Next Trades Council Meeting 26th November. Priorities for the Election?

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, on Tuesday 26th November 2019, at the View Hotel (formerly T&G/Unite Centre) , Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade unionists (including retired trade unionists) are invited. 

A G E N D A 

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Approval of any new affiliations.

3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising.

4. Treasurer's Report

5. TUC PRIORITIES AND THE GENERAL ELECTION 
The Trades Council is not allowed to support or endorse a specific candidate or party in the election (although some of our individual affiliated Unions can and will.)  We are able to highlight which of our specific campaigns can be lobbied for amongst Eastbourne candidates and any responses we have received. You are encouraged to bring any materials from your union that may inform this item.

6. Other Campaigning Updates

7. Any other business

Trades Council AGM 2019: Tuesday 19th March

The 2019 AGM of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 19th March, at the View Hotel, Grand Parade, Eastbourne. All local trade unionists (including retired trade unionists) are invited, although only delegates from affiliated unions may stand as officers or vote.

A G E N D A 

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Minutes of the AGM from 2018

3. Adoption of Rules for 2019 (proposal is same as for 2018) and new affiliates.

4. Officers' Reports and Accounts

5. Election of Officers for 2018 (following a resolution of the 2018 AGM, nominations for officer positions must be received before the meeting. Deadline will be 12th March)

a) Chair
b) Vice Chair
c) Secretary
d) Assistant Secretary
e) Treasurer
f) Additional non-officer members of the Executive Committee, if required

6. Affiliations for 2019

7. Guest Speaker: TOMMY ANDERSON, London and South East Representative on the TUC/Trades Council's Joint Committee. 

8.MAY DAY PARADE, WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY and EASTBOURNE PRIDE: to briefly update preparation for these events and agree any arrangements and funding.

9. Dates of meetings for 2018-9

10. Presentation of the Len Caine Award to Jane Humberstone

Next Trades Council Meeting: Tuesday 12th May

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 12th May, 7.30pm at the View Hotel (formerly known as the Unite/T&G Eastbourne Centre), Grand Parade, Eastbourne. 

Megan Dobney, the Regional Secretary of the TUC will be our guest, and will speak and lead discussion on the priorities for the movement following the General Election.   Derek Hansford from Hastings TUC and the proposed County Association will also report on the recent SERTUC AGM.

All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Approval of new affiliations.

3. Minutes of previous meeting (January) and matters arising. Copies of the draft minutes of the March AGM will also be available for information.

4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer

5. Guest Speaker: Megan Dobney, Regional Secretary of SERTUC, on campaign priorities for the trades councils.

6. Report on SERTUC AGM from Derek Hansford (Hastings Trades Council)

7.  Update on arrangements for an East Sussex County Association of Trades Councils- including to agree our affiliation fee.

8. Any other Campaigns: Colleagues invited to provide information on their Unions’ local and national campaigns, and any support that the Trades Council could give.

9. Any other business.

The bar will be open afterwards !

Next Trades Council Meeting: November 2014

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 18th November, 7.30pm at the View Hotel (formerly known as the Unite/T&G Eastbourne Centre, Grand Parade, Eastbourne. 

All local trade union members, including retired trade unionists, are welcome to attend the meeting.

THE AGENDA WILL BE:

1. Introductions and apologies for absence

2. Approval of new affiliations.

3. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising

4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer

5. CAMPAIGNS FOR 2015- what issues should the Trades Council be pushing locally during the General and Local elections ?  (to include introductory comments from Jake Lambert, NUT delegate and Eastbourne's Labour Parliamentary candidate)

6. GMB Hospital march, 29th November- arrangements and publicity

7. Any other Campaigns: Colleagues invited to provide information on their Unions’ local and national campaigns, and any support that the Trades Council could give.

9. Any other business.

The bar will be open afterwards !

Report from Annual Congress 2013

Eastbourne Trades Council secretary, Dave Brinson, was at the TUC Congress last week, as part of the NUT's delegation.  This report is taken from his blog www.DaveBrinsonNUT.blogspot.com

I was proud to represent the NUT on our delegation to the TUC Annual Conference in Bournemouth last week. This sees the representatives of the 54 affiliated unions come together to debate policy and campaigns for the Trade Union movement in the coming year.

Lesley Mercer of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists was the President for the year, and welcomed delegates to her Conference, with the theme “Jobs, Growth and Fair Pay”

Frances O'Grady, the new General Secretary, and the first woman to occupy that position, gave a barnstorming speech, where she set out the pledges that she wants our supporters to make for the forthcoming general election:

"I'm going to tell you what should go on a pledge card. And, today, I challenge politicians from all parties to say where they stand on it.

First, decent jobs. It's time to restore that goal of full employment, and give a cast iron jobs guarantee for the young. Full employment is the best way to boost the economy, drive up living standards and generate the tax that we need to pay down the deficit. And let's be clear, the reason why low-paid jobs are growing is because people have no choice but to take them. That is wrong. Employers should compete for staff. Not the other way around. Now, George Osborne will say - but how are you going to pay for it? Well, of course the best way to pay for it is by getting economic growth. That's why we need to invest in an intelligent industrial strategy for the future. But if the Chancellor wants to talk numbers here's a big one. According to the Rich List, since the crash, the 1,000 richest people in Britain increased their wealth by no less than £190bn. That's nearly double the entire budget for the NHS. So when they ask how we'll pay for it, let's tell them. Fair taxes - that's how.

One of the best ways to create jobs and apprenticeships would be to build new houses. And that's pledge number two. One million new council and affordable homes. Our country has a desperate shortage of housing. That means landlords rake it in and the housing benefit bill rockets. It drives up the cost of a buying a home, and puts people in more debt. So cut the waiting lists, stop another bubble and let's build the homes young families need.

Pledge number three: fair pay - and new wages councils to back it up. Of course the national minimum wage should go up and we need tough enforcement. But take one look at company profits and you'll see that there are plenty of industries that could, and should, pay more. That's why we need new wages councils, so unions and employers get around the table and negotiate. That's the way to guarantee not just a minimum wage, not just a living wage but a fair wage, and fair shares of the wealth workers help create.

And pledge number four could be the most popular one of all. Let's pledge that the NHS will once again be a public service run for people and not for profit. Let's make adult social care a community responsibility by bringing it together with the NHS. That would save money because good social care helps elderly people stay at home when they want to be, instead of in hospital when they don't. And while we're about it, let's have a proper system of care for our children too. So instead of shrinking the welfare state, let's strengthen it. That's the way to build a stronger economy too.

And five - fair rights at work. No more union busting. No more blacklisting. And no more zero hours. Instead we need decent employment rights; strong unions with the freedom to organise, and a bit more economic democracy. We already work with the best employers, keeping workers healthy and safe, giving them the chance to learn new skills, guaranteeing fair pay and fair treatment.Through the worst of the recession, we made thousands of agreements to save jobs and keep plants open. And let me say this, I believe there isn't a boardroom in Britain that wouldn't benefit from giving ordinary workers a voice." You can read the full speech here.    

The three days of Conference saw a range of debates- with Education very much on the agenda- both challenging the cuts and attacks from Gove and the coalition at home, and also solidarity with teachers and trade unionists abroad- Christine Blower told conference about the imprisonment of Colombian Trade Unionist Huber Ballesteros. He was supposed to be a guest at the congress, but has been imprisoned in Colombia for his trade union activities.

My friend Annette Pryce from the NUT Executive representing LGBT Teachers spoke twice in the debates on equality, including highlighting the scandal of Section 28 style policies being introduced via the back door by Academies and Free Schools.

Labour Leader Ed Miliband addressed congress, and made some welcome pledges on tackling zero-hours contracts and moving towards a Living Wage. In response to a question from NUT Presdient Beth Davies, he confirmed that an incoming Labour Government would give Local Authorities back their powers over planning school places.

The congress fringe also discussed a range of issues- from blacklisting, Living Wage and the future of the NHS (great appearance from Andy Burnham), to international issues such as Cuba, Venezuala and the fate of Colombian Trade Unionists.

As a Trades Council secretary, I was pleased that Conference agreed to enhance the role of the local trades councils (such as mine in Eastbourne) in the life of the TUC.

Labour and Trade Union History Course: Brighton

The Brighton Free University, in conjunction with the Plebs League, are running a course on Labour and Trade Union History at the Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton, on Tuesday 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th April, and Tuesday 7th May. Course Tutor is Terry McCarthy.   For more details contact Terry by clicking here.  Admission Free The Brighton Free University offers many more courses For more details visit their website here.  

Trades Council AGM- Priorities for 2012

The Annual General Meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council was held on February 14th.

The meeting elected Val Thomas (NASUWT) as Chair, Georgina Haseldine (Unite the Union ) as Vice Chair, Dave Brinson (NUT) as Secretary, and Gordon Dyer (Unite the Union) as Treasurer. Lee Comfort (Unite the Union) was nominated as Publicity Officer.

The meeting welcomed Tom Mellish from the TUC, to speak about campaigning priorities for the TUC and how Trades Councils can be involved. Tom talked about building on recent campaigns against cuts and for fair pensions for all- and how we need to continue bringing ordinary union members into this work. He talked about some of the organising successes of unions in reaching out to unorganised groups of workers, and the situation of working people in tourism and leisure in our town was highlighted.

The meeting also presented the Len Caine award: in honour of a man who gave more than 50 years service to the Labour and Trade Union movement in Eastbourne. Len was secretary of the Trades Council for many years, and also served as Labour group leader on the Borough Council. He was active in many campaigns, as a school governor, as a member of the Community Health Council, and in housing and youth centres. He was made an honorary Alderman of Eastbourne in the 1990's. Len sadly passed away, but the Trades Council continues to honour him through this award for a local trade union representative. (Pictured left- Len Receving a National Merit Award from the then-Prime Minster Tony Blair in 1999)

The 2012 recipient of the award is Jim Gotobed- recently retired after many years as a Unite the Union representative at Sainsbury's. Jim continues to be an active member of the Union, and serves on their Regional Council. Jim spoke warmly about Len Caine's contribution to the movement, and how it was an honour to receive the award in Len's name.

The meeting also agreed to try and organise a coach to the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival in July- more details to follow.

BNP Target Sussex Police Commissioner Post

Trades Unionists are being urged to campaign and vote in the forthcoming Police Commissioner elections, in light of news that the racist BNP intends to campaign for the post.

The British National Party (BNP) is planning to stand a candidate in Sussex for the newly-created police commissioner job. If the BNP candidate was elected, it would be a disaster for community relations, and risk serious public disorder throughout Sussex, says one of the leading candidates for the post.

Unite member Paul Richards, who is seeking the Labour nomination to be a police commissioner candidate in Sussex, is warning this week that unless people in East and West Sussex turn out to vote, the BNP might sneak in through the back door.

Mr Richards, an adviser to the last Labour government on community relations and counter-terrorism, has conducted an analysis of BNP websites in Sussex. Mr Richards’ analysis shows that:

• This week, the BNP deputy leader Simon Darby made a call for BNP candidates to step forward to stand in Sussex for police commissioner


• BNP ‘table tops’ (ie provocative street stalls) are planned in Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Lancing and Emsworth, according to BNP organisers


• 60,000 leaflets have been distributed throughout Sussex, including in East Preston, Angmering, Ruslington, Ferring, Lancing and Barnham.


• The BNP is seeking to build on the success of BNP parish councillor John Robinson, a councillor in Barnham parish council, in standing more candidates for town and parish councils


• The BNP south east headquarters in Hastings is gearing up for the Sussex police elections in November

Paul Richards, Labour’s hopeful, said: ‘It is now clear that the BNP, which does so much damage in our communities, is fundraising and organising to stand a candidate for police commissioner in Sussex.

"As a Labour Party candidate, I will stand against the BNP, expose their falsehoods, and argue for fairness and tolerance. But it will be down to the voters to turn out on election day to stop the BNP being elected.
‘A low turnout might favour the extremists, and that would be a disaster. If the BNP won, they would get £80,000 salary, plus £100,000-plus to appoint staff."

Each candidate requires 100 signatures, and a deposit of £5,000 to stand for the new posts, which replace the now-defunct police authorities. The police commissioners will have wide-ranging powers, including setting budgets, representing the public to the police, and hiring and firing the chief constable for Sussex. The election is on Thursday 15th November 2012.