September 2009

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council
MINUTES OF DELEGATE MEETING on Thursday 17th September 2009

ATTENDANCE
Sisters: Halfpenny (NUT), Taylor (CYWU /UNITE), Ceresa (UNISON), Zafi (visitor)

Brothers: Nick Kelleher (UNISON), Brian Clarke (POA), Rahimi (AMICUS), Cole (NUT), Turner (UNISON), Marris (UNITE), Grant (UCU) Grant (NUT) Goodall (visitor)

Apologies – Hardacre (ASPECT), Ash (UNISON), Muir (CYWU UNITE), Kelsey (CWU), Deacon UNISON, Childs (CWU), Reynolds (GMB)

1. INTRODUCTIONS
Delegates were welcomed and introduced themselves. Apologies were received.

2. THE MINUTES of 16th JULY MEETING were agreed. Matters Arising – none

3. CORRESPONDENCE (There was no executive meeting)
3.1. There is a vacancy for a delegate to WMCATUC and the next meeting is 03.10.09 in Birmingham. Contact secretary if interested.
3.2. 23.09.09 7.30pm Public meeting at Birmingham Council House relating to cuts at Birmingham Council
3.3. UN Older Person’s Day 01.10.09 Coventry 10.30am
3.4. Labour Party Conference lobby coach to Brighton 27.09.09, same day as our leafleting against BNP in Bilston
3.5. UAF demonstration 22.09.09 Birmingham 8am anti-BNP demonstration during GTC meeting concerning discipline of teacher who put racist items on web.
3.6. Affiliation to abortion rights campaign agreed
3.7. National consultation concerning Workers Memorial Day is online. All union branches can make their own response. In Wolverhampton WB&DTUC run it and invite churches to take part. The corporate manslaughter law needs changing. Labour has still not done it!
3.8. Due to lack of communication from the TUC headquarters WB&TUC were late registering and are not included in the directory. TUC sent no reminders and there was a very disappointing response from Tom Mellish. We are now registered for 2009.
3.9. £20 donation to Birmingham Racial Attacks Monitoring was agreed
3.10. Working Class Movement Library donation of £50 agreed
3.11. Agreed to join Sustainable Energy Partnership which is a lobby group
3.12. A verbal report of the Chainmakers’ Festival was given. The band Rob and the Irregulars used some bad language in songs. Discussion as to whether the format needs changing. Publicity needs to come out earlier perhaps in June. The event was well attended. Next year will be a weekend event as it is the Centenary of the strike.
3.13. Invoice for Leeds festival £1248 (total raised £2184 this year).

 

4. OFFICER REPORTS and DISCUSSION
a) Secretary’s report – circulated. Successful demonstration at Carphone Warehouse led to the reinstatement of Kulvinder Plaha. Another steward’s employment tribunal is still to be heard.
Codnor Red White and Blue Festival anti-BNP demonstration was bigger and better organised than last year.
b) Treasurer’s report – Healthy balance and £25 winnings from the Cuba Solidarity Draw
c) CWU – Carphone Warehouse Tribunal no CWU delegates
d) POA – Birmingham prison anti-privatisation no POA delegates.
e) UNISON and CYWU – UNITE – council cuts update – Numerous cuts to services planned by conservatives which will affect people who are the most needy in the community. These people and their carers need to be involved with saving places from closure. There is a second voluntary redundancy scheme.
f) Other delegates’ workplace reports- none
g) Midlands TUC EC report none until next meeting
h) Palestine Solidarity no report
i) Cuba Solidarity raffle tickets circulated and sold

5. Speaker: Marie Taylor reporting on Trades Union Congress Conference.
A tired Marie Taylor reported on a ‘mixed’ Congress in Liverpool with less consensus than usual. The venue was not as good as Brighton for observers. Gordon Brown addressed Congress but the atmosphere was flat. His speech was carefully orchestrated and tried to get a positive response from delegates but it was lack lustre. Brown overstayed time and extra questions were taken from the floor which was not planted! TUC voted to boycott Israeli good after some controversy and a very late start! TUC is also supporting the Peoples’ Charter. A good debate, followed Sis Taylor’s contribution, concerning the Labour Government and Labour Party Policies which it was felt were often poorly presented. Yvonne Washbourne from Birmingham TUC received her gold medal. Marie was thanked for her contribution.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS – none

The meeting closed at 8.45pm