McDonalds strike; Policing cuts; Royal Mail dispute; PFI; Venezuela; Thank You Megan & Welcome Sam: SERTUC Council 21.10.17

On Saturday I went to Congress House for a meeting of the South Eastern Trade Union Council (SERTUC) as an UNISON delegate. I haven't been a delegate to this body for some years and was pleased to be there again but sad to note that this was the last meeting for Megan Dobney who is retiring as SERTUC Regional Secretary.

While relatively few people actually enthuse about giving up their Saturday mornings to attend trade union meetings, I have usually (not always) enjoyed SERTUC meetings in the past. This meeting was very good and well worth attending.

The notoriously shy and retiring Chair, Tony Lennon, kept the meeting well in order and moved business on.

Following a video made by UNISON Police Service Group, UNISON delegate, Mark Task, spoke eloquently about the cuts in Policing budget and how in particular we must defeat the recent proposal to get rid of all PCSO officers in Norfolk or else this will happen next everywhere. 

There was a marvellous presentation on the complete and utter PFI rip off, by Helen Mercer and what a future Labour Government should do about it (nationalise the debt).

An inspiring presentation by a young McDonald's worker who had helped organise their first ever strike in the UK last month against poverty pay and bullying. A very brave and inspirational young man, who gives us all not only hope for the future trade union movement but also a kick in the pants that we must organise young people and not just right write them off as being in the "too difficult" box.  Well done to the Bakers Union for taking such a lead. 

The CWU spoke about their dispute with Royal Mail and that despite the legal action taken against them to suspend strike action, they are confident that unless mediation works, then there will be massive and subtained strike action. We were all interested in how they won a 89% Yes vote with a 74% turnout. Fantastic result.

My former Tower Hamlets trade union colleague, Alex Kenny, from the NEU encouraged delegates to support the lobby at Westminster on 24 October against School Cuts. 

Dr Francisco Dominguez from Venezuela Solidarity Campaign gave an update on the terrible attacks they face and how we support the legitimate government against Trump attacks.

The new Regional Secretary, Sam Gurney, (must check with him if there is a Newham Gurney connection?) spoke and thanked Megan for all her work and that she is "Going to be a very tough act to follow!". 

Why Coke, VISA, McDonalds, Adidas, Kia & Hyundai are nothing more than human rights abusers

I have just sent this email below to the CEO's of human rights abusers - Coke, VISA, McDonalds, Adidas, Kia & Hyundai.

The TV news tonight begins with the arrest and charges of FIFA officials with corruption. This is serious but the needless deaths of hundreds of construction workers Qatar is an unforgivable disgrace. International law is clear. You cannot pick and choose which human rights your company's support.

"The Hypocrisy World Cup? FIFA sponsors must tell Qatar to play fair on workers' human rights

62 workers may lose their lives for each game played during Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, a tournament likely to be sponsored by FIFA partner companies Coke, VISA, McDonald’s, Adidas, Kia and Hyundai. Without sponsorship, this multi-billion dollar tournament couldn’t take place.

Due to poor health & safety, shocking living conditions and almost total absence of rights, more than 4,000 of Qatar’s workers will die before the first ball is kicked. Hundreds have already died through a combination of accidents, heart attacks and suicide. Because of Qatar’s laws, migrant workers are trapped with a single employer, barred from changing jobs or even leaving the country without permission. Wages are paid sometimes months late, leaving trapped workers starving. Labour courts are costly and complicated, with little language assistance, and workers are banned from forming or joining trade unions to negotiate better conditions.

There has been almost no pressure from FIFA to fix this, nor have sponsors taken a stand, despite their professed commitment to human rights and workers’ welfare.

Most sponsors commit themselves to respecting the UN Declaration of Human Rights – which guarantees the right to join a union - and have specific policies banning forced labour and slavery in their supply chains. However, none of them seem to have considered that paying FIFA to host a tournament built on slave labour goes against everything they claim to believe in.

As a customer or potential customer of these multinational companies, can you help us pressure them to live up to their own ethical standards in how they spend their sponsorship funding?

We know money talks in FIFA. If one of these sponsors were to speak up it would be hugely influential in guiding FIFA and Qatar into ensuring that labour standards for people preparing the country to host the World Cup meet international standards of safety, decency and human rights".

If you agree then click on link to send the same email (http://act.goingtowork.org.uk/page/speakout/fifa-sponsors-must-tell-qatar-to-play-fair-on-workers-human-rights) to these highly paid human rights abusers.