Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus: Happy St Davids Day

 

Thank you to the Tesco delivery driver who brought to my door turnip, parsnips, carrots and massive leeks despite the pouring rain for my Cawl this evening. Just need to get the neck of lamb and Caerphilly cheese. 

UPDATE: Yum

Licence to operate - Community Responsibilities of Companies LAPFF 2013

Picture of Josh Hardie, Corporate Responsibility Director for UK based supermarket giant Tesco. This is difficult times for Tesco who have recently announced a fall in worldwide sales.

Josh admitted that for 20 years Tesco's was seen as the challenger taking on the establishment. Now they are "the establishment".

There has been a loss of real energy because of this. The sense of bringing modern retail to the masses. The market is also changing. In recent years the number of people has risen from 42% to 53%, who believe, if price and quality is the same, that "Social purpose" is the most important factor in selecting a brand. 

Tesco don't want to say "We're big but..." instead "We are big and ...". They have 3 "Social purpose" campaigns to tackle global obesity; unemployment in young people and food waste. By tackling these issues they obviously believe that they are compiling with their community responsibilities and also promoting their brand.

While I am not sure that this is enough for such a major and powerful company, it is a start I suppose. 

Chris Byrant MP at West Ham Immigration Debate

Yesterday evening West Ham Labour Party and our MP, Lyn Brown, hoisted a debate on Immigration with the Shadow Minister responsible, Chris Byrant MP.

This took place in the courtyard of the Old Town Hall, Stratford, Newham.

Immigration is a sensitive political subject which the Labour Party has I think on the whole, a proud record.  Yet we were clearly punished over our policy in the 2010 election by some parts of our core vote. The Party has vowed to learn from this while not forgetting our values.

Newham is probably the most diverse borough in the UK and West Ham Labour Party reflects this. So it was fitting that Chris should spend an evening listening and debating with Party members on this key subject.

Chris started by saying that during the last General Election  he was asked questions on immigration that he did not know how to answer. While he won't enter into any "dutch auction" with the likes of UKIP, he understands that there is genuine concern about immigration and that this concern has nothing to do with racism.

The UK have had massive benefits from migration and he is not going to spend all day apologising for the last Labour Government, since we did many great things such as the longest ever period of  economic growth but we made mistakes - such as not stopping bogus collages and not restricting the right to work in the UK for new EU members - and we need to admit this to voters.

Chris attacked UK companies such as Tesco who have been quite happy to sack British workers in order to employ cheaper East Europeans on insecure and temporary contracts.   They exploit all workers for profit regardless of the damage they cause to society. Chris finished by making it clear that the vast majority of British people are not racist but they just want things to be fair.

Chris then spend over an hour on a open Q&A with all members of the audience. Everyone who wanted to ask a question or make a comment did so.

My question to Chris was that as a West Ham Councillor during a recent surgery I had a family from an immigrant background come to see me about a serious housing issue. During which a serious complaint was made about all these "foreigners" who just arrive in this country and get "given" homes immediately. While I challenged their "facts" I think that the real problem is the unfair and insecure employment practices in this country that allow such inaccurate views to be given credence.

During the last Labour Government, the Corporate tax dodgers at Amazon were given government grants to build a huge new warehouse. Yet they employed no workers on decent terms and conditions, only exploited agency workers from East Europe.  In the past when we had fairer employment practices, immigration had not been quite the issue that it has now become. This exploitation of all workers is now a cancer in our society and can only be addressed by fair wages and employment for all.

Chris did a terrific job holding his own amidst a mass of questions and comments often strongly put. He answered them all I think with honesty and at times humour.  This was a great debate for us in West Ham and I hope Chris will take back something from us as well to contribute towards the National Party discourse.

Hat tip for some of the pictures in collage to various #WesthamCLP Facebook friends. Click on collage to bring up details.

Tesco Value Burgers in a Previous Life: Every little helps

Hat tip Mrs Bee on Facebook.

London Marathon 2012 training: Week 2 - A Children's workhouse and London Welsh Chapel

Week 2 of my London Marathon training went pretty well.  The timed sprints are very tough, I'm not use to running at "maximum effort" but understand that it is necessary.  Touch wood - no broken bones! 

My Sunday morning programme today was a 45 minute "run" (not jog).  I went past last night's Newham Guy Fawkes Fireworks display on Wanstead Flats.  Across the road into Bush Wood.  Past the rear of the  Quaker Meeting House, which has the incongruous but understandable in the circumstances sign on its wall "No trespassers - keep out".  Next I ran past the Welsh Chapel near the Green Man roundabout in Leytonstone.  Incredibly there is a Welsh language service in the Baptist Chapel on the first Sunday of every month at 11am which I have been meaning for the past 20 years or so to attend.  One day...

Right next door to the Chapel is a large Tesco superstore.  What many people do not realise that this use to be a workhouse for children built by the Bethnal Green Poor Law Guardians.  It was a very big site and you must wonder how many thousands of children lived here and what their lives must have been like?  This report is pretty disturbing.

Under the Green Man  roundabout into Leyton flats then cross country behind Snaresbrook Crown Court before coming out at Eagle Lake.  Along Wanstead High Street, running the gauntlet of the Farmers Market and all those stalls cooking delicious smelling sizzling sausages and bacon butties.  Across George Green and then eventually back into Bush Wood and then along Wanstead Flats to home.  A good run.

TUC Trustee Pensions Conference 2010: “Shareholder Resolutions”

This post is yet another very late "catch-up".  The  annual TUC Pension Conference is the "Trustee" event of the year.  It was held at Congress House in London on 22 November 2010 and was packed out.

I missed most of the morning due to a regional committee meeting and came in during the end of the Stewardship Panel Q&A. 

I then went to a workshop on “Shareholder Resolutions” led by Tom Powdrill from PIRC, the notoriously shy and retiring UNISON National Capital Stewardship officer, Colin Meech and Unite National officer, Jack Clarke (see above left to right).

Tom explained that in December 2010 fund managers must explain why not or publish their voting record at the AGM’s of the companies whose shares they “hold” on behalf of investors.

To be able to table a motion at a British AGM you need 5% of total voters or 100 x £100 nominal value (Nominal £10k). You must table this motion within strict time limits to prevent the company charging you the full costs of circulating details of your motion.

There have been 8 Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) motions in the last 5 years. Mostly led by trade unions. Warning that many companies see such motions as a confrontational tactic. So you should try and make it appear constructive? Not "anti-company". Instead of appearing to give instructions make suggestions. However, direct motions may well be the only realistic option if companies are being unreasonable. To get the vote out you must contact all major shareholders, investor representative bodies and meet them - preferably face to face.

But you must demonstrate you have tried to engage with the company first. Note fund managers generally vote against ESG motions. Even those who claim to be supportive of ESG principles.

The LAPFF "Marks and Spencer" motion against a combined company chief executive also being the company chair was a landmark occurrence. There had been significant engagement beforehand about best practice. Stuart Rose now says that it was his worse mistake (not to separate the roles of Chair and CEO). Marks and Spencer have now a separate Chair and CEO and comply with best practice. The panel were "disappointed" that L&G tracker fund managers voted against this (why on earth did L&G do this?) and that they had 4.5% share of the company. Remember that there is only usually 50% turnout of shareowners at AGM's.  So you can have a greater affect even if you only have control of a smaller number of shares.  The ESG motion on anti-trade union activities of First Group in the USA did result in significant change in company behaviour.

Colin talked about the Fair Pensions BP/Shell Tar Sands motions and the UNISON staff pension fund which helped bring it about. UNISON staff pension scheme has a broad screening programme such as not to invest PFI contractors.They cleared the proposed motion with the Canadian PSI trade unions beforehand. The motion fitted UNISON policy on climate change. It was crucial to get the support of the large American public sector funds. 45% global pension funds are in the USA. He reminded us all of the Freshfields legal opinion's that such “responsible” investment is a fiduary duty of Trustees. Colin recommended the book Hawley and Williams “The Rise of Fiduciary Capitalism”.

Jack Clarke pointed out that Unite spend 10% of their budget on organising. He talked about the Meat workers campaign. They gained 10,000 new members and 250 new stewards. A key issue was agency working. Agencies undercut permanent workers and exploited staff. The Union wanted equal treatment. They worked on a supply chain strategy. 85% of the meat market goes to retail shops. They pushed Tesco and other large UK retailers in a pincer movement, above (by share motions) and below (from workers). Tesco is a key market driver. They tabled a solution at the AGM with West Yorkshire Pension Fund on this issue. 11% shareholders voted in favour and 7% abstained. There was widespread press coverage. ASDA signed a deal with Unite for equal treatment in the UK and Ireland. 50,000 workers affected in the UK and gained parity of pay and were now usually made permanent after 13 weeks agency work. Lessons: Resource intensive; you need to have economic as well as morale case. Needs to be more active engagement with trade union trustees. It is vital to deliver bottom up pressure on fund managers.