#UNDC13 Nothing too good for the workers - Friday am

This picture is of my messy desk on the NEC platform in front of the UNISON NDC conference hall on the Friday morning.

When I arrived that morning I found this bottle of Champagne on it.

There was no message with it so I asked colleagues if they had seen who had left it there? I was told a man with grey hair and glasses had left it for me (which ruled in 90% of male delegates).

I thought that I may have won it in a raffle but have since found out it was a thank you gift from someone who I had helped out when he got himself in a little bit of bother a while ago. It was not needed but a nice gesture. 

It's Criminal - (Probation Against Privatisation)

Excellent Video by NAPO! "The Government plans to outsource 70% of the Probation Service's work to private companies such as G4S, Serco and Sodexo. This will include supervision in the community of ALL low and medium risk offenders, running treatment programmes, unpaid work and more.

Napo believes these plans are ill thought through, thin on operational detail and, with the planned tight timescale, will be unworkable. But, most importantly, they will undermine the good work the service is doing and pose a threat to public safety.

Ideology first -- community safety last
The true motivation behind these plans is to drive down costs regardless of the impact on service quality. There is also an ideological commitment to privatisation. Currently Probation Trusts are not being allowed to bid for their own work. Napo believes justice and public protection should not be about profit. It should be about public safety, reducing reoffending, rehabilitation and preventing further victims. There is already a successful organisation providing this in England and Wales. It's called the Probation Service. Don't let it be destroyed.

What you can do: Contact your MP to let them know that you oppose the Government's plans

Find out more: http://www.napo.org.uk/about/probatio...

Sign the Probation Service e-petition: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petit...

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaveProbation

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#UNDC13 Health & Safety Fringe - thursday lunchtime fringe

The NDC health and safety fringe was titled "Safety in Numbers" with presentations on campaigning in hospitals and Glasgow City branch on workplace stress.

There was some disquiet on the perceived lack of emphasis by some delegates on health and safety in conference business and the UNIZONE. While I think we need to do far more on safety issues in recent years it has raised its profile at conference. We, the activists just need to do more to increase this profile further.

One suggestion was that many members do not appreciate "elf & safety" at work but when you ask are they concerned about stress, violence, overwork, bullying...? they "get it". Another was that a set time for conference ought to be set aside to debate workplace health and safety issues.

#UNDC13 Greater London UNISON NDC Social - Wednesday late

I am well behind on my posting on last weeks UNISON NDC conference so will try and catch up over the weekend.

Top UNISON social of the conference was of course that of London Region. The Thistle hotel was an excellent location with a private bar and disco area with a balcony overlooking the Mersey.

We all had a free first drink due to the hotel messing up the regional delegate meeting on the Monday  evening.

Conference is not just about speeches, debates and fringes. Delegates have been known to have the odd drink and to let their hair down once or thrice.

Proceeds from (£5) ticket sales, advertising and raffle went to UNISON Welfare/There for you.

Many thanks to regional staff for running around and organising it. 

West Ham Labour Party AGM 2013 results

Picture is from the end of tonight's West Ham CLP AGM and of some of the new "dream team" Executive also celebrating the 65th birthday of the NHS.

58 delegates crowded into the Party rooms at 306 High Street, Stratford, E15. Best attendance since 1980s according to one delegate.

Can't think why? :)

For contested positions we had one minute hustings then ballot. It all went pretty smoothly.

From left - Julianne Marriot, new vice Chair Campaigns & Communications; Terry Paul, re-elected Assistant Secretary; Gordon Miller, re-elected Agent and new Vice Chair membership, Charlene McLean, re-elected Chair; Alan Griffiths, re-elected Secretary and Anne Easter, new Women's officer.

Not in photo was John Saunders, re-elected Treasurer; John Whitworth, re-elected political officer;   Winston Vaughan, re-elected as Equalities Officer; Kim Silver, re-elected as Trade Union Liaison officer; Ahmed Noor, re-elected as Social officer. Apologies if I have missed anyone out?

Kim and I were also re-elected to the Executive Committee as 2 of the 4 trade union delegates.

UNISON Welfare Bucket and Spade Appeal

"Our Very own Welfare Officer and UNISON steward Mitsy Harmon is doing a sponsored walk in aid of Unison Welfare’s Bucket and Spade appeal this weekend and has created a just giving page to make it easy for people to sponsor her. Can you publicise her page to the membership please as it’s a very worthy cause.

https://www.justgiving.com/Mitsy-Harmon

The bucket and spade appeal has been set up to provide a holiday for low paid members see more details below.

Bucket and Spade Appeal

The Bucket & Spade Appeal aims to raise funds for the family holidays provided by UNISON Welfare - There for You. Although there has been a huge growth in tourism a quarter of the UK’s population, including many families with children, are excluded from taking holidays, mainly because they cannot afford them.

Our family holiday service provides a much needed break to families whose very difficult circumstances mean they have the most to gain from the stress relief that a holiday can bring. Thanks to the many volunteers who have taken part in our sponsored events, and the support of branches, members and staff we have raised over £250,000 so far. All the monies raised for the appeal are held in a restricted fund to be used exclusively for family holidays.

(From Branch)

Auto-enrolment...the AMNT... and the Video

Why it makes complete sense to autoenrole into your Company Pension Scheme.

#UNDC13 Capital Stewardship fringe - Wednesday Evening

Picture from UNISON NDC Capital Stewardship fringe "time for members to govern their money" with UNISON national officer Colin Meech, Mo Baines from Greater Manchester Pension Fund (Chaired by NEC Jane Carolan in the middle)

Colin spoke about the need to bring the fund management of the local government pension (LGPS) fund "in-house"and stop being ripped off by City fund managers. He briefed us on the new governance arrangements of the LGPS which will probably come into effect in 2015 (we think).

Mo praised Colin for his work on pensions. He had been the first to point out why schools and hospitals use PFI to fund rebuilding when we have money elsewhere?

The Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) is worth £10 billion but it only has trade union  observers with no voting rights. The fund is looking into localised investments. It wants to build 240 homes for market rent. If you pay into a pension scheme then the area you live in should also benefit from scheme investments.

Mo said that fish always rot from the top. We should make sure that in the LGPS we change fund management from the top.

My question to both is that UNISON should consider regional networks of LGPS pension reps to encourage and give face to face support to reps? There use to be a national network of LGPS reps who actually sit on pension panels and committees, who could be consulted and give feed back on what they they need to help them carry out their duties.

Colin responded by saying there will be a national consultation forum. He warned us not to underestimate those who feed off your money. Do they want to give this up? There are huge vested interests. The LGPS has high fees plus hidden charges. You could clear pension deficits within 8 years if the LGPS was merged & you cut costs and raise performance.

Match Womens Strike Festival 2013: 125th Anniversary

I have worked near the former Bryant & May Match Makers factory in Bow, East London for 20 years and knowing how difficult it is to organise and represent workers nowadays, never mind 125 years ago, I would take my hat off to the Match Women who led the way and showed us all since what is possible.

AMNT at Pensions and Benefits Show (and pros & cons of fiduciary management)

This picture from the Pensions and Benefits show at the Excel Centre in London earlier this month.

The Association of Member Nominated Trustees (AMNT) had a stall during the 2 day event run by AMNT volunteers.

I only managed to pop in briefly during the Wednesday lunchtime to say hello.

Beforehand I went to a presentation on "Fiduciary Management" by MN.

They reported that in June 2007 the average DB pension fund was 124% funded! Now it is only 84%. The Fiduciary Management argument is that they can close this closing gap by pooling investment funds and cut costs and improve performance.

I think there is an argument that scale can achieve this but in the Q&A I questioned why they use the term fiduciary when actually they have no fiduciary duty to pension trustees? Their fiduciary duty is to their owners and shareholders. 

I think that this is a fundamental confusion. On a more positive point I did wonder whether this model could be considered as an option in the consultation currently taking place in the Local Government Pension Scheme? Individual LGPS could remain while they pool fund management?