September 2021

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council

Delegate Minutes 16 September 2021

1. present Sisters C.Simm PCS(in chair), Whyte UNISON City, D.Weaver UNITE WM/5203 & SWCLP TULO, Welch UCU, Hyatt UNITE Community, Taylor UNITE, Heggerty

   Brothers Kelleher, Marris, Oakley Unite WM6150, Deacon UNISON City, Vaughan UNISON Staffs, Juss GMBx13, B.Simm PCS(Assoc), Rahimi Unite Community.

   Apologies Sis Weaver UNISON City Bro Grant UCU, Brackenridge FBU, Ali Unite Community, Scroop

2. Minutes of last Delegate Meeting (July) agreed; Matters Arising 3a) GKN Automotive factory Erdington all out strike from 27 Sept send message of support.

3. EC Report , correspondence of note:

1. EC still following up branch affiliations

2. TUCongress & Fringe online 12-14 Sept, all invited – sent out info

3. Midlands TUC Equality week events each day 25-30 October

4. Midlands TUC Better Buses campaign NK raised at Midlands TUC EC, co-ordination between Pensioners Network and Midlands TUC, bypassing trades councils due to ineffective CATUC.

5. 80 Afghan refugees expected in Wolverhampton, some in Brittania hotel

6. Researcher into Wolverhampton links to slavery. £350 expenses paid so far, no work begun, update sent to all the funding branches and organisations

7. Website update to WordPress – spoken to GM, password to be sent

8. Bro Simm re Hitler and slave caricature pottery in window of Bilston High St (junk shop opp Spoons) – complaint made to police by him, who responded

9. 100 Great Black Britons – re request from Council for us to distribute books to the schools and libraries at start of this term. Contacted NEU, who have offered to help, though have lack of storage also to contact UNISON City(asap), Cnllr Hardacre, Mr Eavis[?]

10. UNISON Sandwell Fire & Rehire at Sandwell Leisure Trust strike fund. Four of our delegates attended strike leafleting in August. help from Coventry, Birmingham, Dudley, Walsall, Worcester and E Staffs TUCs, but none from Sandwell TUC. Next leafleting – help needed Monday 20th September, Friday 1st & Friday 15th October meet at the car park of Barnford Hill Park, Moat Road, B68 8EE 10:30am each morning.

11. Shrewsbury 24 celebration 2nd Oct £5 St Nicholas Hotel Shrewsbury Shrops & Telford TUC places limited https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/shrewsbury-24-celebration-tickets-168043100437

12. sold one TUC badge online £5 [to a former WBDTUC ISTC delegate]

13. to send still Palestine Solidarity campaign re-affiliation £25; solidarity message re latest upsurge in industrial action in Iran to Iranian oil and gas workers on strike via CODIR; To send still solidarity to Indian Farmers; to send copy of our history to Sarah Woolley Gen Sec BFAWU; copies of redundancy leaflet to CAB and IWA Welfare centre

4. Reports and discussion:

• delegate reports:

• GMB, Bro Juss a delegate conference was held on Fire & rehire. Some successes but by time of a ballot, damage has been done, need law change

• PCS Sis Simm now moved branches to Wolverhampton

• UNISON Bro Vaughan reported on national ballot after low pay rise offer

• UNITE – Sharon Graham is new General Secretary, beating Steve Turner. Unite Community held protest of 40 against Universal Credit cut outside Tory MPO office in Chapel Ash.

• LP Sis Weaver national conference this month; LP workers face redundancy due to lack of funds due to mass quitting of membership after Stammer was elected.

• Secretary report – Bro Kelleher, none produced, no TUCJCC meetings since May

• TUC Pensioners Network – Bro Deacon

• Wolverhampton Palestine Solidarity Campaign summer garden party raised £400; Puma protest this Saturday Queen Sq 12.30; Bro Deacon attended impressive PSC protest in Liverpool against Arms Fair with 4,000 attending.

5. any other business

   – Bro Juss union pressure should set criteria for the enquiry into government Coronavirus failures.

   – Sis Hyatt reported on Climate Change Group; Friends of the Earth event in Birmingham on Green Jobs transition. November 6th World Day of Action re COP26. West Park Bandstand Wolverhampton booked for 11.30. Organising meeting 18 Sept.

6. no speaker, meeting ended