September 2014

2014 minutes 0

 

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council

 

Minutes 18 September 2014

 

1) Present: Brothers Kelleher, Turner, Everall & Deacon (UNISON Gen), Rahami, Purchase & Marris (UNITE), Childs & Macmillan (CWU) Delegates welcomed & introductions made.

Apologies: Brothers Juss (GMB), Grant (UCU), Brackenridge (FBU) , Thomas (Community)

Sisters Taylor (CYWU-UNITE), Halfpenny (NUT), Battell (NASUWT)

 

  1. Minutes of last delegate meeting (July) agreed, correction 3i) successful LP candidate in police commissioner elections (10% turnout) was David “Jamieson”.

    Matters Arising:

4a) next UNISON local government strike is October 14th not September. 1% pay offer refused. Academies and ALMO due to strike this time too. UNISON NHS also successfully balloted by strike date is unknown. Rally planned by UNISON.

4c) UNISON Neighbourhood Wardens got 4,500 signatures and a debate and lobby will take place 5th Nov council chamber

4d) put next FBU strike on website

 

3) Correspondence of note:

  1. Midlands TUC re new Regional Secretary Lee Barron – invite to speak – possibly Dec – Sis Taylor

  2. CATUC holding meetings; still no minutes – seek meeting with new Regional secretary to explain our position that it is an unnecessary bureaucratic layer that stifles activity regionally.

  3. FBU – Time to take over Energy Companies booklet agreed to take up offer to speak at meeting

  4. Women Chainmakers’ Festival consultation about plans going forward. Tuesday 30 September at 2.30pm, UNISON offices, 24 Livery St, Birmingham. Agreed Cradley Heath only site; we can help by website publicity; assist with leafleting if given details; best in June – our views to be emailed

  5. Cuba solidarity raffle tickets – circulated amongst delegates £10 sold

  6. TUC reps course details – put on website

  7. 2014 affiliation received to us from Unite-Cyw

  8. Connolly association seeking affiliation – agreed invite to speak and discuss

  9. paid coach parking @ Wembley 18 October £34 (refund due to NK)

  10. enquiry re Chinese TU delegation re agriculture – sent to E Mids TUCs

  11. Save NHS rally 27 Sept Shrewsbury – put on website

    Sent

  12. £1,330 invoice to workers beer co for latitude festival and £1,256.50 for Glastonbury festival – thanks recorded for all this year’s volunteers which included several Iranian refugees.

  13. invoice sent to CATUC £153.50 re unpaid TUC conference delegate fees

  14. invited to speak – Distinctly Black Country

4 Reports/discussion:

  1. Midlands needs a Pay Rise demonstration: Sunday 28 Sept Birmingham/Midlands TUC Hard-up festival @Tory conference. On Wed 1st October Midlands TUC has backed Pensioners groups who will demonstrate in Broad St 11am-1pm. Daily events had been agreed during the conference but this was the only one organised.

  2. Britain needs a Pay Rise demonstration:Saturday 18 Oct London – our coach 8am free/£5/£10 info@wolvestuc.org.uk also UNISON coach @ 7am 01902 554096 £5 refundable deposit

  3. UNISON – Save Old Tree Nursery Campaign – Bro Kelleher the shop steward reported that consultation finishes end November. Over 1,000 signatures already. 10 disabled workers under threat of redundancy – Facebook campaign launched – to be added to website. Suggested to contact Mencap, DPAC etc

  4. no other delegates’ workplace reports

  5. Secretary’s written report circulated:

  1. Pride 27th Sept seek permission for our banner – NK & RM; UNISON has a stall.

  2. Action for Rail – leafleting went well and commuters distributed them on trains, but no rail unions involved this time due to holiday. Campaign needs local initiatives. Need a visible banner for future events.

  1. Black Country Peoples Assembly – no recent activity

  2. Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign – Case management hearing for Shenstone 9 on October 6th but there isn’t a rally as previously advertised.

    51 day attack on Gaza by Israel; over 3,000 killed almost all civilians. 100,000+ homeless and no rebuilding due to Israeli embargo. Hamas absorbed attack politically and came out stronger within Palestine. Wolves PSC did well helping mobilise 200+ in July many young people and Muslim women. There were fundraisers of £7.5k via a Muslim group and £12k for Medical Aid for Palestine. Coach to London demo, another local rally and lobby of Parliament though Tory Paul Uppal refused to meet his constituents.

  3. Discussion of the 2014 Trades Union Congress. Even Bank of England speaker seemed to agree with Britain Needs a Pay Rise campaign. A TV newsflash had interrupted the General secretary’s call for “no return to Downton Abbey” announcing the latest royal foetus.

  4. Other business:

  1. Peoples March for NHS had been successful but only covered by Morning Star. Media, entertainment, pop music, Olympics – all dominated by the privately educated who have no knowledge of the working class.

  2. Anton Apiania who spoke at previous meeting won his appeal against deportation after living here almost 20years

  3. Next month’s meeting – flyers produced, on TTIP US/EU trade deal with Carolyn Jones. Canada/EU CITA trade deal already signed off and North America Free Trade Agreement may give US firms back-door entry to privatise NHS

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