LTB Report of the CWU Delegation Meeting

[Geezer]

Letter to Branches

1



No. 1038/11 Ref: GS: 14.0 Date: 06 December 2011



To All Branches


Dear Colleagues,


Report of the CWU Delegation Meeting Held at the Labour Party Conference Held in Liverpool 2011

The 2011 Labour Party Conference was held in Liverpool from Sunday September 25th – Thursday September 29th.

The following is a report of the decisions taken by the CWU delegation at their meeting on Sunday September 25th.

CWU Labour Party Delegation 2011
Peter Donaghy(Chair), Billy Hayes (General Secretary), Andy Kerr (Deputy
General Secretary TFS) Dave Ward (Deputy General Secretary Postal)
Terry Pullinger, Assistant Secretary, Lee Barron, John Brown, Simon
Edwards, Vera Kelsey, Brian Kenny, Brendan O’Brien, Gerry Ryan, Karen
Rose, John Woodhouse,

Those also In attendance:
Beryl Shepherd (National Policy Forum Member) Kevin Slocombe, Stephen Bell,
Andrea Snowden, Chris Tapper, Dorothy Lovett (Minute Taker)


CAC Report No 1
The delegation agreed to support the following Contemporary Issues in the
forthcoming Priorities Ballot.

Health & Social Care
Jobs, Growth and Employment Rights
Phone Hacking
Public Services

NB: These 4 Contemporary Issues were subsequently selected by Conference and became Contemporary Motions 1, 2, 3 and 4. Additionally the CLPs selected Housing as a subject and a further Contemporary Motion was tabled. The CWU delegation supported all 5 Contemporary Motions (attached as Annex ‘A’)



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The delegation also agreed to the TULO recommendation to support the following:

* National Policy Forum Report
* Refounding Labour to Win Document
* Labour Party Rule Book encompassing Refounding
Labour Amendments and Addendum 1
* The NEC Statement contained in the Conference Arrangements Committee No 1 (Annex ‘B’)

National Policy Forum/Intervention of Speakers
The delegation considered each individual Policy Commission Report and whether individuals wished to raise any issue. Andy Kerr indicated that he would like to intervene in the debate on Digital Britain, Peter Donaghy during the London Debate and Dave Ward during the Housing Debate. It was agreed that the General Secretary would be the CWU speaker on our Contemporary Issue which formed part of the Composite Motion on Jobs, Growth and Employment Rights.

Nominations
National Executive Committee Division 1 – Trade Union Section
12 to be elected – at least six women – 13 nominated

The delegation agreed to support the TULO Recommendation as follows:
Susan Lewis COMMUNITY
Andy Kerr CWU
Mary Turner GMB
Andy Worth GMB
Harriet Yeo TSSA
Jim Kennedy UCATT
Keith Birch UNISON
Wendy Nichols UNISON
Jennie Formby UNITE
Rachael Maskell UNITE
Martin Mayer UNITE
Paddy Lillis USDAW

NB: All the above were successful in the subsequent ballot. It will be noted that Andy Kerr (Deputy General Secretary T&FS) was again re-elected to the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party.

Constitutional Amendments
Delegates were referred to the Delegates Report to decide a position on the constitutional amendments for 2010.

As a result of the “Refounding Labour to Win” document, it was anticipated that the proposed new Rule Book would be carried and therefore all other amendments would fall. However, recommendations were indicated on each of the constitutional amendments if for any reason the Rule Book when put to the vote was rejected.



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Chapter 1 – Constitution Rules
Clause 1V Page 11
Chapter 1 Clause 1v should be replaced in its entirety by
Castle Point CLP
Ceredigion CLP
` Dagenham & Rainham CLP
Recommendation to Oppose

Clause V111 National Executive Committee Page 13
East Lothian
Recommendation to Oppose

Clause V111 3.b(iii), Page 13
Newport East CLP
Recommendation to Support

Chapter 2 – Membership Rules
2b.5 (new rule), Page 8
South Ribble CLP
Recommendation to Support

Chapter 2 – Membership Rules
Add new 2B.5
Hyndburn CLP
Recommendation to Support

Chapter 3 – Party Conference
Delegations 3A.b Page 20
Winchester CLP
Recommendation to Oppose

Chapter 3- Party Conference
Agenda, 3C.2A Page 20
Dewsbury CLP
Recommendation to Support

Chapter 4 – Elections of National Officers and National Committees
4C.1.A, i.c. Page 23
Beverley & Holderness CLP
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale & Tweedale CLP
Stratford upon Avon CLP
Recommendation to Oppose

Chapter 5 – Selections for Elected Public Office
5.A.2 – Page 28
Amber Valley VLP
Blackpool South CLP
Caerphilly CLP
Newcastle under Lyme CLP
Newport West CLP
Uxbridge & South Ruislip CLP
Recommendation to Oppose


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Chapter 7 – Rules for CLPs
Clause 1X – Officers 7.1X.2 – Page 39
Wyre Forest CLP
Recommendation to Oppose

Chapter 18 – NEC Procedural Guidelines – Membership Recruitment
Access to Membership Lists 11.1.1 – Page 76
Rotherham CLP
Sheffield Central CLP
Wentworth and Dearne CLP
Recommendation to Support

The recommendations were agreed by the CWU delegation.

NB: The only rule amendments which were presented to conference are attached for your information. (Annex ‘C’’)

Policy Seminars
Some of conference time is devoted to Policy Seminars and delegates were free to participate in the following Policy Seminars: Britain in the World, Economy, Jobs and Growth; Greener Living: Environment, Energy and Climate Change; Health and Social Care; Crime and Justice; the Cost of Living Crisis; The British Promise: Education, Culture and Creativity; Stronger Communities: Local Government, Housing and Transport; New Politics: Constitutional Reform Citizenship and Equalities.

It was accepted that as long as individual CWU delegates complied by the policies of the CWU, they were free to enter into these fairly informal debating sessions.

At the conclusion of the meeting the CWU Delegation were advised that the General Secretary had been successfully elected as Vice Chair of Trade Union Liaison Office (TULO).

NB: On the 26th September the Union held a very successful reception which was well attended. The reception was addressed by Ed Miliband, Leader of the Labour Party, and Ed Balls, Shadow Chancellor.

The formal Labour Party Record of Decisions is not yet available but as soon as this is received, a further LTB will be issued. However, in the meantime documents referred to in this LTB can be accessed via the link to the Labour Party Annual Conference which is: http://www.labour.org.uk/conference" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any enquiries on the LTB should be forwarded to the General Secretary’s Office quoting the Reference GS 14.0

Yours sincerely


W HAYES
General Secretary




Annex ‘A’

5 CONTEMPORARY MOTIONS SUPPORTED BY THE C



Annex ‘B’



NEC Statement contained in the
Conference Arrangements Committee
No 1 Report



ANNEX ‘C’



Rule amendments presented to
Conference


For ANNEX see Attachment