Greening the Workplace
Friday started with a presentation by Claire Gibson (RDA) that was clearly not tailored for the audience, referring to our ‘companies’. Claire did address many of the issues we need in the TUC Green Project, which the RDA is funding; climate change, sustainable fuel supplies, waste collection and environmental regulations.

I asked about the impact biofuels are having on food supplies in the Third World. Other topics discussed include the social dimensions of greening the workplace, initiatives for recycling plastics other than bottles, and charging points for electric cars.

Surfers Against Sewage
Following the environmental theme, Andy Cummins talked about the work SAS are doing to highlight environmental problems using scientific facts. There are 1,700 points in the south west where sewage is discharged without warning. Surfers bring £70m to Cornwall each year and are three times more likely to get diseases like Hepatitis B than the average bather. SAS have been involved in some very successful initiatives including distributing portable ashtrays to smokers as part of their ‘No Butts on the Beach’ campaign.

Asked about the amount of travelling done by some surfers and what is being done about recycling surfboards, Andy replied that some surfers are trying to surf locally and that recyclable materials are becoming more widely used.

Justice for Columbia
We saw a very moving film about the rising death toll among anyone in Colombia who opposes the government. Atrocities include the beheading of an 18 month old child. We must continue to support this cause and show the Colombian people that they are not alone. Copies of the film are available for a small sum and are well worth watching.

Rights for Agency Workers
High on the agenda in the UK and Europe, our government is considering setting up a Commission to look into this but conference felt that this was wholly inappropriate as action needs to be taken now. Andy Dowland asked about ultra-short term workers and the difficulties in organising them. There was talk about the high levels of isolation among exploited workers. Immigrant labour is easily exploited and racial tensions exaggerate this. Some jobs are seen as women’s work and this increases inequalities.

Union Organisation
Nigel Costley repeated much of the presentation he recently gave to the Regional Trades Councils, as previously reported this shows that the UK is doing well compared to most industrialised countries in terms of union growth. However, there is no room for complacency as union costs exceed income from membership fees. Tom Wilson, TUC Head of Organising and Services, talked about developments in the TUC Organising Academy and the need for dedicated campaigns without raising unreasonable expectations.

Workshop – Feminising the Workplace
Unable to find a workshop that interested me more on the Friday, I was one of a minority of men attending a workshop aimed at primarily at engaging women in trade unionism. In some unions/workplaces women are in the majority but Dave was to looking for ways to encourage a female presence at Branch or Trades Council. The group heard that the key is social style; talking to people, exchanging stories to see how they fit in, possibly going to meetings in pairs. An interesting session but the focus was more about women encouraging each other than how men might engage female members.

Workshop – Democracy and Control in Union Mergers
I was spoilt for choice of workshops on Saturday. As a member of Unite this seemed too topical to pass up. The workshop looked at the founding of the TGWU and the revolution in workplaces during World War 2 as women began moving into workplaces and union membership. Dave Chapple from Bridgwater TUC gave a riveting discussion about the personalities involved and how decisions were made about which unions took part in the merger and which did not. An excellent presentation followed by a debate about mergers:

• Smaller unions seem to have more room to manoeuvre
  
• There is strength from being a ‘single interest’ union although membership fees can be prohibitive in a small union
  
• There is a period of uncertainty, especially when merging totally different structures
  
• Unions can act like separate entities long after the merger has happened
  
• Mergers need a strong figurehead in order to be successful (e.g. Bevin when forming the T&G and Rodney Bickerstaffe when UNISON was created)
  
• Some people felt that good traditions were being lost during mergers, although others pointed out the need to look forward rather than backwards
  
• Some mergers are taking place before previous mergers have had time to bed in.
  Mergers often seem to be all about the ‘big boys’ at the top. Rather than the members
  
• Sometimes it is necessary to merge to retain political and industrial influence
  
• Inter union issues: activists unwilling to merge with a union that did not support their strike action.

Motions
The conference agreed to:

• Back USDAW’s Freedom from Fear campaign, seeking to prevent violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers
  
• Campaign to improve coastguards’ pay
  
• Support the campaign to keep residential homes in Bristol
  
• Reaffirm support for the Trade Union Freedom Bill
  
• Condemn the closure of job centres and the sham of consultation
  
• Support calls from Zimbabwean trade unions for the general election results in their country to be released without delay
  
• Reaffirm its opposition to so-called ‘no strike’ agreements
  
• Promote the work of young people in unions
  
• Make representations to the national TUC that trades councils should have rights to elect delegates and submit motions to the Trades Union Congress.

Of these motions only the last three prompted significant debate:

• The motion on no-strike agreements seemed aimed at unions present at the meeting but was passed despite audible muttering about hidden agendas
  
• The concern about promoting the work of young people was around redrafting the constitution and this was overcome by referring implementation strategy to the Executive
  
• The restoring of Trades Council rights was opposed by Unison who said they recognise the valuable work done by Trades Council but thought Congress was about the policy of the unions themselves. The Trades Councils countered that Welsh and Scottish TUCs have these rights with no adverse effects

Elections
Tim Lezard NUJ was elected Chair. Vicky Nash from the NUT was elected Vice Chair.

Labels: news

Taunton Deane Mayor Joins UNISON in Remembrance

On Tuesday 28th April UNISON south West welcomed the Taunton Deane Mayor and Mayoress, Ken and Mary Hayward, to a Workers’ Memorial Day event at their Taunton Office. The Mayor was invited to switch on an illuminated stained glass window in remembrance of workers killed or injured at work.

UNISON is campaigning to have Workers’ Memorial Day recognised as a national day of remembrance for those killed, injured, or made ill by their work. International Workers’ Memorial Day takes place around the world on 28 April each year. The slogan for the day is “Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living”; and this is the wording depicted on the stained glass window.

The window designed by Bath based artist Aurora Pozniakow, had been commissioned by the UNISON SW Regional Health and Safety Committee to serve as a permanent memorial and a continuous reminder about of the importance of the work the union undertakes to ensure safer working environments for all workers.

In his opening speech Ian Ducat, UNISON South West Regional Secretary reminded those present of the purpose of the day and stressed the importance of unions in the workplace:
“We remember the dead, because those who have needlessly died, been injured, or made ill by their work, deserve not to be forgotten. Secondly, we fight for the living by campaigning for and demanding better workplace health and safety, better enforcement of the law, and better rights for safety representatives.

Evidence shows that workplaces where unions are organised with union health and safety reps have a dramatic and positive impact at work with major injury rates reduced by less than half of those without.”

The Mayor, Ken Hayward, a long standing advocate of Health and Safety, whose ‘day job’ happens to be a Health and Safety and Environmental Management Advisor was very happy to come along to support the event. He said that he was “Pleased to have been invited” and that having been a Health and Safety Advisor since 1988, 20 years this month, that “this was a subject close to his heart”.

The Mayor also said:

“The window was a platform for good health and safety, an important part of our every day lives.”

Ian Ducat thanked all those present for taking the time to attend the event, particularly the Mayor and Mayoress of Taunton Deane, the Chair of the Health and Safety Committee Valerie Bearne, the previous Committee Chair, David Craner, who had instigated the planning of the window and Aurora Pozniakow (the window artist).

Labels: news

South West TUC Regional Conference 2008

Saturday 26th April, Croyde Bay, Devon

Workshop Report

Union History: Democracy and central Control in union mergers; Ernie Bevin and the creation of the TGWU with Dave Chapple (Bristol & District CWU /Bridgwater Trades Council), Jon Gray (UNISON & Workshop Chair) and 18 conference delegates.

This years trade union history workshop opened with the suggestion that as union mergers are quite topical, it might be worth looking back at the creation of the TGWU, the first large amalgamation of trade unions, to see if there were any lessons to be learned.

Dave then gave a detailed history supported with a handout of how the political and industrial ferment that followed the First World War led to support for the idea of ‘one big union’ to advance the aspirations of workers, an idea supported by Bevin who was the driving force for bringing together 18 different unions mainly associated with docks and transport between 1920 and 1922. Amalgamating such a diverse range of unions was not without its difficulties but many of these were resolved through the development of trade groups to reflect the various industrial sectors. However there were still early problems between the leading union personalities and in some cases the decision making process became more centralised through the move from annual to biennial conferences although the new union did have a lay national executive, which was not always the case with some of its constituents. Politically the new union had no aspirations to take over the machinery of government as was the case with the other supporters of the ‘one big union’ idea such as the Industrial Workers of the World ( or Wobblies) but they did wish to influence the political agenda through the parliamentary route via the Labour Party.

Jon thanked Dave for his presentation and opened the discussion to the Workshop where the following points were made:

• There is a period of uncertainty while mergers go through especially when merging totally different structures together.
• The CWU has been merged for 13 years yet still seems to be two separate organisations.
  Smaller unions seem to have more room to manoeuvre.
• There is strength from being a ‘single interest’ union although membership fees can be prohibitive in a small union.
• Mergers need a strong figurehead in order to be successful. For example Bevin in the T&G and Rodney Bickerstaffe when UNISON was created.
• Some people felt that good traditions were being lost during mergers, although others pointed out the need to look forward rather than backwards.
• At the moment some mergers are taking place before previous mergers have had time to bed in.
• Mergers often seems to be all about the ‘big boys’ at the top. What about the members?
• Sometimes it is necessary to merge to retain political and industrial influence. Small, poorly financed unions within a sector will be unable to represent members as effectively
• Inter union issues: activists unwilling to merge with a union that did not support their strike action.

Dave summed up his thoughts by asking if the time was right to ask ‘where are we going’ with mergers? Perhaps the South West TUC could consider putting on an appropriate event to discuss this issue?

Unfortunately time was too short to explore this important subject any further and Jon closed the meeting with a vote of thanks to Dave, who once again had provided us with a very topical and thought provoking workshop.

Report prepared by

Alan Shearn
Regional Development Worker
unionlearn : South West region

28th April 2008

Labels: news

Mark Hoskins who is currently in Cuba recently sent us these images.

Labels: news

At the next meeting of Yeovil TUC, the issue of the "Yeovil Sports zone" will be debated by Ashley Strelling of "Save Mudford Rec" campaign, opposing the development of Yeovil Sports Zone on the recreation ground, and Tim Carrol, leader of South Somerset District Council putting the case for.

The meeting will be held Wednesday 21st May starting @ 19:30hrs @ Unity Hall, Central Road, Yeovil.

A copy of the flyer is available as a PDF.

Labels: meetings