Dydd Gwŷl Dewi Sant Hapus!

Dydd Gwŷl Dewi Sant Hapus! (Happy St David's Day) make sure you're wearing your daffs and leeks!

Picture hat - tip to Mrs B

“St Piran’s Day Massacre” – UNISON Centre Left Win London Labour Link Elections

I got home tonight from my local Labour Party AGM to find a letter from UNISON Labour link confirming that I had been re-elected to the London Regional Labour Link Committee. The results of the election was (in my own personal view of course) absolutely outstanding.

The slate that the centre left had agreed (see post) had a clean sweep and we won every seat and delegation by a huge margin (of between 200 to even 300% in nearly every committee and forum election). I believe that there was a higher turnout this year as well.

Last year, we were I thought, pretty successful in these same elections and since we heard the results on March 1 2007, the title of that post was “St David’s Day Massacre – Centre Left Win London Labour Link”.

This year (On St Piran’s Day – one of the patron saints of Cornwall) we did even better. Celtic Saints Days are obviously a good time to announce Labour Link election results!

Commiserations to all those who were not elected this time.

The Centre Left in UNISON appears to be on a roll. Check out this link to last month’s regional council AGM and last weeks London Labour Link Forum in the House of Commons.

US Air Force St David’s Day Pressie to North Wales

Really pleased to hear today about the 15 year, £20 Billion aviation contract from the USA Air force for 179 new in-air refuelling planes. The wings of these planes are manufactured in the Airbus site in Broughton, Flintshire, North Wales (and its factory Bristol). It is a major employer in the area with currently about 7,000 workers (a lot more elsewhere in the UK). This order will secure local jobs for many years. The Broughton factory is really vital to the local economy. Lots of skilled and relatively well paid jobs.

I was brought up only a few miles away in Buckley and the factory was always an important major local employer. My father actually came down from Scotland to work at the factory in the Early 50’s when it was owned by Dehavillands. He was a member of the Electrician Union, a shop steward and its Assistant Branch Secretary for many years.

Keeping it in the family, my “little” sister’s husband, is an aircraft technician who has worked at the site and is currently working for Airbus on its production line in Spain.

It seems that the unions in the US are “kicking off” about this order, since they wanted the work to go to Boeing. I think we can all understand this. However, I believe that 80% of the contract will still be carried out in the US?

Anyway, Hapus Dydd Dewi Sant – this is even much, much better news than last year!

"St David's Day Massacre" UNISON Centre Left win London Labour Link

UNISON members win again in London Region Labour Link Elections announced today, 1 March 2007. Following the success in last month's UNISON Regional Council AGM, the "centre left" have again pretty much "swept the board".

In an election of all Greater London branches ,UNISON activists and Labour Party members Irene Stacey, Rachel Voller, Louise Couling, Theresa Debono, Alan Griffiths, John Gough, Bill Beeko and Ian Horrigan, Sam Selon and I were elected to Labour Link Regional committee.

Theresa, Irene, Louise, Sam, John (Gough), Bill and Ian were also elected to National Labour Link Forum, while Louise and I were elected as delegates to Labour Party conference.

All of us I am sure, congratulate the other successful candidates (Helen Martin, who was elected onto Regional committee and Pam Woods, who will be a Forum delegate). We will look forward to working with them and commiserations to those who were not elected.

Our elections statement stated "We believe that UNISON’s Labour Link payers’ views are best represented by those who place UNISON members’ interests first – above those of extreme political parties and factions. As active members of both UNISON and the Labour Party we are committed to improving communication between Labour Link members and those elected to represent them, making sure the voice of UNISON members is heard loud and clear."

I am certain that we all intend to live up to our mandate.

Hapus Dydd Dewi Sant (hope it was a Happy St Davids Day for you as well!)