SERTUC annual report 2017

Transcription

1 SERTUC annual report 2017

2 About the region SERTUC, the Southern & Eastern Region of the TUC, is the largest of the TUC s regions and covers three European parliamentary constituencies: London, the South East, and East of England. Two million trade unionists live and work within the region. The Regional Council is appointed annually by affiliates and county associations of trades councils and meets four times a year to discuss both how to achieve policy determined at the national Trades Union Congress and to make specific policies on regional issues. At its Annual General Meeting it elects officers and an Executive Committee that meets monthly. Affiliated trade unions and county associations also nominate to SERTUC s industrial and equality subgroups who use their workplace and life experience to inform the activities of the Regional Council. SERTUC staff administer the Regional Council, deliver services to affiliates, represent the TUC in relations with public bodies, campaign for Congress policies, and deliver learning and education to workers in the Region. There are four members of staff and a list with contact details is on page 46. SERTUC Congress House Great Russell Street London WC1B 3LS sertuc@tuc.org.uk

3 Secretary s introduction Since our last Annual General Meeting we ve seen the government s vicious Trade Union Act. We ve watched the continuous reduction in workers wages, and we ve observed the ongoing attack on every part of our social fabric whether it s the benefits system, education, health, housing, or transport. So very much business as usual under a Tory administration. And on top, the outcome of the referendum on the UK s membership of the European Union will pose new challenges, as well as exacerbating the old. But it s business as usual for us of course with unions fighting back and SERTUC supporting our affiliates in every way we can. And on this point, we have been pleased to welcome the participation of two new affiliates: the Artists Union England, and the National Association of Head Teachers. But as ever we said goodbye to some comrades, and the deaths of Ken Cameron FBU, Timothy Ramsden NASUWT, Eric Roberts Unison were noted, with sadness and thanks for their contributions, by the Regional Council. Again this year we witnessed a reduction in our resources with the redundancy of our regional trade union education team and said a fond farewell to Rob Hancock, Jaspal Ghtoray and Alyx Jenkins. But we are pleased to welcome Marie Hughes who will support TU education in both SERTUC and the South West region. On the positive side, the tremendous work of our volunteers is of vital importance to us, so continued thanks to John Ball, Mike Carver, Alice Dupont, Joel Kosminsky, Peta Steel and Tom Taylor. Equally, our colleague Nick Phillips, who leads London Unemployed Strategies, has had another good year campaigning for the interests of London s unemployed. A key piece of work for this year s Executive Committee has been the adoption of an amended set of Rules for the Regional Council. The outcome of the 2016 AGM was an Executive that included only one quarter of women. This is totally inappropriate for a Region that has always been in the forefront of pushing for greater equality for women in trade unions and we hope and expect a much better result this year. My sincere thanks to the Working Party that developed the amendments, to the Executive Committee for endorsing the proposals, and to the Regional Council for supporting the Rule Change propositions. My final comment is to wholeheartedly thank our President, Tony Lennon, for his support and engagement over this year. Megan Dobney Regional Secretary 1

4 SERTUC campaigns and events In November SERTUC supported the demonstration to defend the British Library and our creative industries It is inevitable that SERTUC s campaign year in large part was a response to the continuing failure of the policy of austerity and its impact on public services and public sector pay, the impact of the Trade Union Act and Brexit. But in tough times, it was critical to celebrate the achievements of trade unionism, the role of workplace reps and trades councils, and the strong and bright future trade unions plan to have as a progressive and powerful force in society. SERTUC s campaign work during the year was framed by the TUC s Campaign Plan, which was refreshed after the outcome of the referendum on the UK s EU membership, and the motions passed at Regional Council. The five pillars of the TUC s Campaign Plan are: n Working people must not pay the price of the vote to leave the EU n Standing up for abandoned communities n Great jobs for everyone n Reaching young workers n Building a stronger movement after the Trade Union Act The Trade Union Act became law 4 May 2016 and the regulations about ballot thresholds came into force 1 March In some ways much of this year was a phony war, waiting for the regressive and hostile legislation to be enacted, but the Act is patently an attack on the right to strike and the ability of trade unions to organise. SERTUC sought to communicate up to date briefings about the Act to reps and to maintain their levels of confidence. We sought to express to external partners the evidence that trade unions are democratic and modern organisations and a force for good and at work and in society. For a week in February 2017 SERTUC facilitated the celebration of unions. For many who joined in it was purely an opportunity to be loud and proud about being a trade unionist, celebrating achievements of branches. But some unions integrated the campaign with recruitment, organising and training for workplace reps. Others associated the unions theme with another theme, so we supported antiausterity, young people and trade unions, LGBT and trade unions, women and trade unions and tackling stress at work and the role of trade union events and initiatives. We joined a demonstration organised by Battersea & Wandsworth Trades Council against Deliveroo and a demonstration in Portsmouth against massive cuts to paid facility time. The #heartunions branding was used at a Love Unions Love the NHS event in Ipswich and by PCS and Unite in their opposition to service cuts and job losses at 2

5 the Equality and Human Rights Commission. SERTUC organised a book launch with a #heartunions and Organise to win theme that was attended by 140 activists. And we conceived, wrote and recorded a #heartunions blues music video as a bit of fun with a very serious core message. SERTUC s Creative and Leisure Industries Committee organised a walking protest to several core sites in central London, bringing together very many unions that organise in the creative sector in a joint action, which was an exceptional achievement. Trades councils and unions engaged in street activity, including activities in Cambridge, RMT Chelmsford, Greenwich and Bexley, Ipswich and Peterborough, and Unite Community organised events in Crawley, Southampton, Portsmouth, Oxford, Whitstable and Worthing. SERTUC facilitated activity in branches by reps eager to celebrate being a trade unionist, by circulating briefings, the use of social media and by sending out numerous small packs of campaign materials, including the sought after #heartunions badge and the t-shirts that we had made. During the week of the campaigning SERTUC supported activity, in large or small ways, by unions including the Artists Union of England, ATL, BECTU, Equity, GMB, MU, UCU 3

6 NUJ Unite NAPO, NUJ, NUT, PCS, Prospect, Unite, Unison, USDAW, WGGB and GFTU. We sought to offer support to unions in struggle, circulating campaign materials and appeals, including: rail unions strikes against Southern Rail s unsafe proposals to remove guards from trains, PCS and Unite s strike action against service cuts and job cuts at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Unite s Mixed Fleet strike against BA, the UCU strike at London Metropolitan University against redundancies and trade union victimisation, and the NUJ s strike against Newsquest, as well as the BMA Junior Doctors strike action, early in the Regional Council year. We also supported USDAW s campaign for justice for workers at BHS, who lost their jobs and whose pensions were threatened by the unacceptable face of capitalism. During the year we visited many picket lines and union protests supporting workers in struggle. A highlight of the year was the broadening GMB of BECTU s organsing and London Living Wage campaign, from its roots at the Ritzy Cinema in Brixton, to other PictureHouse cinemas in central London, Dalston and Hornsey. Another Living Wage campaign we supported was the GMB s series of one day strikes at St George s Hospital by drivers, who won a significant pay rise. And we joined a TSSA protest at the TfL Museum that eventually won the London Living Wage for workers there. We contributed to the Independent Commission chaired by Matthew Taylor into employment standards that is exploring what reforms might be needed to ensure that workers in the so called gig economy have, know and can secure their employment rights. The TUC s focus on abandoned communities must not be read as simply being about regions in the north. An informed and coherent analysis will recognise that there are acutely deprived TSSA 4

7 SERTUC organised a fringe meeting at the South East Labour Party s annual conference Brexit: the trade union response. Chaired by Megan Dobney SERTUC, the speakers were (left to right) Paul Maloney GMB, Ian Woodland Unite, Allison Roche Unison sub-regions in the SERTUC region, especially around the coastal perimeter, and there are abandoned communities within communities that on average measures might appear reasonably affluent. For example Unite members working for BA s mixed fleet have a basic annual salary of just 12,500, the number of working families in London falling into the official definition of poverty and entitled to in-work benefits grew and use of food banks in the SERTUC region remained very high. Workers have suffered the longest fall in living standards in 100 years and those in the SERTUC region are particularly prone to this once housing costs and transport costs are factored in. SERTUC promoted the findings of the London Poverty Profile, joined the People s Assembly Against Austerity/TUC demonstration in Birmingham in October and we assisted the national TUC in gathering case study evidence for its Public Sector Pay campaign. SERTUC continued to support campaigns for well funded publicly owned, publicly controlled and publicly delivered public services. SERTUC publicised and joined the national It s Our NHS demonstration in March and tried to raise awareness of the real terms fall in health funding per head. We supported CWU s campaign to protect Crown Post Offices, inviting Dave Ward, general secretary, CWU, to be the keynote speaker at our trades councils conference. We joined the NUT s demonstration for Fair Funding for Schools (see cover pic), promoted a parents campaign on the same theme, and raised the issue with Sadiq Khan in July, suggesting that he might convene a crossparty campaign to defend funding for London schools, and opposed proposals for 5

8 Burston Strike School Rally 6 The 2016 Burston Strike School Rally was as brilliant as ever. Speakers were Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn below right, ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan below left, Richard Allday from Unite, and Kings Lynn trades council secretary Jo Rust. Another dry and sunny day and the Candlestick march was led by the Suffolk Punches, with NASUWT and RMT brass bands, and we had performances from Red Flags, the NASUWT Brass Band, Steve White and the Protest Family, Banner Theatre s 1st May Band, and Attila the Stockbroker. The rally was chaired by SERTUC regional secretary Megan Dobney and Teresa MacKay from Suffolk County Association of Trades Councils.

9 part of the Cable Street mural new grammar schools. We continued to support the Action for Rail campaign against rail privatisation and for renationalisation. We again joined a large demonstration in Bromley, organised by Unite, against the privatisation of services by the London Borough of Bromley and the victimisation of Unite reps. We opposed the abolition of bursaries for clinical students, joining the Bursary or Bust national demonstration. We also joined the national march in support of well-funded and staffed public libraries. Megan Dobney spoke at the closing rally. The SERTUC Executive Committee established a sub-group to focus on the issue of housing, building on the work that SERTUC had done previously about the failure of housing policy and the unaffordability of housing throughout the SERTUC region. We joined several local housing campaign demonstrations, including demonstrations in Lambeth and Southwark, and opposed the Housing and Planning Act. A campaign win was the dropping of the pay to stay measures that were proposed. We circulated many housing briefings and publicised union housing and decent homes campaigns. We had a speaker from Shelter address the SERTUC Executive Committee. On many issues the trade union movement s best contact with workers and communities is via trades councils and SERTUC recognises the value of this work, so we continued to support the development of new trades councils, such as Basildon and Reading. SERTUC organised a conference for trades councils, which had a focus on housing campaigns. To support reaching out to young workers we funded several SERTUC Young Workers Network events on the South Bank, publicised Young Workers Month in November, and cascaded the TUC s research about young workers. SERTUC organised an educational exchange trip for young trade unionists in partnership with CGIL Lombardia and a visit for young workers to the European Parliament. Anti-racism anti-fascism campaigning was a core element of our work, including publicising UN Anti-Racism Day and attending the Stand Up to Racism national march and rally 18 March. Betty Joseph spoke at the Kent Anti Racism Network conference and we publicised the counter demonstrations against the three far-right demonstrations in Dover. Steve Leggett, a member of the SERTUC Executive, represented SERTUC at the counterdemonstrations and reported back to the Executive Committee. We contributed to the national Steering Group for Trade Union Friends of Searchlight, worked with Hope not Hate in the organisation of community campaign skills workshop in London that was attended by more than 50 community activists, and publicised both Stand Up to Racism s and Searchlight s conferences. 7

10 #heartunions #heartunions actions took place all over the Region; left SERTUC s video, above Jane McAlevey discussed organising at a full-house meeting; below Portsmouth, Unite Community, USDAW right GMB, NUT, SERTUC Pensioners Network, Unison 8

11 SERTUC with ACAS For many years SERTUC has worked with ACAS, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, to update trade union officers, senior reps, and ACAS officers on the role of ACAS and current industrial relations. This year we organised with our ACAS colleagues in the East of England another packed event, with a contribution on trends in employment relations from chair of ACAS Council Brendan Barber, an ACAS update from David Prince, ACAS chief conciliator, an employment law update from Elizabeth Stephenson from Pattinson & Brewer, and a discussion on the challenges of today s workplace with Neil Wood, health and wellbeing manager of Public Health England. An initiative for 2017 will be the inaugural ACAS/SERTUC Assembly for trade unions in the East of England. This will be another opportunity for union officials to strengthen their resources, will be held in September and affiliates in the East will get the invitation as soon as details are finalised. 9

12 The 2016 Levellers Day event was opened by the Reverend Professor Mark Chapman (left) and the theme of the debate (Un)Civil Liberties. The platform was John Rees and Adrian Arbib. In partnership with the CWU and the Levellers Association we again organised an event on the Friday evening Civil liberties and religious freedoms: from the Levellers to today. Chaired by Megan Dobney, the packed meeting heard from Dr Ariel Hessayon and Rev. Mark Chapman. The 2017 events take place on 19 and 20 May. We attended a Show Racism the Red Card event in Westminster and supported its funding appeal. We attended the memorial in Trafalgar Square for Jo Cox MP and publicised the #MoreinCommon campaign. They shall not pass is still our maxim, and accordingly, we mobilised for and joined the fantastic 80th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street celebrations in October. Both Jonathan Havard, SERTUC Executive Committee, and Joel Kosminsky, SERTUC volunteer, contributed greatly to the organisation of that day, and Megan Dobney chaired the final rally. SERTUC remained committed to internationalism. Examples of our work in the year include campaigning for workers rights in Qatar, joining a protest outside the Bangladeshi High Commission demanding the release of imprisoned trade unionists, opposing the impeachment of the President of Brazil and supporting trade unionists and democrats in Turkey. We maintained many affiliations to organisations supporting workers struggle abroad, such as the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, and we helped the mobilisation for Latin America SERTUC supported International Workers Day events across our region including celebrations in Ipswich, Bedford, Oxford, Hastings and in London. SERTUC supported Workers Memorial Day, 28 April, and attended the memorial event 10

13 SERTUC supported the TUC s Dying to Work campaign initiated by our colleagues in the Midlands region. Islington Council is the latest to sign up and the picture shows council leader Richard Watts, Cllr Andy Hull, Megan Dobney, and GMB, Unison and Unite reps for construction workers killed or injured at work, organised by UCATT. We supported the Hazards Campaign, the anti-blacklisting campaign, the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign and the Dying to Work campaign, signing the Charter with Islington Council and promoting it to the Mayor of London and Greater London Authority. We have always supported Pride events, and we attended the Pride march in London in 2016, and supported other Pride marches, such as the inaugural Pride march in Norwich. Laurie Heselden joined two of the organisers of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners on a panel at a showing of Pride organised in Lewisham. SERTUC supported LGBT History Month in February sponsoring a celebration with art and music performances. We are aware that in everything we do, we are standing on the shoulders of giants who organised and fought for progressive politics in hard times, so we were proud to celebrate May Day, Levellers Day, Burston Strike School, Black History Month and the International Brigade Memorial Trust. It was a joy to publicise and join the trade union day at Dulwich Hamlet Football Club, and to enjoy the specially provided Brigadista Ale. The essence of SERTUC s campaign work has been the fight against austerity, for social justice for all, and for trade union rights for all, with respect and equality policies the foundation of our belief that a better world is possible. Effective collective bargaining and strong and confident trade unionism is at the heart of our vision of the future. Supporting trade union reps in the workplace and buttressing trade union organisation in the workplace and the community was our core purpose throughout the year. ASLEF s Mick Whelan addresses the Regional Council 11

14 unionlearn and trade union education Marie Hughes, who has been the TUC s Regional Education Officer in the South West of England for a number of years, has taken over the support for our Region s education. Here she introduces the new TUC education offer. The TUC has been working hard to reconfigure its offer following a funding cut to the programme in August Our aim is to ensure union reps are able to access skills training wherever they are and whatever their circumstances. Classroom courses are an important way for reps to meet other reps from different workplaces and unions, and to work together face-to-face to gain the skills they need to represent their members. However they are harder and harder to recruit for and changing modes of learning and supporting learners mean there is much for us to do. We have a new website, with an online course directory and application process. Reps can apply for courses easily and will be able to access courses, resources and tools all in one place. It will offer supported programmes for union reps that are freely available online, an offer that reaches out to new reps and to younger workers, crucial in keeping the union movement alive, and a classroom/blended offer which is cost effective. The new Union Reps Stage 1 online course has already launched with Health & Safety Stage 1 and Union Learning Reps 1 and 2 available before the summer. There are now 35 enotes available via the site. We have run focus group sessions with reps to get their feedback on the new online course and we will be running an awareness raising programme for reps, to encourage them to use the new site and get to more reps over the coming months. The transformed offer will mean more reps able to access training more flexibly but still able to come together to share experiences. We will be able to appeal to younger members and of course potential reps. During the year SERTUC collaborated with unionlearn to organise a Regional Skills conference in September, and a Supporting Learners conference, addressed by Mary Bousted who is chair of the unionlearn board, general secretary of ATL, and the current TUC president. As ever we extend our heartfelt thanks to our partner colleges, course co-ordinators, and the tutor team. The new TU education website is available at 12

15 London unemployed strategies (LUS) National Welfare Charter It was a watershed moment when last year s annual TUC Congress carried a motion endorsing the national Welfare Charter. LUS played a major role alongside Unite Community and the National Consultative Committee for Unemployed Workers Centres in developing and drawing up the Charter. LUS has since been engaging with senior TUC officers and MPs on the DWP Select Committee (including Shadow DWP Minister Debbie Abrahams) to progress each point towards actual implementation by a future government. Stand up for your rights groups LUS has helped to establish Stand up for your rights (SUFYR) self-help support groups for claimants around London, including in Lambeth, Southwark and Waltham Forest, where we took part in a discussion panel after a packed screening of I Daniel Blake. The film highlights the biggest problem which claimants and therefore the SUFYR groups have had to contend with in the last year. Thousands of claimants who have been seriously ill, often for many years, are suddenly being put through Work Capability Assessments and told they are fit for work, despite medical evidence to the contrary. This has confirmed as all the more the urgent the need for the scrapping of sanctions and WCA before even more serious damage is done beyond the severe hardships and even deaths reported as a consequence of this punitive regime. Whilst campaigning for this change at national level, in London, claimants and their peer reps from all our SUFYR groups, have reported many victories in terms of reversing unfair sanctions and WCA assessments on appeal. Below is a typical response from a claimant who received help from one of our groups: Please continue to use my story as an example. I m more than happy to tell the tale at any event or meeting if you wish me to tell it in person. It s the least I can do. Give support and hope to others. I really was thinking the darkest things prior to getting the issue sorted out. I ve been low before, but I was in a very bad place indeed. More positive now, I have lots to focus on and with the help of good people like yourself, I ll push on!! Links with Unite Community and PCS Unite Community Our relations with Unite Community continue to work well in London. LUS is now seen as the default organisation for support and training for its branches on benefits-related issues and disputes between claimants and the DWP. 13

16 We now have six different advice leaflets with LUS input circulated nationally by Unite, on topics including representation and advocacy, sanctions, and Universal Credit. This year LUS ran a successful session briefing Unite Community reps on all these topics, and we will be running a full training day in April. This time we will be joined by a senior PCS/DWP representative who will provide first-hand information about navigating the complex benefits system. PCS The recent links with LUS, Unite Community and PCS hopefully heralds the beginning of regular tripartite working. All three organisations are currently combining forces to oppose the closure of Jobcentre Plus buildings, 24 of which are proposed for closure in London by March As well as redundancies for contracted cleaners and security staff, the extra stress caused by packing staff and claimants together in the centres which remain, and a variety of other issues including extra travel time and expense, makes this a classic example of where the interests of workers both employed and unemployed converge. We recently had a very positive meeting with the London District and National Campaigns and Equalities officers of PCS. They will revitalise and extend their promotion of the national Welfare Charter amongst their membership. We also discussed some key issues and campaigns relating to the Charter for which LUS sought more support, including: n the maintenance of offline and online options for claimants jobsearch, Universal Credit applications etc n the abolition of the Work Capability Assessment and a reversion to the primacy of the GP-patient relationship. n and greater access to channels of representation, consultation and complaint for claimants. The need for an independent Claimants Ombudsman, and for more direct access to consultation processes similar or comparable to those afforded to NHS patients, have been key LUS demands virtually since the project s inception. The future Major issues coming up include the full rollout of Universal Credit, with its minimum six-week waiting period for payment. Also there is the Work and Health Programme for people with long-term health conditions, due to come in force later this year. The Payment By Results demands the DWP will be putting into the contracts look ominous. And a major challenge facing LUS is how it will maintain its own survival, given that funding is running out and charities do not seem that sympathetic to the radical campaigning approach we adopt. We have proved that there is definitely a demand and enthusiasm for our capacity-building approach and we will build on this in a way that can at least in some areas can be selfsustaining a key LUS objective in any event. 14

17 SERTUC sub-groups SERTUC sub group officers demonstrate solidarity with the UCU at London Metropolitan University SERTUC has a range of sub-groups equality and industrial, plus an International Committee. All affiliated trade unions and County Associations of Trades Councils can nominate delegates. The groups meet several times a year, elect their officers, and define their own agendas. Actions are placed before the Executive Committee for support and resources. The Executive Committee expects that each sub-group will seek to maximise the participation by unions, organise at least one public facing event during the year, and cooperate, where appropriate, with other subgroups. The office organises a meeting for sub-group officers at the beginning of the Regional Council year to enable plans to be shared, and to outline the TUC s priorities for the coming year. Current groups are: Equality: women, race, LGBT, youth, pensioners, disabled Industrial: creative and leisure industries, transport, construction, public services Officers reports are on the following pages. 15

18 Women s Rights Committee The committee s annual walking tour was entitled The beautification of Bermondsey and celebrated the contribution of Ada and Alfred Salter to the people of that area The year began with an impassioned presentation by our regional secretary, Megan Dobney. She spoke about the lack of women on the Executive Committee at the SERTUC AGM 24 men had been elected compared to eight women and three of them sat in reserved seats. It was noted that equalities need to be at the heart of everything we do and that this imbalance needed to be addressed. Megan proposed that a working party be set up to examine ways of ensuring women are better represented in future and that WRC officers participate. In July, we welcomed Dr Liz Davies from the White Flowers movement which was formed in Belgium and represents abused people, including children. Dr Davies campaigns for justice for abused persons and works closely with survivor networks and councils to expose abuse in all its forms. It is believed that the abuse of children, whether sexual or other exploitations, is a global industry and may well be worth more money that the global drug industry. Sadly, Dr Davies told us that the Child Protection Register was abolished in 2008 no reasons were given and, as we now know, people in positions of power have abused that power over decades and their crimes are only now coming to light. August saw our (now annual) walking tour with Rachel Kolsky and this year we celebrated the life of Ada Salter. Ada was a social reformer, environmentalist, pacifist and Quaker, President of the Women's Labour League and President of the National Gardens Guild. She was one of the first women councillors in London, the first woman mayor in London and the first Labour woman mayor in the British Isles. As always, participants on the walk were blown away by Rachel s knowledge and insight and all who were able to attend thoroughly enjoyed the stroll around an area of London not many of us knew very much about before we started. Thanks again, Rachel. In September, Sarah Jackson of the Barking and Dagenham Women s Museum and History Project came to talk to us about her work and the project. Sarah is the co-author of The East London Suffragettes. She recounted how, led by Sylvia Pankhurst and based in Bow but with branches all over East London, the East London Suffragettes grounded their campaigns in the everyday reality of women s lives. They fought for a living wage, decent housing, equal pay, food price controls and adequate pensions. Sarah brought news of a venture to open a women s museum in East London. White Ribbon Day falls on 25 November each year to promote the campaign to end violence by men against women and girls. This year, we held an open meeting in Congress House and our guest speakers were Diana Holland, Unite AGS, Hilary Burrage, author and anti-female Genital Mutilation campaigner, and James Chespy, an ambassador for the White Ribbon Campaign 16

19 and survivor of domestic violence (by his father towards his mother). Diana spoke about the work she does with the ILO relating to violence towards women (and men) at work. Hilary spoke movingly about how, in some societies, women are seen merely as babymaking machines and, as such, there is no point in giving them an education. It is believed that there are more than 200 million women globally who have undergone FGM and more suffer every day. However, there is a growing movement that says No to FGM. Finally, James spoke to us about what is was like growing up in a household where violence was an everyday occurrence. His father would beat his mother but only ever in places where the bruises could not be seen (and therefore commented on). He described how this had affected him and his adult relationships and his ability to relate to women. The message against domestic violence needs to be delivered and emphasised at an early age in Wales, for instance all schools have a domestic violence co-ordinator so children as young as four are being educated that this type of behaviour is unacceptable how long before our own government joins this initiative? The meeting was a great success with nearly 60 people in attendance and the question and answer session was extremely lively. We would like to formally thank our sisters from the RMT for sponsoring the refreshments much appreciated! Over 30 women joined the committee in January to hear Bernadette Hyland speak about the life of Mary Quaile, who refused to accept low pay and poor conditions at work. Recruiting women to the union and organising in the factories, shops and workshops in Manchester and the surrounding area. She never lost her belief that the best place for women to gain better rights was in the unions. She was elected to the General Council of the TUC and was the first women to be an officer of the Manchester Trades Council, receiving the Silver Badge for long service. Our AGM will be held on Tuesday 9 May Carolyn Simpson, Unite and Susan Aitouaziz, GLATUC Co-Chairs Teresa Mackay, Suffolk CATC, and Marion Wilson, NUT Vice Chairs Maria Franco, GMB Secretary 17

20 Race Relations Committee I would rather die fighting on my feet, than live passively, defeated on my knees. This was a very challenging year. The Trade Union Act, the Housing Act, the Immigration Act, more austerity, more cuts to services and more public sector pay restraint. Trade unions are under attack by this government, as are our communities and our public services. So many people are frustrated about economic growth leaving them behind and party politics being of no real consequence for them. This breeds apathy, or worse, anger, bigotry and scapegoating the hatred of the other. The referendum on EU membership opened a floodgate of bigotry and hate crimes. That, in brief, was the context for the work of the Race Relations Committee during this year. The committee supported and publicised the Austerity has Failed march in Birmingham in October and publicised the findings of the Runnymede Trust, which documented the impact on BAEM communities of austerity and discrimination, in terms of employment, education, health and housing outcomes. Given this, the committee felt that the findings of the Casey Review on opportunity and integration were clumsy and poorly informed. And, at a time when need is rising and stronger social cohesion apparently being sought, support available from specialist community groups is disappearing as their grant funding is cut. The committee opposed service cuts and job losses at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, supporting the joint campaign run by PCS and Unite, and had a speaker from the unions to its meeting in March. The committee was pleased to welcome Cynthia Davis, Chair of the Royal College of Nursing London Board to speak about real terms funding cuts to NHS and adult social care combined budgets, the impact of the loss of bursaries for clinical students and BAEM communities and mental health services. Franstine Jones, Unison East of England and vice-president of the Black Police Association, spoke to the committee about challenging racism in Britain today and policing. Franstine is a civilian employee of Suffolk Constabulary, in its Diversity Unit. Her message was we activists are very spread out, and we are swimming with sharks, so we need to be more linked, we need to be sharp and organise. And make no mistake, the police can mess up the rest of anyone s life; a caution, a warning, a fine, a prosecution, can damage your opportunities permanently. So it is critical that the police and the justice system get it right. Yet, police officers have been found guilty of conspiring against each other, so imagine how vulnerable an ordinary citizen can be if bad police officers line up against her or him. Stephanie Lightfoot-Bennett from the United Families and Friends Campaign spoke to the committee in June. The campaign provides advice and support for families of those who have been killed in custody: police cells, prison cells, mental health secure facilities, when the state is legally responsible for the health and well-being of those in its care. These people are not lost, they are killed. The cemetery is the quietest place on the planet, and so we the families have to speak for the dead. The committee recommended that SERTUC affiliate to the 18

21 Committee chair Betty Joseph campaign, which it did. We also publicised their annual march and summer cook-out event for families and campaigners. In a time of apparent social rupture the quality and sensitivity of journalism is acutely important. Committee members witnessed many instances where they felt the issue of race was misreported, especially the lazy use of stereotypes, and many instances where race was included in a story when it was not relevant. Consequently we publicised the NUJ s Race Reporting Guidelines and Marc Wadsworth, chair of the NUJ s Black Members Council spoke to our December meeting. The committee welcomed Claude James as a speaker on the theme of frozen pensions, whereby a worker who has paid all their necessary national insurance contributions to fund a state pension, has it frozen so that they do not receive any increases, if they leave the UK to reside in any of a long list of countries, many of which are former UK colonies. This iniquity affects 550,000 people, a great many of whom are Black or Asian. The committee has agreed to work on this issue with SERTUC s Pensioners Network. The committee supported the work of antiracist, anti-fascist campaigns. It publicised Searchlight s conference in June and Hope not Hate s #moreincommon weekend in September. It publicised Stand Up To Racism s refugees are welcome here campaign and Winter Appeal, its October and February conferences and its national march in London in March And we continued to promote the work of Migrant Voice, promoting its #StandTogether week of action against hate crime in December. Betty Joseph spoke at the Kent Anti-Racist Network conference and the committee supported the demonstrations against three far right marches in Dover. Betty also spoke at SERTUC s trades councils conference about their potential role in building stronger communities and opposing hate politics. The committee recommended that SERTUC organise another campaign school for activists and the event was held in March 2017, in association with Hope not Hate. And the committee was pleased to support the Cable Street 80 celebrations. The committee co-hosted a workshop with the national TUC and the Joseph Rowntree Trust on the theme of re-defining racism and supported and publicised UK Black Pride. Austin Harney, one of the committee s co-secretaries again organised a commemoration for the victims of the famine in Ireland, and won support for SERTUC s first Irish History Month event. A piece of good news during the year was that the Mary Seacole statue was unveiled at St Thomas, the first statue of a named Black woman in London to be erected. The committee has supported this appeal for many years, so it was very regrettable that we were not invited to attend the unveiling. Elaine Baptiste was the SERTUC delegate to the 2016 TUC Black Worker s Conference. Betty Joseph, NUT Chair John Noblemunn, Unite, and Lorraine Eytle, NUT Vice Chairs Sam Makinde, NUT, Austin Harney, PCS, Mark Benjamin, PCS and Mark Bastiani, CWU Co-Secretaries 19

22 Creative & Leisure Industries Committee The SERTUC Creative & Leisure Industries Committee welcomed delegates from new TUC-affiliate Artists Union England. Our work plan for 2016 to 2017 continues to cover three main areas: Anti-austerity campaigning We continued to work through the Show Culture Some Love campaign opposing cuts to arts budgets and making the case for greater investment in the creative and leisure industries. A well-attended conference was held in London in March The speakers in the main session were Dr David Fleming, (Museums Association), Clara Paillard, (president, PCS Culture Sector) and Julie Ward MEP. Workshops were also held covering ongoing campaigns, equalities, art and protest, and defending the arts. These issues will continue to be addressed at our third conference which is being held in March The campaign now has nearly 3,500 supporters on social media and it has active groups in a number of areas in England, Scotland and Wales. A number of problems continue to be experienced in the sector as a result of the austerity agenda. Whilst national budgets continue to be largely protected, much damage has been done at local level as a result of cuts to budgets. The arts and culture sector continues to be riven by inequalities. At our March meeting, guest speaker, Dr Dave O Brien (Goldsmiths University), demonstrated how people from affluent backgrounds are both overrepresented and paid more in a whole number of sectors. On 14 February, all unions in the culture sector united to love culture and love culture unions as part of #heartunions week. A tour of a number of famous cultural venues was organised during which members joined us in celebrating the contribution the sector makes to our culture. A SERTUC delegation also had a productive meeting with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, at the end of January around his policies for the culture sector. Solidarity Support has been given to a wide range of campaigns in the sector as unions have continued to be forced to launch campaigns in defence of members. SERTUC and the CLIC committee organised a speaking tour in support of PCS all-out strikers from the National Museums Wales over weekend working payments. They eventually achieved 20

23 a fantastic victory securing extra funds from the Welsh Assembly to settle their dispute. We also took part in the national demonstration organised by Unison and PCS in opposition to cuts and closures in libraries, museums and galleries that took place on 5 November. Claire Marriott, (Camden Unison Libraries convenor) was the guest speaker at our December meeting and outlined the extent of cuts to jobs and services as a result of the austerity agenda. The BECTU dispute with Picturehouse Cinemas has escalated with members at Picturehouse Central and Crouch End joining co-ordinated days of strike alongside their colleagues at the Ritzy and in Hackney. We have also supported a number of other disputes over the course of the year such as the PCS anti-privatisation campaigns at the Tate, the V&A and the Imperial War Museum; the NUJ strike at Newsquest London; the Equity campaign at English National Opera; and the UCU dispute at London Metropolitan University. We have publicised many campaigns in the sector such as the Keeping Arts on the Curriculum and Play Fair campaigns organised by Equity; and the Fair Internet Campaign launched by the Musicians Union. We also attended the one-day conference organised by GFTU on The art of Trade Unions and Chip Hamer, (Poetry on the picket line), spoke at our June meeting. Supporting cultural events/shows As part of our work, CLIC has continued to support events and shows about the lives of trade unionists both at work and in the community. This has included London Labour Film Festival; Fiona Whitelaw s play, Tinned Goods and the We Shall Overcome campaign which organised hundreds of gigs in Nicola Hawkins, Equity Chair Tony Lennon, BECTU and Barbara White, MU Vice Chairs Tom Taylor, PCS Secretary Alice Dupont, Unite Assistant Secretary 21

24 Pensioners Network Network members with Anneliese Dodds MEP pic S Russell The Pensioners Network has met four times as has the Working Party, at Congress House. The committee has a large representation from many unions with varied views and ideas. Many interesting discussions are had on topics relating to the elderly, eg. pensions, social care, care homes, bus passes, housing etc. Many members raise varied topics as they wish, all relating to pensioners. Speakers are often invited to meetings, who have specialist knowledge relating to matters concerning all pensioners. In this past year we have had Tim Sharpe TUC, and Anneliese Dodds, MEP for the south east. One of the important parts of the work of the committee is the seminar held every year. This year, in March 2017, the subject will be Pensions covering different types of pensions. Last year s seminar was held and was deemed to be big success, with a large audience. We encourage our delegates to go on marches and demonstrations in support of the important principles that the committee highlights at its meetings. The need to keep the important benefits that pensioners already have, but also to improve a better deal for all pensioners is an important part of the work of the committee and its members. The National Pensioners Convention is involved in a big part of what we are trying to achieve and continuing to highlight. Two delegates are sent to NPC in Blackpool in June and good reports have been received from them. We also support any demonstrations organised by this organisation and encourage our members to join in them. Ron Douglas, RMT Chair Jim Gotobed, Unite Vice Chair Linda Richards, Unison Secretary June Smith, PCS Assistant Secretary 22

25 International Committee Many extremely disturbing developments around the world have informed the work of the committee this year. A well-attended AGM in June 2016 heard reports on the situation in Latin America from Venezuelan diplomat Marcos Garcia, Londonbased Argentinian trade unionist Gabriel Mocho Rodruigez, Adriano Campos Pereira of the Workers Party (Brazil) and Venezuela Solidarity Campaign secretary Francisco Dominguez. The urgency of their reports was underlined when Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff (Workers Party) was unseated and the new government moved to slash welfare spending, criminalise social movements and undermine public education and health provision. Our committee supported and promoted the Latin America Adelante! conference in November CND s Kate Hudson informed the September meeting about the continuing campaign to build an alliance with all those opposed to the renewal and replacement of Trident. The committee also heard a report by Cagdas Canbolat of Solidarity with People of Turkey (SPOT). The July 2016 attempted coup in Turkey by the Gülen Movement has been used by an increasingly repressive presidential regime to crack down hard on all opposition movements and media. Thousands of teachers, lecturers and journalists have been sacked and many opposition politicians and trade unionists arrested. The situation has deteriorated further since. The meeting also heard a report from Warren Chambers (NUT) on the Srebrenica peace and reconciliation process in the aftermath of the 1995 genocide of more than 8,000 Muslim Bosnians, mainly men and boys. The International Committee has supported and publicised lobbies and marches organised by Turkish and Kurdish organisations in the UK protesting against repression. We supported and participated in the well-attended 29 October SPOT conference in London. Our December meeting was held only a few days after the death of Cuban leader Fidel Castro. We observed a minute s silence and heard a brief eulogy from Bernard Regan (NUT and Cuba Solidarity Campaign). Our chair was directed to attend the Cuban Embassy in London to sign the Book of Condolence, and Bernard helped organise a well-attended commemoration event in London. Besides a brief report on the autumn 2016 NUT delegation to Cuba, the December meeting also heard Steve Bell (UCW and STWC) on The Labour Movement s Contribution to the Struggle of the People of Yemen and Anne Alexander (MENA) on state oppression in Egypt. Issues which have concerned committee delegates over the last year include struggles for trade union rights in China, India, Egypt, South Korea, Qatar and South Africa. Members have expressed concerns over developments in Latin America, Turkey, the plight of Palestinians, Syria and the refugee crisis, and Greece s struggle against austerity among other issues. The world situation seems to be evolving badly in the wake of the financial crisis, so we anticipate the committee s scope will broaden rather than shrink over the next 12 months. In January there were press reports of major industrial action in the Bangladeshi garment industry over extremely low pay. It was reported that the authorities responded with heavy-handed police and legal repression and the blacklisting of trade union activists; we sent a protest to the Bangladesh High Commission in London. Bob Archer, NUT Chair Jayne Fisher, Unite Vice Chair Chris York, Cambs CATC Vice Chair Sam Makinde, NUT Secretary 23

26 Transport Industries Network A sadly notable transport year, dominated by Govia Thameslink Railway/Southern disputes, not helped by mendacious and inaccurate reporting. ASLEF, RMT and TSSA have all been in dispute with the train operator. Southern is a government management contract, not a franchise, controlled by the Department for Transport and the Secretary of State. The safety disputes have been trivialised as who pushes buttons, as mostly unsympathetic media repeat press releases without analysis. Safety issues have been wilfully distorted, based on what does happen (99.9% of trains arrive safely), not for what might happen. An adverse event may be unlikely but its impact potentially devastating. The Transport Industries Network (TIN) has tried to spread the truth, with guest speakers from unions, disseminating real news through its quarterly Round Up and direct approaches to relevant groups such as ward meetings and pensioner groups. Even setting aside the Southern disputes, it has not been a quiet transport year. TIN meetings have covered issues from road haulage to London bus drivers wages, from rural bus cuts to land developments surrounding new transport infrastructure. We have followed the progress of CrossRail, whose first stages open in 2018 and full service in We welcomed Nigel Holness, a senior CrossRail project manager to our annual open TIN meeting to update us. London dominates our region: its selfcontained transport network makes over six million workday trips, which outstrips the whole of Britain s national rail carriage. TfL has had a funding cut of over 3 billion, and is now reliant on generating its own income. This led to staffing cuts, bus service reductions, notably in central London with more to come from plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street and to cut buses paralleling CrossRail. Fewer buses means fewer drivers employed, as well as less opportunities to travel, and pressures on transport space making use of public transport harder for those with mobility or sensory problems. Mayor Khan, elected in May 2016 began his five year fare freeze, which had been badly presented. Only TfL services have the fares freeze, for his term of office, but the public misread this as a freeze on all fares in London. As TfL suffers services and staffing cuts, those developing lands close to new rail, road and bus infrastructure profited. Worthless sites, and office locations are becoming luxury flats (is there any other property type?), unaffordable to local people. Londoners 24

27 underwrite these developments, pay the commercial fares to travel but see no financial return from improved land uses. Not just in London the new Chiltern rail service to Oxford has grown property prices along the route. While lands and homes may be blighted by HS2, homes, leisure centres and shops near proposed stations will see a rise in property values. The changing property market causes commuting woes of increased travel costs, which (other than TfL) are pinned to RPI values. This also creates demand for homes in less-developed areas, raising rents in the commuter belts. Similar effects are in other major SERTUC centres such as Norwich, Cambridge, Peterborough, Bedford, Oxford, Southampton and Portsmouth. Rising fares, lack of accessible trains (not just being unable to board as they re already full on arrival, but also reduced ease of travel for those with disabilities), and fewer buses prove what we know and politicians forget, that transport, employment and housing are indivisible. We have seen the result of when any one of this trio falls down, the other two falter. Roger Sutton, GLATUC Chair Phil Devonport, ASLEF Vice Chair Joel Kosminsky, TSSA Secretary Gwen Cook, GLATUC and Mike Hedges, Unite Assistant Secretaries 25

28 Public Services Committee The Tories persistent attacks on public services continues through its austerity agenda. Across the public sector, pay restraint, staffing crises, centralisation of work and workplaces, privatisations and restrictions on our representatives are just some of the common challenges we face. The Public Services Committee is committed to giving solidarity to campaigns and struggles by promoting joint union working, sharing best practice and celebrating the wins of our movement. The committee has continued to meet quarterly to receive regular reports from affiliates on campaigns, disputes and events. Some, but by no means all, of the disputes we have supported include: junior doctors, National Museum Wales, teachers, Met Police security guards employed by Engie, Equality and Human Rights Commission and library workers. We have also mobilised for the following cross union/community campaigns: National Libraries, Museums and Galleries Demonstration, March against the Tories, Cable Street 80th anniversary, and Trade union day at Dulwich Hamlets football club. In 2017, we launched our first edition of Perspective, our newsletter aimed at keeping activists up-to-date with industrial disputes. Our first edition, covered extensively the current Equality and Human Rights Commission dispute and the odds at stake for working class people, their representatives and the trade union movement as a whole, if the government is successful in cutting to the bone the funding for the vital services they provide. We welcome contributions for our newsletter from any activist working in the public sector and hope it will prove a useful resource across our sector. Nowhere is there a better example of the destruction that austerity causes in our workplaces and our communities than in our NHS. At the beginning of 2017, the Red Cross declared a humanitarian crisis in our NHS when they were forced to provide assistance to Trusts that simply did not have the resources to cope. The NHS crisis has been a constant theme in our media headlines ever since. That is why the Health Conference we organised on the 25 February could not have been timelier. Our conference brought together over 100 activists committed to defending our NHS. The event was opened by SERTUC vice president Teresa MacKay and was followed by a guest panel consisting of: 26

29 n Eddie Saville, general secretary of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists, who warned that financial savings were being put before patient care. n John Lister from Health Campaigns Together who said that when it comes to the NHS there is fake news but from the government. n Matthew Egan from Unison who explained how private providers were making millions on the back of low-paid, working class women and inadequate care. n Benedicta Lashley from Unite who explained how front-line staff faced understaffing and low pay. This was followed by practical campaigning workshops covering the threat from Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs) and how to campaign in our communities. Delegates left enthused to go away and strengthen both local and national campaigns to defend the NHS, not least the #ournhs demonstration the following weekend. Going forward, the next challenge we face is our approach to the Trade Union Act which came into force on the 1 March However, by continuing to share our experiences and responding collectively, public sector colleagues will be in the best possible position to withstand this attack. Martin Powell-Davies, NUT Chair Colin Bull, Unite Vice Chair Lavinia O Connor, PCS Secretary until July, then Sharon Leslie, PCS Greta Farian, Unison Assistant Secretary 27

30 LGBT Network all photos by Aristotleles Kara right Maria Exall next right Emily Thornberry MP We are in the fiftieth anniversary year of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act that partially decriminalised male homosexuality in England and Wales. To mark this our eleventh annual LGBT History Month event focussed on the gains our communities have made in past 50 years (most through the Labour government of 1997 to 2010) and looked at the diverse community and scene in our Region and the coming challenges such as Brexit and the rightward drift of the country. The event was organised by the Network and supported by the TUC LGBT Committee and was once again a success with performances and presentations, including an opening speech by the chair of the TUC LGBT Committee and member of the General Council, Dr Maria Exall and a closing speech by our assistant secretary Sami Hillyer. Our year started in June 2016 with the network AGM that had a performance from Queens of the Underworld accompanied by recordings of women living in Wales and remembering how life was with industry and housing compared to today. The AGM also had a debate on how trade union activism and community activism is linked. Sami Hillyer represented SERTUC at the 2016 TUC LGBT Conference, where we held our regular fringe meeting that was on the topic of the growing Health & Safety concerns of workers in the industry and organising those in the adult entertainment field. The speakers were Cat Stephens (GMB Adult Entertainment Branch secretary) and Jason Domino, a gay male porn actor who has set up the campaign body Porn 4 Prep. The last year saw a resurgence in political activity within our communities in wake of Brexit; Orlando and Trump; all felt by our communities. This interest has given rise to groups such as Sexual Avengers. The Latin X group held a vigil in the Pleasure Gardens in Vauxhall for the victims of Orlando. There was a film made last summer about Pride London called Pride? and screened at the London BFI film festival. Made by Ashley Joiner with financial and practical support from trade union bodies and including interviews with delegates who were attending the TUC LGBT Conference. Pride London continued to be a major topic throughout the year; taking sponsorship from the arms industry sparked a protest outside City Hall that network members attended. The year 2016 also saw for first time since 2003 no trade union village at Pride London. Other areas of concern for our communities were campaign for PreP to be available and the demise of the London LGBT+ scene. A march was organised from Hoxton to 28

31 left clockwise Sami Hillyer Network Assistant Secretary Carlos Maurizio poet and activist Host ShayShay Joshua Hubbard dancer and choreographer Dopeboyldn Dalston in September 2016 to protest at the closing of venues in the area. A very successful march. One LGBT+ campaigner, Tommy Hibbits, was instrumental in getting people out to protest against venue closures. Tommy spoke at the network meeting in September and had an article on the topic in the Morning Star. SERTUC supported the demonstration which was very successful. In November a Brazilian LGBT+ artist and activist, Marcelo D Avila, visited London to speak at the Latin America 2016 Conference held at Congress House. Marcelo had been using his work to communicate protest against the coup government in Brazil. Marcelo also spoke at other labour movement bodies as well as performing at venues such as The Glory and RVT. Towards the end of his visit to London, Marcelo spoke at the December meeting of the network about his work and the political situation in Brazil. Certainly for the four weeks of Marcelo s visit he was the toast of London. Last April Peter Purton retired from his role as TUC LGBT policy officer having held that role since Both as an activist and TUC officer Peter was the rock for our community and with others in the old Labour Campaign for Lesbian & Gay Rights worked to our agenda bringing hope. We have continued our tradition of linking in with the community, such as Queer Picnic and Sexual Avengers. Our annual LGBT History Month event is now very much part of region s LGBT+ life. Those links are important. Dorothy Amos, NUT Co-Chair Paul Milam, Unite Co-Chair David Sharkey, Unite Secretary Sami Hillyer, Unison Assistant Secretary 29

32 Construction Campaign Task Group The committee has met on a regular basis with well-informed input from the delegates to enable us to continue our campaigns on behalf of one of the most exploited sections of the British workforce. After years of denials and spreading fake news, many of the largest companies in the UK were forced to pay out millions of pounds in compensation and costs to hundreds of blacklisted building workers who were denied the opportunity to work. Their only transgression was not to be bullied or let their colleagues be abused and harassed, let their lives be put at risk by ignoring the lack of safety endemic in the building industry. More claimants are still coming forward. Undercover police involvement in the construction trade unions needs to be investigated by the Pitchford Inquiry was a landmark year for construction trade unionists with UCATT members voting to merge with Unite. We know that this combined strength will lead to effective action against those employers who are unwilling to negotiate in a professional manner. The task group attended the IWMD event at Tower Hill on 28 April and welcomed Ambet Yuson (general secretary) and Jin Sook-Lee (campaigns director) from the Building and Woodworkers International. We will continue to fight for safe working conditions in the UK and around the world. After the IWMD event, we marched to 30

33 International Workers Memorial Day: Construction Campaign Task Group members with Ambet Yuson and Jin Sook-Lee from the Building Workers International London Bridge Station to protest against the umbrella company tax dodging being used on the publicly funded Network Rail project. Fake self-employment and umbrella company scams are rife in construction, even on taxpayer-funded projects, and are spreading into all sectors. The committee welcomes the setting up of an investigation by Unite into construction companies and agencies who use loopholes, which are depriving the economy of billions of tax income. Discussions were held at our meeting before the Brexit referendum. The construction industry urgently needs to provide attractive and safe working conditions and apprenticeships and training for UK residents to make up the huge shortfall in skilled workers if EU migrants are banned from the UK. Members of the committee attended the Trade Union Day at Dulwich Hamlet FC. We will continue to support the London Hazards Centre, National Hazards Campaign, Construction Safety Campaign and Justice for Shrewsbury Pickets. We remind delegates of the proposed Mesothelioma Action Day asbestos is not just a concern for building workers. One Death is One Too Many Kevin Williamson, Unite Chair Tom Kelly, GMB Vice-Chair Mick Larkin, Unite Secretary 31

34 Trades union councils SERTUC trades council delegates at the 2016 national TUC trades councils conference There are nearly 60 trades councils in the Region with new ones being formed; this is a mere snapshot of some activities. Barking, Dagenham & Havering Early in the year the we invited BMA Junior Doctors to speak at our meeting and gave our support to the doctors dispute and their desire to save the NHS. Alongside this came the sudden announcement by George Osborne in his illfated budget in March that every school in England would be forced to become an academy by This sparked an explosion of anger among teachers and parents. The trades council joined parents groups and teachers on the National March in London. After many months of campaigning the future of the iconic Dagenham Civic Centre has been secured. The Civic Centre was earmarked for sale as part of the government cuts to local authorities in November After the biggest campaign for years in Dagenham uniting the community we saved the building, which will be leased to Coventry University and will remain the property of the Council and will stay in public hands. 32

35 Harlow organised a showing of Blue Moment for the Refugee Therapy Centre. The centre treats psychological trauma and the film was directed by Cathy Denford (wearing the poppy) In March members of the trades council joined members from across the region at NUT headquarters for an event reclaiming International Women s Day. We were also delighted to hear that a Women s Museum would be opened in Barking highlighting the lives of working women fulfilling the Council s desire to remember and celebrate the lives of women who lived and worked in East London. In June, we sent a young worker to represent the trades council at the TUC s trades councils conference in Sheffield. In July, the we joined thousands of trade unionists at the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival in Dorset to remember the sacrifices made by six farm workers 182 years ago. We held our banner high and celebrated all that trades unions have achieved for the working class and determined to continue the fight. We have fought racism and remembered those whose courage and determination should never be forgotten, joining the Stand up to Racism march in London and the celebration of the Battle for Cable Street. In November members of the trades council joined councillors and residents in a vigil outside Barking Town Hall outraged at the attack on a local man and determined to keep the politics of hate out of our Boroughs. We ended the year showing the film about the Grunwick Strike. Bedford and District BDTUC ran its International Workers/May Day Event with its usual heading of International Solidarity with reference to the EU referendum debate. Speakers on the EU issue were Kelvin Hopkins MP (leader of the Labour Out Campaign) and Simon Dubbins from Unite. Additional speakers were Rob Griffiths general secretary of the Communist Party on economic issues and Jean Geldart from Hope not Hate on the rise of the far right. Music was provided by veteran socialist singer Leon Rosselson. Every other year Bedford Council runs the River Festival with around 250,000 people over two days. BDTUC ran a stall with TUC and other information from USDAW, Labour Party, Friends of Al-Walaja (Palestine Solidarity), CND, NUT and Unison. Unison sucessfully signed up members not only in the Health Service but also in education where cuts are also impacting We have formed a joint committee with health service unions and the Labour party to oppose downgrading and cuts to local services in its latest guise of the Sustainability and Transformation Plan. The BMA provided a speaker and our president spoke at a training day for Unison activists. We also hope to run a public meeting on the STP with the BMA as well as the hospital union branches. 33

36 Cambridge trades council s stall during #heartunions week We cooperated with Luton TUC to run a coach to the Conservative Party conference demonstration in Birmingham in October. We took part in the usual leafleting for Action for Rail at Bedford Railway Station. The president spoke at the Momentum rally and was on the discussion panel at the Film showing of I Daniel Blake and also supported the NUT at their strike day rally. We continue our support for CND and attended the Trident debate which also formed the basis of a local committee to make a submission to the Labour Defence Review. We also support a Palestine Solidarity Group Friends of Al-Walaja in their occasional film and other events. We attended the first of the Home Office Select Committee consultations on immigration that was held in Bedford to put the issues raised by the TUC nationally in their local context. At the start of March the BBC TV programme Question Time will be filmed in Bedford and officers and delegates have applied to attend to put questions relating to the important issues for TU members in the local area. We will also be supporting a Labour BAME event organised by our USDAW delegate which will take place in the next months. Ipswich trades council public meeting during #heartunions week King s Lynn We started the year with our usual demonstration outside the local railway station protesting about ever rising rail fares but a worsening customer experience. Our action always gains local media attention and this year was no different. We held our first meeting of the New Year that evening and assessed the event as achieving what we d aimed for to raise awareness of public funding of private companies. We campaigned against the end of the student nurse bursary and attended Norfolk-based demonstrations to defend our public services. We also led a march for Mental Health which was well attended by those who live in King s Lynn and from campaigners from further afield. About 100 people were present and the event gained a lot of attention as we marched through our town centre. The public stopped to listen to the powerful speeches given by those who had first-hand experience of the impact of cuts to mental health services. A member of the public actually stood up and said a few words about his own mental health issues and the impact it had on his son. We were pleased to be able to demonstrate support which might have helped his son view the illness in a different way. We supported our local homeless charity by attending a sleep-out to raise funds and 34

37 SERTUC s trades councils conference SERTUC s 2016 trades councils conference was on the theme: Stronger Unions, Stronger Trades Councils, Stronger Communities. The conference was addressed by Dave Ward, (top right) general secretary of the CWU and a member of the TUC s Trades Councils Joint Consultative Committee. Sam Gurney, TUC senior strategy officer (right), spoke on the TUC s campaign plan, Tom Mellish, now retired, but then the TUC officer responsible for work with trades councils, contributed on the trades councils programme of work, sub-regional workshops were held, Nick Phillips from London Unemployed Strategies spoke on the Welfare Charter, the TUC s Sharon Sukhram informed the meeting on what trades councils can do to support the Action for Rail campaign, and we finished with a presentation from ASLEF s Howard Kaye on the rail unions campaign for change on the railways. awareness. Homelessness and the use of foodbanks are on the rise even among working families and so we ve long felt that the Purfleet Trust should be supported. We presented the officers of the West Norfolk CCG with the petition we d started to defend the local Mental Health Unit, this too gained publicity by the local press. While the trade unions held mixed views over the EU referendum, we felt it prudent to campaign to remain as we didn t trust the Tories with our trade union and workplace protections. We were proud to show our solidarity with Junior Doctors, forced into taking lawful industrial action over Jeremy Hunt s proposals to change their contracts. We know if he can get away with it with them, nurses, healthcare assistants, porters and NHS cleaners will be next. We attended full council meetings at the Borough, ensuring the decision makers are held to account for decisions they make which negatively impact on services and the terms and conditions of our members within the public sector. The trades council continues to engage with the county association as well as the Pensioners Convention, and send a delegate to the quarterly CATUC meetings. 35

38 Peterborough s International Women s Day event The trades council secretary participated in public events in schools and ensured the trade union message was heard and understood, and we led the campaign to defend the local Citizen s Advice Bureau. Our trades council worked with Wisbech & March TUC to campaign to retain the Minor Injuries Units, one of which is in Wisbech, a neighbouring town. The closure would not only see fewer public services, but it would impact negatively on our local hospital. August saw the second of our demos held for National Rail. Again, well attended and well publicised by local media. We once again took our banner to march at the Burston Strike School Rally, an annual event which features highly in the diary. The trades council has paid close attention to the proposals known as Sustainability and Transformation Plans and devolution, both of which have the potential to impact on both services and terms and conditions of members. I attended the SERTUC trades councils conference at the end of October and found the information incredibly useful and informative. I, Daniel Blake was shown locally and had a big impact, highlighting starkly the impact that cuts to benefits and sanctions have on our local community. The trades council plans to work with the local Labour party to hold a showing in February. Peterborough Affiliated trade unions: CWU (postal workers); ASLEF; Unite (several branches); Unison (City branch); PCS (DWP, Natural England, Land Registry, HMRC); TSSA We are affiliated to: Cuba Solidarity, National Pensioners Conventions, London Health Emergency, Justice for Columbia, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, National Shop Stewards Network; Liberation, Pakistan Trades Union Defence Campaign, Durham Miners Association, Working Class Library Movement, Venezuela Solidarity Campaign, Peterborough Peace Campaign, Mary Quaile Society (donation), People s Charter (donation). Reading Although the RTUC re-emerged at the beginning of the year, it is worth noting that there is a heritage of trades councils in 36

39 Reading stretching back to The seed for the current RTUC was planted in November 2015 when a meeting of trade unionists assembled to discuss a strategy for coordinating the local fight-back against the government s austerity programme. We have revitalised our social media presence, creating a public Facebook page and a blog site at council.blogspot.co.uk/ as well as a closed Facebook group for RTUC delegates. We also produced t-shirts emblazoned with the words Reading Trades Union Council/*In Solidarity*. These have been worn at events in Reading and elsewhere during the year. The RTUC s first event took place on 1 May in the Forbury Gardens around the monument to Reading s volunteers in the Spanish Civil War, We heard speeches from delegates Keith Jerrome and Ray Parkes and a fraternal visitor from Spain s PODEMOS party. Nicky Jerrome, former Labour councillor in Wokingham, completed the event, leading comrades in The Internationale, the anthem of international socialism. We organised a Question Time-style debate before the EU referendum, with two pro-eu speakers (Jonathan Hayward, Unite, and Cllr Matt Rodda, Labour party) and two anti-eu speakers (Steve Hedley, RMT, and Ragesh Khakhria, Trade Unionists against the EU). The event gained wide local publicity and we hope helped to inform decisionmaking on referendum day, 23 June. June saw the RTUC s Audience with Harry Leslie Smith, during which the 93-year-old campaigner told of his experiences before the creation of the NHS and the welfare state. Chaired by Jan Bastable, the event was well attended and roused discussion amongst the audience about current politics Reading s AGM with Manuel Cortes TSSA general secretary Reading campaigning for the NHS with Kevin Jackson Unison, Merry Cross DPAC, Nada Al-Sanjari (RTUC), Kevin Brandstatter GMB and what we can do to fight austerity cuts and build a defence of the NHS and the present benefits system. Throughout the year RTUC delegates joined affiliates picket lines: with Unite staff striking in a pay dispute with Capita; with the junior doctors at the Royal Berkshire Hospital; with Unison protesting at Reading Borough Council s cuts in social service spending. With the horrific murder of Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, we organised a memorial gathering in the Forbury Gardens the following afternoon. Assembling at the monument to Reading volunteers in the Spanish Civil War, the event allowed people 37

40 Southend at Burston 2016 Launching the new trades council in Thanet moved by the murder to come forward and expressed their feelings to the assembled crowd or to remain in silence and reflect. The local media gave tasteful coverage of the event, with reports appearing in the local print and online media as well as on BBC radio and television. In July the RTUC organised a centenary picnic to honour the successful strike by the women workers of Huntley and Palmers Biscuit Factory. The event took place in Kings Road Gardens and included music by the Newtowners and a series of theatrical performances to a script by Dr Rebecca Hillman of the University of Exeter. The event received wide publicity, including a television report by the BBC. On 3 September, Jan Bastable, Sarah Hacker and John Partington represented the RTUC at the 13th Reading Pride Festival in Kings Meadow. The trade union movement was well represented, with stalls organised by Unison, NASUWT, GMB and Unite. In promoting the above events, the RTUC has utilised its Facebook presence as well as pages and groups of allied organisations and has published press releases and other publicity in the Reading Chronicle, the Morning Star and Get Reading, and had information broadcast on BBC South Today as well as on BBC Radio Berkshire and JackFm Berkshire. Southend During the year, we convened 11 general meetings of the Southend TUC and have increased the number of affiliated branches from 10 to 13 in The total affiliated membership of Southend TUC was 8,700. We maintained our affiliations to the Essex Association of Trades Councils (CATC) and the National Pensioners Convention (NPC). We affiliated, for the first time, to the People s Assembly and reaffiliated to the Campaign for Trade Union Freedom. In January members of Southend TUC attended and supported the picket line of the BMA Junior Doctors at Southend Hospital and again in March. In February we ran a street stall in conjunction with Southend Unison in support of #heartunions week and the campaign against the Trade Union Bill. On May Day we held a street stall in Southend High Street. At our May meeting, a Junior Doctor addressed us on the campaign against their new contracts and the underfunding of the NHS. We held our usual stall at the Leigh Folk Festival on the weekend of 25 and 26 June. We were well received and it is clear Southend TUC stall is now accepted as part of the Festival. 38

41 On 23 July we held a street stall in Southend High Street with the campaign group Keep Our NHS Public to publicise the campaign against NHS plans to downgrade local Accident & Emergency Departments. In September we ran a minibus to the Burston Rally. We supported the strike by CWU members working in Post Office Crown Offices on 15 September. In October we took our banner to the event to mark the 80th anniversary of the battle of Cable Street and to the CWU picket line at Southend main Post Office. In November we held a street stall in Southend High Street to gather signatures on a petition against the downgrading of Accident & Emergency services in South Essex and presented it at the meeting of the Southend Care Commissioning Group. Stevenage & District Once again It has been a strange year with the movement stop-starting as action is called then called off. However we have risen to the occasion when called upon to respond. I thank all those delegates that have ensured that by their attendance and activity, the trades council can fulfil its role. During the year we have been engaged with the following activities: n We lobbied the council against cuts n The NHS strikes including the actions by midwives and Junior Doctors n We attended the Kill the Housing Bill rally n We assisted the Bakers union Day of Action for Fast Food Rights in April n We have sent letters of support and where possible donations to a number of union campaigns n We have assisted where we could, with various campaigns on the railway network. This included handing out Action For Rail leaflets at our local station in January n We have delegates attending both the Eastern Trades Union Network (ETUN) and South East Region Trades Union Council n We joined hundreds of trade unionists at the annual rally at Burston Strike School strike in September n Delegates attended and spoke at the SERTUC trades councils conference recently. Because branches are still struggling in today s environment, we need to continue campaigning to get new affiliates. We may continue to lobby where we can, that the TUC should change the rules so workplace delegates can be sent to the local trades councils as well as union branch delegates. 39

42 International activities IRTUC top: In March 2017 SERTUC was privileged to host the 16th Capital Cities Conference at Unite s Esher Place. left the organising group: Ulisses Garrido ETUI, Megan Dobney London, Sara Canavezes Lisbon, Luca Visentini ETUC, Doro Zinke Berlin, Philip Balzan La Valletta, Yulia Turkina Moscow SERTUC continues to work with our French and Belgian colleagues in the confederations within the regions of Nord-Pas de Calais, Hainaut, and West Flanders. Our Inter-Regional TUC is one of around 40 such cross-border partnerships supported by the European TUC. Last year we held an Executive Committee meeting in Calais on the migrant crisis, including the impact on French, Belgian and UK workers. The delegation included the then chair of SERTUC s International Committee, and Councillor Michelline Ngongo from Islington addressed the meeting. SERTUC has been proud to hold the Presidency of the IRTUC for the period of 2014 to the General Assembly in November We are fortunate to still receive sufficient monies to ensure the continued employment of our Chef de Mission in the IRTUC s Tournai office. Many thanks are due to Michele Vercauteren who takes this role and to Les Ford, former EURES advisor, for his continued and invaluable support. 40

43 CGIL Lombardia CGTP/OPZZ We are now half way through the European Commission-funded project to support organising Portuguese and Polish workers in the East of England, where there are significant populations from these nations. The project is a collaboration between SERTUC and trade union confederations in Portugal and Poland, the CGTP and OPZZ. The meat of the project is a series of workshops for Portuguese and Polish workers that will outline their rights, raise awareness and give information to inform and train participants and mobilise them for more participation in their workplaces by making contact and unionising in relevant UK trade unions. To support the project we once again, with our Portuguese colleagues and Lambeth trades council, booked a stall at the Lambeth festival to celebrate the Day of Portugal. Things didn t quite go according to plan with torrential rain and a waterlogged park causing the cancellation of the event. SERTUC s Laurie Heselden spent much of the early morning queuing to get in with our materials before the cancellation! We have continued our close relationship with our colleagues in CGIL Lombardia. Three things to report: First, I was delighted to accept an invitation to speak to their annual Festa on the challenges facing our members following the referendum result. 500 reps and activists gathered to listen to speeches, participate in debate, and celebrate their union together. And the sun shone... Secondly, we are half way through an exchange of young workers. In November a group of CGIL activists stayed in Ruskin college with young workers nominated by our affiliates. They shared experiences, learned about each others unions, and participated in a number of actions organised by SERTUC trade unions. The return event takes place in April And thirdly: for the past two years SERTUC has been a partner in a project led by the CGIL in Lombardia, involving 10 trade union confederations across Europe s regions, and focusing on strengthening unions work in European Works Councils. We participated in the final conference in Milan, and pictured left are Dave Gigg GMB, John O Regan TU tutor, Megan Dobney SERTUC, Su Patel USDAW, Simon Hancock GMB. 41

44 Executive Committee attendance Trade union section ASLEF Mark Steele 8 BECTU Tony Lennon 8 CWU Paul Moffat 4 CWU Ian Murphy 5 FBU Ian Leahair 4 GMB Andy Prendergast 4 NASUWT Tim Beech 5 Nautilus Int l Jonathan Havard 9 NUT Alex Kenny 7 PCS Richard Edwards 4 RMT Paul Cox 3 TSSA Steve Leggett 2 UCATT Allan Jolley 7 Unison* Maggi Ferncombe and Glyn Hawker 7 Unite Peter Kavanagh 6 Unite Jim Kelly 7 Treasurer (ex officio) Unite Colin Bull 7 TUCJCC * Mick Houghton and Hazel Perry 9 * Jobshares Women s seats NASUWT Tamsin Clube 3 NUT Dorothy Amos 8 Unite Jackie McLeod 2 Young trade unionist PCS Steve Warwick 2 Black trade unionists PCS Dil Joshi 8 Unison Yvonne Green 3 Unite David Agbley 3 Disabled trade unionist PCS Mark Leopard 1 LGBT trade unionist Unite Anton Johnson 7 County Associations Cambs CATC Tony Carter 8 GLATC Roger Sutton 9 Hants CATC Alan Durrant 3 Oxon CATC Sue Tibbles 9 Suffolk CATC Teresa MacKay 9 Attendances are from a possible total of 9 to the date of the publication of the annual report except the Young TU which is of a possible 7 42

45 Delegate monitoring Attendance at meetings of the Regional Council Meeting Union delegates Unions CATC delegates Observers Total ( ) April (99) July (75) October (80) January Gender monitoring Total Male Female Regional Council (nominated) (28%) Executive Committee (elected) (26%) Ethnic monitoring White Afro Caribbean African Asian Other No response Regional Council (nominated) Executive Committee (elected)

46 Campaign account 1 January to 31 December Receipts Interest Campaign Fund donations ASLEF CWU London Region 1, FBU 1, GMB Southern Region 1, NUT London Region 1, PCS UCATT Unison Eastern Region 1, Unison London Region 1, Unison South East Region 1, Unite London & Eastern Region 3, Unite South East Region 2, LGSM Levellers Day booklet sales Paddling Furiously sales Spithead and Nore booklet sales Truth, Lies and Migrants sales Burston booklet sponsorship NUT Unite London & Eastern USDAW Eastern Division Burston booklet sales #heartunions tablecloth sales WRC Walking Tour fees Refund from Day of Portugal CLIC collection at conference Summary SERTUC Campaign Account Balance in bank at 1 January 2016 Current account 1, Deposit account 31, Total 32, Add Receipts 19, , Subtract payments 19, , Credit balance at 31December , Payments Advertisements London Hazards Centre Mesothelioma PPPS Burston PPPS Ken Cameron PPPS Levellers Day PPPS May Day PPPS New Year Affiliations ACTSA Alliance for Inclusive Education Baby Milk Action Child Poverty Action Group CND Connolly Association Construction Safety Campaign CPBF Cuba Solidarity Campaign Greece Solidarity Campaign International Brigades Memorial Trust Justice for Colombia Labour Behind the Label Marx Memorial Library National Pensioners Convention NPC Greater London Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign Palestine Solidarity Campaign Socialist Health Association Socialist Renewal United Friends & Families Campaign Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Donations Cable Street Committee Grunwick Ipswich May Day Festival James Connolly Festival Justice for Colombia London May Day Organising Committee 1, London Socialist Film Coop Miami 5 Freedom Tour Oxford IBMT RMT Hardship (Southern) Street Talk Tolpuddle Film Bus 50.00

47 payments continued SERTUC Sub Groups Pensioners Network NPC Pensioners Parliament fees NPC P s P t delegate costs June Smith NPC P s P t delegate costs Pat Turner Seminar speaker travel Jan Shortt Race Relations Committee refreshments Women s Rights Committee Refreshments Speaker travel Bernadette Hyland Walking Tour guide Rachel Kolsky Young Workers Network film night refreshments SERTUC Trades Councils Conference 2015 Croydon travel 7.00 Essex CATC travel 6.90 Harlow travel 3.60 King s Lynn travel Portsmouth travel South East Kent travel West Sussex travel Winchester travel payments continued SERTUC Trades Councils Conference 2016 Cambridgeshire CATC travel Chelmsford travel 7.20 Ipswich travel Medway travel 4.05 Newport travel Peterborough travel Refreshments Miscellaneous Burston book Upstream 3, Cable Street walking tour David Rosenberg CND AGM delegate fee CND AGM delegate costs Sue Tibbles Day of Portugal stall fee #heartunions tablecloths Pellacraft 1, London Labour Film Festival sponsorship May Day flags Pellacraft 1, Paddling Furiously Upstream 2, Reach the Reps briefing Sussex Downs College Retrospect Opera sponsorship Venezuela Solidarity Campaign delegate fee 8.00 Xmas entertainment x 2 Ian Saville Sylvia Pankhurst account Summary Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Committee Balance in bank at 1 January 2016 Current account 1, Reserve account 20, Total 21, Add Receipts 8, , Subtract payments , Credit balance at 31December , Receipts Interest Donations 8, Payments SPML travel Bank charges

48 SERTUC officers and staff President Vice Presidents Treasurer Tony Lennon BECTU Jim Kelly Unite Teresa MacKay Suffolk CATC Colin Bull Unite Regional Secretary Megan Dobney Regional Campaigns and Policy Officer Laurie Heselden Administrative Secretary Darren Lewis Administrative Assistant Joanne Williams Marie Hughes* Education Officer London Unemployed Strategies Nick Phillips TUC addresses are first name initial followed by except for Joanne where it is * Marie works across both our Region and the South West to support TU Education 46

49 47

50 48 SERTUC continues to support the fight for truth and justice for Orgreave miners, including at their March 2017 Make noise for Orgreave Justice demonstration outside the Home Office

51

52 printed by Upstream