Next Trades Council Meeting: Tuesday 15th January

The next meeting of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 15th January 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 (November) and matters arising.
4. Treasurer's Report

5. GUEST SPEAKER: SAM GURNEY- TUC Regional Secretary for London, East and South East

6. Other Union Campaigns:
(a) ESCC Core Offer cuts
(b) Education Update
(c) Retail Update
(d) NHS Update
(e) Other campaigns

7. Events- including Trades Councils National Conference
8. Nominations open for Officers for March AGM and Len Caine Prize
9. Any other business

Trades Council AGM: Tuesday 22nd March

The AGM of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 22nd March, at the View Hotel  (formerly T&G/Unite Centre) , 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 on financial or policy matters.

A G E N D A

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Minutes of the AGM from 2015
3. Adoption of Rules for 2016 (proposal is same as for 2015) and new affiliates.
4. Officers' Reports and Accounts
5. Election of Officers for 2016

a) Chair
b) Vice Chair
c) Secretary

d) Assistant Secretary
e) Treasurer
f) Additional non-officer members of the Executive Committee, if required

6. Speaker on the Junior Doctors' Dispute  (tbc)

7. Campaign Updates- including local and national Union campaigns,  County Association of Trades Councils, Eastbourne People's Assembly etc.

7. Pattern of meetings for 2016
8. Campaign Contacts for 2016

9. Presentation of the Len Caine Award

Next Trades Council Meeting: Tuesday 17th November

The next meeting of Eastbourne Trades Council will be on Tuesday 17th 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 (September) and matters arising. 
4. Treasurer's Report- Gordon Dyer
5. ANTI CUTS CAMPAIGNS- including adult social care and others
6. LIVING WAGE CAMPAIGNS: Update on campaigns, including reports from Unison, People's Assembly and others involved in the campaign.
7. Report from  East Sussex County Association of Trades Councils
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: 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 !

Eastbourne Trades Council wins TUC media Award

It was a proud week for Eastbourne Trades Council, as we won the Media/Campaigns award at the SERTUC regional trades councils conference.

The award recognises the work we do as a trades council, with our Workplace Newsletter which goes into nearly 150 unionised workplaces in the town, alongside additional material such as our Save the DGH leaflet, our Twitter and Facebook feeds,and, of course, this website.

You can read the latest newsletter as a jpeg file online here, and all recent back issues under the Trades Council Documents section on the left hand side of this page.

The Trades Council received a £100 prize from TUC Trades Councils organiser Tom Mellish at the Conference on Saturday.

Trades Councils Conference 2013

Dave Brinson, Secretary of Eastbourne Trades Council, attended the national Trades Councils Conference on 1st-2nd June at Congress House, London.

The conference was attended by delegates from trades councils from across Britain, and heard from guest speakers Frances O'Grady (pictured) the new TUC General Secretary, Bob Crow of RMT, and Bill Greenshields of the People's Charter.

Delegates also attended a range of workshops on campaigning issues, including community organising around austerity and welfare cuts, fighting the rise of the far-right, and on using the People's Charter as a campaigning tool.

The conference debated and passed a range of motions, both on industrial and government policy issues, and also on the resources and roles that the Trades Councils have within the TUC.  You can read the full range of motions that were passed by clicking here.

Dave was nominated for election to serve on the TUC Trades Councils Joint Consultative Committee, but was unsuccessful- Linda Kietz of Ealing Trades Council was re-elected. Dave would like to thank all those South East trades councils who voted for him.

Regional Events and Actions

The following events and campaigns around the region may be of interest to Eastbourne Trade Unionists who want to get involved, attend or just show solidarity !

MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES

Unite Against Fascism public meeting "Don't let the racists divide us" London Monday 3 June 7pm with Jeremy Corbyn MP, Ava Vidal comedian, Owen Jones author, Daniel Trilling New Statesman.

National Pensioners Convention Greater London Region 10th Anniversary Celebrations Saturday 10 August 1.30 with Banner Theatre cabaret, Megan Dobney SERTUC, Dot Gibson NPC call barrytodman@tiscali.co.uk 020 8668 2840 for details or e-mail here.

NUJ open meeting (but must register) "Turning the page on media sexism" Wednesday 26 June 6pm NUJ HQ London with Joan Smith, Reni Eddo Lodge and Object contact Lena Calvert lenac@nuj.org.uk

Supporting Confronting the Climate Crisis conference Saturday 8 June London with Manuel Cortez TSSA, Chris Baugh PCS, Graham Peterson UCU http://climatetradeunion.eventbrite.com/ 

Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign AGM and Solidarity Day Saturday 13 July London http://www.nicaraguasc.org.uk/events/index.htm 

TSSA "Organising for better transport" strategy launch London Saturday 8 June 11am https://www.tssa.org.uk/en/campaigns/community-organising/political-conference.cfm 

DEMONSTRATIONS AND LOBBIES

Unite Against Fascism demonstration "Don't let the racists divide us" Woolwich Saturday 1 June 12 noon http://uaf.org.uk/2013/05/dont-let-the-racists-divide-us-unity-demonstration/

London Hazards Centre national H&S lobby Tuesday 11 June 1pm http://www.lhc.org.uk/http:/www.lhc.org.uk/national-health-safety-lobby-of-parliament-11th-june


TRAINING COURSES AND SEMINARS

SERTUC hosting national seminar "Reaching Out - organising new workplaces" with Carl Roper TUC national organiser Thursday 4 July 10am to 1pm Congress House, for more details contact Darren Lewis dlewis@tuc.org.uk

SERTUC Health & Safety Reps Seminar "The Healthy Workplace" note the date now: Thursday 31 October Congress House 10am, more details in due course sertucevents@tuc.org.uk  

SERTUC trade union education courses http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/sites/default/files/FINAL%20SE%20Courses%20SEPT%202013-JULY%202014%20v5.pdf or tucedse@tuc.org.uk

Get involved- latest campaigns in the South East

Latest campaign information and resources from the South East Region of the TUC

European TUC Day of Action & Solidarity Wednesday 14 November  "For Jobs & Solidarity in Europe. No to Austerity" 

Wednesday 14 November including strikes, demonstrations, rallies and other actions

• Oxford trades council is staging a lunchtime protest in the Cornmarket 12 noon to 1pm. Contact them here.
•  Coalition of Resistance demonstration and rally "Europe against austerity" 5pm Smith Square London
• ETUC list of actions taking place across Europe
• ETUC newsletter number 70

Regional Trades Council actions

• Kings Lynn trades council final Women for Change lecture Saturday 17 November 11.30am Kings Lynn with Cristel Amiss from the Crossroads Women's Centre in Camden. Contact them here. 
• Bromley trades council AGM Thursday 22 November 6pm HG Wells Centre, St Marks Road, contact Paul Rooney

Union actions:

• Unite defend the Agricultural Wages Board, lobby and rally now Monday 12 November Old Palace Yard 12.30pm 
• Unite lobby against attack on National Terms and Conditions, Bromley Council Monday 12 November 6pm at the Civic Buildings. Contact for details here.  
• RMT Charles Watkins Memorial Lecture Tuesday 27 November 7pm London with Professor Roger Seifert
• RMT is seeking as large a turnout as possible at its demonstration on Sunday 18 November to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Kings Cross fire and to highlight the continued need for a full staffed and safe tube network. 11am outside Kings Cross station.
• PCS forum to expand on the alternatives to the austerity agenda 7pm London Wednesday 28 November with Mark Serwotka PCS, Dexter Whitfield author, Nick Wrack TUSC  Contact here for more information.  

Other Events and Actions:

• Campaign for State Education conference "Picking up the pieces" Saturday 17 November London.
• Solace Women's Aid "Rock against violence" fundraising event Tuesday 20 November 7pm Islington
• Andrew Wiard photographic exhibition in Congress House to Friday 16 November
• Latin America 2012 conference "Making a better world possible" Saturday 1 December 9.30am London  
• NHS Ipetition  in defence of Lewisham A&E and Maternity Services.
• Institute of Employment Rights one day conference "Equality and Discrimination" Wednesday 5 December 9.30am London with Sally Brett TUC and many others.
• War on Want greetings cards and gifts available here
• Cuba Solidarity Campaign greetings cards featuring the paintings of Miami Five prisoner Antonio Guerrero, proceeds to the Free the Miami Five Campaign. 
• East London Federation of Suffragettes public meeting "Learning from great campaigners 100 years on" hosted by Tower Hamlets Labour Party and the East London Fawcett Society supported by Unison Wednesday 14 November 7pm with Professor Mary Davis historian and Tower Hamlets Councillor Rachael Saunders
• National Assembly of Women conference "Women, power and politics. Sisters fight back" Saturday 17 November Unison Centre London. Speakers include Sarah Veale TUC, Gloria Mills Unison, Megan Dobney SERTUC, Councillor Barbara White.

Resources and Information:

• TUC Labour Market Report number 30 October
• Economics: the plain truth A series of briefings for Reps and Activists. No.1: Government Debt
• SERTUC pay seminar 3 November - the powerpoint presentations from Heather Wakefield (Unison) and Enrico Tortolano (PCS)
• PCS briefing on the latest attack on civil service terms and conditions
• Low earners have suffered the weakest earnings growth over the last 26 years, with link to Office for National Statistics figures
• Unions in the community new website with dedicated area for trades councils

A Future that Works: Well Done Eastbourne

Well done to those local trade unionists who joined the other 150,000 people on the march yesterday. Eastbourne was represented by colleagues from Unison, NUT, Unite, CWU, NUJ, GMB, PCS as well as comrades from Eastbourne Labour Party.

Megan Dobney, Regional Secretary of the South and Eastern Region of the TUC writes:-

"The TUC reports that 150,000 of us marched against every political thread of this government's policies for A Future That Works.  And SERTUC union branches and trades councils were at the centre of it

So many thanks to all the officers and activists who mobilised their members in their thousands to bring the message that austerity isn't working to the attention of our people.

It is possible that the government will not back down as a result of the march... we will now progress the fight further by increasing our effort on publicising the alternative, so as a starter come to next Saturday's SERTUC Regional Council to hear Frances o'Grady (TUC General Secretary Designate) outline the next steps (all SERTUC trade union members welcome but registration is essential at dlewis@tuc.org.uk)

And then come to the SERTUC pay seminar to hear and discuss with our excellent platform the underlying political attack on workers' wages and what we need to do."

SERTUC "Ending the Low Pay Culture" seminar Congress House Saturday 3 November 10am to 1pm. Register on sertucevents@tuc.org.uk

Chair Tony Lennon BECTU & SERTUC Vice-President.  Speakers include:-

o Duncan Weldon TUC Senior Economist
o Helen Kersley New Economics Foundation
o Heather Wakefield Unison Head of Local Government
o Enrico Tortolano PCS Research Officer
o Andrew Murray Unite Chief of Staff

Closing Remarks Megan Dobney SERTUC Regional Secretary

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.

ALL OUT for Public Service Pensions: June 30th

Members of the National Union of Teachers, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, the University and Colleges Union and the Public and Commercial Services Union will be taking strike action over attacks on their pension schemes on 30th June.

Members are angry at proposals that would make members work longer, pay more and get less for their pensions. The Government is plucking figures from the sky, yet have consistently refused to undertake a valuation of the pension funds (overdue by more than a year) to prove whether or not the schemes, which members pay handsomely for, are sustainable. We firmly believe that such a valuation would show that they ARE.

The Government has made much of its willingness to "negotiate", but the negotiations have been next to meaningless. They refuse to discuss:

The 50% increase in members' contributions to the schemes (even though the unions had already agreed to an increase if the Government could demonstrate that this was necessary to make the scheme sustainable- and proved by a revaluation)

The increase in retirement age from 60 or 65 (depending on the schemes) to 68 years old.

The move to a "career average" scheme- hitting women members hardest, who often secure their promotion later in their career becauseof family commitments (also with the threat of changing the accrual rate, so you would have to work 50 years, rather than the current 40 or 30, to get your full pension)

The imposed change in the calculation of inflation to determine annual increases in pensions from RPI to the lower CPI rate. This has been imposed on existing pensioners, despite the legal right not to have their pensions retrospectively changed.

In Eastbourne the action is going to be strongly supported. We know already that Bishop Bell, Eastbourne Academy, Hazel Court, Ocklynge, Bourne, West Rise, Langney, and Pevensey and Westham schools will be shut, with Ratton, Willingdon, The Lindfield, Cavendish, Shinewater and others opening only to a fraction of the students.

Sussex Downs College and the University of Brighton will be signifiacntly affected, and PCS members at the Department for Work and Pensions, the Tax office and the Driving Standards Agency will also be taking action.

Other unions including the NASUWT, Unison, GMB and the non-TUC National Association of Head Teachers are considering or have announced balloting for action in the Autumn.

Members of these Unions and other supporters are encouraged to attend the march and rally in Brighton, meeting at The Level for 10.30am, or the Hastings Rally at the White Rock Theatre also at 10.30am (Trades Council Secretary Dave Brinson and SERTUC Regional Secretary Megan Dobney will be speaking at the Hastings event.)

For more information on the Pensions Campaign, visit the NUT Website, the ATL website, the UCU website or the PCS website.

Eastbourne Trades Council- back up and running

The Eastbourne Trades Council had its re-founding AGM (after ten years) on 15th February at the Unite Eastbourne Centre.

Local union stewards and representatives from NUT, NASUWT, Unite, Unison, TSSA, PCS, Usdaw, GMB and NUJ met to agree plans for the coming year.

Megan Dobney, the Regional Secretary from the South East Region TUC (pictured) was the guest speaker and spoke about the role of the Trades Councils and the current campaigns of the TUC. In particular, she spoke about the organisation against the cuts- building for the "March for the Alternative" National Demonstration on 26th March, but also about the need to organise before and afterwards, especially in light of the local elections coming up in May.

The meeting agreed to support the demonstration, and to ensure a good presence from Eastbourne. We agreed to support the PCS coach, and publicise this to local trade unionists. There was also agreement to support the work of the Eastbourne Against Cuts group.

The officers elected at the meeting were: Val Thomas (Chair,) Dave Brinson (Secrteray,) John Goddard (vice Chair) and Gordon Dyer (Treasurer.) Ian Thomas and Sharon Wentworth were nominated to the Executive Committee. Michael Litchfield will take the Health and Safety and Disabilities responsibility, Claire French the womens' portfolio, Lib Blayney- young members, and Pia Sands and Pat Bacon the retail sector.

Any local trade unionists who would like to receive copies of the full minutes of the meeting, should contact the Secretary.

The next meeting will be April 5th, where the speaker to be invited will be on the CWU Keep the Post Public campaign.

Trades Council Meeting: February 15th

The AGM of the Eastbourne Trades Council will be at 7.30pm, Tuesday 15th February 2011, at the Unite Eastbourne Centre (formerly T&G) , Grand Parade, Eastbourne.

All local trade union members are invited, although only delegates from affiliated unions may stand as officers or vote on financial or policy matters.

A G E N D A

1. Introductions and apologies for absence
2. Approval of affiliation requests from union branches
3. Adoption of Rules
4. Treasurer’s report
5. Election of Officers

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

*It is proposed that the nomination of campaigns contacts is taken later in the meeting, after hearing from our guest speaker

6. Guest Speaker: Megan Dobney. Megan is the Regional Secretary of the TUC (SERTUC) and will speak to us about the TUC’s current campaigns and how the Trades Council can support these.

7. March 26th: National Demonstration
8. Campaigns and Industrial Issues: Delegates may wish to raise particular campaigns or issues from their own Union, that the Trades Council may find of interest. Please let the Chair know before the meeting if possible, to ensure the best management of the meeting time !
9. Nomination of Campaign Contacts
10. Pattern of Meetings for 2011
11. Any other business

A new Trades Council for Eastbourne

For over a century the movement of local Trades Councils has brought together trade unionists in their local area to campaign, share ideas and to promote the campaigns of the Trade Union Congress. Eastbourne, sadly, saw its trades council wound up in the early 1990’s after many years.

We believe that in the current situation, and with savage cuts on the horizon, there has never been a more important time for trade unionists to work together in Eastbourne. As a result, members of NUT, NASUWT, Unite, Unison and Usdaw met in November, and agreed to re-launch Eastbourne Trades Council as a campaigning forum for trade unionists in the town.

Trade Unions face a busy and unsettling time in the forthcoming months, as they face threats to jobs, conditions and pensions. The Eastbourne Trades Council will operate an “organising agenda”- activity will be about supporting each other in campaigns, sharing problems and successes, and organising working people !

Our general meetings will be open to all local trade unionists- for our re-launch AGM we are pleased to welcome Megan Dobney, the Regional Secretary of the TUC, who will talk to us about the forthcoming challenges and campaigns, and how the Trades Councils can be at the heart if working people’s organisation !

Join us on Tuesday 15th February, 7.30pm at the Unite (T&G) Centre, Grand Parade.