September 2012

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Present: Bros. Kelleher, Fraser, Turner & Deacon (UNISON Gen),  Childs (CWU) ,  Retnasangham (Prospect), Juss (GMB), Parker (PCS),  Goodall (UNITE)

  Sis Halfpenny (NUT) Taylor (CYWU/Unite), Crawford (TUC)

Apologies:  Bros. S.Grant (NUT), Macmillan (CWU), Brackenridge FBU, Everell (UNISON Gen),Thomas

 Sis Elson (PCS), Brealey, (UNISON Gen), J.Grant (UCU)

Delegates were welcomed and introductions made.

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Minutes of July 2012 delegate meeting.  Agreed a true record.  No matters arising.

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 No  Executive Committee report

Correspondence of note:

List circulated

a. ‘We are Walsall’ protest against EDL assemble in front of New Art Gallery, Walsall 29.09.12 at 11am.

c. Concerns re Wednesfield High School Academy Status with Tarmac as possible sponsors. Response needed from National TUC.

d. Midlands Choose Youth – Event 22.09.12 at Springfield Youth Centre 1-4pm scrutiny of youth services in Wolverhampton. TUC delegates involved.

e. Why we’re marching for a future that works 2pm 22.09.12 Council House Birmingham Matt Wrack FBU, Lee Barron CWU speakers.

f. Love music Hate racism benefit with Grace Petrie 22.09.12 Stourbridge.

i. Midlands TUC Fringe event on Midlands Manufacturing at Tory Conference09.10.12 6pm n. Query re status of delegates from UNITE 3120M and 0785M an new branch allocations. Continue as delegates until new branch verified.

o. NHS in Wolverhampton NE 38°

p. Mirzan the Poet offer of helping out and performing.  Delegates opinions

q. £100 prize win in Cuba Solidarity’s 267 Club

s. Bro Kelleher on WM radio and response of good sale of T shirts etc

t.  Tasmanian comrades – leads into investigation of transported tin workers fallen through may still be information at Kew

u. Paul Mackney to speak at November meeting on anti austerity campaigns in Greece.

Nat TUC 

circulate via email

delegates response

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 Reports/ discussion

a. TUC Congress – There was no delegate to report on this. A discussion followed concerning a general strike and Ed Balls comments on a pay freeze

b. UNISON pensions campaign – freeze on benefits for 2 years? Public Services pensions increases relate to benefits increases. UNISON and UNITE are accepting latest offers. PCS unlikely to stick out alone.

c. UNISON 1^st October threat of mass dismissal of 9,140 council workforce as a result of job evaluation. 25% will lose also essential car user allowance. Weekend rates cut completely! Overtime – time and ¼. Cut to night shift allowances, Low paid women’s jobs affected worst. Whole council expected to work any 5 out of any 7 days apart from senior management. There is no protection for those who will lose money. The report remains unfinished but the letters have been produced for workers.

Report next meeting – A Turner

d. Other delegates’ reports – NUT campaign action short of strike – work to rule supported by NASUWT. PCS –VAT office moved to Crown House may cause job losses as change of working also some workplace nurseries closed. TUC local organising campaign.  Charter for Youth unemployment launched. Some local MPs have signed up but no Tories. Events planned with MPs who have or haven’t signed cannot fund job guarantees for young unemployed. Petition on line to sign up to charter.

e. secretary’s report Union Christmas party 08.12.12 quadrant Lounge £3. Publicity for each Union’s Christmas party. Save Wolverhampton Libraries Campaign update. Consultation until 23.10.12. Finchfield Campaign website very good. Demonstration against the Tory conference 7.10.12 meet at station to catch 10.15 train and travel together. Coaches to London for 20.10.12 mass TUC march through London for a Future that Works. PCS and UNISON have organized but little interest so far. £500 grant from TUC Agreed to buy 40 tickets for train.  The success of the demonstration was discussed.

f. Palestine Solidarity Campaign Exhibition at St Peter’s Church children’s art from Gaza in conjunction with Christian Aid. 10 -4 this week. Meet Queen’s Square Saturday for campaign re Veolia Contract 10.30 to 12.30. Film Night 09.11.12. Batsheva Israeli dance folk 13.11.12 to 14.11.12 Birmingham PSC cultural boycott. Lobby of parliament 28.11.12.

www.tuc.org.uk

/blackcountrycharter

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Resolutions

MOTION 1 Community Right to Challenge

We note: The Community Right to Challenge came into force on 27.06.12 with the publication of statutory guidance.

That the right is part of the Localism Act 2011 and give community groups, parish councils, and local authority employees the right to submit an ’expression of interest’ in taking over and running a local authority service.  The local authority must consider and respond to the challenge.  If a local authority accepts the challenge they must run a procurement exercise in which organisations – including those that made the challenge but also private companies- can bid to take over the running of the service.

That the following organisations can submit an expression of interest:

·         A voluntary or community body

·         A charitable group or trust

·         A parish council

·         Two or more employees of the local authority responsible for the service delivery.

We agree to call on the local authority and the Labour Group to:

1.    Limit the time period that expressions of interest can be submitted.

2.    Ensure that expression of interest is limited to no more than one service.

3.    Insist that the authority as a condition of any ‘expressions of interest’ submission have carried out consultation and surveys with relevant service users as part of their submission.

4.    Ensure that the authority publishes expressions of interest publically and notifies the relevant recognized city council trade unions.

5.    Raise this issue at any appropriate trade union body as officers see fit to pursue the aims of this policy.

The motion was discussed- bro Kelleher moved the motion and bro Retnasangham

Seconded the motion. This motion ties in well with the invitation to Roger Lawrence to speak and answer questions at one of our meetings. The motion was carried with one vote against

MOTION 2 Support for Arab Workers Union (Israel)

We recognise that the Palestinian working class in Israel is among the poorest sections of society and the one whose rights are most abused by employers.

We further recognize the consistent failure of Histradut to defend the rights of low-paid oppressed workers.

We therefore welcome the formation of the Arab Workers Union (AWU) in Israel.  The union is the first Palestinian union established among the Palestinian population of Israel since 1948.

The AWU after a long series of delays and harassment has now been officially registered as a trade union.

Formed as a result of the established Trade union movement’s failure to represent Arab workers in Israel, many of its founders were part of the Saw-t Alami trade union (which was recognised by a recent UNISON delegation as an important but small development in the Palestinian trade union movement) which was suspended in 2010.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the cause of Palestinian people. We agree to send fraternal solidarity greetings to the AWU.

The union welcomes solidarity membership from all individuals and trade unions who share its aims and objectives.

We therefore also agree to apply for annual membership at a rate of 50US$ per year.

The motion was proposed by bro Deacon and seconded by Sis Taylor it was carried unanimously

Motion to be sent to Wolverhampton Labour Council

Send fraternal greetings

Subscribe to annual membership

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Speaker: Owen Jones, the new West Midlands organiser for the Hope not Hate anti- fascist campaign; who spoke about the campaign’s work in local areas. The work is based on a report Fear and Hope.  From a UGov survey attitudes to multiculturalism. The lowest attitude is those with latent activity against any immigration These are people who fear. One third of the population does not join any organisation.  The work in particular in Wren’s Nest is to develop community pride and make the estate more welcoming to outsiders. Bringing about a change in attitudes. There followed a discussion. There is a fear that there will be a BNP candidate for the West Midlands Police Commissioner.

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Any Other Business – none