The Miami 5

Yesterday I went to the AGM of the London UNISON Europe and International Committee. One of the speakers was Natasha Hickman from Cuba Solidarity Campaign who spoke about "The Miami 5".

These are 5 Cubans who worked for the Cuba intelligence agencies to infiltrate and spy on extreme right wing anti-communist terrorist organisations based in the United States during the 1990's. They were arrested by the US authorities and sentenced for espionage and conspiracy to murder (which they deny).

To be honest, they are obviously Cuban patriots who volunteered to spy in US and must have known the risks they would face if caught. However, it is clear that they were mainly working against right wing extremists who have murdered Cuban civilians and even western tourists in their "War" against the Castro government. It was also clearly unfair for their trials to be held in Miami which is dominated by Cuban exiles who are rabid anti-Castro.

Most importantly I am still completely and utterly amazed that the United States still shames itself by continuing with an economic "war" and blockade of Cuba. This is now 50 years old. What on earth is the point? The "Cold War" is surely finished?

So the US government does not like the Cuba government. So what? It doesn't stop the US trading with China? The US is acting like a regional bully and must stop the blockade, which serves no purpose whatsoever and is in fact completely counterproductive, since it serves as a rallying call for the Cuba government.

I asked Natasha what is going on and she said that to some Americans the word "Cuba" is like a full moon to a werewolf.

Picture is from the UNISON NDC conference where the wives of the imprisoned Cubans spoke about the hardships their families face from the years of imprisonment.

UNISON NDC 12: End of Conference

At 3.45pm on Friday the UNISON National Delegate conference begins to wind down with the traditional motion of thanks for our  President. Who this year was Eleanor Smith, a

NHS theatre nurse from Birmingham (see photo left).

The general idea is to gently tease the President with embarrassing reminisces and photographs from childhood.

Eleanor was in tears when her two daughter's spoke to conference about their Mum and how proud they are that she had been UNISON's first black President.

At the NEC meeting on Friday Morning Chris Tansley, a child care social worker, from Nottingham who did such a great job as Chair of the Local Government Conference debate on pensions, has been elected as the new president of UNISON together with Maureen le Marinel and Lucia McKeever as our vice presidents.

I don't think that you can really understand UNISON if you haven't witnessed the end of national conference. Anyway, roll on NDC 2013 which will take place I understand for the first time next June at the fair City of Liverpool!

UNISON NDC 12: What to do if your employer wants to close your pension scheme?

This picture is of me supporting the call for the TUC demo on October 20th was in the Friday morning edition of "London Calling" which is our regional conference new sheet. Next to it was this article I had written about:-  

"What to do if your employer wants to close your pension scheme?"

Tomorrow’s debate on the future of the traditional public sector pension scheme will be very important. But we must also remember the current threat to UNISON members in the Community and Private sectors.

Some employers have started consulting our members who work in Charities and housing association about getting rid of their pension schemes held with the Pension Trust and the Social Housing Pension fund. While the contractor Sodexo (which provides many privatised town hall and hospital services) is at this moment trying to close one of its defined benefit schemes.

If you are aware of any attempt to close your pension scheme you must get in touch with your branch ASAP. Do not believe the misinformation being put out about by some employers about how their pension fund deficits means they have no choice but to close. This is rubbish! In nearly all cases such “deficits” are completely artificial. Its "funny money". As everyone knows due to the recession the stock market is depressed and government bonds (which are used to measure such deficits) are at a 200 year historic low.

Most importantly, if you close your pension scheme it does not mean you get rid of the deficit. It is still there and could make things even worse since a closed pension fund has to sell its long term investments to raise cash to pay out existing pensions. 

I am writing a guide on what trustees and members should do if their employer tries to close your pension scheme. This should be out soon.

If the new look LGPS 2014 is accepted I hope it could become a model and beacon for all pensions schemes and lead to a rebirth of guaranteed defined benefit schemes - especially for the 60% of private sector workers who get no pension whatsoever from their employer".

UNISON NDC 12: Neville Lawrence addresses Conference

On Friday morning, Neville Lawrence, the father of murdered black teenager ,Stephen Lawrence gave a very moving speech to Conference about his family's quest for Justice. Neville and many delegates were openly tearful during his account
of what they had to go through (and still do).

Neville is opposed to the plans to privatise the Police service "he said: "I can tell you why it will be a disaster. If you privatise the police force, the government is no longer responsible. It won't be about crime any more, it will be about making money.

I had the privilege last week to meet and talk briefly to Mr Lawrence and to shake his hand. 

UNISON NDC 12: Branch Resources Review

If you are not a member of UNISON or a trade union then the chances are you are not going to be interested in this post. If you are a member of UNISON...then the chances are you are not going to be that interested either! Which is a shame because the future funding arrangement of our union is really important.

On Thursday evening I went to one of the two briefings on "Branch Resources Review" ably chaired by North West regional convener, Diane Kelly, together with my fellow NEC members Mike Hayes, Josie Bird and Elizabeth Cameron.  As well as Sotirios Loizou, Regional & Branch Development Officer and Steve Tasker, Director of Finance.

On average each UNISON branch receives back 23% of its members subscriptions. While the basic rate is 20% it varies due to geographical spread, reserves, whether you represent multi-employers or not and participate in our internal democracy (such as turning up to conference). The highest is 31% while the lowest is 17%.

UNISON has around 1000 branches and income of £170 million per year. This is a lot of money. There has been a growth in branch reserves from £33 million in 2002 to £55 million. However, most of these reserves earn an appalling rate of interest. Some £45 million of reserves only earns £58,000 (0.12%) interest per year. Which is just silly. UNISON estimates that if we invested these funds collectively (while ownership still remaining with branches) that we would earn at least £1 million extra per year!  Which to me is also a no brainier.

The review is also looking at encouraging branches (where it makes sense) to share resources and facilities with each other. Getting the money right is probably the most important thing the union can do. If we don't get this right then everything else we want to do is under threat.

As a former branch treasurer, current secretary and regional finance convener I thought the fringe went well but there were a few unhappy folk who seemed to me to carp and moan somewhat unnecessarily. Ironically they reminded me of a couple of tenant residents meetings  I've attended in the past where I was in the firing line because as you know - all council officers are useless, overpaid and forget who are paying their wages etc. Now I know people are worried about change but in a trade union setting I found such criticism to be honest - pretty off. Anyway, onwards and forwards.

UNISON NDC 12: Kicking the Far Right out of the Union

During the rules debate on Thursday afternoon I was really pleased that Conference finally agreed to change membership rules that will enable the union to expel existing members of far right political parties and refuse admission.

(It did help on this occasion that members of the People's Front of Judea finally showed enough gumption to publicly tell the Judean People's Front to stop their completely untruthful sectarian scaremongering and squabbling).

UNISON NDC 12: Defend the attacks on health and safety standards

On Thursday lunchtime I went to this fringe. UNISON National Health and Safety Committee Chair Nick Green chaired, John Bamford, Health and Safety Adviser, Greater Manchester Hazards Campaign spoke first. Followed by Robert Baughan, National Officer for Health and Safety.  Who is deputising for Hope Daley who is on a secondment.

During the fringe I made comments on some key points on Twitter again which I have used on this post. It saves making notes.

John started by arguing that there is "no evidence that health and safety is a burden to to business. Evidence instead that it is a benefit to business". "Today it the Longest day. We now have had 3 longest days since Cameron became Prime Minister and 700 long days to come".

"The "Brown Book" which contains the 1977 Safety Representative & Safety Committee regulations is the most powerful piece of worker legislation in existence". Regarding the new "Fit notes" for people off sick. John said that the only decent one he had seen was the one from a GP that said an employee can return to work "if the employer sacks the manager that is bullying him".

There has been a "1/3 cut in proactive safety inspection" by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Tories are now talking about "Getting rid of all safety protection for "low risk" self employed". The "Tories argue that work is not dangerous anymore! The TUC estimate 20,000 work related deaths per year. While Hazards believe that it may be as high as 50,000 deaths" 

Robert spoke about how we cannot rely on the HSE. Many of their officers are very good but it is fighting for its survival. In the Q&A I made the point that not only are cuts to the HSE making work more dangerous but that in my sector front line housing staff will take the blame for trying to deal with the cuts in Housing benefit as will other local authority staff dealing with the impact of government cuts. Check out the Inside Housing report here.

UNISON NDC 12: Elder Abuse motion

Conference, President, Joel Bodmer housing association branch Supporting motion 83 Elder Abuse.

It has often been said that you can judge a civilisation not by its wealth, standing or privilege but on how it treats it’s most vulnerable.

The later years in one’s life should be a time for reflection and enjoyment, an opportunity to spend time doing those things people never had change to do in chance to do in younger life. After years of hard work , contribution and service to our society. The very least people should expect is that their basic human rights are protected.

That they are afforded the existence so many of us take for granted, a life free from physical or sexual assault, a life free from psychological abuse, or financial exploitation.  But for thousands and thousands of older people this is not the case, trapped in an existence of fear, shame and misery.

Conference, the commendable Elder abuse campaign run by our retired members, comes at a time when services for older people are under assault.Day centre closure after closure, cuts to community’s services relied upon by older people, cuts to care services, and cuts to terms and conditions of care workers. Whilst the population continues to age and need for services increases. 

It is now more pressing than ever that this issue needs to be highlighted, a concerted fight to eradicate the abuse of older people, and restore dignity to the lives some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

This motion commits us to take a firm policy viewpoint on changing the law to ensure there is specific legislation to protect older people from abuse. As well as more broadly campaigning and highlighting the issues.

Conference, please support this motion.

(sign the UNISON e-government petition on Elder abuse here)

UNISON NDC 12: Paul Kenny TUC President and GMB General Secretary

Paul gave a humorous and barnstorming speech referring to the "risk" he was taking appearing with a "UNISON rope around my neck" (UNISON lanyard which held his ID pass) was a good start.

Relations with GMB and UNISON have not always been sweetness and light at times.

I did like this comment :- "He spoke of his pride in being a trade unionist.”Outsiders don't understand us - politicians, bankers, the media - because we don't match up with their values. We don't do what we do for money - we do it because we care."

UNISON NDC 12: Income Inequality

Gloria Hanson, Regional Delegate and Regional Convenor for the Greater London Region, moving composite E – Income Inequality.

UNISON has a tremendous track record in fighting inequality. But there is one form we seem to have stopped talking about. Income inequality. Wealth discrimination. As my mum would say – the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.

I know I don’t need to tell you this.  But it’s time to go back to basics. To expose the ever increasing gulf between rich and poor.

Today the richest 10%of the UK population own more than 100 times the wealth of the bottom 10%. What an absolute disgrace .

This is the biggest gap in wealth since the Second World War. What’s even more frightening is that the gap is becoming a gulf.

At work, income inequality causes low staff morale; resentment and mistrust from clients, residents and services users alike – where the ordinary worker earns chicken feed in comparison to the chief executive. Even ‘not for profit’ organisations are jumping on the bandwagon - paying huge salaries to senior managers and slashing pay and terms & conditions of those of us who actually provide services and do the job.‘not for profit’ organisations are jumping on the bandwagon - paying huge salaries to senior managers and slashing pay and terms & conditions of those of us who actually provide services and do the job.

 

The book "the spirit level" has shown a clear link between income inequality, health and social problems. If you haven’t read it –do; you won’t regret it. It proves that the smaller the gap between rich and poor, the more successful the society is. If we reduce levels of income inequality in the UK we could increase life expectancy, decrease infant mortality rates, reduce crime and achieve better education attainment for our children.

Countries where the gap between the top and bottom earners is almost non-existent like Cuba; prove it - 　　 improved mortality rates; quality free healthcare for all; quality free healthcare for all; lowest crime rates in all of Latin America; lowest crime rates in all of Latin America; 99.8 percent literacy rate.  They’ve got it right; all workers sharing the wealth of the country

But back to - ‘we’re all in this together Britain’. I’d like to know exactly WHO is in WHAT together;

The Tories are so divorced from reality. A reality where bankers – who we all know caused the financial crisis - are once again earning bonuses of millions of pounds each year. Whilst ordinary workers are still barely earning the minimum wage.  Having to do two or three jobs to put food on the table and simply pay soaring bills.

This Tory government is robbing the poor to stuff the bank accounts of the rich. Cameron; Clegg and Osborne are no Robin Hood or merry men; and I certainly don’t want to see them in green tights!

The Government isn’t listening; it’s blithely continuing with its agenda. So what is the answer?

Let’s go back to why trade unions were formed in the first place, why we formed the labour party over 100 years ago ......to campaign for workers and the working class.  We need to remember our roots and lead the way in the fight for a fair and just society. Work with other like minded organisations; campaign for laws to ensure income regulation in the public sector.

In the London region we have affiliated to the Equality Trust; and will work with them to raise this issue with our members and keep them informed of the facts. We must elect politicians with enough bottle to tackle this; to work with us to win a society where workers earn what they are due and not a pittance because the rest is in the pockets of the fat cats; chiefs and bosses

As a mother I want a better future for my children and for their children.  As a life-long Labour party member; I want Labour to be brave politicians who will grasp this nettle and return Britain to the workers.

As a trade unionist, I want my union to work within the Labour Party to campaign for this policy to make Britain a fairer place to live and work.  Workers across Britain know what’s wrong; but they don’t know how to fix it – we need to lead the way.

Conference – I move

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 NDC 12: Housing - Composite G

This is my speech that I gave yesterday during the Housing debate on behalf of the NEC.  "Vice President, Conference, John Gray, Community NEC member speaking in support of Composite G

Housing is a huge issue for UNISON, for our members, their families and communities. Yes, we have tens of thousands of members who like I, work in housing. But of course we all rely on housing for shelter, security and warmth.

But if you talk to any UNISON member, whether they work in housing or not, you will get a clear sense that something indeed is rotten with the state of housing in the UK. Even if you personally do have a home, we will all know someone who is struggling to find somewhere suitable and affordable to live.

The housing voice enquiry, led by UNISON, into the affordable housing crisis highlighted what the problems are.  The average number of new homes being built in the UK every year is at least 100,000 below what is needed. This growing failure of supply to meet demand is pushing housing costs up at the very same time our incomes are being hit.

In this context the housing options open to people on low to middle incomes have frankly been decimated.  In the year 2000 - households needed to save 16 per cent of their income for a deposit on a house. By 2009, post banker’s crisis, this had gone up 4 fold to 64 per cent.  The number of families on the waiting list is now 1.8 million. At the same time this Tory coalition government remains hell bent on cutting the money available for building new homes.

So a grim picture indeed conference and it gets even worse because it is the private rented sector where our members, will find themselves. Two startling facts from the UNISON member survey from last year.

One - that a third of our members have grown up children living at home with them 
Two - that there are now twice as any members living in the private rented sector as in the social rented sector.

The private rented sector of course does serve a purpose. It works for some people. But it’s also the sector with:


· the highest number of unfit properties
· people face the most insecure tenancies and the most unpredictable rent rises
· Rachman rip-off merchants, be they letting agents charging mysterious administration fees or dodgy landlords withholding deposits or not doing repairs.

The composite sets out a comprehensive programme of campaign work – all of it is valid, and will help us campaign for decent homes for all. Importantly it will also commit the union to campaigning for better regulations in the private rented sector.

The reality is that whilst we will campaign for more social housing, more of our members, their friends and family are finding themselves in the private rented sector. And they desperately need our help, our protection. Conference, please support this composite".

UNISON NDC 12: TUPE - Dealing with the challenge of privatisation and austerity cuts

On Tuesday evening there was a fringe  event on TUPE. Speakers were Dave Johnson, UNISON head of private contractors and community and Shantha David, Legal Officer, UNISON Centre and the meeting was chaired by AGS Karen Jennings.  Who was pleased that so many delegates were not tempted by the free Rum being offered at the Cuba Solidarity event next door.

Some key points:- TUPE is all about preserving existing rights not create new rights. It should apply if the "undertaking" continued and retained its economic identity after transfer. Unions can take legal action over Unfair dismissal, unlawful deduction of wages or failure to inform and consult.  If you refuse to transfer you will only be able to prove unfair dismissal if you can prove that you face a significant deterrent after transfer. Which is difficult to prove.

Any post transfer variation to pay would be void if carried out for reason of harmonisation with other workers. Vital to have a clear "paper trail"to prove any failure to inform and consult. Dave Johnson shared some interesting advice about what to do with employers who try and use "Austerity" as a justification for breaking TUPE protection (an Economic, Technical or Organisational reason) which I will not post upon but members can get advice from their branches and region.

UNISON will be publishing updated advice on TUPE and procurement soon. We need to improve TUPE especially over consultation before transfer. Work with the Labour Party to change TUPE when they are next in power.

In the Q&A that took place afterwards there were many "horror" stories about what some employers are planning or have done. UNISON members are very worried by these attacks as well as the complexity and uncertainty of TUPE.

(NB this post based on my twitter feed)

UNISON NDC 12: Dave Prentis Speech

Picture was taken from my table during UNISON General Secretary's speech to our national conference yesterday afternoon.

Check out link to Dave's speech hear

UNISON NDC 12: "Supporting organising on the ground"

Tuesday lunchtime I went to my first Conference "fringe".  Sue Highton  (NEC) was chair.  I was late so I missed the contribution from Graeme Horne, Branch Secretary, Birmingham LG.

However, I did listen to the branch organisers Louise Hoare and Lewis Carson who were employed via the UNISON fighting fund to recruit and organise in social care nursing homes. 

Many employers in the sector are either obstructive or even anti-trade union. They have had to resort to "cold calling" and leafleting outside workplaces. Yet they have recruited members and potential activists.  It is vital they support members to become activists or any recruitment will not prove sustainable.  A £10 "recruit a friend or colleague" prize proved successful.

Greg Thomson, Head of Strategic Organisers, UNISON introduced the new UNISON mobile phone app.  He was at pains to say that this is not a "new organiser" but there to support organisers. You can sign up members "on line". Diana Veitch, National Development Officer, UNISON explained that there will be 11 areas in the app. Three main aims is that it will enable mapping of members, be dynamic, efficient and future proof.

Roger McKenzie, AGS for Organising finished the seminar by saying what many members want from the union is a "superhero" to help them. What we need to do is to empower members to realise that they are the real "superheros". We do need to move away from a servicing model to organising model with a supportive servicing element.

Roger made it clear that there is no high tech substitute to talking to people but what we want to open is many gateways as possible. We do need to establish a new "2 way" relationship with our members. We need to look at the things we do differently.

UNISON Housing Association Branch blog NDC 2012

The branch delegation have their own blog on this year's conference here.

The UNISON Housing Associaiton (Greater London region) web site is here.