TUC Congress 2018: Tuesday Day 3

Still catching up on posts about last week's TUC Congress. After a "late night" on the Monday following the UNISON TUC delegation social (and aftermath) I was in Congress for the 9.30am start on the Tuesday but a little slow on "twitter" for some reason.  

I was really pleased at Congress for the support for "Show Racism the Red Card’s Wear Red Day, which this year will be on 19 October.

Lunchtime, I went to the "digital transformation for unions" fringe where Chair, Jenny Andrews, of Unions21 made it clear that we have to learn from Darwin survival of the fittest theory and as a movement either "adapt or die" to digital change (I sort of agree but not totally). 

Alison Charlton from UNISON digital team spoke about the quote that when digital transformation is done right, it is like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly but when it is done wrong, all you get is a really fast caterpillar.  She also made a really important practical point that don't just ask what people want from digital - but instead ask what is the problem & what do they want to achieve?  Her role as a professional is to provide the digital solution.

Ali Melanie from the NUS said the next big human rights issue will be on our data rights. People are still trying to grapple with the concept of "Ethical digital". He answered my question to the panel on how to deal with all the digital "babble" out there by saying we need to try and compartmentalise the information that unions send out to make it relevant. 

When an assistant general secretary from a more "traditional" union (who many years ago I was on an WEA Employment rights course with him) asked how he can digitalise union circulars sent out to members? Ali asked in apparent all seriousness "what is a circular?". 

I was interviewed by Dr Jeong-Hee Lee, a researcher from the Korean Labor Institute about collective bargaining in Local Government! We also discussed the UK Labour manifesto on this topic. She interviewed me a few years ago when she was researching her PHD. I was given a lovely gift for taking part in the survey. A traditional Korean image on a USB stick (see bottom right on college).

Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell MP, received a standing ovation after announcing to Congress on how he will be able to pay for nationalisation & public services. He has found the Tory Government Magic Money Tree in the Cayman Islands. He will dig it up and bring it back to UK to be planted!

In the evening I went to the "People's Museum" for the Daily Mirror fringe on the fantastic "Wigan Pier Project". It tracks where the author George Orwell went in the 1930s when he was researching his famous book "The Road to Wigan Pier". George wrote about the hunger and poverty he found at this time, while the project has followed in his exact footsteps and compare his findings with the dreadful child poverty, homelessness and unemployment in modern day Tory Britain. 

The Fair Work Agenda: Labour Leadership Contenders on Fair Work and Trade Unions

Check out this very useful report by Unions21 on where all  the Labour Leadership candidates stand on Fair work and trade unions.

"The exam question Labour’s leadership candidates were posed for our new publication was set by the Unions21 steering committee: “Outline your views on fair work, particularly focusing on work quality, pay, training and productivity”. A straight forward interview question from leading trade unionists for those vying for the job of Labour leader or deputy.

But the articles submitted in response are revealing on a number of fronts, they seek also to answer some of the more fundamental questions union members might have. How deep is your connection to the trade union movement? What ability do you have to remake the case for trade unions? What future do you see for Labour and the unions?

Not only – What policy prescription do you have? But also, how will you persuade people?
And importantly: Are you an election winner?

The process, we hoped, would be a useful exercise for the candidates in organising and presenting their thoughts on ‘fair work’ directly to a union audience. The result is a rich resource for trade unions and those interested the future of the world of work.

Yvette Cooper begins the collection with a positive vision of a high value, high tech economy. She will ensure 3% of GDP is invested in science and R&D to deliver it—and 2 million more manufacturing jobs. Increased productivity and trade growth need to be national targets. Meanwhile, tribunal fees will be scrapped as will the two year qualifying period for unfair dismissal claims. Her view is that unions and Labour face a common challenge in needing to respond to a fast changing world or be left behind.

Andy Burnham also sees investing in the skills and industries of the future as key. He emphasises the need to boost pay at the low end – and will make any rises in the Minimum Wage apply to working people under 25 years of age. He will create parity between academic and technical education. And Councils will be allowed to build more homes.

Liz Kendal’s article remakes the case for trade unions, drawing on examples of their contribution to campaigns for the National Minimum Wage and their practical success in boosting training. Liz aspires to make it easier for unions to organise and deliver for members. She will bring in online balloting for industrial action, and put employees on the boards of firms.

Jeremy Corbyn describes a crisis in the labour market “not of quantity, but of quality”. He sees unions as “the most effective force for equality in our society”. He will restore national pay bargaining and above inflation pay rises in the public sector. He wants trade unions to have the right to access workplaces to recruit and organise. Jeremy’s prescription of wage councils in low paid industries and an extended remit for the gangmasters licensing authority are broadly in tune with the ideas explored in Unions21’s Fair Work Commission project of 2013.

Caroline Flint’s article begins our collection of articles from Deputy Leadership candidates. Caroline believes union recognition creates better firms – a view she has backed with organising action in her own constituency. She believes “flexibility should not equal insecurity”. Caroline’s range of policy ideas includes a duty on employers to provide employees who make a complaint a list of agencies that could represent them, to include unions.

Stella Creasy uses the lyrics of Billy Bragg’s “To Have And To Have Not” to set the scene for her article. Stella’s focus is on Labour’s regaining of momentum and winning form. “Winning is the only way we can guarantee a government that respects and appreciates trade unions”. Unions are partners to business in building a productive economy, and to Labour in providing the energy, experience and ideas for an effective alternative government.

Ben Bradshaw as Deputy Prime Minister would see the return of the union learning agenda in government. Ben wants to see it grow into a bigger and stronger programme than before 2010. High quality apprenticeships are part of the route to the high skilled jobs of the future. Ben supports workers on boards and wants to see the Equal Pay Act and Equality Act fully implemented. He wants Labour to do more work with unions to develop the next generation of political leaders.

Tom Watson identifies the Government’s “one dimensional political approach to employment” centred on private sector job quantity rather than quality, as a key issue. He believes industrial policy, more ambitious employment standards and collective bargaining are all part of the answer. Speaking as a former trade union official, he paints a picture of a workforce under pressure and his desire to work with unions from “day one” to improve the world of work.

Angela Eagle focuses on pay and training. As Deputy leader she would fight for all workers to be paid a proper living wage, champion stronger sector skills training and strengthen collective bargaining.  Of the Government’s attacks on unions Angela says “A government that was serious about representing workers and ensuring they’re treated fairly would work with trade unions, not try to use the law to weaken them”.

Three conclusions can be reassuringly drawn from this collection: The field of Labour leadership candidates see unions as crucially important to a fair economy, they believe in the role of government in creating the conditions for high quality work and training, and (whether they win or lose the contest) each have a range of credible policy prescriptions to take forward.

Reading across the contributions there is common ground to be found on investment in skills and further education, the prescription of partnership between employees and employers to increase productivity and the need for action on low pay.

Unions21 will continue to work with these politicians, and across all political parties where we find support for a sustainable future for the trade union movement".

Unions21 Conference 2013

This post is a little late but is about the excellent Unions21 20th Anniversary conference, which took place on International Women's Day 8 March last month at Congress House. I was there in my personal capacity.

The first speaker was its director, Dan Whittle, who reminded everyone that Unions21 was set up to support the miners during their strike in 1983.

Next was Jon Cruddas MP who gave his usual individual slant on the Labour movement. He pointed out that the Labour Party had always lost elections in the past after crisis's in capitalism.

He thinks that Labour has changed since 2010 and is now having a conversation about workers rights, board representation, reform of Banking, infrastructure, housing and having a real partnership with the unions.

As an aside he said that before he had been appointed to co-ordinate the Labour Party policy review there had been 40 different policy groups including one on combating loneliness which had been inquorate and had never quite manged to meet. Now there were only 3 groups.

New General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, Frances O'Grady, described Unions21 as the Labour Movement equivalent of the Taxpayers Alliance, except they had more brains and less money. She called for a return of wage councils especially for sectors that can afford more than the minimum wage. Even the shock troops of capitalism such as the IMF recognise that we need to increase wages to increase demand in the economy.

The City has acted as one armed bandit in pushing up the pay of Chief Executives. There is no real checks and balances to hold them to account. Capitalism has reformed but the trade unions have not. We need to take a long hard look at ourselves. Strong trade unions are necessary for both wings of the Labour Movement to build one nation.

Other speakers were Lesley Mercer, TUC President who pointed out that the Australian trade unions had managed during the last general election campaign to take employment rights from being a non issue politically to the 2nd most important and this was probably responsible for the narrow Labour Party victory.

Carl Roper from TUC spoke about the clear link between the decline in collective bargaining and greater income inequality and that the unique selling point of union reps is that they are independent of the employer. Union reps actually save employers money. The government is suppose to love volunteers but the voice of employers who value reps and the way we deal with everyday difficult problems is absent.

Community John Park attacked the SNP Scottish Government for failing to ensure that (tax dodgers) Amazon used the £5 million subsidy they received to open a new warehouse to create permanent jobs. Instead nearly all the new 800 jobs were subcontracted to 3 employment agencies who employ workers on poorly paid, insecure 0 hour contracts.

In a presentation on "The future for union image" by Dr Brian Walker & Lesley Jeffries. Linguistic media data from 1993 and 2012 were compared. In 1993 unions were linked with disputes and aggression. All references were male. While in 2012 unions were linked with money and pay. Unions are still labelled as being angry, aggressive with reference to “Bosses and Barons”. Press ignore the fact that individuals can be taxpayers and union activists. Will Frances O’Grady be labelled a Baron?
Christine Payne from Equity spoke about her union realising that instead of the union telling its members how good the union was that it is better to have members telling members their stories.

Scarlet Harris, TUC Women’s officer, reminded us that more women are in unions than men. Unions have changed but only 25% of General Secretaries are women. There is still lots wrong and there exists a macho culture in too many unions. Unless we can keep our own house in order we cannot change society.

Ian Lavery MP is the Chair of the Trade Union Parliamentary Group (I once stayed at the same B&B with Ian at Party conference and had some interesting conversations with him). As a former coal face worker, he was on strike for 12 months during the miner’s strike and took over as President of the NUM from Author Scargill. He still sees himself as a Trade Unionist first and his role is to reduce the gulf between the trade unions and the Labour Party.

How do we get back the millions of trade union members and Labour Party voters both parts of the movement has lost over the years. We have no divine right to demand people to join. Need to attract people, explain and reach out. Politicians must be seen on the side of working people. He still sees himself as working class even though as an MP he earns £65k per year. Class is not means tested. We want more people with actual work experience, from the shop floor into Parliament. No more elites parachuted into CLPs as MPs. It is essential that the Labour is not just seen as being less nasty than the Tories. Together the Party and the trade unions can reframe the political argument.

Journalist Owen Jones reminded everyone that while the numbers of members of trade unions is down to 50% in public sector and 14% in the private sector, trade unions are still by far with 6 million members the largest democratic organisation in the UK. Trade unions also need to follow changes in workforce. There are now more workers in call centres than use to work in the coal mines.

John Slinger from “Pragmatic Radicalism led a "Change the Nation: 10 ideas, campaigns & wider social concerns unions can make common cause". This was 10 ideas pitched by individuals in 90 seconds with a 90 second Q&A from panel and floor. This was great fun.

There was an UnionHome award on the best post on the blog which was presented by Tim Lezard of Union News to Simon Sapper.

The last presentation was a fringe by Polling experts Survation on unions who have used opinion polling to argument their campaigns.

This was my first Unions21 annual conference and I was really impressed. This was just the sort of stuff that all unions should be thinking about and debating. My question to one of the panels about "whether or not the traditional Anglo-American trade union model that all bosses are the enemy is broke but what do we do about those bosses who do think unions are the enemy" got a little lost in translation but my fault for being too wordy.

While Unions21 is not affiliated to the Labour Party and there was plenty of criticism (often justified) of the Party during this conference. It was largely constructive and aimed at improving the relationships of both wings of the Labour movement rather than just moaning and finger pointing. I shall look forward to Unions21 Conference 2014.

(apologies for missing out some contributers out since I had to dash out of the hall a few times to deal with member problems)

Union News and witch hunt at London Metropolitan

On Friday I went to the excellent Unions21 conference (which I will post on soon). There I met Pete Murray from the website Union-News, which I haven't really come across before.

Pete showed me via his smart phone his post on the victimisation of suspended UNISON NEC member Max Watson,  Jawad Botmeh and Professor Steve Jeffries by their employer, London Metropolitan University.

Max sits behind me at UNISON NEC meetings and while we don't always see "eye to eye" on some issues, this attack on him and his colleagues by the University seems pretty stupid, over the top and malicious. UNISON NEC and the Presidential team have sent strong messages of support.

Tomorrow lunchtime the UNISON London Metropolitan branch is holding its Annual General Meeting at the Resource Centre in Islington, which is also the location of my UNISON branch office. I hope to see Max there and offer my support.

Unions21 Anniversary Conference 2013

Date: 8th March 2013

TUC Council Chamber, Congress House, Great Russell Street, London

To register CLICK HERE.

STARTS 9.00 am with Keynote Speakers:
Frances O'Grady - TUC General Secretary
Jon Cruddas MP - Co-ordinator of Labour's Policy Review
Other speakers: Sue Ferns (Chair), Owen Jones - Writer, Manuel Cortes - General Secretary of TSSA, Scarlet Harris - TUC Womens Officer, Ian Lavery MP - Chair of the TU Group of MPs, Ros Bragg - Director of Maternity Action, Sam Smether - Grandparents Plus, Laura Bates - Everyday Sexism.

This all-day event is the 20th Anniversary Conference of Unions21. Lunch is provided. A £50 delegate fee can be paid via paypal or an invoice sent to you or your union after the event. For more information email dwhittle@atl.org.uk

AFTERNOON SESSION 1: Sharpening the Sword of Justice
FORMAT:

- 90 SECONDS PER SPEAKER TO PRESENT A POLICY IDEA (up to 15 speakers)

- 2 MINUTES Q&A PER POLICY

- ONE VOTE

- ONE TOP POLICY

YOUR CHANCE TO PITCH A POLICY IDEA TO HELP UNIONS TURN THE TIDE….

Union campaigns have changed Britain for the better. Unions are listened to by politicians and employers. In this session we’ll hear from advocates for a variety of issues that could be the focus of the next big campaign for unions. Ideas will be pitched in 90 seconds, followed by up to 2 minutes of Q&A. The audience will vote on which idea or cause they think should be Top of the Policies.

To have the chance to present your 90 second policy idea on the on the day, 

Send to PragRad Chair, John Slinger john.slinger@pragmaticradicalism.co.uk

Fair Work Commission

I have just taken part in a survey for the Unions21 "Fair Work Commission". 

The aim of the commission is to "bring together new ideas on how we reduce unfairness in the workplace and improve the offer to British workers.

Running from November 2012 to March 2013 the inquiry will be guided by Commissioners Sue Ferns (Chair of Unions21), Lesley Mercer (President of the TUC), Manuel Cortes (General Secretary of TSSA), Carl Roper (TUC National Organiser), Lord John Monks (A member of the Unions21 Board of Directors) and Byron Taylor (TULO National Trade Union Liaison Officer). The Vice-Chairs are the members of the Unions21 steering committee including the Commission’s Secretary Dan Whittle.

To submit evidence to the Commission take the survey by clicking here. Or email your input on the questions below to dwhittle@atl.org.uk. The written evidence gathering ends on 10th January 2013".

UnionHome

I've just submitted an article to the new UnionHome website launched recently. This is an offshoot of

Unions21. It's editor is Dan Whittle.  

"Since we launched UnionHome last week it's been visited over 1,000 times. Simon Sapper writing for the blog today, says 'UnionHome is great, but surely it's long overdue?'. Help us ensure we publish views from across the union movement by writing a blog for us. Reply to this email with your ideas.
New thinking from UnionHome you might have missed:

1. Lessons of the Living Wage for Unions - Lord Glasman

2. Union Members More Likely to Vote in General Elections - Rafael Gomez and Alex Bryson

 

3. If it's Buy-In You Want, Forget the Shares-for-Rights Scheme - Michael Wheeler"

I would agree with Simon Sapper that UnionHome is long overdue. Good luck Dan and I hope it works.

An evening seminar with Ged Kearney - President of ACTU

Last Thursday I went to a seminar by the President of the Australian Congress of Trade Unions Geradine (Ged) Kearney at Congress House. The event was sponsored by TUC international office and Unions21.

Ged has a nursing background and gave a honest and articulate appraisal of the Labour Movement in Australia (they have a Labour Party and affiliated unions in a similar way to the UK). The current Labour Government is in trouble in the polls and Ged fears a Conservative victory in the next General election.  Despite being only a minority government it has done a lot of progressive things such as the Fair Work Act. While they wish the Labour Government had done more, they dread the return of a Conservative government. One campaign issue in the future by the unions will be to try and help build a truly progressive space for the Labour Party to step up to and fill. 

I asked a question about the trade union run pension funds in Australia which I understand are very successful but currently under attack. Ged replied that they are a success story with the fund she helps manage worth over $20 billion yet the market has always been "pissed off" (Aussie for upset) by the idea of workers controlling their own capital and there has been constant attacks on union pension funds for no reason whatsoever.

I'm not sure how long Ged is in the UK but if you get a chance to go and see her speak I would recommend it.

Update: I am reliably informed that Ged is now at the ILO in Geneva and is then going home but no doubt she will return to the UK at some time in the future.

Check Owen's more detailed and complete report of this meeting at Stronger Unions.

Unions21: Unions and the New Economy

On Friday I went to a well attended Unions21 Conference on the "New Economy" at TUC Congress House. Unions21 describes itself as a "an ‘open space’ for discussion on the future of the trade union movement".  Which I thought it certainly achieved that day.

There was a series of speeches, workshops and debates. Frances O'Grady (TUC Deputy GS) was opening key note speaker. I attended a workshop on "What does Good Work Look Like" then a debate on "Women, Power and Trade Unions". After lunch I went to another workshop on "Can the Private Sector really drive Growth?" then I enjoyed immensely the final "Question Time" debate.  

I was my normal gobby self with questions to the panels and I did "tweet" during the conference on various bits and bods that took my fancy. Check out all such contributions on #neweconomy12 hashtag. 

Is there any similar "blue sky" open forum on the future of trade unions?

TUC Congress 2011: Unions21 Fringe on The Future of Union Image

Union21 used this fringe to launch a viral recruitment video which I missed but I was present for a panel debate on “The Future of Union Image”. The panel included left to right Captain SKA (producer of this music video); Kerry McCarthy MP, Sue Ferns (Chair), author David Seymour and Luke Crawley (Bectu assistant general secretary).

Luke warned unions from using too much jargon, and did not accept that unions need to change their image; the real problem is the barrage of anti-union propaganda in the media. Even the Guardian and Observer are “ambivalent” and join in the attacks when the unions threaten action. Unions need to prove to potential members that they can win or protect things such as the recent success Bectu have had using the National minimum wage. 

David Seymour (author of “Why join a Union”) spoke next and countered that the unions have always had a bad media image. Even the old Daily Mirror was anti-union at times. Unions don’t understand that their members have changed. They use to be predominately blue collar men. They are now predominately white collar and middle class. Unions think that they are still “red in tooth and claw”. The “Bob Crow” image is the one people have of unions and industrial action. Need to find new ways of taking action short of strikes and build solidarity with consumer and workers.

Kerry agreed that the government and the media distort the image but the unions must look to themselves as well since too often the image of the union is macho, aggressive and not friendly to women. Trade unionists are members but also consumers – they should be treated in the round. In recent successful campaigns she took part in a care service was kept in house because the union got the relatives of clients to speak out.  

Captain SKA has only recently joined a union. He is a professional self employed musician and producer. He produced the “Liar, Liar” video for only £300 but it took lots of favours from his friends in the industry and it swallowed up a huge amount of time in promoting before the unions stepped in to help out. He had not been politically active at all beforehand but had been to well supported music concerts in Europe in the past which had been organised by political bodies but had not been overtly political events. He is surprised that there is not more opposition to this government by musicians. 

I thought that this panel debate on the union image was really interesting but we ran out of time and I had to run off back to attend Congress before the Q&A and so was not able to ask the “bleeding obvious” about what Unions should do when faced with an ideological attack against their members by an employer who refuse to engage or bargain in good faith (public sector pensions?).

There is surely simply no alternative to strike action over such a matter of serious substance when all possible alternatives have been exhausted and members are up and able for a fight.   In these circumstances it's the same now as it has always been.