CWU at TUC Congress – Monday 8th September round-up

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.cwu.org.uk/news.asp?step=3&NID=2106

CWU at Congress



CWU had a busy opening day at TUC Congress supporting motions on employment rights and providing key speakers for fringe meetings on pensions, trade union rights and young members.



After TUC general secretary Brendan Barber and president Dave Prentis welcomed delegates with a look back at the progress made and over the previous 12 months and the challenges facing Britain's trade union movement in the year ahead, congress got down to business.



Key resolutions - both backed by the CWU delegation - demanding action on public-sector pay and for new laws protecting occupational pensions rights for workers in all sectors were agreed, while CWU delegate Martin Keenan spoke for many right across the British workforce in the next debate.



Backing a motion criticising the abuse of performance management systems by some employers, Martin warned: "These systems are often used to force down wages and as a big stick to beat workers. Too often, it's an iron fist inside a velvet glove."



In the afternoon, CWU postal executive member Pete Keenlyside explained why the union is supporting the call for changes to the law on winning recognition rights at new companies.

Drawing attention to the 40 per cent turnout threshold needed under current legislation, Pete pointed out that this, in practice, "makes life extremely difficult for us.



"Employers don't need to convince workers to vote No, just not to vote at all," he said.



And, in the following debate, CWU general secretary Billy Hayes told prison officers' union POA delegates that, "regretfully, and with a heavy heart, we can't support your call for a series of general strikes against the anti-trade union laws.



"In all honesty, with all of the problems our members are facing over closures and attacks on our pensions, we wouldn't be able to deliver the support on the ground for this," he continued, although he insisted that the CWU fully sympathised with, and supported, the prison officers' ongoing struggle for the full restoration of their right to strike.



"And, if you do take strike action, our union does not cross picket lines," he added, to prolonged applause.





The CWU also hosted a reception for TUC delegates and visitors on Monday evening in association with Banner Theatre. A special showing of ‘They get free mobiles don’t they?’ and speeches from general secretary Billy Hayes, president Davie Bowman and TUC general secretary Brendan Barber covered issues of racism and trade union campaigning.





CWU on the TUC Fringe



Liaison committee for defence of trade unions, lunchtime fringe



Trade union rights and Labour values are very much at the forefront of unions’ issues as this fringe meeting, bursting at the seams, played testament to.



In an impassioned and topical speech, Billy Hayes used yesterday’s nationalisation of mortgage company Fanny May in America as an example of shifts in politics. “People want to see real measures taken”, said Billy while arguing that Gordon Brown isn’t at the heart of what’s wrong with the economy at the moment.



“When we talk about employment law, we’re also talking about the economy. Despite having the most restrictive trade union laws in Europe, the job creation record of the UK is no better than other countries in the EU. Who has created most jobs in that last ten years? Not the private sector with its free market ideals, but the public sector.



“We don’t need to see lower interest rates, we need to see lower employment and fuel prices.”



Billy ended by emphasising the strengths that unions bring to the Labour Party and challenged the difference in attitude toward the CBI and unions by Labour, saying “the trade union movement is the common sense of the Labour movement.”



Derek Simpson from Unite pleaded for Labour to do something to connect with ordinary working people and told the meeting “there’s a mood for change in this country at the moment.” Other speakers raised the importance of trade union solidarity arguing that “in difficult times such these there’s a danger of not supporting each other and turning against vulnerable workers. We need to organise together to make things better.”



The message from Frances O Grady, TUC deputy general secretary, was that “people are fed up with the double standards. The essence of the problem is that the rights of corporations should not be put above the rights of working people.” Chris Keats and Heather Wakefield both spoke about the progress and shortcomings experienced under Labour in education and local government and warned of the “abyss” facing unions with a Tory government.



“The things that trade unions have pushed for are now the jewels in the crown of Labour policy – minimum wage, corporate manslaughter, equal pay audits, social housing, index-linking of pensions and protection for agency workers” argued GMB’s Paul Kenny. While saying there is much more to fight for, Kenny emphasised the positive link between unions and Labour: “Trade unions provide winners; there are fantastic policies out there.”





A Decent State Pension for All, lunchtime fringe

CWU senior deputy general secretary Tony Kearns slammed the government's failure to end pensioner poverty as "an absolute disgrace" at a packed TUC fringe meeting today (Monday).



The meeting, which was organised by the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), heard Tony make an impassioned appeal to ministers to raise state pension levels and restore their link with the annual rise in average earnings "immediately.



"We are the fourth-largest economy on the planet and it is not a matter of affordability, it is a matter of political will," he insisted.



Tony explained that, with National Insurance Fund surpluses running at an estimated £27 billion, raising the payments to the level that they would have been at if the link had not been abolished and, thereafter, indexing pensions to earnings, pensioner poverty could, and should, be effectively addressed now.



"The restoration of the link would cost less than half of that £27bn," he continued, adding that the consensus among economists is that this surplus is set to grow to around £114bn over the next four years.



"Maybe, we should stop paying an annual £4bn to fund an illegal war in Iraq," Tony suggested, contrasting this expenditure to recent figures indicating that, some 2.5 million British pensioners are currently living in poverty - defined as income less than 60 per cent of the mid-point of average earnings.



And, further highlighting the dire situation facing many of our elderly people in the UK today, the senior CWU officer pointed out that, although the current official retail price index stands at around 5 per cent, essential items only - food and fuel - are rising at levels of between 12 and 17 per cent.



Pledging the continuing support of the CWU for the ongoing NPC campaign for justice for pensioners, Tony urged everyone to back the planned rally and lobby of Parliament on October 22.



"We've got to make sure we keep the fight going and we've got to make sure the government gets the message," he concluded, to rousing applause.



General union GMB pensions officer Naomi Cooke also addressed the meeting, pledging the support of her union and explaining the difficulties facing workers who belong to occupational pensions, which are also under attack.







Tomorrow’s Unions: attracting and developing future members, lunchtime fringe



CWU assistant secretary and youth coordinator Simon Sapper, spoke at the Unions 21 fringe meeting exploring the future of trade unions. This topic is a perennial pre-occupation of many unions, asking the difficult but crucial question: where will our future members and activists come from?



Simon outlined the work being done by the CWU’s outreach project and union modernisation funded youth work. Chaired by Sue Ferns of Prospect, other contributions came from NUS president Wes Streeting, Charlie Sloan from the Association of Student Nurses and Young Activist of the Year Grainne McCay.

[Lounge Lizard]

It's good to learn that "CWU had a busy opening day".
No doubt they will be able to relax with a pint or two this evening.

[BELIAL]

Billy bullshit does seem to be truly wedded to the Blair ,Mandelson, Brown cabal