West Midlands Region
UNISON National Delegate Conference 2015
Tuesday 16th June 2015
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Time to Step up and be heard
Welcome to the Unison National Delegate Conference here at
the SECC, Glasgow. For some of you, this may be the first time
and for some, it may be more. During your stay, lots of
information will be given to you and you will probably have
brain overload.
Don’t worry! There are many Unison colleagues to give you a
helping hand and to understand why we come together each
year for NDC. Why not give a talk on the podium?
In your delegate pack you should have an information booklet
which is intended to help with information about how
conference is run, debates are conducted and so on, as well as
containing motions and amendments.
Conference is much more than just speeches in the main hall. It
is also a great opportunity to share ideas about campaigning
and organising and to find out more about key issues in depth.
Have a wander around and speak to other unison members from
your region.. Or, if you’re brave... Step out of your comfort zone
and mingle with other regions! They won’t bite. Enjoy
What’s On—TUESDAY
UNIZONE offers a great range of
interactive sessions, talks, specialist advice
and fun. Located in Hall 2. Open from
8.45am and closes each day at 5.30pm
Energy
The next five years how can your
pension survive it? Pension matters
WARMS
Political Influence
Save Care Now!
FRINGE EVENTS From pay squeeze to recruitment
crisis
Using the new procurement rules:
How to negotiate the inclusion of
better social and environmental
provisions in public contracts
awards
Cancer in the workplace
The changing face of UNISON; the
challenge of the private sector
Branch Resources Review
Cuba and Venezuela: Another
world is possible - No to US
Intervention
CAUCUS Meetings Disabled Members Caucus
Women’s Caucus
Black Member’s Caucus Meeting
LGBT Caucus
More information is available in your
About Conference 2015 brochure
Water, Environment & Transport
Service Group Conference
Feedback from Fran Hill, PMT Transport
Branch Chair of West Midlands WE&T
sector.
The guest speaker was Peter Kenway from
the New Policy Institute who has been
researching social responsibilities in the water
industry.
Water bills are still rising faster than inflation,
making water companies money making
machines. 20% of households have an affordability issue with these bills.
Some companies have social tariff schemes -
but these only cover about 4% of households.
Water company profits mean that the water
industry can clearly afford to pay the living
wage.
The least we should expect:
Affordable water
The living wage
Tax paid in the UK
I of course spoke in support of the motion
“Protecting Bus Services”
70% of local authorities have stopped or cut
back on supported services leading to
problems for people left stranded with no
buses. This is because of the funding cuts for
local authorities. Cuts to the concessionary
pass scheme mean that some services have
become unaffordable to run.
Other motions covered: Diversity, the living
wage, health & safety issues in our industries,
constitutional matters and emergency motions
about the threat to national bargaining in the PTEs/Combined authorities.
36. CARE OF OLDER PEOPLE are at their best when they
are delivered directly by bodies which have been directly
elected to do so and which remain accountable to the general
public.
Conference therefore urges that integration be pursued as an anti-market measure and as an opportunity to: introduce free
social care for older, people; rebuild the public sector in
social and defend health from privatisation; Defend and
rebuild collective bargaining, level up t&c’s and root out
abusive employment practices like zero hours contracts.
Uniting the aims and values of the workforce with those older
people and other service users. SUPPORT
5. Developing Young Workers Recruiting young workers and organising
young members is an all-year-round
activity, but young workers month can
provide a particular focus for specific
issues, and is an opportunity to celebrate
the contribution that young members make
to UNISON and the trade union and labour
movement in general
Conference calls upon all branches to help, support and
develop a Unison-wide vibrant young workers month by
committing to at least one activity in November each year.
SUPPORT
Keep up with what’s going on or share
your views:
Twitter #uNDC15
follow the west mids account
@unisonwestmids
National twitter feed is
@unisontweets
Meeting the needs of
UNISON activists in
challenging times According to RMS data in 2014 fewer stewards
were recruited than in 2013.
6. The challenges facing the trade union movement in
relation to developing and training activists have rarely
been as difficult as they are now, yet the need to ensure
our representatives are confident and skilled is greater
than ever. From September 2016 change in the funding will impact
on all trade union education delivered by the TUC. The
effects have already started and will continue to have a
devastating effect on TUC centres at Colleges across
England and Wales.
Conference calls on the NEC to extend e-learning; explore
options for enabling low paid workers to attend face to
face training; develop a plan to track closely new activists
identified as part of the private company organising
campaign; work to improve data collection; work with regions and the TUC to minimise course cancellations and
continue to develop a national network of lay tutors to
support a flexible delivery of training and member
learning.
SUPPORT
Beware Blair The leader of one of Britain’s biggest unions has warned that it
will review its links with Labour if the party drifts to the right.
Unison General Secretary Dave Prentis says his members want to
stay within the Labour Party—but there are “no sacred cows.”
Speaking ahead of the annual conference starting Today
(Tuesday) in Glasgow, he says Unison may not back any
of the contenders for the Labour Leadership.
But he adds that anyone who follows in Tony Blair’s foot-
steps by taking the party to the right could risk straining the 115-year old alliance with the union movement.
“We are part of the Labour party. We are an integral part
of it and we have to do what we continue to do which is to
build a workers’ party from within,” Mr Prentis said.
“We have no intention of walking away but we will make
our voice heard. Politically we do have influence and we
don’t do that in a destructive way.
“The point I will make is there are no sacred cows and
nobody can say that in time it’s not right for the unions to
think about their own future but that’s no our intent,” he says.
Mr Prentis defended Ed Milibands leadership, saying he
was a victim of a “dreadful personal attacks” during the
election.
Report Daily Mirror 14.6.2015
Familiar Face at Conference
Regional Secretary
Ravi Subramanian
Free bike Hire for delegates
Visit www.nextbike.co.uk
Use voucher code 769876
Glasgow Hopper exclusive
£2 delegate discount
www.citysightseeingglasgow.co.uk
Discounted
Delegate Travel
with
Scotland’s Rail £5 for 5 days rail travel
within conference zone
(50% discount outside
the zone)
Tickets available at the
Conference Zone
Station.
Ask for a Conference
Rover Ticket and show
your Delegate ID to
purchase.
For restaurant information and bookings
visit
www.glasgowdinearound.com
Visitor Stands
Unison are in partnership with many a businesses
offering Unison members great services and discounts.
Take a visit to Hall 2, where many of the partners are
here and ready to answer your questions:
Unison plus+ - Dental Plan—Travel
Croyde Bay Holiday Resort
LV—Insurance for your car
Unison Insurance—Various policies available
Vision Express—Free Eye Test
Lighthouse Financial Advice
Save Care Now—treating everyone with dignity
Skills for Schools
TC Branding Group—Recruitment & Retention
merchandise
Vauxhall—upto 25% discount on a new car
Unison Drive—Find a new Car
Show Racism the Red Card
Unison Protect
LGBT—Out/In
There for You—Welfare
Thompsons Solicitors—Legal