Minutes GPTU meeting 27/1/2016

Minutes  GPTU meeting 27/1/2016

1.    apologies: Declan O’Niell, Sue Tibbles (phone)

2.    Minutes GPTU meeting 18/11/2015: agreed for accuracy

3.   matters arising

a) Pitchford enquiry: should/has GPEW apply for participant status?

b) Labour party Councillors anti-cuts group? Enquiry sent to gptu list.

c)    A prominent anti-fracking campaigner has revealed that he was detained under the Terrorism Act at Exeter Airport just before Christmas.

http://drillordrop.com/2016/01/06/fracking-opponent-detained-under-the-terrorism-act/

d) no response from Scottish GPTU

4   Officers’ reports;

      i.        Secretary: Preparations for conference, attended CCCTU meeting (see appendix below). Jim Scott now has brief for GPTU on GPRC: contact after conference to raise matters with Conferences Committee.

    ii.        Treasurer no change (ie now £164.79

   iii.        Membership.awaited

   iv.        TULO: awaited

4.     GP conference spring 2016

A gptu fringe: Lucas commemoration( Jonathon Essex with GPTU support) and “Can the Greens work with the Labour Party?” (Sue Tibbles)  agreed)

B gptu stall booked (@£40) volunteers needed to help person, will be selling D.Wall books and other new books from Pluto press +raffle

D, AGM booked Queen's Suite 5 from 20.00 to 21.00 on Saturday 27 February. Nominations to be opened.

E Possible Conference Motions see gp website and members’ site.

5.    Upcoming and recent disputes etc.

a)   Paris Cop December 2015, see http://gptublog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/ucu-paris-update-no-1.htmland http://londongreenleft.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/a-historic-event-or-fraud-critical.html also APPENDIX: cccTU REPORT

b)           Solidarity with London met more info needed

c)           Freedom pass: where now for workplace pensions?

Thu, 4 Feb 2016 at 09:00, Congress House, London
The future of retirement provision after recent major reforms will be discussed at the Trades Union Congress’s annual pensions conference.see http://gptublog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/solidarity-with-london-met-freedom-pass.html  can someone from Gp attend ?

d) London Federation of Green Party’s reorganisation and personnel changes. Chairs are now T.Chance &  J.Nadel. What has happened to the reorganisation proposal? Ask TC

h)    Trident demo feb GP representation on CND: C.Lucasnow CND Chair

e) Anti-tu bill 2nd reading: House of Lords | 11.01.2016"TUC  week of action The Trade Union Bill and beyond – fighting the anti-union laws  8-14 February. See https://www.tuc.org.uk/events/trade-union-bill-and-beyond-%E2%80%93-fighting-anti-union-laws

f) BMA strike 12/1/2016 subsequent strikes called off, gp support for picket lines + widespread public support

g) Daily Telegraph attack on NUT see
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/12117736/NUT-leaders-colluding-to-undermine-anti-terror-policies.html

NUT response: Kevin Courtney Deputy General Secretary National Union of Teachers

‘Keeping children safe is a central concern of teachers and the NUT. The union opposes any attempt by any organisation to exploit children and young people. We do however have some concerns about the operation and training for the Prevent strategy which could undermine its aims. In particular there is a worry that some children may feel unable to speak in class discussions. Our concerns, alongside many other organisations, are raised in order to ensure  that the best possible system is in place to protect young people and society.  To stop rational debate about Prevent is in the interest of no one. It is only through discussion with the profession that we will get this right in our schools’.

Kind regards

Caroline Cowie

NUT Press Office

07879480061/ 0207 380 4706

h) ccctu see appendix below

i) MP’s education meeting : http://www.wembleymatters.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/meeting-with-london-mps-as-education.html <http://www.wembleymatters.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/meeting-with-london-mps-as-education.htm

6.    Gptu Media (Blog, Site, Fb, Forum, Skype. Badges? New Leaflet/ Postcard, twiitter)

7          AOB

a)   New Members’ meeting 11 /2/2016 Development House

b)   Ucl Students’ rent strike http://www.theguardian.com/education/video/2016/jan/26/ucl-student-why-were-going-on-rent-strike-video

c)   GP staff given notice at xmas

d)   CONTRIBUTIONS FOR Watermelon Green Left newsletter to p.murry

yrrumuk@googlemail.com ASAP.

8) NEXT GPTU MEETINGS

AGM booked Queen's Suite 5 from 20.00 to 21.00 on Saturday 27 February at GP Spring conference, Harrogate

a)   Next regular meeting 23 March 2016 at Development House

APPENDIX

Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group meeting Saturday, 23rd January 2016

Report back by P.Murry (2 gp members present)

a)   Speaker from Lucas plan commemoration booked but unable to attend.

b)   Next Lucas plan commemoration meeting 14/2/2016 contact dave@breakingtheframe.org.uk.Organising for a conference in November.

c)   Jonathon Essex applying for fringe on Lucas plan at GP spring conference (26-8 Feb) with GPTU support.

d)   Pm offered to sell “1m Climate Jobs” pamphlet at GP spring conference.

e)   People's Assembly: March for Health, Homes, Jobs and Education: April 16 2016 agreed to organise ccctu block

f)    CND Trident demo 27 Feb agreed to organise ccctu block and leaflet. Noted that C. Lucas now CND chair and that GP spring conference clashed with the march, although the conference organisers had been alerted to this.

g)   Discussion of the Corbyn/Labour proposal for nuke subs w/o Trident which C. Lucas had criticised, not generally favoured.

h)   Plymouth dockyard campaign against work on Trident/for alternatives noted.

i)     Meeting with Corbyn being organised?

j)     Confusion of climate jobs with’ green’ jobs in Labour policies noted.

k)   Paris Cop 21 report back: Phillip Pearson (ex TUC) report recommended. Critics noted that there had been no binding agreement, only lip service to the idea of just transition, targets were vague and that the spending commitment was inadequate. However some thought that it was positive that Climate Change was accepted as real and that a target of 1.5-2degrees warming seemed generally accepted, although it was pointed out that here was still almost certain to be a 2.7degree global warming. Both Naomi Klein and j. Corbyn had spoken in Paris recommending “1m Climate Jobs” pamphlet. N.K. also called for a global eek of action against carbon extractive projects, 7-16 May. There had been restrictions on street protest arising from earlier terrorist attacks but it was reported that these were sometimes not enforced on climate protestors.

l)     Recap on nov29 2015 London Climate Change demo: generally a successful event but problems with some organising NGO’s (Avaaz especially?) trying to impose an ’apolitical’ line on speakers at the end rally, although there were political speakers at the start rally and the NUS Speaker and Kate Tempest both made anti-capitalist speeches at the end rally. Also discussion that the decision not to let the ~Wretched of the Earth’ group lead the rally by the organisers was seen by some, but not all, as racist.

m) Paul Hampton Workers and Trade Unions for Climate Solidarity: Tackling climate change in a neoliberal world (Routledge Studies in Climate, Work and Society)Hardcover – 17 Jun 2015Kindle Edition £34.99 Hardcover £90.004 Used from £80.9518 New from £69.20

n)   19^th March national anti-racism demo-ccctu contingent?

o)   Ccctu conference 9 July “Climate Change, Conflict and Refugees”

Ad hoc organisers K.Montague, A.Thornett, P.Murry, Fliss

p)   Anti 3^rd runway at Heathrow event April

q)   Next Campaign Against Climate Change Trade Union Group meeting 12 march, London