TUCJCC is made up of  Trades Union Council regional reps and TUC General Council members

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Role of a regional TUCJCC rep

TUCJCC 23rd July 2024 – notes of meeting:

The meeting had already been postponed with a day’s notice and the minutes and documents were received just 40 minutes before the meeting.

Only 5 of the 9 regional reps and no General Council members were present.

Re. this year’s trades union councils’ conference – despite agreement from a previous meeting, the conference speakers weren’t arranged as agreed – no one on Palestine and no one from the Irish or Scottish TUC.

We are still awaiting for the evaluation questionnaire to be sent out to trades councils as to why so few attended this year’s conference.

The Equality monitoring and feedback forms from conference have not been collated still from this year’s conference two months ago.

The annual Women’s’ lunch at conference – although positive for many of the participants, it separated delegates and created gender based networking, so this may be moved from lunchtime to later in future. Decisions will be made based on the questionnaire.

Agreed to send out more reminders for conference and motion deadlines in future, though this has been asked for previously.

In future at conference we will timetable a debate regarding which motion is to go to trade union congress. The motion that was chosen this year was regarding the future venue of trades councils’ conference. It is likely to appear insular and irrelevant to the wider trade union movement. Since the decision has been taken that Congress House is too be sold and the TUC will be moving, conference will not take place at Congress House from 2026. So our motion going to Congress only relates to 2025 next year anyway! If any trade union councils are interested in hosting future conferences, please get in contact with your TUCJCC rep to discuss.

We were (again) told by officers that the amended motions and model rules which were agreed at conference would be sent out in the next two weeks.

A complaint from within the North West region was discussed, though it was deemed that this was raised to the TUCJCC too soon and should have been dealt with by the regional rep and not bypass the Complaints procedure.

Trades union councils will have a stall at this year’s Trade Union Congress in Brighton. TUCJCC reps are involved in staffing it, more help needed.

A fringe meeting was held at Tolpuddle this year regarding trade union councils by TUCJCC reps.

Officers agreed speak to the TUC Education department to include information about trade union councils on shop steward courses and to contact unions who provide their own courses to do likewise.

Officers plan a trade union councils webinar during Heart Unions week next (10-16th) February.

Trades union councils bulletin was not discussed so unlikely to be produced. One of the motions passed at conference sought to improve communication. So a national trades union councils WhatsApp group has been set up to post info about events organised by trades union councils run by TUCJCC reps. 90 already in group to join go to https://chat.whatsapp.com/HSnt5uXjfifFLW4z0FKEoV

There is also an existing national Facebook page – Trades Union Councils Network, with over a thousand followers. It is run by someone who is believed to no longer have a position in a trades union council and currently only some Derby TUC delegates have permission to post. They all seem very reluctant to hand over access to the TUCJCC. If they continue to refuse to hand it over a new page will be established by TUCJCC reps.

Next meeting is Wednesday 9th of October, conference arrangements for 2025 will be discussed then.

Nick Kelleher TUCJCC rep Midlands(West)

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TUCJCC report of meeting 7 May 2024

attended by 8 of the 9 regional reps plus Steve Gillan POA and Simon Weller ASLEF on behalf of the TUC General Council (Jo Grady missing again) and Carl Roper from TUC.

Agreed to my proposal to extend nomination period for Midlands(East) TUCJCC rep to 30 May since no nominations were received before deadline. Those registered Trades union councils in that region to be written to.

Trades union councils’ annual conference 1-2 June @ Congress House arrangements agreed:

speakers at conference – Mick Whelan ASLEF to be invited; Irish TUC delegate; Palestine speaker via TUC International dept

Standing orders for conference to be sent out to delegates

There are less motions than last year, despite opening up to all trades union councils; number of delegates not known at this time.

TUCs who have submitted motions are to be asked if they accept the amendments for their motions

Some amendments went slightly over the 60 word limit but were accepted since it wasn’t made clear if it referred to changes or the entire amendment; one was submitted as two amendments.

Rule changes to 13 (Trades Union Councils rules) and 12 (Associations) will be opposed by TUCJCC

DONM 4pm Fri May 30th (pre-conference)

Fri eve 30 May welcome with food and drinks @ Congress House

Sat 1 June lunchtime – Women delegate meeting and lunch

Sat 1 June evening speaker on Miners’ strike anniversary – John Dunn of Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign

no workshop on Sunday as took too much time and feeling was to make more time for networking.

Regional reports (for annual report) deadline 18 May

Nick Kelleher Midlands(West) rep TUCJCC

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Minutes of the TUC Joint Consultative Committee meeting held online on 6 February 2024

1.In attendance:  Regional Reps – Andrew Coburn, Nick Kelleher, Pamela Fitzpatrick, Martin Levy, Cecile Wright, Dave Chapple, Katrine Williams  For the office – Carl Roper, Debbie Cleary.   .Apologies Steve Gillan, Jo Grady, Simon Weller.

3.Minutes of the previous meeting – the minutes of the meeting on 5 December 2024 were AGREED.

4.Registration of Trades Councils and County Associations

The office gave an update on registrations using the new online registration form. A request was made that Trades Councils be reminded of the arrangements for payment of the £10 registration fee in reminders.

5.Review of Rules and Standing Orders of Trades Councils, County Associations and the Trades Council Conference

A draft of the new draft rules and standing orders of Trades Councils and County Associations had been tabled and the office invited members of the JCC to comment. A number of amendments to the draft were agreed and the office advised that it would circulate the amended draft to members of the JCC prior to circulation of the new draft rules to Trades Councils and County Associations.

The JCC AGREED that at the 2024 Trades Councils Conference, Trades Councils and County Associations would be allowed an additional amendment to consider the proposed new rules and standing orders.

6.Regional Reports

The members of the TUC JCC gave verbal reports on campaigns and matters relating to their respective regions.

Martin Levy reported that discussions were underway on Trades Council structures in the newly merged Northern, Yorkshire & The Humber Region.

Cecile raised an issue relating to the behavior of some union delegates to Trades Councils in the East Midlands.

Vacancy for TUC JCC Yorkshire & The Humber Representative

The JCC AGREED that in accordance with rule a call for nominations would be issued to fill the vacancy.

It was reported that the next edition of the Regional Newsletter would be collated by Andrew Coburn.

Re-establishment of North Tyneside Trades Union Council

7.The office reported that North Tyneside Trades Union Council has now been reconstituted.

8.Complaint regarding Birmingham Trades Union Council and ACORN

The office reported that a complaint had been received from delegates to Birmingham Trades Union Council about matters relating to an affiliation to ACORN. Nick provided an update on the matter and advised that he would draft a response in his capacity as TUC JCC rep for the West Midlands.

Any other business

An inquiry was made about public liability insurance for Trades Councils running events.

An inquiry was made about the circulation of information regarding observers to TUC Equality Conferences.

The next meeting would be devoted to Conference arrangements and members of the JCC were asked to consider potential guest speakers and ideas for workshops.

Date of the next meeting – This will take place on 7 May 2024, online at 4pm.

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Trades Union Councils’ Joint Consultative Committee (TUCJCC)

5 December 2023 Report of Trade Union Councils Joint Consultative Committee meeting by Nick Kelleher Midlands(West) rep.  

1. All regional reps (except Wales), and TUC officers were present but no General Council members.

2. TUCJCC has written to the General Secretary of Congress Paul Nowak to be raised at General Council regarding future venues outside London for the national conference of Trades Union Councils .

3. 2024 registration of trade union councils is going very well, 89 already registered using the new online method, which is then uploaded to the listings of all councils https://www.tuc.org.uk/trades-councils-and-community-campaigning . £10 will still need to be paid to register, the deadline is the last Friday in January.

4. New Model Rules for Trades Union Councils and County Associations, (to become Associations of Trades Union Councils), have been drawn up by a working party for the TUCJCC and will be sent out for consultation shortly. Amendments will still be possible at next year’s annual conference. All trade union councils will be able to send delegates and their own motion to conference. Compositing may be necessary in future. Standing Orders are still to be looked at.

5. Complaints just received re last summer’s annual conference and the TUCongress were discussed and responded to. Report received of re-establishment of a council in Tyneside.

6. Reports requested from all trades union councils up to 100 words each, on recent activity to be sent to your regional TUCJCC rep by second week in January please for inclusion in the next national Bulletin of trades union councils’ campaigning. Add a picture if you wish.

7. Heart Unions week 12-18 Feb 2024

8. TUCJCC will be represented on Saturday at the TUC’s special congress on the Minimum Service Level Strikes Bill by SW rep Dave Chapple, though he will only have observer status. There will be a debate on a General Council statement which is to be live streamed – it was requested for the link to be sent out.

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National Conference June 17/18 @ Congress House, London

conference hotel – all TUCJCC reps and delegates have been offered places at the St Giles Hotel which is a two minute walk from the conference at Congress House. 

Friday evening (June 16) there will be welcome reception at Congress House with food around 7pm and some speakers and time to meet other delegates.

Conference workshops agreed on (Sat/Sun):1 immigration

2 anti-trade Union laws and strike legislation

3 building the trades Councils movement

There will also be a women delegates’ networking meeting with lunch on Saturday.

The TUCJCC’s motion on the future of county associations was finalised and should be sent out shortly. It will be debated with motion 18 from the Greater London Association of TUC’s at the conference.

Motion 18 also makes mention of the conference venue, which many seem unhappy with. It was a decision of the General Council, not TUCJCC, to hold future conferences in London.

Speakers to be invited to the conference include Amazon GMB Coventry rep, Paul Nowak General Secretary TUC plus either a representative from the Irish or Scottish TUCs.

Saturday evening (17 June) – social event at Congress House from 7pm includes Eileen Turnbull of the Shrewsbury 24 campaign, speaking about her book A Very British Conspiracy, she will sign books (which cost £10, with all proceeds to The Casa, trade union club in Liverpool).

There has been a change of personnel at the TUC Offices with regards to the officers who deal with trade union councils. Carl Roper is now the lead officer and Debbie Cleary provides the admin assistance. The handover has resulted in a few errors recently including the lack of recent Trade Union Council Bulletins, which give regional reports of trade union councils’ activities.

There will however be a Bulletin presented at conference so if trades councils could send in a brief report of any work that they have carried out in the last year which they think would be worth sharing with other trades councils, within the next two weeks to your TUCJCC rep. This would be very helpful.

All of the TUCJCC reps will be re-elected unopposed at conference except in the South East where there is a ballot and unfortunately the TUC issued ballot papers incorrectly so this will have to be re-run.

The Trade Union Council’s Directory which was due to be published last February, is still in draft form and has too many errors to publish and so needs to be rechecked with the assistance of the TUCJCC reps. The Directory listing form will also be redrafted before next year since it is a bit confusing and postal addresses are not really needed now.

It was recognised that the TUC’s new Solidarity Hub does not make reference to the support that trade union councils can and do give to trade union disputes. It was agreed that the TUCJCC would liaise with the officers in charge of the Solidarity Hub, Charlie Pullinger and Carl Roper (who is also the new trades council liaison officer) to rectify this.

The next meeting of the TUCJCC will be Friday 16th June 5pm prior to the conference at Congress House.

Nick Kelleher TUCJCC rep Midlands(West)

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TUCJCC Report – 15 March 23 national meeting of regional trades councils reps with General Council reps.

Officers dealing with trades councils are changing. Announcements of changes will be made soon.

TUC General Council believes that if the Minimum Service anti-strike Bill is passed without amendment then it would be unworkable and be repealed. Discussed BBC’s government-led response to Gary Linekar’s stand for human rights, backed by fellow broadcasters. Also anti-refugee far-right protests around the country.

The International TUC body has dismissed its leader Luca Visatini over the Qatar lobbying scandal. Deputy Owen Tudor from the UK is unlikely to take over permanently. Lot of money is distributed to small trade union organisations around the world without enough regulation. Systems not fit for purpose.

Document on County Associations is now to be circulated with conference documents. 

If agreed, the Model rules will need to be re-written to update and remove references to County Associations having responsibility to elect conference delegates or decide motions for national conference. Discussions would be held with CATUCs, regional TUCs and TUCJCC reps re any funds held if CATUC to be wound up. Some former CATUCs may wish to continue to work as a regional group or develop new ones, more suitable geographically to co-ordinate regional action..

Annual Conference @ Congress House 17/18 June – workshops/discussions on future of CATUCs, Support for Unions taking strike action, Hope Not Hate/Care for Calais, STUC/IrishTUC invites. Dundee TUC re their Palestine work; Womens’ meeting likely Sat lunch with Sat eve social at congress House more details to be announced

Trade Union Council Directory 2023 still in draft.

Raised issue that there is no mention in the 100+ page TUC Directory 2023 and that at least the contacts could be listed as the TUCJCC reps – told unlikely that this Directory would be produced again(?)

6,000 had attended Sheffield TUC’s 1^st February strike rally

DONM 3rd May

Nick Kelleher Midlands(West) rep TUCJCC

Trades Union Councils’ Joint Consultative Committee (TUCJCC) report 18 Jan 2023

If you are organising strike rallies on 1st Feb please liaise with striking unions NEU, PCS, ASLEF, RMT, UCU etc to avoid duplication and to avoid depleting pickets. Regional rallies occurring too.

Future of County Associations of Trades Union Councils.

After a series of discussions over several years, a consensus has been formed amongst the TUCJCC reps. and a discussion paper drafted, once agreed it will be sent out to trades councils for discussion at the national trades councils conference with a panel discussion then formal debate.

The general essence of the proposals would be to remove the responsibility for any existing county associations to filter any motions from trades union councils either to regional TUC or national conference.  There would be no formal requirement for a county association, but there is no wish to close any down or take any monies away. Any that wish to continue could.

Regional planning amongst trades councils would be encouraged but within areas that they wish to define and with less formality than currently.

Trades Councils would all individually be able to participate on equal grounds at national trades council conference with up to two delegates, with at least one being from a protected group.

2023 Registration

For those of you who have not done so already, please complete the 2023 registration forms for trades union councils.

Deadline Fri 27 Jan with £10 registration levy fee. If your trades council misses this deadline, you will be Unregistered and will not be eligible for development grant awards. You also cease to receive mailings from the TUC at national and regional level and their details will not be included in the Directory of Trades Union Councils and County Associations. TUC affiliated unions will be advised that the unregistered trades council is not an appropriate organisation to which they should affiliate..

Trades Council Directory

This listing of all trades union councils around the country has not been issued, despite requests, for a couple of years. We have been told today that it will be issued this year, a couple of weeks after the deadline for registration.

Please complete the Directory Listing form – only need to include on it what you are happy to publish, so avoid home addresses but include some contact eg an email

Development Grants

Trades Union Councils are encouraged to make applications for £300 Development Grants in accordance with the priorities set out in the Trades Union Councils’ Programme of Work, a copy of which is enclosed. Second or Joint applications from several Trades Union Councils working on collaborative projects are also welcomed. Applications should be sent to your TUC Regional Secretary / General Secretary of Wales. This fund is usually underspent each year.

Criteria for Motions to trades councils conference

trades councils and County Associations are encouraged
to submit motions [up to 400 words] that respond to the following themes:
– Publicising and promoting campaigns and actions that trades councils have
participated in.
– Strengthening the trades council’s movement.
– New campaign or policy areas that are not already trade council or TUC policy.
– And actions for the TUCJCC and / or trades councils to take.

DONM 15 March 2023 subject to change due to strikes

N.Kelleher Midlands(West) TUCJCC rep

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Trades Union Councils’ Joint Consultative Committee (TUCJCC) report 23 Nov 2022

A pre-meeting of regional reps was held before the meeting which was useful. Seven regional reps attended, two TUC officers and two members of the TUC General Council attended TUCJCC, held on zoom.

Next year’s national conference has moved forward a week to 17/18 June 2023

Reports for the Trades Councils Bulletin, were sent in before the this meeting by reps, so TUC should have been sent out by now, but again haven’t yet.

TUC Programme of Work, has been agreed in draft, but also not sent out to trades councils yet.

Discussion on the future of County Associations of Trade Union Councils:

• some consensus that CATUCs were unnecessary bureaucracy regarding national conference and by allowing trades councils to send motions directly, might reinvigorate it.
• Many regional TUCs allow direct representation of trades union councils as do the Welsh and Scottish TUCs. Some CATUCs have only one(County TUCs) or two TUCs, London has nearly 30. Some TUCs with direct representation cover populations of under 100,000, while other with only indirect representation cover populations of up to 1.5million.
• CATUCs could still provide a role for co-ordination of regional activity and establishing new TUCs.
• An all-trades council consultation (by Kevin Rowan) would be needed before any rule change at conference.

Decision to hold all future conferences at Congress House was taken by the TUC EC and General Council.

General view that TUCs had a problem accessing non-affiliated branches, although it varied between unions. It was pointed out that this was not helped since the TUC had not produced this year’s Directory of Trades Union Councils, due last spring.

DONM Jan 19^th 2023

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Trades Union Councils’ Joint Consultative Committee (TUCJCC) report 11 Oct 2022

First meeting of this national body since July. Minutes from that meeting and the agenda and reports were sent to the regional reps and Gen Co members an hour before the meeting. All 9 regional reps attended, 3 TUC officers but only one member of the TUC General Council. It is held on Zoom.

TUC officers blamed TUCongress and its postponement as reason why they had:

• not sent out the Trades Councils Bulletin, despite receiving several requested regional reports, including mine. I also chased them up some weeks ago but was fobbed off.

• Not produced this year’s Directory of Trades Union Councils, despite giving us all the end of last January as the deadline for returning details.

• Not produced the TUC Programme of Work, which is basically the motions passed at last June’s national conference. It is still in draft.

Discussion has begun on the future of County Associations of Trade Union Councils and County Trades Union Councils. Documents which were discussed and rejected by the 2017 Trades Union Councils’ conference were reproduced and introduced.

Around 300 disputes currently ongoing in Britain. Unions do not always inform regional or national TUCs.

TUC led We Demand Better events around the country have had dramatically different turnouts. Not all organisers had involved local trades union councils or got the message out well enough.

TUC set up Solidarity Hub https://www.tuc.org.uk/solidarity-hub webpage to support local unions to make a success of their campaigns and disputes. Also linked to the TUC’s Megaphone campaigning tool.

TUC is not willing to promote https://strikemap.co.uk/Strike Map includes inter-union disputes and non-tuc unions

Enough is Enough campaign discussed. Backed by CWU, RMT, Tribune, ACORN, Zarah Sultana MP and Ian Byrne MP, poor website (https://wesayenough.co.uk/); also linked to Strike Map. It has five demands: 1. A real pay rise; 2. Slash energy bills; 3. End food poverty; 4. Decent homes for all; 5. Tax the rich

Requested that we have a Bakers’ union speaker at next meeting to discuss their Organise Now campaign, which is partly funded by US unions and seems a bit unclear as to whether it is purely a BFAWU recruitment drive or not.

Peoples’ Assembly – have seven similar demands. Now an individual membership based group, though hard to find mention of this on their unimpressive website; but can join with zero membership fee. Just over 30 local groups listed in England, only Coventry and Staffordshire in Midlands, with both contacts being trades council officers. Although there is a group calling itself Birmingham PA and a defunct Black Country PA still has a facebook page.

TUC Development grants still available and trades councils can apply for more than one. Send completed applications to regional tuc sec

Pre-meetings for regional reps have been reinstated at my request so we can discuss some strategy since TUCJCC meetings are becoming rubber stamp exercises for whatever TUC officers have decided to do (or not do).

In future, the deadline for reports to be sent from trades councils to TUCJCC reps for inclusion in the trades councils’ bulletin deadlines will coincide with the TUCJCC meetings.

So please send a short report of about 50 words to me Nick Kelleher info@wolvestuc.org.uk thanks

DONM 23 November 2022

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TUCJCC report from 26 July 2022

1. First meeting of new Committee with good turnout of General Council members.

2. Draft Programme of Work discussed will be sent out to trades union councils after Trades Union Congress in September.

3. Review of the role of County Associations to be undertaken.

4. Tory PM candidate Liz Truss wants new anti-TU legislation.

5. Threat of industrial action by POA

6. TUCs urged to support upcoming RMT, ASLEF, TSSA, CWU and other pickets

7. ASLEF have settled with rail companies except for those under control of Tory government. As a result of discussion at meeting, AGS Simon Weller agreed for their picket lines to be put on website https://aslef.org.uk/news/picket-line-information-show-your-support

8. Matt Wrack FBU has been suddenly taken ill and in hospital

9. all future trades union councils national conferences will be held at Congress House next is 10/11 June 2023

10. Trades Councils asked to send details of recent activities to their JCC rep for the next TUCJCC Bulletin

by Nick Kelleher TUCJCC rep Midlands (West)

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TUCJCC report from 19 Jan 2022

This committee is becoming of little purpose in my opinion. Only one member of TUC General Council attended. Since pre-meetings stopped, the meetings have been longer and more tedious.

Lengthy discussion of pros and cons of hybrid meetings. Proposal to have in-person meetings of TUCJCC did not pass.

TUC Development Grants were unclaimed last year from all local TUCs except Worcester.

A proposal for a trade union council history journal was discussed and noted.

Reprint of What are Trades Union Councils? leaflet to be undertaken.

Heart Unions week was only discussed under any other business as was the failure to produce a Programme of Work. A draft was produced but not distributed since it was only a relisting of undebated motions from the online conference last June. More effort to be put into it next year.

Nick Kelleher TUCJCC rep Midlands (West)

TUCJCC meeting 29 September Notes

the motion from Trades Councils conference to Congress on Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Bill was passed.

Labour Party conference – masks used day1 but then not subsequently, appaling.

No General Council members attended

next annual conference 22 June 2022

Nick Kelleher TUCJCC rep Midlands (West)

TUCJCC meeting 12 July 2021 Notes

Election to be sent for our delegate to Trades Union Congress who will propose the motion on scrapping the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Bill.

Drafts of the TUCJCC Programme of Work have been drawn up. Since our annual conference had no debate and all motions were remitted, the document will just be a reprinting of the conference motions, not all were in line with unions’/TUC policy.. Thus this year’s PoW can thus be taken with a pinch of salt or ignored (more than usual).

The Trades Union Councils Directory is no longer physically printed, but should have been circulated to trades councils – contact me if you have not had a copy.

The TUC Race Task group presentation and anti-racist discussion was recorded as Trades Council Conference, but the TUC seems still unable to download it. The chat from the conference which was also agreed to be circulated was also “lost” by TUC.

Roger McKenzie has left position as UNISON AGS so is no longer on General Council or TUCJCC.

Cecille Wright the E.Midlands TUCJCC rep has involvement with a Black Community radio that is seeking trade union based programming. (Contact via me)

Nick Kelleher TUCJCC rep Midlands (West)

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(meeting of Trades Union Council regional reps and TUC General Council members)

Report of Trades Union Council Joint Consultative Committee 30 March 2021

General Council report 

HSE leadership not enforcing Covid safety, TUC has pressured them to review the enforcement model.

GMB’s victory in courts for Uber workers and Equal pay claim for Asda

Unite Amazon hotline established

Shrewsbury24 long awaited victory in court

Union Learning Fund campaign lost as the government made a vicious decision to cut. Unions will continue via their own union learning funds.

General lack of NHS unions involvement in Trades Union Councils around Britain, as their efforts areput into staff-side groups .

TUC Race Task Force

Lester Holloway reported:

A third of trade unions do not monitor the race of their members. Equality bargaining is low on the agenda.

High numbers of BAME youth in non-unionised and gig economy jobs.

Need to spread best practice.

Need to replicate the Race Task Force in each TUC Region.

Cecile Wright TUCJCC Midlands(East) rep proposed for co-option onto the national Task Force from trades union councils.

POA recently expelled branch official after spreading racist info.

Union as employers and union structures will need to be examined.

Structures of trades councils should be looked at too. I made some immediate proposals but decisions of trades council input is to be discussed at the June national conference.

Trades Union Council conference online 12 or 13 June open to all trades council delegates. Existing TUCJCC reps have been renominated, none standing against, except Wales where no nomination received.

Panel discussion at conference – Expected rise in unemployment. No response from unions to request for details on how they are assisting unemployed members. New 1980s style Unemployed Workers Centres will be very hard to establish. Work being done by Unite Community branches.

See attached Info for Conference document and preliminary agenda.

DVLA worst covid-hit workplace PCS strike donations to https://www.pcs.org.uk/department-for-transport/news/donate-to-help-striking-members-in-dvla-win-on-covid-safety

TUC Development grants – few applications made so far this year.

Registrations – all Midlands (West) TUCs have re-registered for 2021.

Nick Kelleher TUCJCC rep Midlands (West)

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TUCJCC 3^rd meeting REPORT of 19-1-21

Registration deadline for trades union councils is Fri 22 Jan 2021

#heartunions Carl Roper TUC, defended criticism from TUCJCC reps that the campaign and trades councils particularly receive materials late each year for week. My suggestion that materials produced should be more generic around the UNIONS brand and less time specific, so to use throughout year, was not pursued. Assistance for any activity can be sought from Midlands TUC or Carl Roper.

General Council report to TUCJCC(circulated) 2nd full lockdown not as comprehensive as first with employers keeping half in workplaces now, whilst a third before. POA – Courts open this time and inter-prison transfers at pre-covid levels.

Government pay freezes; hire and fire tactics increasingly being used by employers, even on keyworkers who were being clapped for risking lives.

Campaign to keep £20 on Universal Credit being taken up by many TUCs.

NEU has asked all branches to affiliate to their TUCs.

More details of industrial action requested to be sent to trades councils by TUC.

Strike Map UK https://strikemap.wordpress.com/ is a new website listing industrial action on a map.

TUC Race Task Group – report attached – expectation that task group is replicated at regional TUC level.

Roger McKenzie reported he had been subjected to some unacceptable treatment by some trade unionists during his six-month General Secretary campaign in UNISON, highlighting that big problems still exist.

Last year’s trades council conference motion asked the TUCJCC to find alternatives to the Unity Trust account that charges £6 a month. These are alternative free accounts:

• Barclays Community Account https://www.barclays.co.uk/business-banking/accounts/community-account/

• NatWest Bank Community account https://www.business.natwest.com/business/bank-accounts/community-bank-account.html – need to confirm full free banking before opening

• Royal Bank of Scotland Community Account https://www.business.rbs.co.uk/business/bank-accounts/community-bank-account.html

• some other banks do similar accounts but are not all accepting new/switch accounts, see https://www.resourcecentre.org.uk/information/bank-accounts-for-community-and-voluntary-organisations/

2021 Trades Councils conference will be in Leicester if not virtual. Patrick Roache to be invited as keynote speaker.

New Lucas Plan website https://thelucasaerocombineshopstewardscommittee.org/

by Nick Kelleher Midlands (West) TUCJCC Rep

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Trades Union Councils’ Joint Consultative Committee report of meeting (24-11-20)

Reps from eight English regions met with TUC General Council reps Steve Gillian (POA), Dave Allen (UNITE), Roger McKenzie(UNISON) Simon Weller (ASLEF) plus reps from the TUC HQ.

Since last meeting the TUC registrations for Dudley, Walsall and Worcester have all been sorted out and we again have eleven TUCs in the West part of the Midlands.

£300 TUC Development grants – loads of money left in this year’s pot held by the TUC, until 31^st Dec, then a new round starts again (email me if you need a copy of form)

• send applications to Lee Barron at Midlands TUC, who’ll then pass them straight to London and Kevin Rowan makes the decision (probably best to copy krowan@tuc.org.uk in).
• Grants will be agreed for CAMPAIGNING (find something in the Programme of Work that links to your activities) NOT for administration costs (eg insurance, computers etc)

2021 Programme of Work has been agreed by TUCJCC reps and should be sent out shortly by TUC ( I have a copy if you cant wait!!). We will try and action those motions passed at conference that refer to the TUCJCC eg alternatives to Unity Trust. Registration forms will be copied to TUCJCC reps by national so we should be able to follow up any missing more quickly than before.

2021 Registration with the TUC – please send in forms or even just the details by 22 January 2021 to tradescouncils@tuc.org.uk even if you haven’t had an AGM or cant send the £10 registration at the same time. (email me if you need a copy of form)

TUC Race Task Group – agreed at Congress first meeting in December, chair Patrick Roache NASUWT, structure is still being looked at but hoped it will have work streams to increase participation throughout movement. Lester Holloway new TUC support officer. Organising, bargainging, structures as well as TU as employers. Is our own structure within the trades councils movement encouraging diverse participation? Will be on our agenda so we can get direct reports.

TUC General Council report, Peoples Assembly and Unemployed Workers Centre reports (attached)

Trades Council conference 2021 will be in Leicester if it goes ahead physically.

Next year the TUC should send out a survey for trades councils to see if they have had any problems or need help due to Covid lockdowns etc, If you have any specifics needs now, let me know.

Next TUCJCC is on 19 January 2021

by Nick Kelleher Midlands (West) TUCJCC Rep

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I’m the new Trades Union Councils’ Joint Consultative Committee (TUCJCC) member for Midlands (West); covering Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands conurbation and Worcestershire with eleven Trade Union Councils (TUCs).

The TUCJCC meets 5 times a year. As well as reps from each region, TUC national officers and members of the TUC General Council (Roger McKenzie UNISON AGS and Steve Gillan POA GS took part, apologies from Dave Ward CWU GS). The reps also hold a pre-meeting.

I wasn’t expecting much of the first meeting given that the TUCJCC’s role seems to be generally understood as arranging the national conference and producing the lengthy Programme of Work.

But I was pleasantly surprised that the Committee seemed to accept the need for change.

Last year’s Programme of Work was just the TUC Campaign Plan followed by the list of conference motions. I argued that it needed to change as it does not really guide our activities;  the local branches and delegates frame the work of TUCs in line with policies passed by affiliated unions locally and nationally.  It will now be written by the regional reps in the form of a much shorter document concentrating on unemployment, Covid and campaign priorities with the motions remitted from the online trades councils conference as appendix.

Motions that go to the trades councils conference do not go any further and do not change TUC policy. One per year is taken to the TU Congress – this year’s was on TU rights, calling for cross-union solidarity plus a demo and conference that will be put on hold.

I put registration of TUCs on the agenda since Dudley, Walsall and Worcester TUCs are not registered this year, while operating unaware of the fact. I had already been in contact with them and they are in the process of sorting out registrations. It seems that some TUCs are not operating, even on Zoom (as well as many union branches around the country). Some delegates don’t use zoom etc and new officers are not coming through to run TUCs. The worry is that Covid might kill off some trades councils; yet if trades councils didn’t exist, they would need to be invented.

So it was agreed that it will be easier to register TUCs next year, without the need for a formal AGM and carry-over of officers if needed, plus secretaries will be asked if help needed (esp. re technology).

Other reps suggested that a good relationship with regional officers helps encourage branch registrations.

TUC Task Force Against Racism has been set up after a Congress motion. To tackle issues at a more local level, trades councils could put pressure onto Midlands TUC to set up their own.

Finances – the TUCJCC has £6,000, raised by the annual trades council £10 registration fees.

TUC Development Fund – applications should be sent to Kevin Rowan at Congress House. Grants are up to £300; two can be made each year. So far this year £20k of the £25k allocated has not been spent; it does not carry over. Trades Councils still have until the end of this year to claim for 2020.

Peoples Assembly report – 17 October day of action on jobs, universal credit, end evictions.

Unemployed Workers Centres – no report, a regular report to be sought.

Some new Stay safe, join a union artwork has been produced and is available from lese@tuc.org.uk

Next TUCJCC is on 24 November.

by Nick Kelleher Midlands (West) TUCJCC Rep