UNISON NDC 2010: The Final Standing Orders committee report.

If you have never been to a UNISON conference on its last day then this is not quite what you would expect. The report is given by the Chair of the NDC standing committee who is advised to keep his day job:)

UNISON NDC 2010: Angela tells it as it is

I forgot – a couple more video posts about UNISON NDC. Sound quality not that very good but while waiting in one of the speaker chairs last week just before I was “bumped off” I was able to video the last bit of top Stockport Local Government branch activist, Angela Bowan, as she lays into the grandstanding ultra left who are “playing politics with our members!”

Go Girl Go! Note the applause at the end!

UNISON NDC 2010: Organising and CONDEMNATION

 This is my last NDC 2010 post. Picture of London UNISON regional convenor Gloria Hanson outside conference with a very suitable sign. 

This is a speech I did for the Friday morning "Organising" debate (but was "bumped off").

"Conference, President, John Gray HAB, Greater London region speaking in favour of Composite A.

I think that all of us welcome the opportunity to debate the “bread and butter” issue of organising in our union. I’m surprised that no-one has mentioned that old chestnut “organise or die” but I think we all know in our heart of hearts that the future growth and development of the union is the most important matter we need to get right this week.

Conference, as Dave mentioned in his address on Tuesday, we are facing a “perfect storm” - a coalition government which is an open enemy of trade unionism. A government which is committed to savage spending cuts and is going to use wholesale privatisation as one of the ways to bring this about. That means our jobs, our pensions and our terms & conditions.

To resist and defend we must have high densities of members in all branches, in all regions and all services groups. We need trained and properly supported stewards, safety, learning and equality reps in every single workplace. We need effective back up from regional and national office. Nothing less will be acceptable. Otherwise the important issues we have discussed this week will just be hot air.

To give you an idea of the organising challenges facing us from a Community Service Group perspective. I am the branch secretary of a branch with 3500 members, located mainly in London but we also have a range of members working from Southampton to Peterborough. We have some 130 different employers – big and small. My own employer has offices located in 4 different UNISON regions and covered by 7 different UNISON branches.

So conference. I welcome the commitment in this composite to set a target of 1.5 million members; the commitment to tackle “inequality in representation”; the 100 new organising staff; the 3 companies’ project and the Living wage campaign. Also, to no-one’s surprise who knows me I welcome the commitment to greater use of information technology and even new social media.

Conference, please support this composite and go back to your branches next week and make organising number one on your agenda".

UNISON NDC 2010: Tobin (Robin Hood) Tax Motion 92

I actually managed to give this speech to conference without being “bumped off”!

"President, conference, John Gray, Housing Association Branch, London region speaking in favour of motion 92.

The Tobin or rather the Robin Hood Tax is a win, win for everyone. Not only a means to redistribute wealth from the very rich to the desperately poor but also a way of trying to ensure financially stability for our economy. Previous speakers have described how this tax is affordable, targeted and can raise large sums of money and the good use it could be put to.

However, we need to remind all members who have funded pension scheme’s or life assurance policies that it is very much in their own personal and collective interests that this tax is brought in. Remember conference that the original aim of the tax was to counter damage caused to economies by short term financial speculators who constantly buy and sell or “churn” currencies, stocks and shares. If by a relatively small tax on every city transaction it will make speculators think twice about such “churn” - then this will benefit not only our economy but our own worker savings.

Conference, don’t think that City speculators have nothing to do with you. For example every 3 months or so, city fund managers come and visit town halls up and down the country about their pension schemes. I’ve been a UNISON pension representative on my mine for 14 years; Pensions are by definition long term investments. What pensions need is investments that are also long term. But what happens in many pension funds at this moment is that we pay huge amounts of money to fund managers, who then spend even more of our money in commissions, buying and selling shares, on a daily or even hourly basis - not that they think these companies are well managed, well run businesses which will provide security and revenue for our pensions but because of short term volatility. This is what is meant by “casino finance”.

Conference, there is plenty of hard evidence that investing for the long term will produce superior investment returns. If our pension funds had been run in the past in our long term interests rather than the short term interests of the people who are employed in our name to run them, then perhaps we would not be having the problems and attacks on our pensions that we see now.

We should of course as unison activists be challenging our managers about their investments but the Robin Hood tax would make churn more expensive and also make it far more difficult for fund managers to justify such speculation.

Conference, please support this motion not least because it not only the right thing to do for your conscious but it will also be the right thing to do for your own pocket.

(I don’t think I will use my notebook to read off a conference speech again – during the speech I kept thinking that I was going to press the wrong key and it would crash! not a very nice feeling to have while in front of 1000 plus folk)

UNISON NDC 2010: London Labour Councils agreement on Living wage

This was yet another speech that I was “bumped off” by a point of order before I could deliver it. Such is life. I am really pleased with the recent ground breaking agreement between the affiliated local government unions and the London Labour councils about a living wage for all (picture is of UNISON St George hospital cleaners who won a huge “living wage” pay rise based upon NHS terms and conditions in 2008).

"President, Conference, John Gray, Housing Association Branch, Greater London Region speaking in favour of Composite D.

In particular I would like to speak in favour of the clauses regarding the campaign for a Living wage. Conference, a campaign for a living wage is not just a London thing - it is a national matter. Across our 4 nations there are many areas with higher than average living costs. UNISON and its predecessor unions helped set up the minimum wage and we are horrified at what the CONDEMS will now do with it. However, it is a minimum wage and not a living wage in any part of the UK.

A living wage is a trade union matter but it is also still a particular UNISON trade union matter. I work for a large public housing organisation in London. In my organisation all directly employed staff are quite rightly paid above a living wage. Yet the contractor workers who clean my office are paid £5.80 per hour. The agency caretakers who are filling temporary vacancies are paid the same. The concierge who provide 24/7 reception and security services in our high rise tower block are also paid a flat rate £5.80 per hour for 12 hours shifts. They work 5 shifts minimum per week and are forced to opt out of the working hours limits. Now there are many branches here today in local government and health who have all workers protected under local or national agreements which pay above the minimum wage but I suspect that most branches will have members or workers entitled to join who are not.

While we will work with other organisations such as faith groups and NGO’s it is our duty and responsibility as trade unionists to make sure that all our workers are paid a living wage. We must also remember that a living wage should not only be around a basic rate of pay but also about maximum working hours, holiday pay, sick pay and pensions. The best way of ensuring that workers are paid a decent living wage is to include or link these workers to the existing national agreements.

Finally conference, some good news for a change with regards the living wage. Despite the horror of May 7th and the formation of the CONDEM government, in London at least we had some good news. Labour in London actually beat the Tories and we won a majority of Councils. What this meant is that Labour took control of London Councils which is the organisation that represents all boroughs.

UNISON Labour link in London has been able to take a lead and negotiate an agreement with Labour councils and local government unions. There are a number of good things in this agreement that that I am sure that most of us will agree on but in particular there is a clause that all these Labour councils will work towards a living wage for all their contractors by getting rid of a 2 tier workforce and getting everyone on the appropriate national terms and conditions. I did think of using this news in the debate on the political fund as an example of what you can achieve with an active and well supported regional Labour link to improve things for all workers. But I hope that all branches and regions will be trying to get similar agreements with their employers.

Conference please support a living wage for all - please support this composite.

UNISON NDC 2010: End of Conference – Goodbye Bournemouth

The UNISON National delegate conference finished at 4pm on Friday. Our President, Gerry Gallagher, was given the traditional very emotional UNISON “goodbye and thanks” - which left him red eyed and saying he would close conference down now since he was sure we didn’t want to see a grown man cry!

Conference will still live on a few more days on this blog as I will still post on some of the debates, fringes and speeches that I didn’t have time to do at the time.

It was actually quite a positive conference and apart from the occasional silliness by the Ultra (disunited) left it went quite smoothly and there were some very good and constructive debates. There was a bit of fuss and bother by some daftey on Wednesday who came to conference wearing a tee-shirt praising someone who had been kicked out of the union by independent lay discipline committees after being accused of let us say – “very serious extremely offensive behaviour” against trade union members (and various other things!). A number of delegates who represented trade union members who had been brave enough to complain against this person (who is now a paid full time SWP official and currently trying to sue the union) naturally objected to this.

There was a “call for unity” by many speakers – which is fair enough but it seemed that for some speakers this unity would only be on the basis that us proles gratefully accepted their leadership and direction over said “unity”. The words “hell and high water” comes to mind with regard to this particular no doubt kind and generous offer.

There was of course a little bit of the usual NEC “bashing and baiting”. But even the sensible left of UNISON London region had a “comradely” disagreement with the NEC over a proposed maximum term of office.

Conference was however solid and united in its opposition to the CONDEM s attempt to decimate our public services. UNISON 1.3 million members are rolling up our collective sleeves, getting ready for a fight, weighing up what is Tory bluster and what they think they can get away with – and what we shall be doing to stop it.

As is my want after close of conference I went off for rest and recuperation in another south coast resort for the weekend, this year, Weymouth in Dorset. Picture is the lovely view from bedroom window on Saturday morning. I recommend the Weymouth fish restaurant “Floods” and the late night Friday (not Saturday) boogie at the “Edinburgh - House of Sounds” bar.

It was all very strange that no-one in Weymouth was at all interested in standing order committee reports, or rule P expulsions (apparently there was some sort of football tournament going on somewhere? :)

UNISON NDC 2010: Defending the Local Government Pension Scheme

On Wednesday morning there was a debate on Defending the LGPS.  I posted about this excellent UNISON Labour Link leaflet on the threat to our pensions just before the General Election.

I hope those who claim there was "no difference" between Labour and the Tories are pleased with themselves.

Anyway, below is my speech on motion 18.  I tried to speak on amendment 18.4 which for some reason deleted the call for there to be a single LGPS pension fund in England, Scotland and Wales.  I got "bumped off" by a "point of order... for the question to be put" (went to an immediate vote without hearing all speakers) .

Here is my speech anyway.

 "John Gray, Tower Hamlets LGPS Representative, With Voting Rights!!

I speak from inside the pension machine – I’ve been a UNISON LGPS rep for 14 Years...I’ve watched fund managers come and go – at great expense to our fund....believe me on this

Conference there is going to be a Public Sector Pension Commission. It will look at the future costs of all public pension schemes.

The union needs a specific response to the Commission that deals with the funded element of the LGPS.

Just like the situation in Holland in 1996 when public sector pensions were under threat – what did the unions, employers and government do then? They created a new pension system for public sector workers.
1 fund, 12 sets of benefits, governed by 5 trade union reps and 5 employer reps,

Consultation committees for scheme members, pensioners and employers

That body then created its own fund manager, in-house, low costs, responsible investor, it’s now the 3rd largest pension fund in the world with one objective to pay the members pensions and not fill their own pockets and drive away in the latest Porsche

And conference in 2008 a study looking at reform of pension’s management for state workers in Ontario Canada said “lower investment fees are but one of the many advantages enjoyed by large plans over smaller ones and over individual savers.

Conference its clear, everyone who has tackle this question of costs looks to consolidate funds

In London there are 34 pension funds, all competing with each other, all with at least 8 fund management contracts each, pouring money into the pockets of the City traders.

Why 34 funds? They are an accident of History, a system well past its sell by date.

What counts is the economic power and efficiency when it comes to our funds.....anything less than 1 in each country will cost us money in lost fees and no economic power

Why not 5, why not 10 why not 20?

Because they cost us more to run, wasted money that we cannot afford to throw away now or for future generations

So I ask you to reject 18.04

Let us offer the coming generations a chance to thank us in the future..thank us for having the nous to help save decent pension provision for them

Give us the policy to move forward with a coherent and calculated set of demands...let us tell Pickles in a time of austerity we know how to save money

UNISON Housing Association Conference Blog

This link is rather late - but better late than never!  One of my branch delegates, Mary Powell  has been posting on the UNISON NDC here.

She has kept postings up-to-date (much better than I have) and I will no doubt pinch some of her stuff for this blog later.

UNISON NDC 2010: Dave Prentis Speech

(Some notes about the General Secretary's speech to conference on Tuesday afternoon – usual health warning about my hurried note taking). Dave started off with a joke about conference clashing with the World cup and how UNISON had tried unsuccessfully to get the football authorities to change their date. This conference is the biggest gathering of public service workers in the world. There were more people at the International rally last night then most unions have delegates at their AGMs.

He affirmed our solidarity with our sister unions in Europe taking to the streets to protest against cuts. He condemned the attack in Gaza and offered support for peace and justice in the Middle East. Dave praised the role of UNISON activists and “Our people” in defeating the BNP and Nick Griffin. The Battle against them continues. There is no place for fascists in councils and in our great union. This is the Centenary of UNISON Welfare. He described Gerry Gallagher the UNISON President as a man of integrity and wished him well in retirement. Thanked activists for work you do for our union. Slogging through meetings and paperwork – putting up with each other (most of the time). There are now 5000 Learning reps. Our Self organised groups. We are slowly, slowly winning equal pay. We will continue until we get equal pay for all. Recruitment is at an all time high. There is a new army of area and local organisers. Strong political and industrial action funds.

On May 7th our world was transformed. We have Tory and Liberal attacks on us. I has a message today for the headline writers in the “The Daily Telegraph” “Your parents wasted the money” on your public school education. You are not that clever - you can’t add up. You claim that it cost each household £4000 per year on public pensions. They got the decimal point wrong. It costs £400 per year. We demand an apology from Clegg and the “Daily Telegraph”. Remember before the election the Tories claimed they have changed. They now want to cut your pay, your pensions and your jobs. It’s “gutting not cutting” our public services. This is not inevitable it is ideological. Tell employers they do have choice. Stop cutting pay and start cutting consultants. Councils stop giving council tax "give away's". Go to Osborne and say make the bankers pay for it. It’s about fairness. The richest 100 people in the UK in the middle of a recession increase their wealth by 30% in one year. The money for one Council CEO is increased by 30% 3 years and a NHS CEO by 7% this year. We have money for war and Trident. Let’s have a Pay freeze for the bankers. If threaten to leave the country. I say let ‘em go. I’ve said before that I will organise a whip round for 1 way ticket out of the UK.

Public services are our jewel in our crown. Those who work with young offenders are as important but are not as poplar as those who provide child care. Who will champion what is right and not what is poplar? This union will. This is our time. Unions were not made for good times but for the bad times - this is why we came about. We are facing a “Perfect storm”. 1000’s are joining every week for protection. They are looking for us for leadership. This is a heavy responsibility. We are where we should be. We cannot tell where it will end. Every hour and every day - this union will protect its members. We will not take us down “dead end alleys. We will not exhaust ourselves in the first few months. Build alliances with other public unions – yes, the CPS and NGOs via our “Million voices” campaign. Only support as leader of the Labour Party candidates who will fight the cuts. Expect Labour Councillors and Councils to do the same. Give full support to any branch who is forced to resort to industrial action to defend jobs. United campaign to fight the pay freeze. If Clegg comes for our pensions then we will ballot for national industrial action.

Don’t get me wrong we are not looking for a fight. We are always prepared do talk and negotiate. That what unions are there for but no one should under estimate us. If this government picks a fight - we are ready. If they pick a fight we will be ferocious defenders of our members. They will not know what hit them. This is not the time to hand our heads. We should stand tall and confident. If we have to fight we are ready - this will be our time this is what we are about.

UNISON NDC 2010: Economy Debate: Motion 70

(I managed to speak during this debate) "President, Conference, John Gray, Housing Associations branch, London Region. Speaking in support of Motion 70.

Conference, organising the union to effectively defend our members is absolutely key, while campaigning and protesting against cuts will also be crucial. But we have also got to carry out one more thing – there is another major battle that we have got to win and that battle is going to be the Battle of Ideas.

It is incredible that due to the massive failure of lassie-faire financial markets a Labour government which for all its faults we see now was progressive, has been kicked out of power and replaced by a free market Tory fundamentalists and their orange book liberals. Not only this - but they have been able to put the blame for the recession on our so called bloated public sector with our so called gold plated pensions.

The truth of the matter is that the government deficit has been caused by huge drop in taxes which was directly caused by recession which in turn was directly caused by the theft and gross reckless incompetence of many of the same supporters and funders of the so called modern compassionate conservatives. It is amazing that we have allowed this argument to become common place even amongst our own members.

Conference we need to win the battle of ideas, we need to explain that if it was not for recent government spending we would now be facing a depression not a recession, we need to face down the pub bores and the daily mail editorials and argue that you do not have to have savage cuts in public spending. There is an alternative argument.

Conference, we need to argue for a rebalanced mixed economy, an economy based on a given belief that public servants delivering accountable public services are a positive and not a negative. That paying benefits for out of work builders while we have 4 million on the housing waiting list is not only a waste of money and people’s lives but is also the wrong way get us to get out of recession. Having multi-millionaires who admit to paying less in taxes than their office cleaners is not the way to raise enough money to pay off government debt. We need to be confident that there is recognised research such as is found in the book “spirit level” that societies that have fair taxes on the better off end up being better societies for all rich and poor.

Finally conference, while debate in this hall is important – the battle of ideas will take place outside in our branches, in our work place with our employers, and crucially in our community. It is of course a battle that we must win. Thank you".