Shop at a Co-op with your blue membership card? Look out for your ballot and vote #YesToMotion9 🗳️

(as a regular shopper at the co-op, co-operative party member and a proud Labour and Co-op Candidate in the local Council elections next month you can hazard a guess which way I will be voting on motion 9)  Dear John, Do you regularly shop at a Co-op using a blue membership card? If so, that means you are a member of the Co-operative Group – and as a member, you may receive a voting pack by email or post this week to take part in their annual members' vote. Every year, Co-operative Group members vote at their AGM on whether to continue the partnership between the Co-operative Group and the Co-operative Party. If you receive a ballot by email or post this week, vote Yes to Motion 9 to ensure our historic and successful partnership continues. Unsure if you are eligible to vote? You can check if you have met the qualifying criteria on the Co-operative Group's website.

 

Check if I can take part

 

For more than 100 years, the Co-operative Party and the co-operative movement have worked hand in hand to build a society where power and wealth are shared. Today, that work still continues through our partnerships with the various co-operative retail societies. From standing up for shopworkers to promoting fairtrade and fair tax, together the Co-operative Party and the Co-operative Group are a powerful force for positive change. But to keep delivering on behalf of the co-operative movement, we need your support. If you have received a ballot, you have until midday on the 16th of May to cast your vote. If you're voting #YesToMotion9, you can help us now by sharing the news on social media! Just use the buttons below.

 

Say you're voting #YesToMotion9 on Twitter

 

Share our #YesToMotion9 post on Facebook

 

Share our #YesToMotion9 post on Instagram

 

Tell your friends you're voting #YesToMotion9 on WhatsApp

 

If you have any questions about the Party's work over the past year, you can find out more online at party.coop/coopagm22 or email us at mail@party.coop.   Voting only takes a few minutes but it means the world. Yours in co-operation, Joe Fortune General Secretary Co-operative Party

 

Co-op keeps DB pensions for 100,000 staff

Well done to the Co-op for keeping open its Career Average Defined Benefit Pension scheme for its 100,000 employees. 40,000 of whom are not members at the moment and are eligible for auto-enrolling. Gary Dewin, director of pensions for the group, said:“The scheme is a fantastic recruitment and retention tool. We wanted to stand up and look like we were an employer of choice.”

The Co-op scheme is 96% funded and I think helps proves the lie that there is no future for DB schemes.

The retail sector seems to be taking a lead in providing decent pensions for its staff. I posted on Morrison’s "bucking the trend" on DB last week. While recently I went to a pension meeting and met a trustee from the John Lewis (Waitrose) DB scheme which is not only still open but also still non contributory to employees!

Wednesday PM – Co-op, Education (Free School Meals), Royal Mail Pension

Gareth Thomas MP, chair of Co-op Party addressed conference. The Co-op movement is on a bit of a roll at the moment. It’s not just about the failure of the demutualised banks and building societies but new interest in co-operative provision of public services – housing, hospitals and even schools.

The Education debate saw a barn standing speech in favour of free school meals by Newham Councillor Unmesh Desai (see picture). Newham is part of a government pilot to offer free school meals to all primary schools. A commitment to roll this programme out nationally in the Labour manifesto next year is IMO a "no-brainer".

Next we had some alternative show business glamour with awards given out by the Labour Party supporter Eddie Izzard.

Billy Hayes the CWU General Secretary successfully moved the emergency motion on the Royal Mail pension deficit. This deficit is mostly due to contribution holidays by the state owned Post Office during most of the period of Tory rule and the Party will now be pressing the government to take responsibility for it.

Somerfield’s adoption by the Co-operative family

Our local Somerfield (in a very handy location just next door to Forest Gate Station) is now giving out leaflets about being part of the “Co-op family”. I also got a marketing email today about this (see picture left).

I have asked staff when the full rebranding will take place but they were not too sure. But good news for us local residents and no doubt the staff.

I am a member of the “Co-op” (and the Labour affiliated Co-op Party) but there had been nowhere locally to buy goods and groceries since the stores in Leytonstone and Stratford closed many moons ago.

Tonight on BBC local News I watched a report on a campaign to have the former East End work house and mental health hospital, St Clements, (where I use to do trade union site safety inspections - a very interesting experience) turned into a Housing Co-op site and Community Land Trust.

The mutually owned Banks and building societies have been attracting fresh interest since it appears that due to their ownership structure they have survived the recent financial turmoil much better that their Joint Stock competitors (not all of course). There is never the less a lesson here for the benefits of active ownership.

The Co-op financial services has also recently taking over the Britannia Building society (a long term partner with UNISON) to produce a new “super mutual”.

So it appears that the Co-op movement in the UK (and especially Newham) seems to be on the march again.

BTW - I must admit that I was disappointed that last week while on a self catering holiday in the Durham Dales I could not use my membership card at local Co-op stores when making purchases. Especially since we were asked every purchase if we had a shareholder account number. I appreciate that local Co-op’s are proud of their independence but I think that it would benefit the movement as a whole if your support by spending at other Co-ops was recognised in some way.

Just a thought- not really a moan.

May Day Good News - Co-op applies to takes on Fund Managers

I wasn’t able to go to today’s trade union May Day march in London but instead I will post some good Labour movement news. I heard this week that the Asset management arm of the Co-op has applied to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to be external fund managers.

At the moment the Co-op has its own in-house team of managers to run its successful range of mostly ethical investment funds. But they only manage in-house Co-op funds. Now the Co-op has decided to apply for permission from the FSA to make tenders as fund managers to all Pensions, insurance and Charity funds. I cannot find any Internet link but I am assured by a reliable source that this is happening and it is public.

This is really good news. While I am sure that the Co-op is not perfect its mutual values in equity investments has proved itself yet again in the current financial crisis.

There are many good banking and private fund managers but also too many rogues who frankly just rip off pension funds in return for rotten performance. Having a major player in the market place that is successful and ethical will drive up standards across the whole industry.

I would also imagine that the prospect of having the Co-op as Fund managers will be very attractive to many fund trustees. I am sure of course that scheme financial advisers will "welcome" the entry of the Co-op and I will be interested to see who (assuming that the FSA gives permission to the Co-op to become external fund managers) shortlists them to a beauty parade for a new investment mandate (or not).

Making Newham the First Ever Living Wage Borough

Newham Co-op Party and TULO Meeting on tackling Poverty

Last Thursday's meeting with guest speaker, local MP for West Ham, Lyn Brown (see centre of photo) to tackle poverty in Newham, East London (home of the 2012 Olympics) was probably one of the most constructive and positive local Labour Movement meetings that I have attended. This issue is all about helping to progress social justice and can unite all sections of the Party and trade unions.

The debate began by describing the good work that had been carried by trade unions such as the T&G and community groups elsewhere in London. Making sure large institutions such as Banks and Universities, check that all their staff (including sub-contractors such as cleaners and security staff) are paid a "living wage" in London (£7.05 p/hour). The "minimum wage" is a massive achievement for the Labour Government and those (relatively few) trade unions who fought for it. However, everyone who lives in London knows that the cost of living in the capital is far more than elsewhere (please note I was brought up outside London).

Lyn gave a detailed and sober speech describing the scale of the problem in Newham, with research that shows 20% of Newham workers earn less than the living wage and the impact that such low pay has on deprivation and crime. She also pointed out that raising pay levels alone will not be enough due to the extraordinary high level of rents in Newham. The benefit and tax system will also need to be reformed. The continued failure to treat Newham as an inner city borough with regard to the Government financial settlement also needs to be successfully challenged.

There was a wide ranging discussion with contributions from everybody present. Following which we decided: -

1. To Campaign for a Living Wage in Newham.
2. To work in partnership with Newham Labour group, Newham MP's Lyn Brown and Stephen Timms, other relevant elected politicians and local community groups (TELCO/Community Links) to achieve this aim.
3. A working Party should be set up to plan ahead John Saunders (UCU), Cllr Jon Knotts (UNISON), Cllr David Griffin (Amicus), Gloria Hanson (UNISON), John Whitworth (UCU), Cllr Amarjit Singh (TSSA) and me (UNISON).
4. It was proposed to identify several large employers (The Council, universities/colleges, Banks, Supermarkets? ) located in the borough and approach them to find out what they pay staff. If they fail to pay a living wage then to engage with these employers in order to make them change their mind.
5. Including approaching Pension fund trustees to consider lobbying fund managers and company AGMs?

6. With Lyn's help organise a delegation of Newham affiliates to lobby ministers.
7. Encourage trade union membership in Newham as the best way in the long term of improving pay and conditions.

I'll keep people posted on our success (or otherwise) however this is the sort thing that I think all London Labour Parties and trade union affiliates (and other areas outside London with above average living costs) should be working upon.

Tomorrow is the UNISON regional Labour Link forum and I will be proposing a motion regarding a "Living wage", which if accepted I will post later and which readers are welcome to use to submit to their own branches/wards.

Newham Living Wage Campaign - Thursday 22 Feb - Lyn Brown MP

Lyn Brown MP speaks at meeting organised by Newham "Trade Unions for Labour" and Newham "Co-Operative Party". To discuss the campaign to make Newham a "Living Wage" borough.

Thursday 22 February 2007, 7.30pm for a 7.45pm, start West Ham Labour Party HQ, 306 High Street, Stratford, E15 1AG. All affiliated trade unionists/ Labour Party/Co-op members welcome. Please note that the Co-op Party will be holding its AGM immediately beforehand so please avoid arriving before 7.30.

Further details Contact John Gray Newham TULO 0795 769 6299 or John Saunders Newham Coop Party 07956 809 788.

My 21 year niece works in a shop in north Wales and she is paid the minimum wage. Despite working full time, she finds it practically impossible to pay her rent and bills. The cost of living in Wales is much lower than London. Now, if she finds it very difficult to live on her money how on earth can people survive in London on the the same minimum wage level as North Wales? For many years trade unions and community groups have been campaigning for a London Living wage.

Below is a extract from London Citizens on this issue:

The Living Wage is the level of pay and conditions that enables a full-time worker to make ends meet for themselves and their family.

Workers in London should be at least:
Paid a Living Wage (£7.05/hour).
Eligible for 10 days full sick pay.
Eligible for 28 days paid holiday (including Bank Holidays).
Given access to a recognised trade union.

London is an expensive city. The principle of London Weighting, that wages should reflect these higher costs, is long accepted. However, the statutory minimum wage is set nationally and does not take regional variations into account. Due to the high cost of living in the capital, the national minimum wage keeps families below the poverty line. It is currently estimated that 400,000 Londoners fall into this working poverty gap.

The London Living Wage currently stands at £7.05 per hour, well above the national minimum of £5.05 per hour. The background to this figure can be found in A Fairer London: The Living Wage in London (GLA 2006).

For more information about Living Wage figures in other UK areas, please contact Deborah Littman at UNISON (d.littman@unison.co.uk).