The NEC pre meeting went well and I was in the conference hall for the 9.30am start (Tuesday start is 10am). I am sitting on the front row on the far left (in joke) on the NEC platform (facing) next to my UNISON Community colleague, Denise Thomas.
Thankfully, Conference was today also chaired by the super competent, former President Maureen le Marinel.
The Standing Orders report went through quickly and there was only a little of the time wasting we experienced yesterday.
Unfortunately, the miserabilists continued to promote, in my view, anti-Labour, pro Tory and pro Reform propaganda at every opportunity in debates but such as life. I genuinely don't think it did them any favours.
Our General Secretary, Christina McAnea, gave a great and well received GS speech to conference which resulted in a standing ovation. Under Christina, for example, we have seen an increase in our membership, successful strikes, £162 million in back pay for members being upgraded and also (in my world) a fantastic victory for LIVV Housing Association strikers, who got a 8% pay rise, an improvement in terms and conditions and a wider commitment to look into banning the absolutely disgraceful anti- trade union human rights abuses that LIVV carried out.
During lunch I attended a great fringe on organising and supporting workers in social care. Two Cymru/Wales Region care workers described the dreadful problems that migrant workers experience from employers and unfair visa rules.
Before conference restarted after lunch I handed out leaflets for the UNISON Labour Link Rally that evening. I had a really good response and it was so nice to get so much positive feedback from delegates,
Our keynote international conference speaker was Lee Saunders, the President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Our sister union across the pond. He gave a lively, passionate and barn storming speech which got everyone also on their feet.
The motion 12 was the last to be debated today "All we ask is to be treated with Dignity and Respect". I have lost count of number of UNISON Conferences I have attended and while I have sometime thought that some of the speeches I have heard are "inappropriate" I never thought I would ever hear that delegates at our conference (last year) will be allowed to suggest that up to 40,000 UNISON members in our Police Civilian staff are all violent racists and bigots, as well as being useless and should be sacked!
Wow. Union members being allowed to openly call for other union members to be sacked?
The debate will continue tomorrow morning.
This evening I went to the Labour Link Rally and listened to Christina, Maggi, and Employment Rights Minister, Justin Madders, explain exactly what is really happening with the Employment Rights Bill.
Please ignore the Tory/Reform miserabilists untruths.
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