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.

SERTUC Council meeting

This morning I went off to the Southern and Eastern Region TUC Council (SERTUC) meeting at Congress House.  Firstly there was a UNISON pre-meeting for delegates.  Then up to the 5th floor for Council. 

Normally we are in the basement conference area but this was being prepared for today’s “anti-cuts” Rally.  The meeting finished at 11.45 so that delegates can get to the Rally for 12 noon. 

SERTUC President Martin Gould gave his usual straight talking and no nonsense feisty opening report on the battles ahead.

We then moved directly to motions.  We passed unanimously a CWU motion “Keep the Post Public Coalition”.  UNISON delegate Brian Walters (and son of a postie) seconded this motion in fluent French to honour the protests taking place across the channel!  There was also an Unite motion “Attack on Public Services”.  I spoke on this 2^nd motion. 

I reminded Council that we must talk to our members and not just ourselves.  Some polls show that even a majority of union members think the cuts are necessary.  We need to challenge this and one way is to let our members know how sheer “nasty” they are – as a working front line secretary of the UNISON Housing Association branch we have to deal with a 50%  or £4 billion in cuts in housing; the ending of security of tenure which will mean that my members will be expected to evict Grannies whose kids have left home; in London there will be no more new public housing starts in 2011; who will house the expected extra 82,000 private tenants who will be evicted in London due to restrictions in Housing benefit?; London Councils report that some authorities are planning to block book B&B’s in south coast resorts; future rents in public housing will be 80% of “market rents” which in London could mean an average  2 bed flat rental will rise from £90 per week to £250.  Who can afford that?

Never the economics theory but surely it is madness that my members who develop homes are being made redundant at the same time as construction workers are being laid off resulting in less income tax and more claims for benefit at the same time that we have 4 million in housing need! 

SERTUC secretary Megan Dobney reminded us that the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) were on strike in London from 10am this morning (there is a SERTUC solidarity meeting for the FBU on Thursday evening at Congress House).   There is another one day strike due on 1 November 2010.  

There were a few contributions around the secretary’s report but we eventually finished early enough to even have extra items of AOB!

Off to main SERTUC rally 11.40.

SERTUC Regional Council – “Nationalise Liabilities, Profits remain Private”

This morning (Saturday) I attended the Trade Union Congress, Southern and Eastern Regional Council (SERTUC) as a UNISON delegate with my fellow Greater London Regional Council Officer, Gill Brown, who is our Equalities convenor.

The TUC is divided into regions and each region will hold quarterly Council meetings of affiliated union and trade council delegates. SERTUC meets every 3 months in Congress House, London. There were 76 delegates present. I will not pretend that this post is a full report on this meeting but I will mention bits and pieces I thought interesting.

The Council President, Martin Gould, in his introductory presentation referred to this anomaly about the current financial crisis, that while we have nationalised the liabilities or risks, the ability to take any profits from this nationalisation remain in private hands? A fair point I think. Martin made a number of other good points although I didn’t agree with everything (of course!). He brought up the fairly widespread view that the current problems had effectively destroyed the “Private Good, Public Bad” argument. We now have people who beforehand continually attacked the “nanny state” now begging and pleading for state aid. He also pointed out that it had been claimed that a public sector pay claim of over 2.5% would be inflationary. However, it appears that pumping £500 billion into the economy is not??? Martin argued that it was time for a “new approach”. To overcome a recession we need to increase demand by increasing pensions and pay. A wealth tax on energy to help pay for the renationalisation of utilities. To address rising unemployment he referred to Lenin’s “what is to be done”, which is the first time in recent times that I have ever heard that “name” mentioned in the hallowed grounds of the TUC!

We also had a minutes silence for 5 comrades who are no longer with us. Including John Onslow, who was Tower Hamlets GMB steward and member of SERTUC executive. John was a trade union and Labour party stalwart. He was old School labour movement from fingers to toes. He lived only 100 yards from where I work and we use to bump into each other from time to time. He is one of the very, very few activists that I have never heard a bad word against. RIP Comrade.

However, Martin came back to earth by saying that if we can’t get socialism during this crisis then we should at least take a step in the right direction and demand “Social Justice”. The creed of Greed, Parasites and the pursuit of profit at all costs has been shown wanting. The trade union movement needs to provide leadership. There can be no partnership with the multinationals. The door is open for change; all we have to do is push it.

The new regional secretary of the PCS (whose name I did not catch – apologies) reported on future strike action over pay. Interestingly he claimed that there were 52 billionaires in the UK and that 32 paid no tax last year. I think he meant income tax? He also spoke about united strike action in the public sector over pay. I’m afraid that I am not holding my breath.

My former Tower Hamlets JCC colleague (with John Onslow), Alex Kenny, from the NUT, spoke about their strike ballot over pay and united strike action. He criticised the supposedly independent teachers pay review board as being under the control of the government and exercising pay restraint.

The SERTUC regional secretary Megan Dobney reported that the new Mayor of London, Boris had agreed to meet SERTUC representatives next year in January, May and September. That should be fun.

Adrian Weir from UNITE reported on the House of Lords reversal of a section of the Employment bill which means that trade unions cannot expel Nazi’s. I will do a separate post on this important topic. All unions should use any influence they have with MP’s to overturn this measure.

Steve Hart, the regional secretary for UNITE gave a presentation on the finance and banking sector (75,000 members) and how they are coping with the financial crisis. Steve is someone you should listen carefully to and take note. He pointed out that UNITE not only have members facing problems in the financial sector but their members in UK car and van factories now face short time working after years of 24/7 shifts and unlimited overtime. Many building sites are now being shut up and moth balled. One good thing from this present crisis is the collapse of the neo-liberal fantasy. It is now important to have Keynesian measures in place. It is a “patriot duty” to increase wages rates to increase demand to prevent recession. He prased the chancellor for bringing forward big public building projects. Protect home owners from eviction by taking over their properties and renting it back. Take over insolvent private sector builders. Tax the rich. “The moment is here”. He finished by reporting back on the London bus dispute for pay parity across the capital which has run into problems with the Royal Court of Justice Judges (tell me about it).

During questions I did my party trick and reminded Council about the role that workers capital can play in preventing the misuse of our money and savings in the future.

Karen Livingstone gave a good presentation on the East of England development agency.

Finally, Chris Green from the White Ribbon campaign to end male violence against women gave a cracking presentation. 89% of domestic violence is by men against women. A woman is seriously injured by a man in this county every 10 seconds. After every football game that the England football team plays there is an increase in violence against women – won or lose. The 25th November is their action day. It is really positive to see men taking responsibilities for their actions. Their aim is to change attitudes, especially amongst young men. Mind you a speaker did point out in this country there were only 300 refuges for women facing domestic violence while there are over 2,000 sanctuaries for animals. Makes you think...