UNISON Community Conference 2013: Day 1

This is the seminar and conference for UNISON Community members who work in the Voluntary and Housing Association Sector which opened Friday afternoon in Manchester and finished (early) 5pm Saturday.

The first speaker was Karen Jennings, UNISON Assistant General Secretary seen in picture with the Service Group Executive Chair, Kevin Jackson and National Officer Simon Watson.

Karen describes herself as an unusual trade unionist since she is softly spoken. Her message however was pretty forthright and direct. The next few years are going to be tough and we are going to have to fight to protect members but if we cannot improve our union density then we will have no voice and no strength.

Next speaker was James Meadway, from the New Economics Foundation on "The Financial Crisis". James started off by hoping he would not depress us too much. I thought that he didn't and actually he raised hopes by pretty much abolishing the Tory led Government case for austerity and gave delegates the ammunition for arguing that there is a different way of running our economy. The last thing you should in a recession when there is no demand is cut government spending. What should be done instead is reverse austerity; redistribution of income; import less and democratise finance (break up banks).

After this we had a presentation by West Midlands Community branch about the highs and lows of setting up a regional wide branch.  That is a single branch for all UNISON members in the region who work in our sector (Voluntary organisations and housing associations).  Hats off to regional activists and staff who have obviously worked their socks off to get the branch up and running and to the National union for being prepared to seed fund it. It is still early days but it is a leading model of branch organisation and every other branch with community members can learn from it.

Finally there were separate regional meetings of delegates to welcome everybody and explain about conference business (speaking on motions, picking up voting cards, split votes etc) and a chance for branch representatives to decide what motions to support and to plan who will speak on what).  The London meeting also had a far ranging debate about putting our Community world to rights.

Despite the rain, a Friday night in Manchester City centre is always a good night out and I ended up with my Wexford born Branch Chair in a St Patrick's Day (or rather week) beer tent outside the Town Hall listening to live Irish music and drinking Guinness. Not sure it was the best preparation for my pension’s speech the following day...

Update: see UNISONactive take

Sectarianism, Miserablists and opposing Austerity

I’ve been meaning to comment on this post made by my esteemed UNISON colleague, the NEC member for Skidrow-on-Sea, attacking an unnamed UNISON branch secretary (and as usual interfering in the internal democracy of other branches and Service Groups).

He selectively criticises the branch secretary for sending out an email to all staff warning them of attempts by the SWP and the SP to hijack their campaign to defend public services. However, he fails to mention or quote that part of the email that states the reason why it was sent out. 

Which was due to the violence, abuse and thuggery shown by various outsiders in a “hate fuelled frenzy”. This and threats to patients safety is actively undermining the campaign and putting off potential supporters .

It's the old story of "rule or ruin" by "wreaking and splitting". Ordered by the so called democratic centralist leadership of the various ultra left sects (not by all their rank and file members) if they cannot get their own way.

This is not the way to oppose Austerity nor win anything.

Considering that my esteemed colleague publicly derides anyone who disagrees with him as a "poodle of the ruling classes" it is just hypocritical of him to criticise anyone else as being in any way sectarian.

I also note that the hard working and respected branch secretary he is having a go at started life as a porter in a hospital, who then put himself through night school to eventually become a fully qualified nurse.  Who still works shifts as a nurse on the wards. Unlike the full time middle class bureaucrat who snipes at him from afar.

(ps I am also of course furious that anyone else apart from me should have been awarded “Sectarian of the Year” especially after my 2012 masterpiece Moanie fibbing miserabalists and the LGPS 2014)

Hat tip picture Rustbeltradical (and some interesting comments!)

UPDATE: I have been reminded how the Ultra left got up to similar tricks and destroyed any chance of forming a broad anti-austerity coalition in Local Government in 2011.

Austerity: What next after #Oct20?

A rather intense (to be polite) picture of me speaking at Saturday's SERTUC Council meeting at Congress House. The New TUC GS Frances O'Grady had just made a cracking speech.

I was supporting the GLATUC motion on "Austerity".

"President, Council, John Gray UNISON speaking in favour of Motion 1. I will try and keep this short since much of what I wish to say has already been said. But "What next" after Oct 20 is the key issue for the Labour Movement. We must firstly continue to educate and inform our members in the Great Battle of Ideas over the Economic Alternative to Austerity.

Despite the magnificent march of last weekend, I am reminded of past reports by our own Regional secretary, Megan, to this Council and the comments you have just heard from Frances, that a majority of trade union members still think that "Austerity" is necessary, the "Cuts" are necessary and there is "No Alternative".  

While we can turn out many of our activists and their families on a Saturday to protest unless we can also persuade our rank and file members, their families and their friends that there is a different way to run our country, then we are simply not going to be able bring about change.

Council, the truth of the matter is that we have a huge job of work to do. We need to not only educate but to  organise and unionise. Especially in the private sector where 85% of the workforce are not only not in any union but many of them have simply no comprehension or understanding of unions. They are Thatchers Grandchildren.

Perhaps Council, one other practical way forward is to bring to peoples attention that there are already examples of successful countries such as Sweden or Norway which are run differently. Frances mentioned "The Spirit Level" research that everyone is better off in more equal societies. Where there is greater income equality, greater trade union density and greater worker involvement in the wider economy.

Arguably Council, there is already out there A Future That Works; and it is only a ferry ride across the North Sea. Council, please support this motion. 

Frances O'Grady at SERTUC Council

This morning I went to the Trade Union Congress Southern & Eastern Regional Council (SERTUC) as an UNISON delegate at Congress House.

Our keynote speaker was Frances O'Grady, the General Secretary (elect) of the TUC. This was the first time in living memory that any TUC GS had addressed our Council.

Despite being under the weather with a cold, Frances gave a cracking speech. Wide ranging, thought provoking, honest, passionate, but pragmatic.

I base this post on my tweets made during her speech with the usual disclaimer for thumb fumbling haste and any mistakes or omissions are my responsibility.

She firstly greeted us as "sisters, brothers and fellow plebs! SERTUC region is important since 26% of all trade union members live here. We need to act smart and inspire people. Work with different community groups. Even the Women's Institute. Our job is to turn opposition to Austerity into a mass movement and in the long term achieve a better, fairer society.

We must tackle growing income inequality. The top 10% are 500 times richer than the bottom 10%. While the City Spivs get massive bonuses the lowest paid have food banks. This in the 7th richest society in the world.

The "Spirit Level" book proves that such inequality is bad for everyone. We want tax justice. We want Starbucks, Amazon to pay their taxes.

We need a change in economic policy. Even the IMF, which is not known for being a left wing organisation, recognises that workers need to have money in order to buy things to create demand and jobs.

What we want is not only a transfer of wealth but a transfer of power. Why can't we have employee representatives on Company remuneration committees?

It is understandable, but we must be careful about the big danger from a decline in trust in politics. If people lose hope, it could be very bad for us and progressive politics. We have to be very careful about our language.

Any further mobilisation must be a demonstration of strength not weakness. We have to be clever and not burn out our members.

There are arguments that a general strike could be legal but this depends on European law and anyone with any experience of this, knows it takes years for these cases to be decided. Firstly we have to ask our affiliates if there is an appetite for action.  Also, if we have a general strike without a ballot, we have to be honest with people, that they could be dismissed if they take part. Union funds could also be sequested by Courts.  Any general strike cannot just be a public sector strike. It must be supported in the private sector.

Frances finished by making it clear that this is a weak coalition government and that there is widespread fear even in the middle classes, about such things as youth unemployment, housing shortage and the sharks such as Virgin, circling our NHS. If we go about it in the right way we can and will give this government a good kicking.  

(Check out my twitter account for 27th October for a fuller report of Council. I did speak on the Austerity motion which I will post upon separately) 

Corporate Tax-Dodging Causes Austerity #Boycott Starbucks

Companies such as Starbucks, Amazon.CON and Vodaphone seem to think that only the little people should pay taxes. Bite back little people. 

The Spirit Level, Unions and an alternative economic policy

Check out my post here on the UnionHome blog that Austerity is the problem while trade unions and income equality can be the solution.  

Labour Attack Dog Supports #tuc12 March

Well, picture is from yesterday's West Ham Labour Party and trade union stall in Stratford High Street  supporting next week's TUC March against Austerity and for an alternative economic policy.

Labour Attack dog, Yorkshire terrier Cara, is seen in arms of her owner, local MP Lyn Brown . Cara was certainly one of our chief assets on the stall. People were queueing up to give her a stroke and a cuddle. Any opposition faced being licked to death by Cara.

This gave us the opportunity to encourage Newham residents and trade union members who haven't so far made other arrangements to meet up next Saturday 20 October at 10am outside Stratford Station to travel down to the embankment to march together.

Check out why Newham residents and trade unionists are marching here and here. 

Outsourcing & Austerity: Civil Society & the Coalition Government"

Today I was a breakout session speaker at this conference in Congress House. I spoke alongside senior employment rights officer at the TUC, Hannah Reed. Our brief was "What is happening to the voluntary sector workforce".

I will post another time on the wider conference (which was very well organised). Below is my crib sheet for my session. I believe that notes taken of the whole conference will be published on line. Will update when get details.

"Overview
Austerity & Outsourcing affects not only clients & users but also staff. There has been a “Race to the Gutter”. Cuts in SP funding and removal of ring fencing. Deliberately breaking and undermining of TUPE.

Means that many staff have had pay cut by up to 30%, increase in working week, cutting of leave, threat of redundancy and job insecurity.

Growth of agency workers/temporary contracts; bank/0 hour’s staff; tax cheating bogus self employment, greater use of “volunteers”.

Redundancies and recruitment freezes means increased case loads & greater workplace demands which leads to stress and the cutting of corners in providing services. 

We all know what happens when organisations serving vulnerable groups start cutting corners to cut costs.

There is a huge reputational risk to organisations and a potential discrediting of whole sector. Some organisations want to employ only part time workers not full time so they can claim state benefit top ups!

Wider content is the attack on employment protection for workers by the Coalition. The doubling of the time needed before you can claim unfair dismissal, charging upfront fees of over £1000 for ET, withdrawal of health and safety measures etc.

Need to understand why workers pay and conditions are relevant to the wider community, due to the local economic impact and that on the quality of service. Many experienced and trained care workers can get more money packing shelves in Tesco’s.

What we need to do?
All Unions want genuine Partnership with employers and Community groups/representative organisations. Discussions around sectorial agreements on quality, safeguarding and price. We want to work with like minded people who will say enough is enough – we cannot go below this level and provide decent services. Not just Trade union provider interest but we are citizens as well who rely on these services.

 

Workers and community activists can work together (both got inside knowledge, local campaigns).  Top and bottom approach.

Unions recognise that we have to get our act together as well. Never organised properly in the sector in past. UNISON now has a specific section for all Community & Voluntary. I am one of two elected NEC members. Setting up local branches specifically for C&V trade union members.

 

Trade union recognition. Need to get members to join. Cannot understand why some "reputable" organisations refuse to recognise trade unions? A blockage to working together. What have they got to hide?

Campaign/lobby together (openly or otherwise) the Government, Councils and Devolved nations. Especially Labour & progressive "one nation" elements (discuss). The unions don't yet punch their weight in our sector.

 

Finally

While there is a lot we can do change policies and occasional defeat the Coalition. (such as water down Health Bill and new look pensions LGPS 2014). There has to be bigger political issue. Educate our members and public that there is a credible alternative economic model to Austerity.  We need a plan B.

Increasing the pay of the low paid is one way of increasing demand and growth. While huge amounts of taxpayers’ money is being used not to pay off debt but subsidise poverty wages. 

 

We have a job of work to do with our members and public on this vital subject.

Outsourcing and austerity: civil society and the coalition government

Friday 5 October 2012 in Congress House. "A conference jointly hosted by TUC, NAVCA, NCIA, UNISON and Unite, this conference aims to bring representatives of charities, trade unions, voluntary, community and faith groups and other civil society partners together to look at the impact that the coalition government has had on civil society and the communities we serve and to consider what political and organisational responses we might adopt".

 

I'm taking part in a morning breakout session " What is happening to the voluntary sector workforce?. 

West Ham Labour Party Supports TUC March #Oct20

Just back from General Committee (GC) meeting of West Ham Labour Party. At which this motion was passed unanimously.

“West Ham Labour Party welcomes the call from the TUC to help organise a National March for A Future That Works on Saturday 20th October 2012.

We agree to work together to maximise the participation of Newham Residents, employees, Labour Party members and affiliates to this event as we did for the 26th March 2011 TUC march for the alternative.

We welcome the TUC publication “Austerity is Failing. We Need A Future That Works” and recognise the need to ensure that in the next General Election a government is elected that will implement an alternative economic policy, to deliver that Future that Works".

Newham trade unions and Labour Councillors have agreed to produce a joint leaflet and organise stalls in Stratford and Green Street to publicise the March. Also we will be organising a Newham meeting point for residents and Labour Party members who want to travel to the starting point and march together. Details to follow.

I'll post further on the GC later. 

UNISON London Labour Link Training

Picture is from the recent London UNISON Labour Link training event. Branch officers and activists came together from all over Greater London and all UNISON service groups.

We are here holding literature supporting the TUC anti-austerity March on Saturday 20 October.

The training event itself was excellent. It was a pilot and designed to equip Branch Labour Officers with the skills needed to further the Union within the Party. It was also how to use our access and influence to get a better deal for our members.

The first session was on "Why Politics?".  We need to be able to explain to our member's why politics matters. Politics is not about speeches in Parliament but its about their pay, its about building schools and running hospitals. Other sessions were on "tackling arguments about Labour Link"; "role of Labour Link Officer"; "Building a Branch network"; "Strategic Campaigning and lobbying MP's".

During a role play session I took on the part of a Conservative MP being lobbied by Labour Link activists...and yes, people did say I was very convincing :)

Feedback from all present was very positive and further sessions are being planned. Many thanks to National and Regional staff for putting on such a good event.

Photo by KW.