Workers' Capital in the 21st Century: ShareAction Annual Lecture with Sharan Burrow

The keynote speaker at this years ShareAction annual lecture in the historic Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London was the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, Sharan Burrow.  The ITUC is the global version of the British TUC.

Sharan give a well argued and passionate speech on "Workers Capital" (the pension investments and other savings of workers) and in favour of using it to support climate transition while respecting fossil fuel workers and their contribution to our prosperity.

She repeated her mantra that I first heard her say at the recent CWC meeting last month "there are no jobs in a dead planet".  While she welcomed the green "disinvestment warriors" present who would want pension funds to immediately pull out of investing in Carbon industries such as Coal and Oil, she did favour engagement with firms if they are willing to take part in transition. Some will earn our trust.

              

If companies refuse to change then we do have the powerful leverage of disinvestment by our pension funds. We are close to losing the Climate Change War and must act if our politicians fail to regulate.

Sharan praised the TUC for setting up "Trade Union Share Owners" where trade union staff pension funds collectively vote their share holding and she hoped other national unions would do the same. Also ShareAction for its success in furthering the Living Wage.  She thought that the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour Party leader was a great symbol of the possible. 

                         

Her closing remarks was the battle cry "Zero Carbon, Zero Poverty".

Next Speaker was Gail Cartmail from Unite, who spoke about role that unions can play by representing the interests of their members investments, Colin Meech from UNISON who talked about the need to control costs of our pension funds like they do in Holland, while Jeannie Drake reflected that many workers do not have unions in their workplace and have contract not trust based pensions, so how do we leverage their capital?

There was then a Q&A during which Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett, asks whether there are civil Liberty groups present today and can we work together? I tried to ask a question but wasn't called on how trades unions generally will have to raise their game and give practical support and guidance to pension trustees if we want them to pursue a progressive agenda on climate change.                             

Catherine Howarth from ShareAction closed this successful event with a call for a legally binding "Charter of Rights" for investors and owners. 

London Mesothelioma Action Day July 3 2015 "Banned But Not Gone: All Asbestos causes cancer"

London Hazards Asbestos Group will be holding a Mesothelioma Action Day on 3 July 2015 (this Friday)

The theme is "Banned But Not Gone: all asbestos causes cancer"

It will take place at Layden House, 76-86 Turnmill Street, London EC1M 5LG.

Agenda 

Release Doves at 10: 40 outside Farringdon tube near Cross Rail site.

Speakers
Philip Lewis Chair London Hazards asbestos group opening remarks
Tony Lennon, SERTUC President
Gail Cartmail Assistant General Secretary UNITE
International Speaker from USA, Linda Reinstein, President & CEO ADAO Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
Q&A

Lunch 12:15 to 1:15
Refreshments provided by Leigh Day
Mavis Nye and Janice Allen mesothelioma cases
Harminder Bains, Partner Leigh Day
Julie Winn Pattinson & Brewer Solicitors
Dave Fisher Thompsons Solicitors

Q&A Motion "this meeting of the London Asbestos Group supports and signs up to the Asbestos Victims Charter for Justice" to be moved by Philip Lewis

Closing remarks by Pete Farrell, Chair London Hazard Trust Board.

Hat tip Phil (and Lenin). In 2013 as a local Councillor and trade union safety rep, I spoke at the action day which was held in Stratford Town Hall.

#TUC13 Congress fringe: Building Safety & Employment Rights in the Bangladesh Textile Industry.

This was the last Congress fringe I attended which took place on Tuesday lunchtime. Chair was Gail Cartmail from Unite (middle) who reminded us that our role is not just to remember those who have suffered in the recent Bangladeshi disasters such as the Rana Plaza building collapse which killed 1200 people but to prevent future ones.

First speaker was Bangladeshi garment workers’ union President, Amirul Haque Amin who addressed Congress on Sunday evening.   He explained that international support and solidarity went two ways - it was not just about the North providing financial support for the South.  It is about how to stop international companies exploiting all workers - in Bangladesh and the UK. Workers in Textile factories, retail, transport and consumers. All are being exploited. We need to work together to challenge such exploitation.

Amirual called for the British companies who have refused so far to sign the international "Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh" to do so. The so called "Alliance" by Walmart and Gap is completely inadequate since it is voluntary and not binding.

Workers protected by the Accord have right to refuse dangerous work and keep their salary. Also they will themselves play a key role in safety training and inspections.

Phil Jennings from the UNI global union spoke next. His union had played a key role in creating the Accord. He thought it was a "beginning to the end to the race to the bottom". Beforehand there had been a failure of reporting as well as collusion between safety investigators and factory owners.

The issue of adequate compensation for the relatives of the dead and the injured is still outstanding.

Then Debbie Coulter (on right) , Head of Programmes for the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) pointed out that Bangladesh is the 2nd biggest clothing exporter in the World but allows widespread labour rights violations. Union activists have been tortured and even murdered. This had led to disasters such as Rana Plaza and the earlier Tazreen factory fire. Workers have little power and as shown at Tazreen fire doors were locked and fire alarms ignored by managers.  

Without workers rights disasters will happen again. The only solution is freedom of association and bargaining rights for unions to protect them. 

Final speaker was Fiona Wilson from UK retail union USDAW. She named the UK companies refusing to sign the Accord :-

River Island, Matalan, Bench, Bank Fashion, Peacocks, Jane Norman, Republic and Mexx.

She also criticised the UK government for inviting the top 20 retailer to a conference in July on this issue but excluded the TUC. Need to promote the Accord and draw up similar agreements in other Countries. At least now we have a model.

(take action to get the 8 UK retailers to sign the Accord at the TUC Going to Work website)

Trade Union Congress 12: Sunday afternoon

Picture of UNISON delegate Gordon McKay seconding the composite motion on "Trade Union and Employment Rights" at the start of Trade Union Congress 2012. Gordon finished his speech by offering some rather rude travel advice to Tories.

"Congress is the policy making body of the TUC, and meets each year during September. Each affiliated union can send delegates to Congress - the larger the union, the more it can send. At Congress 'motions' (resolutions for debate) are proposed and discussed. These form the basis of the TUC's work for the next year".

You can check out the TUC blogs and tweets here.  The hashtag is  #tuc12. You even watch it live online.

The UNISON delegation had a pre-meeting at 3pm where we decided whether to support or not motions up before Congress where we haven't so far made a decision. Conference started at 4pm. There was a lobby outside Congress and delegates were greeted with the traditional welcome chant "TUC get off your knees... General Strike Now".  

The President of Congress, GMB General Secretary Paul Kenny, chairs the meeting. A more relaxed and tolerant chair than others I have seen over the years. He even gently told off Unite GS Len McCluskey, for speaking longer than he should have done.

Composite 4 is on "Illegal Corporate Bullying" and describes the secret "blacklisting" of trade union and safety reps by the construction industry.  Which meant that many activists were refused employment for many years if not decades. Motion 16 on "Hidden Courts" was about concern over Justice and Security Bill.

5pm Paul Kenny addressed Congress and reminded us of the role of his predecessor Will Thorne in the formation of the unions. People should be proud of unions and the social justice they have created. Paul introduced the new TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady and gave thanks to the outgoing GS Brendan Barber.

At UNISON conferences we leave the teasing of the President until the end. Congress starts at the beginning. Paul was praised for being the "best ducker and diver in the trade union movement" by Gail Cartmail.  A point agreed with relish by Bob Crow who also thought Paul despite being a Millwall FC fan was a "decent bloke".

Battery in my laptop now running out.  Will try and post further tomorrow.

SERTUC Regional Council 22 October 2011

Last Saturday morning I went to the South East Regional Trade Union Council (SERTUC) meeting at Congress House. This was before the UNISON International Seminar.

The forthcoming ballot and likely strike action on Public service pensions was the key topic. The President of SERTUC Martin Gould spoke first and in his speech he urged all the unions to remain united and not to fall out in oncoming battle and to work together.

The guest speaker was Assistant General Secretary of Unite, Gail Cartmail. Gail use to work with the Martin as T&G full time officials. Gail spoke about the 400,000 extra Children being forced into poverty by this Government’s policies. Britain is still a rich country not a poor country yet all these children will be living in poverty. The threat to the NHS from so called “social enterprises” such as Central Surrey NHS which has now been taken over by Virgin. How can there be a “jobs less” recovery? Why in Britain is it a legal excuse to sack workers to improve “profitability”. She has friends who are teachers in Greece who have had their pay cut by a third. No wondered there are such protests.

Some good news is that the European TUC is considering making November 30 an international day of protest. Next was a debate on motions which I did speak and will post about separately.