West Midlands Region

UNISON National Delegate Conference 2015

Tuesday 16th June 2015

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Time to Step up and be heard

Welcome to the Unison National Delegate Conference here at

the SECC, Glasgow. For some of you, this may be the first time

and for some, it may be more. During your stay, lots of

information will be given to you and you will probably have

brain overload.

Don’t worry! There are many Unison colleagues to give you a

helping hand and to understand why we come together each

year for NDC. Why not give a talk on the podium?

In your delegate pack you should have an information booklet

which is intended to help with information about how

conference is run, debates are conducted and so on, as well as

containing motions and amendments.

Conference is much more than just speeches in the main hall. It

is also a great opportunity to share ideas about campaigning

and organising and to find out more about key issues in depth.

Have a wander around and speak to other unison members from

your region.. Or, if you’re brave... Step out of your comfort zone

and mingle with other regions! They won’t bite. Enjoy

What’s On—TUESDAY

UNIZONE offers a great range of

interactive sessions, talks, specialist advice

and fun. Located in Hall 2. Open from

8.45am and closes each day at 5.30pm

Energy

The next five years how can your

pension survive it? Pension matters

WARMS

Political Influence

Save Care Now!

FRINGE EVENTS From pay squeeze to recruitment

crisis

Using the new procurement rules:

How to negotiate the inclusion of

better social and environmental

provisions in public contracts

awards

Cancer in the workplace

The changing face of UNISON; the

challenge of the private sector

Branch Resources Review

Cuba and Venezuela: Another

world is possible - No to US

Intervention

CAUCUS Meetings Disabled Members Caucus

Women’s Caucus

Black Member’s Caucus Meeting

LGBT Caucus

More information is available in your

About Conference 2015 brochure

Water, Environment & Transport

Service Group Conference

Feedback from Fran Hill, PMT Transport

Branch Chair of West Midlands WE&T

sector.

The guest speaker was Peter Kenway from

the New Policy Institute who has been

researching social responsibilities in the water

industry.

Water bills are still rising faster than inflation,

making water companies money making

machines. 20% of households have an affordability issue with these bills.

Some companies have social tariff schemes -

but these only cover about 4% of households.

Water company profits mean that the water

industry can clearly afford to pay the living

wage.

The least we should expect:

Affordable water

The living wage

Tax paid in the UK

I of course spoke in support of the motion

“Protecting Bus Services”

70% of local authorities have stopped or cut

back on supported services leading to

problems for people left stranded with no

buses. This is because of the funding cuts for

local authorities. Cuts to the concessionary

pass scheme mean that some services have

become unaffordable to run.

Other motions covered: Diversity, the living

wage, health & safety issues in our industries,

constitutional matters and emergency motions

about the threat to national bargaining in the PTEs/Combined authorities.

36. CARE OF OLDER PEOPLE are at their best when they

are delivered directly by bodies which have been directly

elected to do so and which remain accountable to the general

public.

Conference therefore urges that integration be pursued as an anti-market measure and as an opportunity to: introduce free

social care for older, people; rebuild the public sector in

social and defend health from privatisation; Defend and

rebuild collective bargaining, level up t&c’s and root out

abusive employment practices like zero hours contracts.

Uniting the aims and values of the workforce with those older

people and other service users. SUPPORT

5. Developing Young Workers Recruiting young workers and organising

young members is an all-year-round

activity, but young workers month can

provide a particular focus for specific

issues, and is an opportunity to celebrate

the contribution that young members make

to UNISON and the trade union and labour

movement in general

Conference calls upon all branches to help, support and

develop a Unison-wide vibrant young workers month by

committing to at least one activity in November each year.

SUPPORT

Keep up with what’s going on or share

your views:

Twitter #uNDC15

follow the west mids account

@unisonwestmids

National twitter feed is

@unisontweets

Meeting the needs of

UNISON activists in

challenging times According to RMS data in 2014 fewer stewards

were recruited than in 2013.

6. The challenges facing the trade union movement in

relation to developing and training activists have rarely

been as difficult as they are now, yet the need to ensure

our representatives are confident and skilled is greater

than ever. From September 2016 change in the funding will impact

on all trade union education delivered by the TUC. The

effects have already started and will continue to have a

devastating effect on TUC centres at Colleges across

England and Wales.

Conference calls on the NEC to extend e-learning; explore

options for enabling low paid workers to attend face to

face training; develop a plan to track closely new activists

identified as part of the private company organising

campaign; work to improve data collection; work with regions and the TUC to minimise course cancellations and

continue to develop a national network of lay tutors to

support a flexible delivery of training and member

learning.

SUPPORT

Beware Blair The leader of one of Britain’s biggest unions has warned that it

will review its links with Labour if the party drifts to the right.

Unison General Secretary Dave Prentis says his members want to

stay within the Labour Party—but there are “no sacred cows.”

Speaking ahead of the annual conference starting Today

(Tuesday) in Glasgow, he says Unison may not back any

of the contenders for the Labour Leadership.

But he adds that anyone who follows in Tony Blair’s foot-

steps by taking the party to the right could risk straining the 115-year old alliance with the union movement.

“We are part of the Labour party. We are an integral part

of it and we have to do what we continue to do which is to

build a workers’ party from within,” Mr Prentis said.

“We have no intention of walking away but we will make

our voice heard. Politically we do have influence and we

don’t do that in a destructive way.

“The point I will make is there are no sacred cows and

nobody can say that in time it’s not right for the unions to

think about their own future but that’s no our intent,” he says.

Mr Prentis defended Ed Milibands leadership, saying he

was a victim of a “dreadful personal attacks” during the

election.

Report Daily Mirror 14.6.2015

Familiar Face at Conference

Regional Secretary

Ravi Subramanian

Free bike Hire for delegates

Visit www.nextbike.co.uk

Use voucher code 769876

Glasgow Hopper exclusive

£2 delegate discount

www.citysightseeingglasgow.co.uk

Discounted

Delegate Travel

with

Scotland’s Rail £5 for 5 days rail travel

within conference zone

(50% discount outside

the zone)

Tickets available at the

Conference Zone

Station.

Ask for a Conference

Rover Ticket and show

your Delegate ID to

purchase.

For restaurant information and bookings

visit

www.glasgowdinearound.com

Visitor Stands

Unison are in partnership with many a businesses

offering Unison members great services and discounts.

Take a visit to Hall 2, where many of the partners are

here and ready to answer your questions:

Unison plus+ - Dental Plan—Travel

Croyde Bay Holiday Resort

LV—Insurance for your car

Unison Insurance—Various policies available

Vision Express—Free Eye Test

Lighthouse Financial Advice

Save Care Now—treating everyone with dignity

Skills for Schools

TC Branding Group—Recruitment & Retention

merchandise

Vauxhall—upto 25% discount on a new car

Unison Drive—Find a new Car

Show Racism the Red Card

Unison Protect

LGBT—Out/In

There for You—Welfare

Thompsons Solicitors—Legal