September 2024 minutes

2024 minutes 0

Delegate Meeting MINUTES of Thursday 19th SEPTEMBER 2024

Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council

  1. Present: (2024 delegates in bold): Paulette Whyte, Sharon Dixon UNISON City of Wolverhampton; Michael Vaughan UNISON Staffordshire; Nick Kelleher, John Oakley, Robert Lipke, John Clark, Keely Hodkiss, Tom Mahon, Rob Marris UNITE WM/6150; Di Weaver UNITE WM/5203; Marie Taylor UNITE LE/372; Dane Cross UNITE WM/7132; Zahid Ali, Ali Rahimi Unite Community WM/5115; Graham Childs CWU, Kieren Bott, Penny Welch UCU University, Sonia Wilkins UNISON Acute, Fran Heathcote PCS, Ranjit Sahota. Apologies: Warinder Juss MP, Si Goode, Tim Martin
  2. Minutes of last Delegate Meeting (July) agreed
  3. EC Report was discussed; issues of note:
  1. Speakers: STAMMA- to invite to October meeting. 21 Nov – Nicaraguan trade unionist hosted by UNISON (Dave Auger) – hold in person meeting at UNITE office
  2. Next steps re working with Adele Williams(Hope for Future) – she has asked to meet EC, NK to arrange, but no decision as to what we’d be discussing. Also involve Simon Cardy/Carol Hyatt.
  3. from Midlands TUC– funding secured for the TUC to deliver a skills partnership programme with the WMCA; keen to get into as many workplaces in the area as possible to speak to workers (and employers) and offer skills support for workers in the WMCA area. We were thinking that Wolves TUC could be a good way to reach employers/workers locally. As such, could we arrange to have a chat with you about how best to work with you to engage employers locally? – NK to arrange meeting with EC at 4pm; maybe of use for Bus drivers/engineers, ArcelorMittal or Council
  4. Zoom to renew @£129.90(+vat?) on 8 Nov. Agreed to cancel zoom and try Microsoft Teams free with EC and if works then use for delegate meetings (cheaper @£48pa.). Still need online account since physical venue not guaranteed.
  5. improvements for next May Day – nothing been done over the summer – apply for May Day grant
  6. WMDay Plaque – no response from Urban Design & Conservation Officer, Asset Management Group directly or Cnllr Carol Hyatt. RM to assist NK.
  7. Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Annual General Meeting 2024 Online. 11am Sat 5th October – we have link and documents for any delegate who wishes to attend.
  8. we won Cuba Solidarity 1st prize of £267 in £5 monthly draw to which we subscribe
  9. Further correspondence:
  10. BBC journalist seeking private tenants with mould, hazards, and difficult landlords
  11. RMT cleaners – possible Wolverhampton activity 14 October details to follow
  12. Industrial chaplain John Welsby moving from area, details of replacement supplied – letter of thanks for his assistance over recent years for Workers’ Memorial Day to be sent.
  1. delegate reports: ASLEF – report from SG was circulated. 97% agreed pay deal in ballot on 89% turnout. The no-strings offer is for 5% for 2022 to 2023; 4.75% for 2023 to 2024; and 4.5% for 2024 to 2025. Which, compounded, works out at 15% and is backdated and pensionable and includes drivers who retired or left the industry during the dispute. RMT – Pay offer being currently balloted along with TSSA and UNITE rail workers. UCU – 40% of universities have severe financial problems, as a result of privatisation and marketisation and overpaid, underachieving Vice-Chancellors. UNISON – industrial action ballot for council and school staff over the 2024 pay offer is open now until 16 October. NHS 5.5% pay rise in October pay. UNITE – first face to face branch meeting was disrupted by non-members.
  2. Secretary report circulated. Midlands TUC Women Chainmakers’ festival stall went well; next festival will be Saturday 28th June 2025.
  3. Midlands TUC Executive Committee NK’s report from today’s meeting circulated. Rob Johnson has been appointed Interim Regional Secretary replacing Lee Barron, who is now MP for Corby. Musician Union had demonstration tonight in Stratford upon Avon at a Northern Ballet performance since the Royal Shakespeare Company has started using foreign recordings rather than live music. Send message of support. Further demonstration 26th November. The union has also had discussions regarding the unspent £4 million legacy money left from the Commonwealth games in Birmingham. They want the same terms and conditions agreed for the Commonwealth Games for creative sector workers in the region.
  4. Trans-Atlantic Enslavement Links research update Penny Welch held meeting with Angelina Osbourne – contract wording circulated, send after comments. Completing the project would take about 6 months (October to April) and Angelina would present an interim report for our AGM in January; contract sent.
  5. any other business – N.Staffs TUC held meeting discussing far-right riots. Sponsoring play about women during miners’ 8 Oct Fenton, 10 Oct Lichfield. E.Staffs TUC sponsoring Vale Rawlins play (https://sslh.org.uk/2024/07/02/vale-rawlings-recovering-the-lost-story-of-a-burton-upon-trent-trade-unionist/).
  6. Speaker: Fran Heathcote, PCS General Secretary spoke on New Deal for Working People, what next? The New Deal came about from pressure from affiliated unions will be the first significant improvement to workers’ rights since the 1970s. The Civil Service holds 200 pay negotiations each year, almost all identical. Collective bargaining would end such a waste of resources. The CBI will lobby against, trade unionists must keep up pressure. Delegates encouraged to respond to TUC/Megaphone New Deal for working people postcard messages to MPs which was circulated. Cutting the universal pensioners’ winter fuel allowance seems an own goal by the new government. Huge Palestine demonstrations continue; ceasefire, recognition of Palestine and an end to British arms sales to Israel needed. PCS opposed the Tory government’s policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda; Labour has now dropped it. Although PCS branches can’t make donations they can affiliate to trades union councils, FH will publicise this.