Minutes GPTU meeting 7/10/2015

Minutes GPTU meeting 7/10/2015

1.       Apologies: D.Jones, M.Child, M.Francis, W.Quick, R.Sandison, no skype available at this meeting hope to have it at next meeting.

2.      Minutes GPTU meeting 2/9/2015,Agreed for accuracy (bar one typo)

3.      Matters arising

4.      A) Skype training needed

B Agreement reached to end National Gallery dispute (see http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/pcs_comment/pcs_comment.cfm/agreement-reached-to-end-national-gallery-dispute) re-instated Nat gallery shop steward Candy Unwin will be speaking at SERTUC meeting at Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS, on 17 October, observers welcome.

C). EU GPEW advocates ‘yes, yes, yes. (Yes to a referendum, yes to reform and yes to staying in).  Many uncertainties expressed.

4.      Officers’ reports;

5.      Secretary Routine duties around TUC and GPEW conference, including videography

6.      Treasurer: income and expenditure from conference balances (£65) so account should still be at £120.94. Commission may be due from Pluto books, PM to check after London AGM on 10/10.

§  Membership 209 (including 23 signed up at conference? List sent to membership secretary 29/9 and 7/10)

2015.     TULO including TUC Congress 13TH - 16TH SEPT 2015. Stall at congress and fringe meeting: WORKERS’ RIGHTS: In or out of EU? Natalie Bennett (Green Party Chair) and Sally Hunt. (UCU), CHERYL GEDLING: NEC Member of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Chair of Women's Committee Scottish Trade Union Congress, Jean Lambert MEP (Green Party) Jean Lambert is the Green Party's MEP for London. Videos at http://gptublog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/green-party-fringe-meeting-at-tuc.html. Discussion as to whether the expenditure on the stall had been worthwhile, it had enabled building links between GP and TU’s, but was it too “top down”. More concentration in getting a TULO in every branch; should be a requirement not just a recommendation?

5.      Report back from GP conference

A GPTU fringe GPTU Fringe on Monday at 9.30am well attended (20/30) inspite of ‘graveyard slot’. Discussion led by R. Phoenix, focused on Corbyn and the role of wide socio-political movements (eg CoR, PAAA) in his election.

B YGPTU fringe. Sue Tibbles attended as an observer, Some seemed not know about how to join a TU which TU to join. Also problems with unionisation in the retail sector and with Unison. GPTU to send   message welcoming the group, offering itself as a source of advice if needed and considering possibility of future joint meetings etc.

C kiwi and lime, This publication probably written by N.Hales of Bath GP and a member of the editorial committee of Green World, was circulated at conference. Will Duckworth was organising a complaint against it, which had already attracted many expressions of support:

“I have drafted this complaint about Kiwi and Lime.  I can change the "I"s to "we"s if others would like to be included.  I'm happy to take amendments:

I read the Kiwi and Lime publication which was distributed at Autumn Conference 2015.

This was put out on tables in the dining area which was open to staff and visitors.

There were numerous criticisms of Green Left and the GPEW in general but there are two things which I found totally unacceptable and which we believe bring the party into disrepute and which are offensive:

There is a photograph of Natalie Bennett with a superimposed bubble saying “I am enjoying leading the Green Party to a communist future”.

There is a sentence saying “Marx despised care for animals and Green Left are Marxists”. This is untrue and offensive.

It also states “Feminism supports women who choose not to have children. This also sounds grand but what is ignored is the duty to our ancestors” and “Protecting our own genetic line by having children is equivalent to biodiversity”. When approached about this the author was unrepentant. I believe that this was written by Nick Hales of Bath Green Party.

I would like to make this a formal complaint. Will Duckworth Dudley Green Party”

1.       population matters (aka Optimum Population Trust), This organisation had a stall and fringe, (which may have been subject to some robust criticism from persons associated with YG’s and/or Bright Green. The presence of this group had been the focus for several past complaints; and it might be that they were allowed at conference because of their ability to pay. Members urged to make use of conference feedback forms to complain.

E Reports of contention re E.Ops report.

F Possible Conference Motions;

§  Delegate conferences

§  Ballot on allocation of fringes

G Application for GPTU AGM as a fringe at next conference

6.      Upcoming and recent disputes etc.

1.       Take City Hall 5/9; Originally planned as an open public event to inform London mayoral/assembly campaigns, this had turned into a n expensive event only open to GP members.

2.      TTIP: Videos of War on Want speakers at http://greenleftblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/london-federation-of-green-parties.html (Mark Dean) and http://gptublog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/campaign-against-climate-change-tu.html (John Hilary)

3.      PAAA October 4th Demo Manchester; V. Large demo and GP presence.

4.      CCCTU Conferences: Sheffield 19/9 (videos as for John Hilary above) and Manchester 10/10

Paris Cop December 2015: Climate March London: 29 November 2015.

Booking through FOE would make this more affordable - Eurostar and shared hostel accommodation.https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/travel-and-accommodation-for-paris-climate-talks-tickets-18865830206

Also “I am going to propose to London Fed to organize a travel there in coordination with FoE transport schemes.” (hugocologico@gmail.com)

1.       London Federation of Green Party’s AGM 9/10/2015

2.      Mayoral and London Assembly selections. Sian Berry selected as GPEW London Mayoral candidate. Recount of Assembly selection likely

3.      Scottish GPTU has been set up see https://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/news/scottish-greens-to-launch-trade-union-group-hear-from-stuc-chief/. GPTU to send welcome message.

4.      Trident demo feb 20 2016 seehttp://cnduk.org/get-involved/events/item/2282-stop-trident-national-demo

5.      Anti-racist demonstration in Dover

"Just 2 weeks ago 300 Nazis marched through Dover chanting "Fuck off refugees". The National Front had a banner on the march, as did Combat 18 and other far right groups. Kent Anti Racism Network plan to organise a mass campaign in the area with thousands of leaflets, streets stalls and events.
We are also planning a demonstration in Dover on October 17th and would appreciate your support for the event."

7.      GPTU Media (Blog, Site, Fb, Forum, Skype. Badges? New Leaflet/ Postcard)

New website design suggested but it is also being suggested that we should use GP template and server instead (see a suggested new design attached).

Message from C.Puddicombe.

8          AOB

1.       a) Pitchford Enqiry into undercover policing. Supervising judge has indicated that its remit could extend to other forms of surveillance. Will GPEW be making a submission?

2.      b) SEE http://londongreenleft.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/labour-signals-end-to-dented-shield.html will there be a move to democratically accountable Labour Councillors? and Will GPEW be able to match this?

 9 Next GPTU meeting 7.15pm Weds 18^th November, Development House.

Appendix

The Trade Union Group of the Green Party of England and Wales is delighted to hear that the Scottish Green Party is establishing its own Trade Union Group . We regard this as a very positive development, especially in view of the current legal assaults on Trades Unions  proposed by the government. We hope to be able to co-operate and exchange information and ideas with the Scottish Green Party Trade Union Group .

details of GPTU(E&W) can be found on  our blog at gptublog.blogspot.com/ and our website at http://greenptu.wordpress.com as well as our 2 facebook pages.

Yrs in solidarity Peter Murry, Secretary GPTU(E&W)

Peter Murry	Oct 31
to Sue

 £120.25  income from book sales of pluto books

£ 60.00 300 anti tu bill flyers

£ 16.40 postage for book returns

£ 43.85 balance to gptu

London: Building The Fight Against Austerity 
Saturday 21 November, 1:30pm - 4:30pm
@ Central Hall Westminster

Admission by advance ticket: Click here to book

Speakers include: John McDonnell MP, Yanis Varoufakis (Former Finance Minister, Greece), Mark Serwotka (PCS), Lindsey German (People's Assembly), Shadia Edwards-Dashti (Stop the War Coalition), Matt Wrack (FBU), Kate Hudson (CND), Christine Blower (NUT), Ian lawrence (NAPO), Dave Ward (CWU), Ian Hodgson (BFAWU), Mick Cash (RMT), Steve Gillan (POA), Ellen Clifford (DPAC), Bob Monks (URTU)