NPC Vice-Chair (Centre)

Kerry McCarthy Labour MP for Bristol East.

Neil Duncan Jordan FTO for the NPC. (Standing)

The meeting was chaired by the National Vice-Chair of the NPC. In his opening remarks he said that of the 27 EU member states only Latvia, Cyprus and Spain have worse state pensions than Britain, while Britain is the fourth richest country in the world.

Kelly McCarthy said that in 1908 when the OAP was founded (after many years of extra-parliamentary campaigns and struggle) only 25% of people lived long enough to draw it and it was sustained by 14 workers to one pensioner. Today 80% survive to pensionable age and each pensioner supported by four workers.

Ms McCarthy say that 25% of all pensioners have incomes of £25k or more and that it is better to "target" the poorest pensioners by the Pension Credit Guarantee (PCG) - a means tested benefit. However, 2 million pensioners do not claim PCG they are entitled to. Labour is addressing this by improving winter fuel payments.

Stephen Williams suggest something like 36% of all claims for the PCG are incorrect:
41% of all pensioners don't claim the PCG
45% don't claim the Council tax rebate
18% don’t claim housing benefit.

The council tax is a big issue for many pensioners and Liberal Democrat policy is to replace it with a local income tax. The basic state pension is worth 15% of male median earnings.

Charlotte Leslie pointed out she is not yet an MP but she believes that older people have garnered great experience over the years and would be beneficial for them to continue working if they want to; don’t write off. We must:
Raise pensions
Refocus the National Insurance fund and make it simpler to claim.

Ms Leslie said that Labour’s taxation policy has put 2.5 million into fuel poverty. W must make it illegal to charge unfair payments for meters. We need to impose social tariffs on fuel companies.

Tim Lezard told the meeting that some ‘fat cats’ are getting pensions 25 times that of an ordinary workers pensions. Companies are closing pension schemes for workers while preserving those of the already very rich.

Neil Duncan Jordan said that in 1909, you could get your pension at the Post Office and condemned the PO closure programme. He also condemned the closure of local authority day centres, which in part is a failure of the Council tax, which itself is a big issue for pensioners. He said it should be replaced with a local income tax as advocated by the Liberal Democrats. Mr Jordan called for more on income tax. "The politics of ageing" needs further and deeper debate.

Life expectancy varies across the country and 20,000 people a year dies of cold related illness. You cannot currently claim carers allowance and the old age pension yet £18 billion is saved by voluntary carers. Means testing of care flags up the Victorian legacy of "the deserving and undeserving poor". We currently have the biggest means testing programme since World War 2. The bureaucracy around means testing often prevents it from reaching those who need it most. Administration of a means tested benefit costs ten times more to process than a universal one, and far more people would take it up.

Mr Jordan called for "Respect" to be backed up with real policy. He condemned David Blunkett’s remarks that working is good for you and that our homes are necessary to pay for our care in old age. Today there is £46 billion in the National Insurance Fund - in four years time there will be £140billion. He challenged the formula that in 1908 14 workers sustained one pensioner while today it is four worker sustaining one pensioners; that proves we are wealthier than ever and the wide economy can support the state pension. He said that the government are wrong to say that the surplus in the National Insurance Fund can be used to fund other things, people believe they are being conned over national insurance payments.

The Government found £500 billion at short notice to bail out the banks. The National Insurance is a hypothecated scheme, for pension, health, unemployment and industrial accident. The pension should allow workers, particularly those that have worked in hard manual jobs like mining building, road building, etc to have some dignity.

Inflation for pensioners is higher because they have to spend far more of their income. He called for the winter fuel payment to be increased to £500 - across the board. We must restore “the link” but the percentage raise should be to the higher of wages and prices, not just wages – it is the link to costs that is important.

Transport arrangements meant we had to leave early but there was considerable anger in the audience. One issue raised was the lack of attention paid to pensioner’s issues in the media, with the BBC taking the brunt of criticism as it is publicly owned.

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On Thursday 13th November 2008, the inaugural meeting was held of the Yeovil and District 50+ Forum at the Day Centre, South Street Yeovil:

A talk was given by Somerset County Council Welfare & Benefits Officer, Fiona Johnson
and finance officer, Robin Munday.

Chair: Len (Mac) Mc Cavish 01935 426542 and Secretary, Dorothy Bennett

objectives as part 2 of it's constituition.

• 2.1 promote the welfare and interests of older people within the Yeovil and surrounding Distict.
• 2.2 promote a positive image of older citezens.
• 2.3 help create opportunities for older people, whether through access to advice, services, or through specific project activities and initiatives.
• 2.4 be a democratic, non-sectarian, open and non-profit making organisation, that respects equality and human rights, regardless of creed, colour, ability or gender.
• 2.5 be an idependent forum. non-party political, and be able to act and liase with, bit not controlled by any local authority organisation.
• 2.6 provide a platform where matters of concern to and for older persons may be raised and appropriate poloicies for these concerns can be developed.
• 2.7 promote policies that benefit older people and put forward the views of our membership.
• 2.8 act as an unbrella organisation whem making reresentations to the County, District and Town Councils, or when requested in consultation processes by statutory authorities.
• 2.9 do such lawful things that shall further the attainment of the above objectives.

The next meeting will be a social event, with buffet 11th December 2008 at the Day Centre, South Street,Yeovil. Tickets available from the secretary £5 01935 426542

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Here's this month's Unions South West newsletter.

Word (Open XML)

PDF

XPS

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An extract from this week's Risks Bulletin

At least twice as many people die from fatal injuries at work than are victims of homicide, a new report has revealed. Academics Professor Steve Tombs and Dr Dave Whyte found that at least 1,300 people died as a result of fatal occupational injuries in 2005-06 in England and Wales, compared with 765 homicide deaths. Non-fatal workplace injuries requiring hospitalisation were also likely to be greater that year than those needing such treatment following the violent offences formally recorded as crimes. The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies report 'A crisis of enforcement', argues that the recent trend towards 'light touch' regulation of business has in effect 'decriminalised' death and injury at work. Serious incidents are significantly under-reported, the research found. Professor Steve Tombs said: 'Violent street crime consumes enormous political, media and academic energy. But, as hundreds of thousands of workers and their families know, it is the violence associated with working for a living that is most likely to kill and hospitalise.' Co-author Dr David Whyte was critical of the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) enforcement record. He said: 'HSE enforcement notices fell by 40 per cent and prosecutions fell by 49 per cent between 2001/02 and 2005/06. The collapse in HSE enforcement and prosecution sends a clear message that the government is prepared to let employers kill and maim with impunity.' The report was welcomed by unions. Alan Ritchie, general secretary of construction union UCATT, said: 'This report must serve as a grim wake up call for the HSE. Their obsession with the policies of self-regulation mean that many workers are needlessly killed at work every year. If they do not have sufficient resources to protect workers they should say so rather than spout the mantra that business must regulate itself.' A TUC spokesperson said although HSE had recently taken steps to improve levels of inspection and enforcement, this was hampered by a lack of resources.

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PCS members working in HMRC Yeovil reacted angrily to the news that the tax office has been earmarked for closure with the loss of over 70 jobs in the town. An Office Campaign Committee has been set up to fight to keep the Yeovil office open. Nationally 95 Revenue and Customs offices are under threat, affecting some 12,300 members of staff.

The union warned that the ability of the department to collect revenue and provide advice to the public and local businesses would be undermined by the crude drive to slash jobs and cut costs. PCS said that services were already being undermined because of the drive to axe 25,000 jobs and close more than 200 offices, which has led to a backlog of post and poor staff morale. Job cuts are already damaging the ability of the department to function and undermining public confidence, with an estimated £42 billion in tax going uncollected and corporate tax avoidance totalling over £11.8 billion a year.

A spokesperson says that the department appear to be obsessed with centralising as much work as possible into large urban centres where traditionally staff are more difficult to recruit and retain. Smaller offices, such as that in Yeovil tend to have a far more loyal and in turn more experienced and knowledgeable work force. Service to the public now appears to be an afterthought, leaving staff feeling frustrated at their inability to help people who are often the most vulnerable members of society. PCS members will be exploring every available avenue to influence this shortsighted threat and keep the Yeovil office open. One thing is certain, if we do nothing we will lose, if we do something at least we have a chance.

Mark Hoskins - PCS Office Secretary on behalf of HMRC Yeovil Campaign Committee.

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The Yeovil Labour Party will be holding a public meeting on Monday the 16th of June at 19:00 at Unity Hall, to gather feedback from both Labour Party members, trade unions and the general public to formulate a response to one of the party's Partnership in Power documents tackling crime and justice, citizenship and equality.

Once the meeting is concluded the response will be sent on to be voted on at the annual conference.

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Funeral tribute to Howard "Andy" Andrews, by Dave Chapple of Bridgwater TUC.

If Andy was here, he would say: ‘what are you making all this fuss for: don’t mourn, organise!’ So with that in mind, some of us are going to the town of Chard this evening to campaign against the British National Party: you are of course all welcome to join us.

“The heights that great ones reached and kept, were not obtained by sudden flight: but they while their companions slept, were toiling onwards through the night.”

But just who are these great ones? Why are they great?

Howard Andrews was the most remarkable person I have ever known: WILL ever know. He didn’t drink, smoke or gamble: apart from that he led an exemplary life!

There is a word that symbolises his life: that word is ‘theatre’: the theatre of war; the theatre of the hospital, and the dramatic world events in which he played his parts.

Howard Andrews was by conviction an atheist; a republican; anti-British Empire; anti-fascist, a socialist and a communist. He was also a soldier, a medic, a trades unionist and a pretty good sportsman: soccer, cricket, tennis, athletics, and in retirement, of course, bowls at Vivary Park.

Howard Andrews the atheist centenarian fought the most astonishing battle with death: in the two and a half years I was his friend he was never well: he had at least two different cancers and untold other problems. Yet he never complained: he worked out his own remedies: I have been there when he told me to dispose of five of the six bottles of tablets he was supposed to be taking: and he DID get better! He was independent right up to his last hospital days, and even there, he had a plan: it involved his young friend Emy smuggling in some eggs and mushrooms: he was going to get out of Musgrove and get better despite their catering!

Howard Andrews the republican came straight out of Oliver Cromwell and the Levellers: when a senior civil servant called on what he thought was a routine visit to inform Howard of the Queens impending telegram, he was shocked to witness Howard’s polite declining:

“Me and the Royal Family havn’t been friends for ages.’

Howard Andrews became an instant anti-imperialist as an 18 year-old soldier at Bombay docks: when he stopped and watched all those poverty-stricken Indian women, some with babies on their backs, coaling a ship with 1cwt baskets on their heads, he said to his pal Dave Munday:

“Well if this is the ‘Jewel In the Crown’ of the empire they can keep it!”

Howard Andrews the anti-nazi, anti-fascist helped to run the Mosleyites off the streets of Kilburn, suffered a bad beating at the hands of both blackshirt thugs and the police at the Albert Hall in August 1936, and, 71 years later, was carried through the Glastonbury Festival mud to insist on linking his old struggle with ours against the BNP.

Howard Andrews the British Soldier saw and survived some terrible things: near Quetta he intervened to stop some poor Baluchis torturing a hyena: in Shanghai once his detail was to empty a shack packed floor to roof with 30 or more dying and dead civilians, victims of a Civil War in 1927 between Mao Tse Tung and Chaing Kai Sheck; later in the same city, he saw a homeless mother and baby frozen to death in the snow. In Northern France with the British Expeditionary Force he was sat in a truck in a barn and when a German shell exploded, was blown sky-high through the roof, truck and all, twenty feet up, and landed back on the ground still in his truck with only cuts and bruises. Waist high in water on a Dunkirk beach, he remembers the peculiar sound of machine-gun bullets hitting the water around him: he was picked up by a destroyer, which promptly sank, and was another twenty minutes in the water till a trawler found him.

Howard Andrews the trades unionist was sacked from so many jobs, but always kept that Transport and General Workers Union card: later, from 1955, organised workers at the Taunton Hospitals so effectively that as the COHSE Branch Secretary built up his branch from five to 105 and received the union’s merit badge. In his last few years he went once again, as guest of honour, to trades union meetings. My favourite was the South West TUC Pensioners Conference in Weston-super-mare, 2006: Chief Constable Colin Port of the Avon and Somerset Constabulary was having an easy time answering questions on delinquency and mobile buggy licences. After half an hour of this I could see Andy getting more and more disturbed. Finally, he had had enough. He rose very slowly to his feet, pointed at Mr Port, and said:

“More than seventy years ago, on an unemployed demonstration in Hyde Park, your men batoned me to the ground. The police were anti-trade union then, and have remained so, whatever government has been in power. I ask you, sir, when is it ever going to end!”

You can read for yourself in the Service Card what his Spanish Civil War comrades thought of Howard Andrews. Just three stories from Spain: Andy was at the front during heavy shelling, and just as he was about to carry a badly injured man back to safety, he heard an officer shout: ‘Anyone who turns back will be shot!’ Andy turned and carried his man back.

Andy was outside his field hospital when one of Mussolini’s bombers launched a raid: first time, the pilot dropped a hand grenade: second time he used the plane’s machine gun, and as Andy dived behind a wall, and shouted ‘duck’ to a doctor who he saw at a window, bullets sprayed that wall and shattered every window in the building. Fascist airmen were under orders to target anything republican, even hospitals.

Third story and a disturbing one: Andy was on duty with Dr Tudor Hart when two strangers came past, inspecting. Andy carried on working. Later that day, Dr Tudor Hart gave Andy a week in jail, for refusing to salute an officer: no matter that salutes were unknown up till then. When Andy came out from that jail, his clothes were covered in lice, so he stripped off and threw them in the river.

70 years after, he went back to Spain and I went as his carer. It was the only time being with him disconcerted me. Can you imagine the angst of a proud man, namely myself, when day after day dozens of sexy young Spanish women are rushing straight past me to hug and kiss a man 45 years my senior? Truly, a working-class hero is something to be!

And on the plane back to Bristol, he said: ‘That was the best week of my life!’

Howard Andrews the soldier never killed anyone: as a medic he helped to save hundreds of lives. For him, war was ‘organised murder.’ For 17 years he was a pharmacist’s assistant in Taunton Hospitals. No wonder, in his final years, as an active member of Taunton Peace Group, he planned to link NHS cuts with the obscene spending on new Trident Nuclear Missiles, in a leaflet he was going to give out at Musgrove Park.

Howard Andrews was an extremely generous person; I have sat next to him at more than one meeting when he volunteered to fund a leaflet or coach from his own pocket. He was also modest, shy; funny, serious, steadfast in his socialist beliefs, courageous, and, above all calm in a crisis. In India, Shanghai, Spain, and Dunkirk, Andy passed that test every time. He was a wonderful man, my friend Andy: a good man and I believe a great one: if we wish to honour him, we can campaign to persuade Taunton, as well as Willlesden, to grant Howard Andrews, posthumously, the Freedom of this old Somerset Borough, and I look forward to the day when hundreds of us can march, banners flying, through Taunton on Howard Andrews Day.

“The lives of great ones all remind us:
Yes! We can make our lives sublime
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.”



Members of the Yeovil TUC attended his funeral (pictured here Bill Byrd and former General Secretary of the TGWU Jack Jones). See also:

Interview with Andy in 2006.

Coverage in the Western Daily Press and the Independent.

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The main speaker in favour of the Sports Zone was Councillor Tim Caroll leader of SSDC. The main speaker against the scheme was Ashey Strelling of “Save Mudford Recreation ground” (SMR). Ashley’s presentation was supported by Jacky Martin and Viv Cornelius.

Ashley’s team circulated handouts to all present and Viv Cornelius talked about some of the historical background to the site. She said that the site was given under covenant that it only be used for playing fields.

Jacky Martin claimed that the Sports zone would be partly financed by selling off other assets; that there are other locations for it, part of Agusta/Westland airfield or land by Yeovil Town Football Club; could it be part of the development framework?

There were two appraisals of the site. The first was in July 2007 and the consultation period was to close 24th August 2007. The report concluded that the proposal was not suitable to the site. A scaled down proposal was made and second appraisal made. The second report accepted that it could be built on the site but it was “not ideal”. A number of people felt they had not been properly consulted and children were targeted with a survey aimed at adults.

Yeovil College seem to be the main beneficiary and land around the College was sold off for executive housing.

SMR collected over 5,000 signatures opposing the sports zone being built on Mudford Recreation ground.

How will it be financed and why has other sites been discounted (e.g. the showground)? It is likely that other green spaces will have to be sold to pay for it (e.g. at Turners Barn and Yew Tree).

SSDC Council leader Councillor Tim Martin replied to the points raised.

The council did an audit in 2006 as part of the 20year development plan for the Town, and their research has it that the greatest deficiency of sports facilities occurred in Yeovil. The 20 year plan envisages an increase of the Town’s population of the current 44K to about 77K. The council also want to take account of “Olympic legacy funding”.

As for discounting the other site, planning regulations (PPS6) say they have to prove why they cannot use sites in Yeovil before they consider the wider area. AgustaWestland will not sell part of the airfield having already sold all spare land for development.

No decision has yet been made; the whole plot will not be concreted over. The existing football pitches will be retained and only 23% of the land will be built on. Late summer will see the results of the full survey.

There are similar projects under way in Taunton, Bristol and Plymouth. If it went ahead, completion would be sometime in 2012.

Points and questions

These came mainly from objectors to the proposal focussed mainly on the loss of a substantive piece of open space and traffic congestion and related problems. There would be a car park of 400 spaces.

Asked if the revised plan was purely to justify building on Mudford Rec Councillor Carroll said that the revised plans allow outdoor facilities to be dispersed around the area. The Councillor also assured us that Yeovil College would not have preferential treatment when it comes to use of the site.

That a big opportunity was lost at the time of the decision to build the current Golden Stones fitness centre; that it was too small, and went way over budget – is a similar mistake to be repeated? What was a green site before Goldenstones will now be sold for general development, will the same happen at Mudford Rec? .Councillor Carroll replied that ‘wet’ facilities’ (i.e. swimming pools) never make money; Goldenstones is heavily subsidised and other ‘dry’ facilities help reduce the subsidy.

Traffic congestion on Mudford Road could be a showstopper. Traffic is bad throughout Yeovil but Councillor Carroll said that Reckleford and Babylon Hill and “Bermuda triangle” is to be sorted when the Reckleford gyratory is straightened.

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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

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

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