PRESENT
Secretary Bro. Chris Burrow. (Public + Commercial
Services Union)
Chairman Bro. Bob Lambert. (Amicus)
WELCOME
The Chairman Bro. Lambert welcomed everyone to the
meeting and expressed his thanks for there attendance at the meeting.
01/06 APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Bro. Jock Brown, Sis.
Helen Turner and Bro. Peter Norfolk
02/06 CAMPAIGNING
1. Public Service not for Profit - Bro. Burrow, reported
that Jim Stringer from CPS was running a coach to all day rally at
Methodists Central Hall, Westminster, London and mass lobby of parliament
on Tuesday 27th June, Coach pick up point will be at Ipswich, Toys
R Us off A12 Road at 08:15 and Chelmsford pick up point TBA at 09:00.
Return time 17:00. Tel:01733 896336 to confirm a place. The delegates
expressed concerned that GMB, Amicus and Unison were not taking part
in this important campaign, as it involves not only the members of
the above Unions but us all, as we all depend upon public services.
2. Fair Pensions for all - Industrial action has been
called off. While negotiation are in progress with the government.
3. Burston - Have received an e-mail from the TGWU
1/460 Branch Ipswich. Who organised the coach trip last year to the
Burston school strike rally (the worlds longest Strike 1914 until
1939), which is held on the first Sunday of the month of September.
Asking how many people would be going from Colchester to this years
rally. It was agreed that as this years rally would be having Derrick
Simpson of Amicus as an speaker and Billy Bragg has been invited to
perform, we would have at least as many people From Colchester on
the coach this year as in pervious years. For more information on
the Burston school strike, go to: http://www.burstonstrikeschool.org
4. Defend Council Housing - Delegates sign an open
Letter to the Prime Minister calling on him to honour the 2005 manifesto
commitment and implement the motion supporting the 'Fourth Option'
passed at the Labour Party conference 2005. The 'fourth option' would
utilise all the money that belongs to the council housing to fund
direct investment. Councils could finance repairs and improvements
without privatisation, and tenants would have real choice. For information
go to web site at: www.defendcouncilhousingbraintree.co.uk
03/06 SECRETARY REPORT, INCLUDING CORRESPONDENCE
1. Labour Euro-Safeguards Campaign - is opposed to
the Single Currency and do not want the Monetary Union to replace
the pound with the euro. For information go to web site at: www.lesc.org.uk
2. Affiliation - A letter was read out from Stop the
War Coalition, anti-war organisations who want the British troops
to be withdrawn from Iraq. It was agreed to affiliate to the above.
For more information go to web site at: www.stopwar.org.uk
3. Hands off Venezuela - The basic principles of the
Campaign is to support revolution in Venezuela. To oppose US intervention
in Venezuela and to ensure that truthful information about what was
really happening in Venezuela will reach the trade union and labour
movement outside Venezuela. Question of if an advert supporting his
Campaign could be placed in the Hands of Venezuela magazine, it was
agreed to look in to the cost of such an advert. For information go
to web site at: www.handsoffvenezuela.org
4. Socialist worker - kept a copy of 28 April paper
with our May day greeting in it -(noted)
5. Justice for Colombia - annual summer barbeque on
Saturday 24 June. Speakers at the barbeque this year include Brendan
Barber, TUC General Secretary, and Keith Norman, General Secretary,
ASLEF. For information go to web site at: www.justiceforcolombia.org
6. Early day motion - EDM 355 Human and Trade Union
Rights in Colombia, a Campaign to get your MP to sign the above EDM
355. For information on t EDM 355 go to web site at: http://edmi.parliament.uk/edmi/
7. Local Election Results - A discussion was held
about how BNP are using racism and prejudice against Muslims and against
asylum-seekers to try to gain support in the local elections.
8. Trade Union Freedom Bill - The Campaign for a Trade
Union Freedom Bill .The Institute's network of legal experts is currently
working with the TUC on the proposed contents of a Bill. Following
consultation across the labour movement, it is hoped a Bill will be
ready for December 2006 - a fitting celebration of the 100th anniversary
of the Trade Disputes Act, 1906.
9. Solidarity magazine - An article on trade councils
from his magazine were circulated for the delegates to read.
10. Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival 15 July 2006 - 16
July 2006 - Details of this years festival were circulated, The festival
commemorates the plight six farm workers from the Dorset village Tolpuddle,
whose transportation to Australia in 1833 for taking part in an "oath
swearing ceremony" while forming a trade union. It was agreed
that the above event is what our own Burston rally could be build
into with a lot more of the right publicity.
04/06 Web-site
The issue of having a web site made for Trades Council
was discussed. It was felt that in this modern time it was becoming
essential to have an web site to make people aware of the work that
Trades Council was doing within the community, building a framework
of alliances for Trades union to mobilise workers in support of campaigns
to generally raise the profile of the movement. It was agreed that
Bro. Lambert would look into getting a web -site set up.
Trades Council Logo
It was reported to the meeting that the New Logo has
now been complete, with "Compliment slips" using the new
logo been made for the use of our Secretary. Now the logo was ready,
it could be used both in our new Web site plus in any Trades Council
Banner we have made. It was agreed to apply for a grant to the Development
fund of TUC for the above projects, as it was felt that creating a
web site and Colchester Trades Council Banner would help to revitalise
our committee by making us more visible in the community and with
local unions.
05/06 Finance
Account - The balance of June 2006 Main Account and
Sub Committee Account was circulated and question answered on theses
Accounts. It was agreed to reimburse the Trades Union Councils' Conference
delegates expenses of £124. 08.
05/06 Delegates reports
1. Colchester Central Branch 1861 - Delegate Bro Bob Lambert, reported
back on this years Trade Unions Councils' Conference that took place
in Torquay. Trades Councils and Country Associations from across the
country met to debate motions put before Conference. The below Motion
put followed from Colchester Trades Councils was passed with the below
amendments. This Conference deplores the indiscriminately use by employers
of sickness absence policies as a method of taking disciplinary action
against their most vulnerable workers. At its most extreme an employer
can cause a worker to become ill or injured and seek to discipline
them. Sickness and absence policies should make clear distinctions
between action to assist the worker and disciplinary action that should
go trough normal disciplinary procedures. They should be part of health
and safety provision with full involvement of safety representatives
and should be assessed as to their contribution to health and safety.
Conference notes that disciplinary practice has no place in dealing
with or ameliorating genuine instances of ill-health and injury among
members of the workforce, It should be recognised that exercising
discipline because of sickness absence is a control, which had been
adapted by employers in order the further, exploit the workforce through
intimidation and personal pressure. Because of the inferred or real
threat of job insecurity and hardship, it also amounts to an abuse
of the human rights of sick and injured workers. This form of intimidation
and abuse by employers has been enabled and assisted by the steady
dismantling of the welfare state; a process which has been practiced
and maintained by a number of UK Government in recent years. Conference
furthermore expresses concern about the impact of punitive sickness
absence regimes, especially in the public sector, upon employment
opportunities for disabled people. In many large companies, especially
those that are privatised former public utilities; managers have used
sickness absence policies to replace direct labour staff with agency
workers. Invariably the agency employee receives a lesser salary than
the permanent employee, who is replaced. This reduces the rate for
the job and leads to worsening terms and conditions and therefore
a two-tier workforce within the company. Conference therefore calls
upon the TUC to take lead in fighting against such policies and seeking
to ensure the law protects workers against unfair procedures when
absent due to genuine sickness or injury.
2. &TULO - Delegate Bro Steve Adshead, reported
that Colchester Labour party Policy Forum on Education has been moved
from 4th July to the 10th July, 7.30 pm upstairs at the Hythe Community
Centre. The attendances is restrict to Officers of the Trades Council
only, which would be Bob, Chris, Peter, and Mike. There is an entrance
fee of £3 for fundraising purposes. He express concerns that
unfortunately only one trade Union branch Unison (Mental Health) has
affiliate this year to the Colchester Labour Party, it was felt that
now the local election were over that branches activists did not fill
the need to become involved in the Labour Party. For Colchester Labour
Party go to web site at: www.colchester.labour.co.uk
3. - Delegate Bro Chris Burrow, reported that he had
now left his job at Jobcentre Plus, sadly the Jobcentre is reducing
the permanent staff and increasing relying on consultants to what
seems to be a move towards privatising out the service and cutting
down employees in the public sector, he reported that even through
the Jobcentre Plus deal with the People every day with problems with
unemployed, it did not have a program in place to help its own employees
deal with their change in circumstances! He reported that he would
keep in contacted with works representative at the jobcentre Plus
in order that Trades Council could be kept up to date with changing
events that are on going.
4. Mental Health Branch - Delegate Bro Mike Fletcher
reported on election that had taken place within his branch for branch
Secretary, the pervious branch Secretary had been elected to the job
again, he felt the election had brought together activists within
in the Branch which would become better organised in the future because
of his democratic process, the election had in fact benefit all the
branch members. He was happy to report that the branch would now be
paying its affiliation fees to the Trades Council.
On the second Thursday Monthly (except August) at
8pm. Colchester And District Trades Union Council Meets
At
The "ODD ONE OUT"
Mersea Road
Colchester
Forthcoming Meeting
Thursday July 13th 2006
For Further Information About Trades Council Please Contact
Chris Burrow. (Secretary) 01206 302379
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