LTB 655/18 – TRADES UNION CONGRESS 2018: CWU DELEGATION REPORT

No:   655/18

20th November 2018

TO:   ALL BRANCHES

 

Dear Colleague

TRADES UNION CONGRESS 2018: CWU DELEGATION REPORT

The 2018 Trades Union Congress took place from Sunday 9th September to Wednesday 12th September 2018.

All unions were entitled to submit two motions to the agenda. The CWU National Executive Council agreed the following motions:-

MOTION 1 – A NEW DEAL FOR WORKERS

Congress agrees the 12th May New Deal Rally is the catalyst for stronger collective action in the biggest trade union campaign for decades to reclaim our purpose as the collective voice of workers and to change the balance of forces in the world of work.

The General Council must agree, publish and deliver a new deal next steps plan based on the following:-

  1. Agree a common bargaining agenda for individual sectors to tackle insecure employment and in work poverty and stress.
  2. Convene a summit to agree a charter, similar to Bridlington, which promotes greater co-operation on how we recruit the millions of unorganised UK workers and bring an end to inter-union competition.
  3. Agree a trade union New Deal Manifesto that builds on the Labour Party Manifesto and the work of the Institute of Employment Rights
  4. Organise a day of action in support of the new deal in the first half of 2019, backed up and preceded by our biggest ever collective communication, social media and workplace meeting strategy. The action will be deliverable by agreeing an innovative menu of options that workers everywhere can participate in on a given date.

Congress recognises that with the structural inequality and imbalance of power in today’s economy, the major problems in today’s world of work and the challenge of the fourth industrial revolution it has never been more important for unions to come together like never before and deliver a bold new deal for workers.

Communication Workers Union


MOTION 2: BREXIT

Congress strongly condemns the government for its inept handling of the Brexit process. As set out in the General Council statement agreed at Congress last year, Congress continues to believe that in order to bring together workers, we must respect the referendum result and continue to call for a ‘jobs and rights first Brexit.’

Any Brexit deal must enshrine and enhance working rights, social and environmental protections; maintain the Good Friday agreement and prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland; secure a customs union with the EU; and protect barrier free access to the single market.

Congress agrees that the TUC should campaign against any deal that does not meet these tests with the aim of forcing an early general election to secure a Labour government with a mandate for a Brexit deal that puts working people first.

Congress agrees that the trade union movement has a responsibility to unify all workers whether they voted leave or remain and the best way of achieving this is to directly link the fight for a new deal for workers in the UK with the TUC’s work on Brexit.

Congress also agrees that we must continue to fight for reform of the EU to promote the interests of workers across Europe.

Communication Workers Union

The CWU was also entitled to submit two amendments. These were as follows:-

  • Proposed Amendment to Proposition 30 : Auto-enrolment and the lowest paid (Aegis)

Add new final paragraph:

“Congress also recognises that for millions of workers, current pension provision from their employer is wholly inadequate. While DB schemes remain the gold standard, Congress supports the introduction of CDC as an alternative to DC provision and calls for the government to permit CDC schemes in the UK.”

  • Proposed Amendment to Motion P62 : Mental health crisis (Unison)

Add the following two new bullet points at the end of the motion

iii. organise a one day conference in 2019 on mental health in the workplace to bring together unions and organisations specialising in mental health issues;

  1. set up a cross-union working group on mental health to share best practice and co-ordinate campaigning work.

COMMUNICATION WORKERS UNION

2018 TRADES UNION CONGRESS – MANCHESTER

MINUTES OF THE TUC DELEGATION MEETING

HELD IN THE BARBIROLLI ROOM, RADISSON BLU HOTEL, PETER STREET, MANCHESTER

ON SUNDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER AT 10.30AM

PRESENT:  Beryl Shepherd (Chair), Dave Ward (General Secretary), Tony Kearns (SDGS), Andy Kerr (DGS T&FS), Terry Pullinger (DGS Postal), Maria Exall (ex officio), Amarjite Singh, Jim McKechnie, Kate Hudson, Fiona Curtis, Jacky Morrey, Angela Teeling, Mark Walsh, Mick Kavanagh, Tom Cooper, Katie Dunning, Rob Wotherspoon, Jonathan Belshaw, Eugene Caparros,

IN ATTENDANCE:  Bill Taylor, Lionel Sampson, Andrew Towers, Jeremy Baugh, Janina Dunn, Chris Tapper, Dawn Jeffery

 

1       WELCOME – INTRODUCTIONS & APOLOGIES


The Chair welcomed all CWU Delegates to the meeting in particular those who were attending the TUC Congress for the first time and asked the delegation to introduce themselves to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Sajid Shaikh (Domestic), Chris Webb (Domestic) and Kate Hudson late arrival (Domestic).

2          GENERAL SECRETARY OVERVIEW

The General Secretary welcomed all delegates and said that this year’s Congress was probably the most important TUC for many years, especially the debate around Brexit and that the CWU has been pushing for new policies on a new deal for workers with the TUC.

The General Secretary was also encouraged on how many delegates are speaking on debates during the course of the week, and said that he felt this year’s TUC would be a good and interesting Congress.

3          EXPLANATION OF TUC DOCUMENTS

Bill Taylor provided an explanation of the TUC pack provided at the meeting which included: 

  • General Council Report 2018
  • Final Agenda 2018
  • General Purposes Committee Report and Composite

Motions and General Council Statements 2018

  • Consolidated Motions and Composite Motions 2018 (printed Monday)
  1. CWU POLICY POSITION ON MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS 

    The SDGS went through the CWU policy position on motions and amendments.

 

Motion

 

 Subject Submitted By Recommendation
SECTION 1: THE ECONOMY
1 Industrial strategy: an economy for the many Unite

*Aslef amendment

 S
2 The future of the retail sector Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers S
3 Save Our Steel Community

 

 S
4 Local casting Equity S
5 Automation Community S
6 Automation and its impact on black workers TUC Black Workers Conference S
7 Just transition and energy workers’ voice GMB O
8 Fracking Bakers, Food and Allied Workers’ Union

*Unison amendment

 S

*Oppose Amendment
9 Strategy for a low- carbon industrial region TUC Trades Union Councils Conference S
10 Nationalisation of the railways National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers S
11 High fares and the decline in season ticket sales ASLEF S
12 Transport: Britain’s railways

 

 

 Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association S
13 The danger of rail freight decline for UK infrastructure

 

 ASLEF S
14 ETF fair transport campaign

 

 Nautilus International S
Composite 1 (includes Motion 15 the amendments to 15 and 16) Sea fairers’ working conditions and Workforce safety in the offshore and maritime industries

 

 

 

 National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, Nautilus

 

 

 S
Composite 2

(includes Motions 17, 18, 19 and 20)

 Brexit Unite, CWU, RCM, TSSA S
SECTION 3: RESPECT AND A VOICE AT WORK
21* Continuing the fight against insecure work GMB

*RMT amendment

 S
22* A better deal for low paid workers USDAW

*Equity amendment

 O
23* Promoting flexible working Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

*RCM amendment

 S
24* Bullying and harassment FDA

*College of Podiatry amendment

 S
25* Regulation matters Prospect

*USDAW amendment

 S
Composite 3

(previously 26)

 Grenfell Tower Fire Brigades Union, Unite and Unison S
27 Night working National Union of Journalists S
Composite 4 (previously 28 and amendment)

 

 Healthcare workers and workplace violence in prisons Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, GMB and Community S
29 Social Security Public and Commercial Services Union S
30 Stop and scrap universal credit TUC Disabled Workers Conference S
31* Auto-enrolment and the lowest paid Aegis

*CWU amendment

 

 

 S

CWU to second
32 Corporal punishment of children in England Association of Educational Psychologists S
33 A strategy for children and young people (CYP) Association of Educational Psychologists S
Composite 5 (previously 34 and amendments) Fighting sexual harassment and discrimination Equity, Prospect S
35 Sexual harassment in the music industry Musicians’ Union S
36 Sexual harassment TUC Women’s Conference S
37 We trust women – abortion rights Royal College of Midwives S
38 Equal pay/gender pay gap National Union of Journalists S
39 Armed forces and LGBT – dishonourable discharge Society of Radiographers S
40* Austerity, artists and discrimination Artists’ Union England O
41 Support for gender self-declaration TUC Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender+ Conference S
Composite 6

(Motion 42 and 43 and amendments)

 Ending the Hostile environment immigration policy and justice for the Windrush generation

 

 UNISON, Accord, PCS, RMT, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and RCM S
44* Challenging the politics of hate University College Union

*Unite amendment

 S
Section 4 – Good Services
Composite 7

(includes Motions 45, 46, 47 and amendments)

 

 

 Public services outsourcing – lessons from Carillion

 

 

 

 UNISON, Unite, POA and Aslef S
Composite 8 (Motion 48 and amendments)

 

 

 

 Public sector National Association of Head Teachers

NEU and FDA

 S
Composite 15 (Motion 49, 50 and amendments) Public sector pay

 

 

 PCS, POA and FBU

 

 

 

 S
Composite 9 (Motions 51, 52 and   amendments) Education funding crisis

 

 

 

 NEU, National Association of Head Teachers and UCU

 

 

 S
53* Mental health and wellbeing of teachers NASUWT

*GMB amendment

 S
Composite 10 (Motion 54, 55 and amendments) National Education Service National Education Union, University College Union and Unison

 

 

 S
56 Data misuse Educational Institute of Scotland S
57 Music education Musicians’ Union S
58 Education and training for life after football Professional Footballers’ Association S
59* Central role of art and culture in education and communities Artists’ Union England

*NASUWT amendment

 S
Composite 11 (Motion 60 and amendment) Health and social care workers subsidising the NHS British Dietetic Association

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Community and The College of Podiatry

 S
61* NHS pay Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists

*FDA amendment

 S
62 Preventing ill health Chartered Society of Physiotherapy S
Composite 12 [Motion 63, 64 and amendments] Mental health UNISON, Society of Radiographers,

USDAW, CWU, Equity and TSSA

 

 

 

 

 S
65 Civil service impartiality FDA S
66 Family justice system in crisis

 

 Napo S
67 The transforming rehabilitation counter-revolution

 

 

 Napo S
68* Grassland fires Fire Brigades Union

*TSSA amendment

 S
Section 5: Strong Unions
Composite 13 (Motion 69 and amendments) A new deal for workers Communication Workers Union

NEU and PCS

 Move
70 Collective voice Prospect S
71 General data protection regulations (GDPR) NASUWT S
72 Organising fast food workers BFAWU S
73 Winning against atypical employment models BALPA S
74 Make 2019 the year of young workers TUC Young Workers Conference S
Composite 14 (Motion 75 and amendments) Turkey Educational Institute of Scotland

Unite and UCU

 S
76* International Labour Organisation Accord

*NASUWT amendment

 S
77 Food security and sustainability British Dietetic Association S
General Council Statements
General Council Statement on Brexit – S
General Council Statement on Collective Bargaining – S


*Following further discussion and consultation with the delegation after the delegates meeting, the position on Motion 40 was changed from Oppose to Support.

 

The above policy was agreed.

 

5          CWU MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS – SPEAKERS

The following CWU commitments and interventions were agreed:

 

PROPOSITION TITLE SPEAKER DAY/TIME
1. Industrial Strategy: An economy for the many Tom Cooper Tuesday P.M.
2. The Future of the Retail Sector Katie Dunning Tuesday P.M.
7. Just Transition and Energy Workers’ Voice Tony Kearns Tuesday A.M.
9. Strategy for low-carbon industrial region

 

 Tony Kearns Tuesday A.M.
21. Continuing the fight against insecure work

 

 Jonathan Bellshaw Tuesday A.M.
25 Regulation Matters Maria Exall Monday A.M.
41 Support for gender self-declaration Angela Teeling Tuesday A.M.
42 Justice for the Windrush generation AJ Singh Tuesday A.M.
44 Challenging the politics of hate Beryl Shepherd Tuesday A.M.
47 Independent inquiry into privatisation Rob Wotherspoon Monday P.M.
48 Public Sector Mark Walsh Monday P.M.
70 Collective Voice Kate Hudson Monday A.M.
74 Make 2019 the year of young workers Fiona Curtis Monday P.M.


6          ELECTIONS

 

  • GS nominated for General Council
  • Maria Exall nominated for General Council (LGBT Section I)
  • There will be an election in Section D (Women from Unions with fewer than 200,000 members – 5 candidates 4 to be elected as follows:Linda Rolf

Advance

Annette Mansell-Green                                          CWU Support
British Dietetic Association

Janice Godrich                                                         CWU Support
Public and Commercial Services Union

Sue Ferns                                                                 CWU Support

Prospect

Vicky Knight                                                              CWU Support
University and College Union

 

The recommended candidates were agreed.

7          FRINGE MEETINGS AND RECEPTIONS

 

The delegation was advised of a number of fringe meetings involving, or of special interest to the CWU.

Sunday 9th – 13.00 – NSSW – Venue: Mechanics Institute – Terry Pullinger (Deputy General Secretary Postal)

Sunday 9th – 18.30 (or end of Conference) – Venue: Charter 4 – IER/CTUF

Rolling out the Manifesto for Labour Law – Speakers: John McDonnell (Shadow Chancellor), Lauren Townsend (Unite/TGI Fridays campaigner) and John Hendy (QC IER/CTUF)

Monday 10th – 12.45 pm – The Fight for a New Deal for Workers CWU/Unite/GMB – Venue: Exchange 9 –– Dave Ward (CWU), Len McCluskey (Unite), Tim Roache (GMB)

Monday 10th – 17.30 – People Still Want Pensions – Venue: Lancaster Suite, Midlands Hotel – Terry Pullinger (Deputy General Secretary Postal), CWU Catherine Lockyer (Partner, First Actuarial LLP), Alasdair McDiarmid (Operations Director, Community)

Tuesday 11th – 12.45 pm – How can the Union-Labour Party link be developed from the workplace upwards? Venue: Exchange 1- Morning Star editor Ben Chacko plus trade union general secretaries

Tuesday 11th – 17.45 pm – Work and Equalities: Futures and Challenges – Venue: Central 8 – Speakers: Heather Wakefield, Lynn Collins (TUC North West), Jill Rubery, Debra Howcroft, Tony Dundon, Miguel Martinez, Lucio amongst others: Work and Equalities Institute, The University of Manchester

8          DELEGATION SEATING ARRANGEMENTS  

The Chair confirmed that the Congress seating plan was contained on page 31 of the Congress Guide. CWU would be situated in Rows – E 1- 5, F 1 – 12, G 1 – 3.

9          CWU COMMUNICATIONS

Media Contacts

The Chair asked delegates to consult Chris Webb, Head of Comms or Charlie Pullinger, Press Officer prior to interacting with the media.

10       ABSENCES DURING CONGRESS 

The Chair asked the delegation to confirm to Beryl Shepherd if they would be absent during Congress, or if they were required to leave Congress early.

11       ANY OTHER BUSINESS

The President asked that a vote of thanks be noted in the minutes to the CWU staff for all their hard work.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 11.40 am.

Any enquiries on the above LTB should be addressed to the General Secretary’s office gsoffice@cwu.org.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

Dave Ward

General Secretary 

18LTB655 – TRADES UNION CONGRESS 2018- CWU DELEGATION REPORT