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unionssouthwest
e-newsletter of the South West TUC
CONTENTS
Big Workplace Meetings
Week of Action against the Trade Union
Bill
Unions face £37 million bill for the
anti-union Bill
Lords overturn political fund attack
South West wages worth £2,300
West Country Workers
Hinkley visit
Airbus Filton investment
South West Migration Conference
Learning, health and well-being
February 2016
Modern slavery and women
Reframing Racism
South West TUC Fairtrade Award
Raising the quality of apprenticeships
Unionlearn says Try This . . .
Benefits and working Seminar
South West TUC International Women's
Day event
TUC Workers Memorial Day
Trustees wanted for Bristol Beira Link
Ro Stone tribute
♥UNIONS
Big workplace meetings
Tuesday 9th February 12.30-1.30
Video link to Frances O’Grady and Eddie Izzard 12.45
Join thousands around the country all joining a giant workplace meeting with Frances
O’Grady, TUC General Secretary and comedian Eddie Izzard joining online as part of the
campaign against the Trade Union Bill.
Workplace unions are organising meetings in canteens, on large screens or just using
laptops and tablets to take part in this unprecedented gathering across the country.
Members asked to submit questions in advance via #heartunions on Twitter. Photos and
attendance numbers will be spread by social media and listed here.
Add your workplace meeting to the list: [email protected]
A poster to promote workplace meeting is here
All-Union Meeting
Tony Benn House, Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6AY
With Nigel Costley and Marvin Rees
Prospect union meeting
UK Hydrographic Office, Taunton
UCU
University of Bath
UNISON
Bournemouth – public rally in town centre
North Somerset Council
North Devon Health
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Plymouth City Council
Dorset County Council, Dorchester
Ridgeway
Taunton, Somerset County Council
USDAW – Tesco Meetings
Axminster, Wadebridge, Plymouth Transit Way, Bristol Golden Hill, Yate, Trowbridge,
Gloucester Brockworth and Cheltenham
Big Workplace Meeting
Thursday 11th February 5.30pm
Rally at the Fountains, Bristol
Street stall in Bridgwater
Street stall on High Street, Weston-super-Mare
Friday 12th February
Wiltshire Unison, open meeting
Street Stall in Yeovil
Saturday 13th February
Street stall in Bristol
Unions face £37 million bill for the anti-union Bill
The government has published their impact assessment for the Trade Union Bill – their
best guess at how much all the new union red tape will end up costing. The Bill’s bill for
unions comes to more than £37 million over the next six years.
More here
Lords overturn political fund attack
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We are pleased that peers from all
parties, and none, have voted today to set up a cross-party committee to scrutinise the
unjustifiable proposals on political funds in the government’s Trade Union Bill.
“Today’s debate has exposed once again how ill-thought through the government’s
Trade Union Bill is. At its Second Reading, widespread concerns were raised across the
House about the threat this Bill poses to good industrial relations and fair treatment at
work. We encourage all peers to carefully scrutinise the whole bill during the Committee
Stage, which starts on 8th February.
“It is essential that ministers listen and rethink their plans before lasting damage is
done. Ministers should be engaging positively with workers and their representatives,
not making their lives harder.”
South West wages worth £2,300
Average pay in the South West is worth £2,348 less in real terms than it was in 2008 – a
shortfall of £45 a week.The figures confirm that, despite some strengthening of real
wages over 2014 to 2015, workers in the South West still have a long way to go to restore
all the earnings they lost following the longest squeeze on wages since records began in
the 1850s.
The average South West annual wage increased in real terms by £663 from 2014 to 2015
– the first annual increase for several years. However, current indications suggest that
the wage recovery may already be stalling. The TUC warns that the government’s plans
to continue holding back wages in the public sector will have a significant drag on
average wage growth.
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The TUC warns that the government’s Trade Union Bill will weaken the power of workers
to negotiate a fair share of economic growth through decent pay rises. This could lead to
slower wage growth becoming embedded as a longer-term problem, causing trouble not
only for workers and their families, but also for businesses that rely on their spending.
Instead of attacking workers and their representatives, the TUC is calling on the
government to engage with trade unions on a positive agenda to improve both pay and
productivity. This should include stronger collective bargaining rights, modern wage
councils to ensure that pay increases follow productivity gains, and worker
representation on remuneration committees to bring a bit of reality to boardroom pay.
West Country Workers
The South West TUC has published West Country Workers, focused on the Trade Union
Bill. It shows the strength and breadth of opposition to the Bill from the region’s
employers, workers, politicians, bishops, lords, students and PR consultants.
Nigel Costley, Regional Secretary of the South West TUC, said: “The Trade Union Bill is
unnecessary and unwanted. It’s an outrageous attack on unions and our ability to raise
funds and organise in the workplace. This book articulates the concerns of a wide range
of society and explains the impact the Bill will have if it is passed.”
West Country Workers features contributions from Baroness Jan Royall, Plymouth City
Council leader Tudor Evans, the Bishop of Bristol, legal analysis from Thompsons’
Solicitors, Amnesty International, Liberty, the British Institute of Human Rights,
students and, of course, workers themselves. It is available to download here.
Hinkley visit
Paul Nowak TUC Assistant General Secretary paid a visit to the new union learning centre
at Hinkley Point in Somerset.
Although the controversial new nuclear power station faces further delays over the
massive investment from the French company, EDF and Chinese companies, unions want
to be ready for when the development gets the go-ahead. The new learning centre,
supported by GMB, UCATT, Unite and Prospect trade unions will help create hundreds of
apprenticeships and provide training and learning for local people and workers at the
Somerset plant.
Nigel Costley, Regional Secretary of the South West TUC, said: "EDF energy, like many
other good employers in the region, recognises the value of working jointly with unions
to bolster the skills of their workforce.
“Good industrial relations will be key to ensuring this massive construction project is
successful and workers are safe and well treated.
“The huge Hinkley development is going to be critical to the regional economy and
unions want to see it as a model for joint working.”
EDF Workforce Development Manager Guy Hazelhurst said: “Our strong partnership with
union learning will ensure local people can take advantage of the opportunities including
around 1,000 apprenticeships in construction and engineering. Union learning will play a
key role in bridging the gap to support young people and adults in their transition to
employment.”
Airbus Filton investment
New funding has been secured to support Airbus' development of wing technology at its
Filton facility. The government has confirmed a £37.2m in funding for the company's
Wing Integration Centre.
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The project will be backed by investment from the Department for Business, Innovation
and Skills, the Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK. The £18.6m government
investment will be matched by Airbus to create the new centre.
When the centre opens in 2017, it will house about 300 highly skilled engineers who will
develop and test aerospace technology. It is estimated that their work will safeguard
more than 900 R&D jobs in the South West and up to a further 1,500 manufacturing jobs
in the longer term. Business Insider article
South West Migration Conference
Monday 22nd February – 10am-4pm
Holiday Inn, Taunton
The South West Migration Partnership is planning a conference to update councils,
voluntary bodies and unions on the support for refugees, asylum seekers and migrant
workers across the region. Details to be confirmed but for more information contact
Nigel Costley on [email protected]
Learning, health and well-being
Friday 26th February 10.30am-3.45pm
Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LW
Health and well-being is an integral part of union campaign work and this event will
provide reps with a policy update and an introduction to new resources to enable them
to develop a strategic approach to learning.
This event will introduce and update you on priority areas and resources available to
support you in your role including:
Mental health and the workplace
Macmillan
Building dementia carer friendly workplaces
Workshops on stress busting, dementia and working through cancer
Click here for more and to book a place
Modern slavery and women
Monday 29th February 6pm for refreshments and 6.30 for the meeting
Exeter College Sports Hall, Hele Road Exeter EX4 4JS. ( Map)
Find out what is happening in this country and the South West to stop this appalling
breach of human rights and
 who are the victims of modern slavery and who is supporting them
 what the police are doing to prevent, investigate and prosecute modern slavery.
 what active citizens can do and how to be alert to the signs of modern slavery
 what local anti slavery groups are doing
Organised by Devon Fawcett Society
6pm exhibition stall tea and coffee food
Reframing Racism
Wednesday 2nd March 10.30am-1pm
Tony Benn House, Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6AY
The TUC is running a project with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to look at recent
research on ethnicity and poverty and the need for a new narrative on race equality. The
South West TUC is also keen to work with partners who are developing a Manifesto for
Race Equality in Bristol.
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Register here
South West TUC Fairtrade Award
The South West TUC has sponsored one of the Fairtrade awards: The Best Fairtrade
Advocate. It is designed to acknowledge the work of workers and reps who champion the
principles of fair trade at work. Please pass this on to encourage nominations.
Full details here
The Awards Ceremony will take place on
Friday 11th March
11.30am-2pm, At-Bristol Science Centre
Raising the quality of apprenticeships
Wednesday 3rd February
Tony Benn House, Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6AY
The Government has announced significant reforms to the funding, and quality of
apprenticeship programmes, alongside an ambitious target of three million
apprenticeship starts during the current Parliament.
Trade unions will be a major partner throughout the implementation of these changes.
This event will consider how reps and officers can contribute to the development and
transformation of the trade union involvement in apprenticeships.
Follow the link to find out more, and to register. www.unionlearn.org.uk/events
Unionlearn says Try This . . .
Unionlearn is linking up with groups across Dorset to support a skills sharing project that
allows local people to develop new skills by trying their hand at new things. The event
has grown in popularity over the last three years. 2015 saw over 450 learners trying out
taster sessions ranging from beekeeping to Nordic Walking and IT to yoga, all for free –
and 2016 promises to be just as varied.
Try This... takes place this year from 2nd–10th July in various venues across Dorchester
and more information will be here
Benefits and working Seminar
Friday 5th February 11.30am-3pm
Unison Conference Centre, The Crescent, Taunton TA1 4 DU
The launch of Universal Credit is the biggest change to the benefits system since the
1940s. Anyone receiving income related Employment Support Allowance, Income
Support, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit and Housing Benefit will receive a single
Universal Credit payment and it means big changes to how those benefits are paid.
Many union members will be affected, especially those in low paid jobs, who will be
expected to increase their earnings. Direct payments, digital exclusion, in-work
conditionality and other equalities issues will be a key area for discussion in the
workplace.
This half day seminar will help union reps and officers;
 Understand the key features of Universal Credit.
 Look at some of the statistics.
 Action plan for their workplace or branch.
There will be an opportunity to discuss the issues and lunch will be provided.
Register here
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South West TUC International Women's Day event
Saturday 5th March
Bristol
More details to follow at www.tuc.org.uk/south-west
TUC Workers Memorial Day
28th April
All over the world
In 2016 the theme for the day is "Strong Laws - Strong enforcement - Strong Unions".
Check out the web site for details.
Trustees wanted for Bristol Beira Link
The Bristol Link with Beira in Mozambique is trying to recruit new Trustees to help
develop new ideas. The Link is keen to attract people who have skills and interest in
climate justice, social media, fundraising or events. Click here for more and contact.
Ron Stone tribute
Forward Maisokwadzo, Coordinator, Bristol City of Sanctuary pays this tribute:
There is always a risk that the daily dose of death fed to us by the media will numb our
emotions, even when the information comes from those who have witnessed and
escaped war zones. The situation changes dramatically when we know the victims
personally.
Councillor Ron Stone devoted himself to those survivors of war who made it to Bristol.
News of his death was not only a personal tragedy to his wife and family, but also sent
shock waves around all of us who knew his devoted service to justice, human rights and
humanitarian causes. Ron stood up for and alongside the most vulnerable destitute
asylum-seekers in the city.
The history of Bristol’s journey to be recognized as a City of Sanctuary in 2011 would be
incomplete without Ron Stone’s contribution. He was proud to move the crucial motion
in the council chamber in November 2010. It was just one more demonstration of his
commitment to diversity which he regarded as an essential ingredient to the vibrancy of
the city in which he was born and served as a Councillor for so many years.
Those who know him agree with me that despite his small physical stature, Ron had the
biggest of hearts, and stood tall in championing the cause of marginalised communities.
His life was indeed a testament to hard work, family and good deeds. As the poet Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow wrote:
“Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time”
To us within the sanctuary movement, Ron, you demonstrated your humility and your
commitment to justice and equality. Above all you were an action driven comrade. You
may be sorely missed, but we will continue to hold firmly your torch, until local and
national authorities put an end to asylum destitution. Thank you for helping to show us
the way.