Defending pensions in the recession

Check out the official UNISON take on the CWC seminar in the E-Focus newsletter and link to here. The “Universal Owner” argument on which UNISON made a presentation during the seminar is really powerful and persuasive. In a nutshell this theory reminds pension funds that they not only won shares in companies and sector’s but they own the economy as a whole.

If for example they invest in a company that makes excess profits by damaging the environment with carbon pollution than this will be at the cost of the value of all its other investments in companies who will suffer financially from adverse climate change.

To save our pensions we need to think outside the box. Now more than ever.

Makes sense to me.

“Rule or Ruin” – The SWP gift to Politics and Unions

Now people may have gathered by now that I’m not that much of a fan of the ultra left Cult SPEW (aka as the “Socialist Party of England and Wales”). But I think that this missive here on the “Evil Ones” (aka the “Socialist Workers Party or SWP”) is pretty spot on.

Of course it is simply sour grapes and hypocrisy by SPEW since they would act in exactly the same bullying and oppressive way as the SWP if they were the largest UK Trot Party. Such is the nature of the beast.

Funny enough due to substained SWP electoral failure, splits and internal witch hunting, SPEW may soon actually become the new Trot maestro in UK politics! Mind you this means that they will still always be fully paid up members of the lost deposit brigade.

Hat tip thingy to Mac Uaid (who I believe use to be a fellow Newham Labour Party member?).

Check out the comments on this post for great “Life of Brian” meaningless infighting.

I do love it when they slag each other off as being “degenerate”.

1. “Why Not Trust the Tories? By Celticus

Col. Roi has kindly agreed to guest post Labour Movement iconic images and information for this blog. The first is the “Why Not Trust the Tories?” by Celticus (better known as Aneurin Bevan). As true now as 1944 IMO.

TUC pensions conference: “Weathering the Economic Storm”

Live post from Congress House. Pension conferences are a bit like London buses (under Boris). Yesterday I was at the Dutch TUC over pensions and today I am with some of the same UNISON colleagues at the British TUC over similar issues.

The TUC conference is the major pension event of the year for trade union trustees and representatives. There was some direct linkage. TUC General Secretary Brendon Barber mentioned in his keynote speech about poor corporate governance being a major cause of the current financial crisis. So in the Q&A after new Pensions minister Angela Eagle spoke - I put my hand up. My question was to ask the minister to support the long standing trade union policy of having really independent directors sitting on company boards. Particularly in financial services - appointed by pension funds who could bring to Boards the "common sense" trustee approach to stop companies taking excessive risk and paying excessive executive pay.

Angela gave a guarded but interesting reply. She supported the idea of “independent and fearless” voices on Boards who would ask the awkward questions and stand up to experts. She mentioned that the Chancellor is concerned about this issue. She then asked Brendan to respond further. Brendan took the opportunity to gently point out that the Government had recently missed an important trick over this issue by not appointing any truly independent people to run the UKFI which looks after government share holdings in the nationalised Banks. “Bankers to run Bankers” who recently approved the massive pay package for the new CEO of RBS. Governance is key and the government needs to give a new lead.

I think that the unions need to push this issue hard, also the Labour Party needs to dust off industrial democracy policies and think afresh. Better regulation is not enough, independent shareholder directors appointed by owners are desperately needed to see off the next financial crisis. Tinkering around the edges is not going to work and this is politically more clear red water between Labour and the Tories.

Independent Board Directors to save the World? CWC Amsterdam 2009

I am just back this evening from attending a one day Pension workshop organised by the Committee for Workers Capital (CWC).

This took place in the headquarters of the FNV in Amsterdam. The FNV is the Dutch equivalent of the British TUC. The CWC is an international pension activist organisation (and “think tank”) which brings together trade union pension trustees from all over the world.

UNISON had the largest delegation present. There were also British trade union trustees from Unite and the TUC. Others present were from Canada, Netherlands, France, Spain and Denmark. There is usually a wider international presence but later next month there is a big CWC meeting in Australia.

There was some pretty heavy weight presentations. The meeting kicked off with introduction by Ken Georgetti (President - CLC, Chair CWC) then “The G20 London Summit: Headway on financial market regulation? A trade union perspective” (Pierre Habbard - TUAC); Financial Market Regulation: Opportunities and Challenges (Ieke van den Burg - MEP & APG Trustee) and our Janet Williamson (Senior Policy Officer – TUC); Universal Ownership – Fiduciary policies for a New Era (by our Colin Meech and Ben Rudder - UNISON Capital Stewardship programme); Pension investment policies: Is there a need to change in the light of the new economic reality? (Roderick Munster CIO – ABP/AGP) and How do Pension Funds recover? (Niels Kortlever – PGGM).

I will post another time on the various presentations and panel’s discussions which were all very interesting and thought provoking (I am mind way behind on posting things). But one of the most important issues I thought that we discussed today and last night in our informal dinner (thanks to David Levi from “Growth Works”) was the imperative to have proper independent directors on company boards. Particularly in the financial sector.

If we are really serious about avoiding the disasters of recent times. These directors would be representatives of the real owners (us) and not part of the city mafia. They could have a background in trade unions, works councils, retail, local authorities or consumer protection - whatever. They would ask the common sense “What if “questions that the so-called professionals consistently fail to ask in crisis after crisis after financial crisis. In the UK we have in theory AGM votes on company boards. To make this real, not make believe, require that those who hold shares on behalf of collective investments have to consult the real owners on how to vote? Better regulation is not enough – remember that the best people to look after money – own it.

Just an idea to help our Gordon really save the world.

(the UNISON A team L to R - Peter Gaskin, youknowyou, Phillip Foster, Olga Kokkinnis, Richard Yard - photo taken by UNISON staff trustee Jon Dunn))

UNISON NDC 09 - Housing Debate

I'm still trying to finish off reports about conference. This was a speech on Composite E on the future of public Housing that I also “bumped off”. Interestingly two former tenants from my estate did speak on the debate and there was a current tenant also listening as a delegate (that I know of).

“Conference, we all know that there is a overcrowding crisis in Britain. I myself work I in a large housing estate in East London where it is not uncommon for families to try and bring up several kids in 2 bed high rise flats. So what should we do about it?

Well, in my branch we have experienced and highly qualified specialist development staff who are being laid off because in many areas there is simply no new housing development taking place. At the same time planners are being made redundant in Town Halls.

At the same time we see builders walking off existing sites and laying off their own people. There is practically no new housing development taking place in either the public or private sector. At the same time we land prices at a all time historic low.

At the time same time we have millions of people on local authority waiting lists – a figure estimated soon to reach 5 million.

At the same time we are in the midst of a economic recession and we are being told that the best way out of it is to encourage people to spend, to restore confidence, to pump money into the local economy.

Conference you often nowadays hear the expression “Win, win”. Well, this composite is “win, win”. Let us start a mass housing building programme across the country. Get my members doing what they do best – building homes – get construction workers back on site; get their wages recycled into the local economy helping others into work; and best of all conference get people off waiting lists into real homes we can proud of - Conference. Please support this motion

Best Labour Victory in the UK – West Ham GC report

On Wednesday was our first Constituency Labour Party General Committee (GC) meeting for a number of months due to the EU election. It was very well attended and despite the pretty dire state we are supposed to be nationally, the mood was strangely upbeat and buoyant.

In the course of things I gave my report as agent on the recent election and tried to number crunch my take on how we had done.

Firstly the good news (and it was largely good locally) in Newham we had just over 40% of the vote. Not only was this share of the vote the best in London but also I understand the best anywhere in the UK. The Tories in Newham came a poor 2nd with just over 16%. London as a whole did much better than the national trend with only a 3% average drop. Our sister borough Tower Hamlets had the 3rd largest national Labour share of the vote. Maybe it is something in the water. Or maybe it’s Labour Councils delivering Labour Policies?

The borough of Newham includes the CLPs of East and West Ham as well as part of Poplar and Canning Town.

The Labour vote in Newham had actually gone up dramatically compared to 2004 but this was due in part to the collapse of the Dis-Respect vote which appeared to have pretty much returned home to Labour. For this election at least. The Labour vote mind is still down from the 50% plus of the vote that the Party use to enjoy 10 years ago. The independent Tamil candidate did take about 7% of the vote which if we earn the respect of this community next year should return to Labour.

Turnout was still very poor – we should have delivered more votes for the Party if we had mobilised better. Good news that the BNP had a drop in support and the Tories are still well behind their 1999 relative high points.

We then had a constructive debate on the lessons to be learnt from the campaign and I believe we are even better placed than before to go into a General and local election. We need crucially to keep up the campaigning and ward based activity. There was a constructive discussion on what worked and what we still need to work on. The new Newham Council policy of free school meals for all primary children is great example of clear red water between us and our opponents. More please more.

We also had another very positive discussion this time on the current state of the National Party. There was a wide range of strongly held views but delegates were polite and fair. Largely full of ideas, enthusiasm and positivity towards the future. It was suggested by the Chair that we will have these wide ranging debates on a more regular basis.

Our MP, Lyn Brown came hot foot from the House of Commons to give her report. We congratulated her on the promotion to the Whips office!

Afterward we retired to The Goose (where else) to complete the putting right of the world at £1.64 per pint.

(Picture is of Labour poster painted on meeting room wall in West Ham Party rooms).

Armed Forces Day

Tommy

I WENT into a public 'ouse to get a pint o'beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, ``We serve no red-coats here.''
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' ``Tommy, go away'';
But it's ``Thank you, Mister Atkins,'' when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's ``Thank you, Mr. Atkins,'' when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music 'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' ``Tommy, wait outside'';
But it's ``Special train for Atkins'' when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's ``Special train for Atkins'' when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' ``Tommy how's yer soul?''
But it's ``Thin red line of 'eroes'' when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's ``Thin red line of 'eroes'' when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints:
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an ``Tommy, fall be'ind,''
But it's ``Please to walk in front, sir,'' when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's ``Please to walk in front, sir,'' when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an'schools, an' fires an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' ``Chuck him out, the brute!''
But it's ``Saviour of 'is country,'' when the guns begin to shoot;
Yes it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool--you bet that Tommy sees!

Rudyard Kipling

Today is the first Armed Forces Day. This is an excellent idea. I hope it goes well and is not just supported by the tabloids.

The Revolution Devours its Children

Iran: The "cradle of civilisation" and its ignorant moron of a President. Someone who insults its people not only by his blatant electoral fraud but who deliberately kills his countries children to keep in power.

Hat-tip thingy

UNISON LG 09: Independent Safeguarding Authority

I am trying to catch up and post on last week’s conference(s). This is on Composite B which was about the new Independent Living Authority (ILA). Another speech that I was bumped off.

"Conference my branch represents some 3000 members who work for over 140 housing and supporting people employers across London and the Southern England.

We have 2 main concerns about the new authority. Firstly it is money. Many of our members are part time workers and many shamefully are on minimum wage even while working and living in London bringing up families. As you would expect privately run care organisations and agencies pay rubbish money.

While our members understand the need to to have effective safeguards for our residents and clients everyone knows that there is low pay in this sector means that my members whose employers or agencies refuse to pay for registration will have to pay nearly two days pay to register.

Secondly, our experiences of how the Criminal Records Bureau or CRB operates in many housing and social care organisations hardly fills us with confidence that members will be treated properly by the new authority. Routinely despite clear guidances that it should not happy many of our members are CRB checked unlawfully since they have no access to vulnerable groups. Workers have also been been treated unfairly and not in accordance with natural justice in previous investigations over registration.

Finally conference please fully support this call for training and support for branches to properly protect members and campaign to make sure that workers do not have to pay this proposed poll tax on those who care for others.

Please support this motion".