UNISON Labour Link Forum 2012: Day 2

Saturday was the second (and last) day of this year's Forum in Cardiff. Check out the report on day one here. The traditional Labour Link Social had been held the previous night and "a good time had been had

by all" (it also raised money for UNISON welfare).

Forum started off at 9.15 sharp with a speech by our new UNISON President, Chris Tansley (and life long Labour Party member). Then a presentation on the UNISON Labour Link annual report and review of the year by Chair Steve Warwick and National officers Keith Birch and Julian Cooke.

In the feedback on the recent Local elections in May we heard about the computer tele-canvassing software piloted in London and Eastern region. It was such a success that there are plans to roll out the software to all regions and even possibly for Labour Link volunteers to use from home.  We were also shown the video by Southampton UNISON on how they helped get rid of its anti-union Tory Council in May (I will post when I find it).

Followed by motions on "Impact of the cuts on the Black Community"; "LGBT equality - reality not rhetoric"; Labour & Disabled people" and "The Labour Party and detrimental age discrimination".

Next were seminars on "Police and Crime Commissioners" and "Devolution". I chaired the seminar on "Devolution". Delegates from Wales, Scotland and London (who will not be facing Police Commissioners elections in November) came to together with Welsh Assembly Minister for Europe, Alan Davis (right of picture), Welsh Assembly member (and former MP) Julie Morgan and Dave Watson (UNISON Scottish Organiser and top blogger) to discuss the political impact of devolution on the Party and trade unions.

I said at the start that I was perhaps well qualified to chair this meeting since I was born and bred in Wales to a Welsh mother and Scottish father. I have since lived and worked in Scotland but have now spent most of my life in London (and am now a Councillor in the Peoples Republic of Newham where we have a 61-nil Labour majority).

Alan made the valid point that it was sometimes very frustrating being in a Labour Government in Wales since the UK media are completely obsessed about what is going on in the "SW1 bubble" and it's about time that London recognised that trains go down to Cardiff as well as up to London.  Julie made the very interesting point that this was the first ever meeting she had attended of representatives from Wales, Scotland and London discussing this issue.

Dave pointed out that before devolution he would give evidence to the London Parliament 2/3 times per year on Scottish issues. Now with a Scottish Parliament he is in Holyrood 2/3 times a week! London UNISON Labour Link Political officer, Steve Terry, also spoke about the work we are doing with Labour London Assembly members to hold the Tory Mayor, Boris Johnson to account. Difficult to do of course with someone who doesn't do anything.

After this there was Motions on "Renewable Energy" (another London Regional Motion) and a rule amendment on representation in Labour Link of self organised groups.

The Chair Steve Warwick closed the Forum and hoped that we all got home safety (the weather has been atrocious with floods up and down the country). Due to time limits he declined to accept a vote of thanks to the Chair from Bristol delegates (in joke).

On the way home I did feel reflect on Forum and felt very proud of Wales for not only keeping the faith and returning a Labour Government but also demonstrating "Socialism works" and (most importantly) "it can deliver" (Alan Davies).  

UNISON Labour Link Forum 2012: Day 1

Picture is of Andy Burnham MP, Shadow Health Secretary and key note speaker at today's UNISON Labour Link Forum which this year
takes place in Cardiff.

Labour Link is the UNISON political fund that is affiliated to the Labour Party. Delegates to the Forum are elected regionally and from our self-organised groups. The Forum began with a welcome from National Chair, Steve Warwick, who was the first to make the point about how good it was to be in a Country with a Labour Government. This was followed by motions on "Constitutional Change" and "The Welsh Approach".

Andy gave a short speech followed by a Q&A. He repeated his promise to appeal the Coalition Health and Social Care bill if a Labour government is elected in 2015. He warned Forum that we must not fall into the Tory trap and fight amongst ourselves. The Party must stop being dominated by elites and encourage more ordinary working people to become Councillors and MP's.

The next key note speaker was Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister of Wales - Prif Weinidog Cymru .  He was proud that the Party was implementing the Labour manifesto commitment to introduce a living wage for Wales. Carwyn said while it was desperately important to re-elect Labour in 2015, you had to give voters reasons why to vote Labour.

After this was more motions on "Public Sector Pay", "A New Direction for the Labour Party" (my branch and London region motion) and "defending the NHS". There were a number of attacks on the shadow Labour team over its shambolic response to pay and spending cuts. 

After lunch there was an address by Assistant General Secretary, Cliff Williams. He stressed the importance of  UNISON using its political influence alongside its industrial strategy. He also made clear that while UNISON does not mind debate, it will not tolerate attacks by Progress on our link with the Party.  An unaccountable organisation that has secretive funding, its own membership and is even a listed private company!

This was followed by seminars and a Parliamentary Q&A with Lillian Greenwood MP (former UNISON National officer), Dave Anderson MP (former UNISON President) and Derek Vaughan MEP.  Lillian defended Councils from Coalition attempts to blame them for cuts. I liked Dave's comment that Lib Dem MP's shamefaced excuses  for voting with the Coalition was "bo****ks". While Derek pointed out that £50 billion could be raised from a Robin Hood Tax (a Tobin or Financial transaction tax). Make the Banks pay to clear up their mess.

First day finished with more motions on "Universal Credit"; "Trade Union Facility time" and "Justice at Work".

You can follow the Forum on #lablink12

UNISON NDC 12: Labour Link fringe

On Wednesday lunchtime there was an informal fringe of UNISON Labour Link branch officers. Labour Link National Committee Chair Steve Warwick (left) and National Officer Keith Birch.

There was a wide range of Q&A's. One point that Steve was clear that the Party is going to have to listen to UNISON about pay in the public sector and end the freeze. 

I made a plug for the London motion on Income Inequality (I'll post on this later) which I think is a natural fit for unions and the Party. National Labour Link forum next month.

UNISON Labour Link National Forum:Day 2

Second day of Forum held this year at the Liverpool Marriot hotel. “A good time was had by all” the previous night at the traditional Labour Link Social.  For some reason a number of delegates were a little quiet and subdued.  Forum kicked off with more motions on future Labour Link policy and campaign priorities.  Yesterday we had debated and passed motions on The Economy; Spending cuts and the Black Community; ConDem attacks on public service workers; campaign for a Living Wage and a Robin Hood tax.  This morning we started with “Don’t CON-DEM young people; Pensions and Local Government Funding.

Next was the Labour Link Annual Report presented by Forum Chair, Steve Warwick.  Steve thought that Ed Miliband had a fantastic week around the News of the World scandal but when he goes knocking on doors canvassing for the Party people ask what Labour would do differently?  Labour has to be an opposition not just an alternative government in waiting. A party embedded in communities, leading the campaign and protecting the most vulnerable in our society.

Cllr Roz Gladden, the deputy leader of Liverpool City Council was this morning’s keynote speaker.  Roz started by praising the trade union link with the Party, proudly proclaiming that it would not be worth supporting the Party without the link.  She always remembers that she was a trade unionist before she became a Party member.  Labour won back control of the Council because the people of Liverpool had began to trust Labour again.  Never again should we indulge in gesture politics that merely feed our ego. 

After a break we continued with more motions on Housing (which I moved); the role of retired members in Labour Link; Building our own Coalition against the Cuts; Turning out the Labour vote at elections; defending the NHS; Education cuts; strike ballots and Families against Corporate Killers.  Forum finished at 12.30 with formal thanks to the Labour Link staff for organising Forum and to the Hotel staff for looking after us so well.         

Picture of London delegation including Rae Voller who is standing down as National Vice Chair.

UPDATE: Check out Ian Wooler World account of Forum here

UNISON NDC 2011: Protect our Pensions Fringe

On Tuesday lunch time there was a very well attended fringe on "Protecting our Pensions".  It was chaired by NEC member Steve Warwick, Roz Norman (Health service Group), Glyn Jenkins (UNISON Head of pensions)and Mo Baines (LGPS Pension rep). 
I missed the beginning.

In the Q&A I asked whether or not the true cost of past employer contribution holidays and lower than needed contributions had ever been calculated by the unions? If employers had always paid what they should have paid, what would our schemes look like now? 

I had been to a conference recently were it was asserted by a well known financial figure that £50 billion pounds had been taken (stolen says I ?) from final salary schemes due to past contribution holidays and reductions. Glyn responded by say thing he thought such a figure seemed plausible but he knows that for many years - employers paid far, fair less into schemes than employees.

My argument is of course that if the employers had paid in the traditional 10-12% of earnings into occupational pensions schemes every year for the past 30 years then things would look very different in the pension world than they do now. 

In other words many pension scheme members face now being Robert Maxwelled (aka robbed) due to the past misappropriation (theft?) of contributions?

UNISON Environmental Investing Seminar 2009

This was a well attended and absorbing national seminar organised for UNISON lay pension trustees, LGPS (Local Government Pension Scheme) member nominated representatives (MNR), other Pension and environmental activists.

Held in the NUT headquarters in Kings Cross it was chaired by UNISON NEC member (and Chair of National Labour Link) Steve Warwick in his usual good humoured but “let’s get on with business” no nonsense manner. National officers responsible for UNISON’s Capital Stewardship programme (Mr Colin Meech) and UNISON Green agenda (David Arnold) organised the seminar and they also spoke and took questions.

The first speaker was Ann Pettifor who is a fellow of the New Economic Foundation (NEF) who is perhaps better known for her work with the Jubilee 2000 campaign (cancelling developing world debt) and was also one of those to have predicted as far back as 2003 the recent “Credit Crunch”. Then Colin Hines from Finance for the Future and an advisor to Green MEP, Caroline Lucas.

The last speaker was Viktor Andersson from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CPD – “on behalf of 475 investors with asserts of $55 trillion”). Alan Broughall a UNISON activist MNR on the UK Environment Agency Pension Fund was unable to attend but we had a very good written report from him explaining why this fund is seen as a model of excellence.

I hope to post in the future on the specific presentations and Q&A’s. But what struck me the most are two things. Firstly on a more general point it was really good to see many of the various different strands of UNISON working together under the same roof. We had senior national and lay officers. We had activists from different service groups from all over the union and the UK. We had non union expert speakers of international standing. In a meeting chaired by the chair of our most important Political fund (IMO). All of us working together, educating each other and exchanging ideas. This was (pardon the pun) UNISON at its best.

Secondly on a more parochial basis. I was really interested to see another possible synergy from:-
1. As a quasi-Pension trustee who is aware of the need to have safe and secure sustainable investment opportunities for my fund and my trade union members who depend on their pension in their old age.
2. As a member of a pension scheme I would not want my savings to be used to harm anyone (including my fellow workers near or far and the wider society).
3. As a housing officer I am aware of the pressing need to get the money to build new homes for the overcrowded and homeless.
4. As someone concerned about the impact of climate change on society and the need to bring our housing stock up to modern energy efficient standards and provide green jobs.

This is of course my own personal opinion but surely we should be able to create investment vehicles that make it possible for our pension’s funds to invest safely in new build properties and to retrofit our existing public housing stock to modern efficiency standards. Backed by future rental yields and savings from reduced energy costs. Not only would this be sustainable it would reduce our carbon consumption and do no harm either to other workers or the wider economy. They will provide long term security for our pension funds to match future liabilities against asserts.

Win, win, win & win?

(Picture: Encouraging Green investments)

Forum 09: Harriet Harman

Harriet had a warm introduction from National Labour Link Chair, Steve Warwick. She seemed to be in a relaxed and confident mood. Started off making very positive remarks about UNISON being the voice of public services in CLPS, councils and Parliament. The importance of collective bargaining in workplaces. This is a very difficult time. Hard to overstate the crisis. Booming markets one minute then no housing boom. Then MP expenses. The anger of low paid UNISON members who are also paid out of public purse. Anger most of all from Labour Party activists since we expect these things of the Tories not Labour. Really important that don't judge all MPs by this standard. The strain does hang over all MPs. Important that we change the system. But remember also Cameron's £24,000 per year for his stately home. The Daily Telegraph deliberately used to the leaks to target Labour MPs. However, we can't say anything about it now since the public is so angry. There is more to come and Labour side will have to face very a difficult process. Tories want it to cloud the political debate.

What needs to be brought forward is if the Tories had been in power they would have said “let the banks collapse... let the recession take its course and cut public spending now”. At the recent international economic conference she had assumed that everyone would be flocking around Obama on his first visit – no, they were all following and speaking to Gordon about what to do over their economic crisis's.

Thanked unison for its work on equality and how without unison the Equality Bill would not have happened and still need our support. Cameron apologised yesterday about Section 28, now they have worked out it wrong but they are still voting against the Equality Bill.

The Q&A went okay. She answered questions about MP expenses., privatisation, pensions and equalities. She was not aware of plans to privatise and market test 75% of NHS services and said she was sure that there are no plans approved by ministers to do so.

She finished by reminding us that we have got to be determined and united. If we struggle between ourselves at the moment remember the Tories would slam the door on the unions. We have our disagreements but we must unite. Don't believe we are written off we are not.

Steve Warwick formally thanked Harriet for her speech and asked her to remind the Labour Party of the importance of having a manifesto for the next election that 1.3 million UNISON members can all sign up to for.

UNISON Housing Seminar at House of Commons

Yesterday morning I was present at an early UNISON seminar on responses to the Housing Crisis.

There was a pretty wide range of speakers. Heather Wakefield (Head of UNISON Local Government), John Cruddas MP, Cllr Tony Newman (LGA), Allan Riddell (Old Ford HA), Mark Thomas (Shelter) and Toby (forgot surname from Compass). It was chaired by UNISON Labour Link Steve Warwick in his capacity as a UNISON NEC Policy committee member. I was there as a London UNISON representative who works in housing.

UNISON is the largest Housing union in the UK. We have members in Council housing departments, ALMOs, Registered social landlords (Housing associations) and the supported housing sector. But also our 1.4 million members are either homeowners or tenants themselves or in need of affordable housing.

Some things I found interesting:

Heather – “Good Housing is the rock of social well being in our society”.... the BNP are the only ones to benefit from poor and adequate housing...many housing organisations up and down the country are getting rid of staff...our members should not be forced to buy”

Mark – “the government has to be bold”....need to increase grant rate....rethink tenure and the risks of homeownership.

John – need to “rebuild the mixed economy in housing”...the government target was for 240,000 properties per year....3 million in total...last year only 170,000 built, this year 100,000 – next year who knows? Need for state to step in and take the strain. Relationship between state and economy being fundamentally redrawn...not a great issue in ideology but a change in relationships...question of political will rather than economic...he is “optimistic” ...need to keep up the pressure.

Toby – reminded us that at current rate of new build each home will have to last 1200 years...it’s not possible to return to previous housing model...there was a housing cartel of private house builders who restricted supply to keep prices high...

Tony – Need a change in housing finance...there could now be cross party consensus in the LGA for Councils if they wish to start building again in partnership with RSL’s

Allan – New Housing Development used to subsidise management. Due to recession RSLs will face pressures due to increased rent arrears...there is still in London a £60-80,000 funding gap between the cost of new build and grant. Picture of Allan (bottom right) making everyone laugh is when he reminded everyone that RSLs do not want to buy the “off the shelf” new developments currently being offered to them by private builders because many of them are indeed “crap”!

There was a good Q&A. I asked the panel with my Housing Association Branch officer hat on whether it was a premature that some Housing associations are laying off development staff since everyone agreed there was a housing crisis and most thought that the government will have to provide extra funding soon? Much of the panel were very supportive and the words “crime”, “insane” and “short-sighted” was used to describe the sacking of specialist development staff. Some pointed out if they are unable to actually develop currently then they are in very difficult place.

On the Inside Housing web site here there is a piece on the seminar.

Afterwards while scoffing House of Commons “bacon and cheese” croissants (delicious but should be served with statins and aspirin) there were some very good ideas discussed about campaigning and what to do next.

I just might be, repeat, might be, finally understanding how housing development finance works.

UNISON Delegation Speakers

Dave Prentis moved the successful UNISON composite on local Government and Equal Pay. He also made an impassioned plea for Labour to "finish the job started by Barbara Castle" and ensure equal pay for women, so many of whom are still earning less than men for work of equal value.

While Steve Warwick spoke on debate about housing. He pointed out that only 1% of towns in this country had homes affordable to nurses.