September 2019

 

MINUTES Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council Delegate Meeting

Thursday 19th September 2019

1. Welcome & introductions to delegates & visitors present + apologies
Present: Sis Millar UCU, C Simm PCS, Ahmed UNITE, Taylor UNITE Bro B Simm PCS, Deacon UNISON, Baker UNITE, Childs CWU, Oakley UNITE, M Foxhall UNITE, Rahimi UNITE
Apologies: Kelleher UNITE, Ceresa UNISON, Welch UCU, Whyte UNISON, Kelsey CWU, Foxhall UNITE, Marris UNITE, Grant UCU, Pugh UNISON, Juss GMB, Eileen Turnbill (speaker)
2. Minutes of July delegate meeting & matters arising
Minutes agreed, no matters arising
3. EC report and Correspondence
WB&DTUC Correspondence in lieu of EC Report September 2019 Sis Taylor
1) Speakers: Member of Shrewsbury 24 will attend in November. October is unconfirmed.
2) Regional TUC Event: Bro Simm will attend and report back 9th November, Sis Ahmed expressed wish to attend but status as non-delegate may hold her back. She was asked to contact Nick to confirm.
3) West Mids JCC Rep: Gemma Saleem–Offland has been asked to attend as JCC rep. Bro Deacon added she should at least send us reports to keep us updated.
4) New TUC Leaflet: New leaflet has been circulated and meeting agreed it was worth distribution.
5) Cuba Solidarity Affiliation Renewal: Meeting agreed unanimously to re affiliate at £40. Reminder about event in London on November 2nd.
6) Daily Mirror Request: Delegates were encouraged to take part in interviews on struggling workers.
7) Police Spies Out Of Lives: Conference organised for November 16th, Greenwich. Contact Nick for details, costs, etc. Sis Millar added it would be good for someone to attend and report back.
8) Emma Reynolds MP: Emma Reynolds wrote Trades Council a letter of support for Wodenstock event and it was passed around delegates to view.
9) West Midlands CND: Re affiliation of £7 + £3 Donation passed unanimously.
10) Wodenstock: Final finances to be calculated. Bro Baker added that requests have been made to buy t-shirts. Bro Foxhall is already planning for a 2020 event and would like a more hands on role if possible.
4. Reports
A) UNITE: Bro Baker, The West Bromwich office is closing down while Unite await news on new office.
B) UCU: Sis Millar, There is a new ballot for strike action and there is hope it will now reach the 50% threshold.
C) WSW Labour CLP: Sis Ahmed, New leaflets in all Wards have started as well as an ongoing grassroots campaign to save a GP Surgery in Tettenhall Regis.

5. Secretary Report: Sis Taylor, UCUs Dave Muritu has accepted a financial settlement and ended the dispute at Sandwell College. Reminder of a talk by Wolves Amnesty International on September 20th about the ongoing situation in Myanmar.
6. Midlands TUC Pensioners Network: Bro Deacon, The Work Plan document that was being written up had started to reflect wishful thinking rather than practicality. Brexit overshadows everything, the TV Licence campaign in partnership with Age UK gained over 65,000 signatures. It was presented to the PM and to the BBC and isn’t even being looked at. No time can be tabled for debate because Brexit rules all. Growing numbers of elderly homeless, raised by a third. Brexit is locking away all other political discussion and the b**stards at the top are getting with blue murder. Strong views were expressed all around.
7. Wolves PSC: Bro Deacon, HSBC protests have resumed. There was sustained opposition from one abusive idiot. Further protests are planned. Isreali Elections have put the Arab Party Block in 3rd place but its being largely unreported. Nettenyahu is unable to form majority and is two seats behind Blue and White.
8. AOB: Sis Ahmed mentioned Bro Marris has suggested a speaker from the Kashmir Solidarity Campaign. Bro Rahimi added that at Tolpuddle 4 Delegates raised £700 working at the festival bar. Bro Deacon suggested a report back from Bro Turner on TUC Conference. Reminder of the Peoples March taking place at Tory Conference Sunday 29th September.
Meeting Close