"Engaging for Change" - Local Authority Pension Fund Forum Conference 2021

 

On Wednesday I arrived in Bournemouth for our annual conference (which was cancelled last year due to Covid-19) looking forward to the next 3 days of pretty non stop pension and investment debates, sharing of ideas and presentations #nirvana. 

Conservative Party Conference 2021 Schedule

 

"Can Scotland deliver a just transition to net zero" LAPFF fringe at SNP conference 21

 

This evening I took part in a panel discussion at a SNP conference virtual fringe hosted by the Smith Institute and supported by the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF).on "Just transition". I took part in my capacity as a Joint Vice Chair of LAPFF.  

It was a really interesting debate and Q&A. The Chair was Professor Nick Robbins (LSE) and other speakers, Alan Brown MP (Shadow SNP Spokesperson Energy & Climate Change) and Rachel McEwen (Just Transition Commission Scotland & Chief Sustainability Office SSE). It was a shame that Richard Lochhead MSP (Minister of Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work) was unable to join due to technical problems. 

This is my introductory contribution :- 

"Thank you, Nick.

I am a Councillor in East London and vice-chair of the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF), which is a membership organisation representing over 80 public sector pension funds and investment pools.

Together our members have over £300 billion of assets under management and have holdings in many of the largest companies within the UK but also globally.

The work of LAPFF is focused on engaging these companies on responsible investment issues, including around climate and social issues

We do so not only because it is the right thing and I say this also as an active trade unionist who pension is in the LGPS, but also because as long term investors the environmental impact of companies and how they treat their workers matters for long term value of those companies and ultimately protecting the pensions of beneficiaries.

The theme of today’s fringe combines both these areas; how best to manage climatic and social risks and I am going to focus my time on the role that investors can play in supporting a just transition to net zero.

As we head towards COP26, the climatic risks we face as a society are well known. And reaching net zero is increasingly viewed as a priority for governments across the globe.

The urgency of the need for immediate climate action for all societal actors has been reinforced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report which has been called a ‘Code Red’ for humanity by the UN Secretary General.

This report shows that many changes are becoming irreversible and that there is no room for delay or excuses to avert climate catastrophe.

Climate change also has significant implications for long term investors such as pension funds. This includes stranded assets such as oil that cannot be extracted because of regulation or taxes and companies more generally failing to move to low or zero carbon business models

Moving to a zero carbon business model is far from straightforward and has social implications – many of these are very positive such as creating new green jobs and improving the air quality in our towns and cities.

But there are also risks of moving away from carbon intensive industries.

We have seen in the past the impact of deindustrialisation and pit closures on unemployment and local communities. I myself was brought up in NE Wales in the 1980s & experienced first-hand the closure of steel works & mills which resulted in massive social deprivation & up 33% male unemployment rates.

If we repeat the mistakes of the past and ignore the social implications of the transition, we risk creating opposition to the urgent and effective climate action that needs to be taken. We should never forget the “yellow jacket” protests in France which forced the government to reverse moderate rises in fuel duty & that it was Kentucky coal miners who helped elected Donald Trump

So as investors we have a role in supporting not only the transition to net zero but also one that is just.

As investors we can do so by first recognising the challenge and including the issue in policy statements to help guide investment decisions.

Investors can seek to understand the risks, including by engaging employee and community groups to get their views on the threats and opportunities.

Investors can also set expectations of companies and engage with company directors on these. LAPFF, for example, has been engaging a range of companies to ensure they have just transition plans. And the scale of the challenge means it is not just about oil and gas companies, but also utilities, carmakers, mining and manufacturing to name a few sectors.

However, investors can’t do it alone and we require support from governments

That is why LAPFF are supporting an inquiry into a just transition run by the All Party Parliamentary Group for local authority pension funds, which will be publishing its findings next month.

I think it is fair to say that much of what the APPG has heard suggests Scotland is leading the way, not least with the Scottish Just Transition Commission, something that the Forum thinks should be replicated at a UK level.

Over the past nine months the APPG has heard from different investors about the need for clear commitment from the UK government regarding a just transition and policy certainty. As long-term investors, without certainty it is hard to make investments in the transition or understand the social implications.

There are also areas where regulation could help, including ensuring companies disclose information on their workforce and that company TCFD (Task force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures) climate reporting includes the social implications of the transition.

And when it comes to financing projects to deliver the just transition, government funding in Scotland and across the UK will be needed to crowd in private finance.

This final example shows the importance of partnership working. While the roles of investors and government in ensuring a just transition are distinct, they are complementary.

Partnership working or social partnership, lies at the heart of what a just transition means, with all stakeholders involved in the process of making plans.

And to finish, the scale of the climate crisis and potential social implications of action required to address it, demands that investors, governments, companies, trade unions and society work together to ensure that the worst effects of climate breakdown are avoided.

Thanks"

UNISON Special Labour Link National Forum 2021 Motion 8: Charity Contracts - Race to the Bottom

 

This is the motion and my speech from last Saturday's (3.7.21) UNISON Special Labour Link National Forum meeting.  I moved this Greater London motion 8 about the Volunteer sector and the race to the bottom with regard to staff terms and conditions - and what we can do about it as a Labour movement.

Many thanks to Jordon Creed from London Voluntary Organisations branch who sent this motion to London Labour Link, who supported it and sent it to our National Forum on behalf of all London Labour Link Members. 

I am fairly confident (touch wood) that this is a campaign we can win. Not only is this National Labour Link policy but at a meeting last week of London Regional Council officers and Regional Management team, everyone was very supportive and it feeds into our existing campaigning on UNISON Ethnical Care contract and the response to Covid. 

I also last week spoke virtually at Kilburn and Finchley branch Labour Party and my UNISON branch executive about the campaign and I am more than willing to speak to any other Labour movement meetings. 

Motion 8. Charity Contracts: Race to the Bottom

Forum believes that we need to ensure across London there is no race to the bottom in terms of pay, holiday, sickness when charities bid for contracts.

Forum calls upon the National Committee to call upon Labour councils and representatives, including the Mayor of London, to commit to not giving contracts to any providers that do not pay the living wage and use zero hour contracts and give their employees only statutory sick pay.

Forum believes local authorities and the Greater London Authority should have terms and conditions of employment which are clearly specified and protected in agreements when competitive tending takes place.

Forum believes this will also improve the quality of the service as contracts will be awarded on the basis of quality not just the lower cost and support collective bargaining in the community sector workplaces across London.

Greater London Region

Moving motion 8

Chair, Forum, John Gray, Greater London Regional delegate moving motion 8 “Charity Contracts: Race to the bottom”

Forum, this motion is London centric but I am sure the issue of a “race to the bottom” in the Charity and voluntary sector applies to all regions and nations.

I don’t need to tell anyone here about the simple, day in, day out, misery of all workers, who have to exist on a minimum wage, insecure employment and no employer sick pay.

And of course it’s not just about the workers and their families, who are our members, as vital as that is, it’s also about the residents and clients who receive these services. Who don’t want overworked and stressed carers, who have to work 60 hours a week to pay the bills.

The question is what as a Union and a Labour link do we do about it? What do we do about it? Passing motions for motions sake never achieved anything. So let’s think things through. 

Firstly, let’s not be forgetting that while charities get funding from various sources including the NHS, the commissioning of services by local government is key.

While we want services to be provided in-house whenever possible and I note that by doing so, it would in fact at a stroke mean that in most, not all Councils, the objectives of this motion would be obtained. So defending public services from future outsourcing and campaigning to bring back services in house is a given.

But in the meanwhile, we need to press all our levers, industrial and political, to campaign for all councils and Mayors to insist that all their commissioned services, pay at least the real living wage, ban imposed zero hour contracts and pay proper sick pay.

Now we cannot ignore that there are legal and funding difficulties, after 10 years of austerity local authority funding has been cut by up to 50%.

But let us work with councils to take on the rouge employers who threaten them with legal action if they impose such conditions. Many employers want to stop this race to the bottom, they want a level playing field, in order to provide better services. We need to work with these employers and target those who will not.

Forum, passing this motion should also be just a beginning, we want more for our members. As well as a real living wage we want a living pension provision, we want to sustain decent terms and conditions by also demanding trade union recognition and sectorial pay bargaining.

Forum, while we will not win every battle, this issue, is one that I think the Labour movement family can win. Let us act as a united Labour movement family, by campaigning as a union, work with progressive labour councils and employers and then by doing so - win real benefits for our members, not least, putting money in their pockets and purses of our members, which to me is why the labour movement was formed.

Forum, please support this motion, I move"

I was very happy that 99% of delegates supported this motion. 

Greater London UNISON Regional Council AGM 2021

 

Today was the Annual General Meeting of the UNISON Greater London Regional Council. It was held virtually with a shortened agenda but mirrored what happened when we had past physical meetings (sort of).

UNISON is the largest union in London with around 130,000 members. I was pleased to be re-elected unopposed with the rest of the Regional Convenor team this year (and last year).

Our elected lay National President, Newcastle Council worker, Josie Bird, was our first key note speaker. Josie spoke passionately to the AGM about the contempt this Government treats the working class & the personal difficulties, she and many others had experienced in "lock down" home schooling her children while trying to carry out a demanding job. 

As a UNISON NEC member I have been present at a few meetings being expertly chaired by Josie when her very young son has decided to join his Mum on zoom! It didn't happen today. 

Out next speaker was our  new UNISON general secretary, Christina McAnea who 
thanked all UNISON public service members & activists for their work during #COVID19. 

Also, despite being from Glasgow, she has now lived in #London for longer than anywhere else, and she had been so pleased to get support of this Region in her election. 

After a speaker on the vital importance on Climate Change, there was the regional annual report, my financial convenor report, motions (all very respectful including debates on those ruled out of order) and AOB. Elections for other positions took place via email afterwards. 

While I really miss such meetings, when held in real life (and of course with a few drinks and meal afterwards) I thought it went well and many thanks to our Regional Convenor, Yvonne Green, who chaired the meeting magnificently, with her very calm, very polite, inclusive but no nonsense manner. 

I shall look forward to a more traditional "rough and tumble" UNISON AGM next year! (fingers crossed)

UNISON NEC elections 2021: Ballot papers start to drop from tomorrow 4th May

Tomorrow (4/5/21) National Executive Committee ballot papers will start to be delivered to all our UNISON members home addresses. 

All of us above are rank and file members of our union who want to represent all our members on our NEC. 

Please consider this when deciding who to vote and check out 

https://avoiceformembers.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/voiceformembers

https://www.facebook.com/avoiceformembers/

UNISON NEC Elections: A Voice for Members website

 

The UNISON NEC election starts next week and our members will receive ballot papers at their home addresses from Tuesday May 4 2021. 

All UNISON members will receive multiple ballot papers depending on where they work, their self organised group and the job they do.

Please consider these recommendations for your votes. Check out https://avoiceformembers.co.uk/

But please vote,  for whoever you choose, since it is so important to the democracy of our union that as many members vote as is possible. 

Greater London UNISON Housing Association Branch 2021

 

I was really pleased that tonight's virtual AGM went so well. We had over 60 people attending which is far more than we have had in the past attending physical AGMS. Our AGM last year was cancelled at the last moment due to the first Covid lockdown. In 2019 our AGM was held in the House of Commons! 

Many thanks to our excellent keynote speaker, Sem Moema, a UNISON member who has worked in Housing Associations for many years and is now the Labour candidate in the London GLA elections in May for Islington, Hackney and Waltham Forest. 

As the branch Labour Link officer (I was pleased to be elected unopposed at the AGM) I gave a report encouraging members to get active in the London Mayoral & GLA election by taking part in phone banks or delivering leaflets. I will be circulating Labour Unions events on branch social media. But also we want more of our  branch members to become more active in the Labour Party bringing our trade union values into the Party by becoming Councillors or delegates. 

I asked our branch activist Omolola Oyewusi to say a few words about her campaign to become the first ever black Police Crime Commissioner in May. Omolola is standing in Kent and would welcome any funding or assistance. 

The AGM also had reports from the Chair, Treasurer, Communications officer, branch case workers, regional organisers and then discussed nominations to vacant committee posts. I moved a rule change motion on organising UNISON committee structures in all our large employers which was passed. 

It was really nice to see the positive comments in the "chat box" from members who had never attended a union meeting beforehand but thanked our staff, regional organisers and local reps for all their help and support during these recent dreadful times. 

Just completed my 2021 census return

 It took me about 15 minutes online https://census.gov.uk/ - you should have got a letter with a reference code. 

As someone interested in local history then census information is really important for future historians. No one will be allowed to see personal information for at least 100 years.

However, it is also important that everyone completes the census to try and make sure that areas such as Newham get future Government funding according to its actual social and economic need. 

It is of course also the law of the land to complete but please do the right thing and fill it out. 

Census officers will visit and knock on the doors (repeatability) of all dwellings who have not completed. 

TUC Pension conference 2021: Day 1 Minister Guy Opperman MP & panel discussion on Just Transition

 

I joined the start of the virtual conference today.  It was interesting to hear pension minister, Guy Opperman MP speak positively about defined benefit pension schemes. I wanted to ask him why then does the regulator appear to want to treat all open defined benefit schemes as if they were closed (to new members or future accrual) but he was not able to stay for questions. Next time. 

If you haven't already, I believe that you can still register for the next 3 events listed below

"THE FULL PROGRAMME AND SIGN UP CAN BE FOUND HERE: HTTPS://WWW.EVENTBRITE.CO.UK/E/TUC-PENSIONS-CONFERENCE-FAIR-PENSIONS-FOR-ALL-TICKETS-141667161293

Day 2: Tuesday 16th March, 13:00-14:00

Fixing the holes in auto-enrolment

Auto enrolment has brought millions of people into workplace pensions. But millions more are still excluded, and too many of those who are auto-enrolled are not building up enough pension to maintain living standards in retirement. This session will explore who's falling through the gaps, what impact Covid-19 has had, and how we can make sure auto-enrolment delivers decent pensions for all.

- Josephine Cumbo, global pensions correspondent, Financial Times

- Chris Curry, director, Pensions Policy Institute

- Joe Anderton, pension officer, Prospect

- Cara Pacitti, economist, Resolution Foundation

Day 3 Wednesday 17th March 13:00-14:00

Making a success of collective DC

Thanks to the hard work of the Communication Workers Union, the Royal Mail is preparing to introduce the UK's first collective defined contribution pension scheme. By pooling investments and sharing risk, these arrangements can deliver more generous and stable retirement incomes than individual DC. So how can more employers be encouraged to offer CDC, and what can we learn from Canada, where unions have been involved in running this kind of scheme for decades?

- Terry Pullinger, deputy general secretary (postal) CWU

- Chris Roberts, director of social and economic policy, Canadian Labour Congress

- Shriti Jadav, director, Willis Towers Watson

Day 4: Rethinking the role of the state pension

The UK provides a significantly lower state pension than most comparable countries, and relies more heavily on occupational pensions to provide retirement incomes for its citizens. Our system is deeply ingrained and has its merits, but is it time to rethink this balance? Would a bigger role for the state pension reduce pensioner poverty and inequality?

Panel debate

- Dr Bernhard Ebbinghaus, professor of social policy, University of Oxford

- Nathalie Diesbecq, ACV-CSC (Christian Federation of Trade Unions, Belgium)

Closing keynote

- Jonathan Reynolds, shadow secretary of state for work and pensions

Happy New Year / Blwyddyn Newydd Dda: Despite Covid, Brexit & Boris - Let's raise a toast to a better 2021

Photo from the Fyfield village bridge across the River Roding overlooking the 13th Century Mill pond.