festivals. This is over 300 hours of voluntary work for our TUC by non-delegates. Half goes to WB&DTUC and half to the Morning Star – this doubles our 2004 affiliation income.
Would delegates please approach people who would want to go to future festivals.

A Wolverhampton Social Forum is being established at the moment, a garden party was held and some events are planned for October.. contact: chrisjonas891@lycos.co.uk
The 3rd European Social Forum (ESF) 14-17 October in London.

The ESF is a giant gathering for everyone opposed to war, racism and corporate power, everyone who wants to see global justice, workers’ rights and a sustainable society. It emerged from the spectacular success of the World Social Forum which opened in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2001. Its first two gatherings in Florence (2002) and Paris (2003) attracted over 50,000 participants from across Europe and beyond. It is a chance for people from around the world to come together to engage in debate, organise action and build networks to strengthen our movement.
The Forum will be launched with a large opening event on Thursday 14th followed by three days of discussion and debate involving leading activists from around the world as well as music, drama, film-showings and exhibitions celebrating the global movement. The key themes addressed will be:
• War and peace • Democracy and fundamental rights
• Corporate globalisation and global justice • Environmental crisis & sustainable society
• Against racism, discrimination & the far right: for equality and diversity
• Social justice & solidarity: against privatisation (deregulation), for workers, social & women’s rights

There will be an International demonstration through central London on Sunday afternoon.
The 2004 ESF is being organised by an Organising Committee of affiliated national and local social movement organisations and trade unions in the UK with support from the GLA. The TUC has affiliated. The following unions backing it nationally & regionally are the T&G, UNISON, NUJ, GMB, AUT, NUT, NATFHE, AMICUS, TASS, RMT, SERTUC, SWTUC, STUC.

Corporate Killing Law – press reports and some very inadequate court rulings on rail disasters have again raised the profile of this 1997 Labour election manifesto pledge. More promises but no confirmation that there will be a Bill announced in the next queen’s speech.

BASQUE BALL: SKIN AGAINST STONE (15) – Fri 10 Sept – Wed 15 Sept, 8pm daily
A controversial documentary about Spain’s Basque separatists ETA, and the Basque region that uses over a hundred interviews and extensive archive footage to examine the complex web of history and politics of the Basque area.
THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (15)
Fri 24 Sept-Wed 6 Oct, 8.15pm daily except Wed 29 Sept 2.15pm only
Based on the journals of Che Guevara recreating his 1952 road trip across Latin America, a trip that becomes a journey of self-discovery., Spanish with subtitles.
Please contact Light House on 01902 716055 / info@light-house.co.uk for more details.

TU branches affiliated for 2004: Amicus Bilston, Amicus 13/D Craft, Amicus 0758, ASLEF, CWU (W.Mids&Worcs.), CYWU, FBU, GMB (B’ham General), GPMU, ISTC (Hall Palm), NASUWT, NULMW, NUT, TGWU 5/748, TGWU 5/836, UNISON General, UNISON Primary Care Trust (12,888 affiliated trade unionists)