The annual seminar of the SERTUC Pensioners' Network on
14 April 2014 considered the question whether retired trade
union members were a resource or a bit of a nuisance.
Held at Congress House, just round the corner from the
Cartoon Museum (current exhibition 'Spitting Image'),
and just along the road from Congress House is a large
repository of artifacts of military, political and
religious power looted from throughout the world.
We thought that Jerry Latter, Research Manager at
Ipsos MORI, was going to show us his holiday snaps,
but it was all statistics and comments on research
results.
Neil Duncan-Jordan, National Officer of the National
Pensioners Convention listens for ammunition.
Neil tells us that many retired women in the UK are
worse-off than their male counter-parts, as caring for
the family is considered by many as of lower value
than paid employment.
Retirement brings us independence, for we are no
longer afraid that outspoken views will bring unemployment.
Make the most of it. While we are working our
managers have powers which they often feel uncomfortable
with, when they are retired and dependent on their own
resources, we can forge an entirely new and
constructive relationship.
Rodney rousing speeches stem from a childhood
dream to be a mob-orator, he told us last year
in Cambridge.
Now that retired members have access to
cheap technology, perhaps more of us can
take up mob-oratory while sitting in our
dressing-gowns and fuelling our anger with coffee.
The lack of discussion is the failing of all large meetings,
but you do need the promise of a large rally to get
activists together.
Can we think about this for next time? I did feel that
opportunities were missed. Having come early for the
registration process, I felt that simply being one of the first
to have my name crossed off a list was a poor justification
for incurring the additional cost of a peak-hour train.
Perhaps name badges with the name of your union and
where you were from would have helped, or symbols
indicating the issues that you would like to discuss with
fellow delegates.
Lunch time can be much more than a time for eating.
Perhaps tables displaying leaflets from the various groups
we support, with someone behind the table to
focus the discussion on the issues involved would help.
Use these links to find out more about the people and
organisations involved in the day:
Please let us have your views and comments
- they will be printed here,
but do indicate if
your comments are intended for publication,
and if you want your name included.
Please email usunicamret@gmail.com
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