Mids TUC Annual General Meeting - 27 February

On 27 February, around 100 trade union delegates attended the 2016 Midlands TUC Annual General Meeting at the Derby Conference Centre. The meeting heard about progress of the Dying to Work campaign now that Jacci Woodcock, the GMB member driving the campaign, has gone public with her story.

Glenis Willmott, MEP said ‘the last thing anyone needs when given a terminal diagnosis is to have to fight for their job.’ She went on to say that ‘we raised the campaign at the EU, have secured cross party support and raised it with the Commission to take this forward.’

Jacci Woodcock said ‘I would like to think we can change the law so people don’t have the hassle I have had.’ Jonathan Ashworth MP said “I am determined to support the Dying to Work campaign and to get these changes into law and I am working on a cross party campaign in the House of Commons.’

Paul Nowak, TUC Deputy General Secretary, told the Conference that the Midlands TUC is ‘a regional TUC that focuses on campaigning and speaking up for working people and there is no better example than the Dying to Work campaign.’

Paul went on to outline three key priorities for the TUC:Priority 1: Trade Union Bill. Paul insisted that the Bill was never about improving industrial relations, it was always about undermining unions. ‘It is a bad bill, unjustified and unfair. If electronic balloting is good enough to select Zac Goldsmith as the Conservative candidate for Mayor, it’s good enough for our millions of members.’

Priority 2: European Referendum. The priority will be to ensure that the ‘voice of working people is heard loud and clear’ in the cacophony of public debate surrounding the European referendum in the months to come.  The TUC will be highlighting the danger of Brexit for workers’ rights. ‘We have to make sure interests of working people and not just big business are heard.”’

Priority 3: Membership. Addressing membership levels Paul said ‘our movement has to grow if we are to deliver our aims.’ Pointing to the fact that private sector membership has grown for the past four years, Paul insisted there was lots to build upon, ‘but we have to step up our organising efforts to increase density and be represented across the whole economy and across all demographics.’

Regarding the EU referendum Glenis Willmott said ‘the decision is about our future - jobs, investment and security. Toyota’s nearby plant secures 30,000 jobs alone, and the EU is needed to tackle international challenges such as climate change and terrorism.’

Glenis went on to outline that ‘Labour is campaigning for ‘IN’. But we are running a separate campaign to the Government. We have a different vision: ‘social Europe’ and workers' rights.’

Labour Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, Jonathan Ashworth, attacked the government for ‘sitting back whilst manufacturing is going backwards and attacking public services.’ He criticised the Government’s record of ‘household debt rising, trade deficit rising, exports falling and the productivity gap widening.’

He warned of more cuts to public services to come in the budget and insisted this was not about balancing books, but instead was a deliberate attack, alluding to the fact that local authorities with the greatest need have had the greatest cuts.

The ‘deliberate underinvestment in manufacturing and refusal to adopt an industrial strategy was causing the downturn in manufacturing’ and that ‘we need an active industrial strategy. The success of the car industry is an example of where we need to go.’

The Trade Union Bill was criticised as a ‘greater attack on trade unions than even Tebbit attempted’ and warned the Bill ‘strangles the rights of ordinary men and women to represent working people.’

In a reference to the Government’s refusal to allow electronic balloting for unions, he pointed out that after David Cameron resigns, ‘the next Prime Minister will be decided by Tory members voting electronically but they won't allow union members the same right.’

On the EU referendum he said that we ‘can't let it be reduced to the Eton mess of a squabble between Tory politicians. We need a voice to speak for workers’ rights….If we leave the EU, workers would no longer enjoy the certainty that comes from having the EU setting a floor for their minimum rights and conditions. In fact I fear it which would trigger a race to the bottom.’

Junior Doctor Dispute

The Conference then heard from Sam Thackery, a BMA member and junior doctor at the Royal Derby Hospital who outlined the ongoing junior doctor dispute.

Sam told delegates that the dispute is ‘about the future of the NHS and it affects everyone who uses the NHS’. He went on to inform the Conference that the Government have imposed the contract, despite seeing progress through negotiation, and that there simply was no need to impose and that the BMA are seeking a judicial review.

#SportsDirectShame

UNITE’s Luke Primarolo gave a presentation on the #sportsdirectshame campaign, drawing attention to the draconian ‘6 strikes and you’re out’ policy. A ‘strike’ can include excessive talking, spending too long in the toilet and calling in sick. This policy meant that a woman was too scared to miss work and ended up giving birth in the work toilet.

As a result of UNITE’s campaigning, Sports Direct International PLC share price has reduced by over 50% and has seen its valuation reduced from £4.8 billion to £2.2 billion. 

The pressure has also resulted in a 15p pay rise so far for all 28,000 workers - £10 Million and a Sports Direct internal Workplace ‘review’ is currently underway.

Over 20,000 signatures have been secured for the petition. You can add your name here: https://campaign.goingtowork.org.uk/petitions/decent-work-for-all-sports-direct-workers

Motions

Dying to Work

The Dying to Work motion called on all affiliates to support the campaign and to assist the TUC in getting the law changed to ensure that terminal illness is recognised as a protected characteristic.

Martin Allen (GMB) said ‘I take my hat off to Jacci. Cancer knows no boundaries. Let’s make a difference.’

Engagement with West Midlands Combined Authority

Debate was heard bout ensuring the Combined Authority secured positive outcomes for working people through union engagement, procurement and maximising the influence of trade unions.

Gerard Coyne (UNITE) said ‘this is not the model of devolution we would want, but unions need to be at the table and engage. We want unions to be engaged to ensure voice of working people heard right through the organisation and that wealth is shared.’

Taxis – Fees for Ranking

Network Rail has been seeking to charge taxi drivers up to £1,000 a year for ranking at Birmingham New Street station whilst East Midlands Trains is charging drivers £640 a year to rank at Leicester Station.

Ken Usher (RMT) said that ‘if we hadn't taken a stance taxi drivers would have faced huge charges to use Birmingham New Street station. Our dispute has led to more taxi drivers joining the RMT.’

People’s Post Campaign

Darren Glebocki (CWU) outlined the 'People’s Post' campaign to defend postal services and fair employment across the industry and drew attention to the CWU’s People’s Post campaign in Birmingham on Saturday June 4^th.

Criminalisation of Street Artists, Performers and Buskers

Stephen Brown (MU) outlined the campaign to defend street artists, performers and buskers in Birmingham. Their campaign secured 5000 supporters and now the City Council is looking at a more progressive policy.

Commemoration of 1842 Events

Jenny Harvey from North Staffs TUC moved the motion to commemorate the events of 1842 in North Staffordshire on the 175^th anniversary in 2017 by organising a major commemoration.

Cuts in Post-16 Education

Ron Mendel (North Staffs TUC) moved the motion outlining how cuts to post-16 education will have a serious impact on FE and sixth form colleges. Ron said that ‘nearly one million students have disappeared from FE and that area based reviews will result in fewer colleges, longer travel for students and redundancies.

Anti Trade Union Bill

Liam Conway (Notts and Mansfield) Trades Council said that the Trade Union Bill ‘will make it harder to speak up for those we represent.’ The Midlands TUC will continue to campaign against the Bill and will be writing to all local authorities in the region.

Spanish Civil War Commemoration

Liam Conway (Notts and Mansfield TUC) also moved the motion for the 80^th anniversary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War to be commemorated in July 2016.

H    HMRC Closures

Andrew Lloyd (PCS) outlined the campaign against the proposed HMRC closures that threaten centres in Lincoln, Chesterfield, Telford, Walsall, Derby and Leicester. The closures risk 2000 jobs which will lead to poorer services, loss of trust in the tax system and an economic detriment to the local communities affected.

The Enterprise Bill

Paul Martin (PCS) stated that ‘within the Enterprise Bill, there is a nasty element that will allow the Government to rip up our terms and conditions’ and urged delegates to raise awareness of the Bill and to lobby MPs to vote against the Bill.

Integrated Transport and Railways

In moving motions calling for integration of transport, investment and greater democratic control of railways, Ken Usher (RMT) said ‘we need a fully integrated public transport system, accessible for all, rural & urban, reliable, safe and affordable.’

‘The loss of 270 Bombardier jobs here in Derby is a kick in the teeth. The RMT is fighting for jobs.

‘West coast trains increased turnover last year by £69million, with a profit of £52million and £6million in dividends. We can afford public ownership.’

Specific Learning Difficulties

Martin Eversfield (Rugby and District TUC) raised how unions could identify and assist members and representatives with Specific Learning Difficulties and/or Neurodiverse conditions, both within and beyond the workplace.

Fighting the Cuts and Re-establishing Solihull Trades Union Council

West Midlands CATUC raised the coordination of activity between local authorities, MPs and trade unions to discuss how to best resist austerity and also called for the re-establishment of Solihull TUC given the imminent creation of the West Midlands Combined Authority.