Tim Fransen – Communications Officer Report
On Saturday 16 June, I arrived in Brighton to attend the UNISON Local Government Service Group Conference held on 17 and 18 June and for the first day of the UNISON National Delegate Conference (19–22 June).
I travelled down to Brighton after the One Year On: Justice for Grenfell Solidarity March in London. Thousands of people joined the Fire Brigades Union as we march to Downing Street with Justice4Grenfell to demand justice for the victims of the disaster.
UNISON Local Government Service Group Conference
17 June: I arrived at the Brighton Centre at 9:00am, as a first-time conference visitor I watched the proceedings from a balcony overlooking an auditorium of delegates including our representatives Louise McDermott and Gloria Lawton (pictured above). The comprehensive agenda included motions on ‘The Housing Crisis and Its Effects on Public Sector Workers’, ‘Mental Health in the Council Workforce’, ‘Working for Decent Pensions’ and ‘Raising the Profile of Local Government Workers’ (Composite C, Motions 21 and 22).
Regarding the latter, conference noted that local government services too often suffer from a low profile. The lack of awareness or recognition of the importance of what local government workers do has made it easy for the Westminster Government to cut local government funding at a much greater rate than any other part of the public sector, for example, by 2020, 75% of local government funding will have been cut since 2010.
Conference highlighted we need to develop training to enable branches and members to maximise the positive impact of media engagement and use online media to highlight the realities of our members’ work and the contribution they bring to society. Additionally, holding further days of celebration for particular local government occupations and highlighting those important roles was recommended.
As well as the main conference proceedings, I attended the following fringe meetings: ‘Social Work Against the State Attack on Asylum and Refuge’, ‘Early Years Funding and Workforce’ and ‘Grenfell: A Crime Against The Working Class’. The lunchtime fringe meeting highlighted how social workers and other local government workers are on the frontline of the government’s attempt to create a hostile environment for asylum seekers and refugees. They are increasingly being expected to act as unlawful agents for the Home Office Immigration Service and told to deny social work to people with no immigration status.
Nevertheless, workers are rejecting this role by standing up for ethical practice and building solidarity with those groups the government are attempting to demonise. Amongst the speakers was Kate Grant from Social Workers Without Borders which offers social work expertise and voluntary support to asylum seekers, refugees and those negatively affected by borders. They produce educational materials for social workers and promote social work activism. Kate kindly gave me her last copy of the ‘Practice Handbook for Bristol Social Workers’ (pictured below). This publication is a tool for social workers in Bristol and anyone supporting people affected by borders and will be available to consult at the branch office. Perhaps our branch could help financially support a second print run?
On Sunday evening, I attended the ‘Early Years Funding and Workforce’ fringe meeting to hear about the campaign for fair funding for nurseries and issues facing the early years workforce across the UK. This was followed by ‘Grenfell: A Crime Against The Working Class’ with Moyra Samuels (Justice4Grenfell) and Charlie Kimber (Editor, Socialist Worker). Kimber stressed that residents of Grenfell Tower died because they were poor, or black, or both. Further, it was identified that reckless business owners have blood on their hands and that successive governments of all colours created an environment where Grenfell Tower became so fatal.
Echoing Saturday’s One Year On: Justice for Grenfell Solidarity March it was maintained that business owners need to be prosecuted and government ministers must be held to account for overseeing deregulation, privatisation, cuts to council budgets and the closure of fire and rescue stations. The concluding discussion focused on what we have to do to ensure it can never happen again and how to achieve real accountability and justice for Grenfell – Moyra Samuels asked for ongoing support through participation in the monthly silent walks. These are held on the 14th of each month from Kensington Town Hall to the Grenfell Memorial Wall.
18 June: Continuing from yesterday, the main conference discussions and motions included ‘Keeping Pay Equal’, ‘Trans Equality is Everyone’s Concern’, ‘Dealing With the Menopause in the Workplace’, ‘Protecting Disabled Workers’ Jobs’ and ‘Funding for Early Years’.
At lunchtime, I attended the ‘Tackling Modern Slavery Through Public Procurement’ fringe meeting. After 40 years of labour market deregulation and anti-trade union legislation, over 40 million people are Modern Slaves world-wide and around 13,000 are in the UK. Annually local government spends £60 billion on procuring goods and services. In a world where workers struggle to make a living and claim their rights, this purchasing power could be used to leverage social good, fairness and transparency.
Electronics Watch showed how public sector organisations can work collectively to protect the labour rights and the safety of workers in their electronics supply chains. Additionally, I highlighted the Fair Tax Mark as another ethical consideration for public procurement i.e. does the supplier pay the right amount of tax, at the right time and in the right place?
Finally, on the eve of the UNISON National Delegate Conference, I attended the UNISON International Rally and Reception to meet and listen to guest speakers from Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Brazil, Turkey, South Korea, Colombia, Cuba and the USA.
For further information and resources on the UNISON Local Government Service Group Conference visit: https://www.unison.org.uk/events/2018-local-government-conference/
UNISON National Delegate Conference
19 June: On Tuesday morning, I took the opportunity to visit the UNIZONE* to get some specialist advice from UNISON’s National Data Protection Officer to feedback to the Branch Executive Committee and ensure our branch is complying with GDPR and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). Additionally, I attended a WARMS (Web Access Recruitment and Membership System) demo. WARMS is an excellent GDPR compliant platform with an integrated emailing tool which I hope to utilise to help the branch communicate more effectively with members.
At lunchtime, I attended the ‘Solidarity with Turkey: defending rights, democracy and decent work’ fringe meeting to hear how human and workers rights in Turkey have been rapidly eroded since the attempted coup and the imposition of the state of emergency in July 2016. Shockingly, about 150,000 public service workers have been dismissed or suspended, strikes have been banned and many trade unionists harassed and detained. The talk showed how public service unions are responding to the crisis and called for ongoing UNISON support and solidarity with the workers of Turkey.
In the afternoon (before heading home), I listened to UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis ‘We’re just getting started!’ speech – and he/everyone had a message for the Prime Minister: “Fund our NHS and all our public services. Or call an election and we’ll elect a government that will!”
For further information and resources on the UNISON National Delegate Conference visit: https://www.unison.org.uk/events/2018-national-delegate-conference/ and read Tim Sneller’s conference reflections on International Solidarity, Housing after Grenfell, UNISON Members and the Private Sector and the Windrush Scandal.
* The UNIZONE was an interactive exhibition of UNISON’s key campaigning, bargaining and organising work. UNIZONE featured a great range of interactive sessions, exhibitions, talks and specialist advice.
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