SERTUC - Conference
" Supporting and Building Trades Councils"
Saturday November 7th 2009
Welcomed to the conference by Martin Gould, SERTUC President, who
outlined a full day for delegates.
The first speaker was Jeremy Dear from the NUJ, who spoke on Building
organisation by campaigning. He commented on the current situation
and urged Trades Councils to become involved in supporting Unemployed
Workers Centres ( where they exist), involvement in local campaigning
and to look towards environmental issues. He saw Trades Councils as
a catalyst in this respect .
Heather Wakefield - National Secretary Unison - Local government.
Gave the current background for local government. Local government
reform and continued outsourcing were a threat to members. Workers
were seen as a unit of cost. Casualisation is on the increase as "efficiency
savings" are made
She commented on the political status of councils , there were not
many labour controlled authorities.
She felt the "left" had failed to provide a coherent critique.
In the questions that followed - the one that resonated was "
Why isn't our council's unison branch affiliated to Trades Council"
- this referred to Cambridge City Council. She took that on board.
……
Wilf Sullivan - TUC Race Equality Officer
Lead a section on race equality issues and campaigning against the
BNP. There will be Council Elections next year as well as a General
Election. There was a need to prepare for these. Voter registration
was important.
But developing links in the community to support was equally important.
Following lunch - we heard from Anton Johnson, GLATCs And secretary
of SERTUC LGBT Network
He spoke about support for the various "PRIDE" events and
how they have developed. He advocated engagement with the LGBT Community.
The Next Item on the Agenda was the County Association "Huddle"
- a get together of delegates from the same County Association. This
was to discuss priorities and programmes of work.
The basis of the discussion mainly centred around formation of a Thurrock
Trades Council. And re-forming the Braintree Trades Council.
Both would be followed up, in order to assess possibilities.
The meeting closed with sessions from Anna Burton TUC Organising Officer,
John Hall Thompsons Solicitors, Jeremy Corbyn. The conference was
closed by Megan Dobney.
An interesting day with some food for thought and actions to follow
up on.
Chris Burrow 09.11.09
