September 2005

Secretary’s Report September 2005 www.wolvestuc.org.uk Wolverhampton, Bilston & District TUC info@wolvestuc.org.uk

The next delegate meeting is Thurs 15th Sept. Rob Marris MP will introduce a discussion on the Equality Bill and also give his views on the future of New Cross Hospital.
As you are aware, this trades council sends observers to each of the TUC equalities conferences and concerns about government proposals have featured in several conference reports. The TUC’s position is in favour of a single equality act and a single commission and it is therefore in favour of the bill’s major objectives but a number of concerns remain including:
• Adequate resourcing for the new commission;
• All equalities strands to have similar status reflected, say, in membership of the commission and resource allocation;
• A statutory duty to promote equality on all grounds;
• Whether there should be a separate commission for human rights;
• The anomaly that the bill outlaws discrimination in goods and services on grounds of religion or belief but not on grounds of sexual orientation or transgender status;
• The bill introduces a duty for schools to tackle discrimination and harassment but partially exempts faith schools from this duty.

A WB&DTUC sub-committee met in July and submitted a report on the future roles of the Midlands TUC and Trades Union Councils, and how we all work effectively together. Outcomes should become known later in the autumn.

TU branches affiliated to WB&D TUC for 2005: 13,600 affiliated trade unionists
Amicus-GPM, Amicus 13/D Craft, Amicus 0758, ASLEF, Community (Hall Palm), CWU (W.Mids & Worcs.), CYWU, FBU, GMB X13, NASUWT, NATFHE(Wulfrun), NUT, TGWU 5/748, TGWU 5/836, UNISON General, UNISON Health(not paid yet), UNISON PCT

Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain and CND
MARCH for PEACE and LIBERTY

Saturday September 24th , Central London  STOP THE BOMBINGS – STOP THE WAR

Contact WB&DTUC by email info@wolvestuc.org.uk or 01902 686613
if you are interested in going as there is a coach from Telford that can pick us up if there are enough so let me know asap.

Leeds festival raised £750 for us. A total of £1876 over 2005.

Emailings – many delegates & contacts receive regular email alerts of events and other interesting & useful trade union information from WB&DTUC.
If you have email but do not get WB&DTUC mailings then send an email to: info@wolvestuc.org.uk and you will be added to our list.

BANNER THEATRE presents Wild Geese, Friday 28th October
Arena Theatre Wolverhampton £8/£6 Box Office 01902 321 321.
This new production by trade union activists Banner Theatre explores the real-life experiences of asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants and migrant workers in twenty-first century Britain. sponsored by UNISON