Labour Link forum 2017 – speeches and reports.
Fraser Amos, Somerset County branch
Report: This was my first time at unison Labour Link and it was a great experience. I got to know my fellow south west delegates better and as well as how the link between the Labour party and Unison functions.
The motions were very interesting and I was glad of the opportunity to hear so many delegates experiences of public sector cuts, from social care, to the NHS, to policing and the WASPI campaign.
The summary of Unison’s general election activities and the determination to end the pay cap for all public sector workers by pressuring to Tory MPs in marginal seats and with industrial action if necessary was quite rousing, it showed the power that working people can wield when united.
Angela Rayner’s very candid and funny speech was also a highlight, however my favourite part of Forum was definitely the opportunity to move the South West’s motion on Industrial Democracy.
I strongly believe in expanding workers’ control and ownership of the economy and agency in the workplace, I think it’s essential to any serious progressive restructuring of the economy and is precisely the kind of thinking that is demanded from the labour movement in a period of de-unionisation and potential automation. So it was great to be able to move a motion on the subject and win!
I think every other motion was passed unopposed bar this one, it was fun to engage in real debate with delegates on the subject, in the end narrowly winning the vote made it more exciting!
Industrial democracy motion speech: We believe that the election result on June 8th represents a decisive break in the country with Britain's current economic model. The model of ownership and control based on short term shareholder value maximisation has been seen to fail, been rejected and an alternative demanded. As activist Naomi Klein has said however, it is not enough to just say no to this model, it is now necessary to build on our manifesto and flesh out further an alternative vision of the economy.
Our motion also proposes to answer the demand made in the EU referendum by many working-class communities to take back control, but not control for Westminster politicians or exploitative big business but for workers.
Our motion proposes to democratise the workplace, to ensure workers are empowered in their economic as well as political life. This democratisation will help shield the most vulnerable employees from abuse of power and exploitation. Whether it is young people, Women, Queer people, BME people, the disabled, all those groups most condescended to, discriminated against and disempowered in the workplace would benefit most from democratisation.
Further we note that while the suppression of organised labour has contributed to stunted productivity growth, the government’s “industrial strategy” takes no account of the true wealth creators on the front line of the economy, workers. We believe worker participation in ownership and control will increase productivity, help manage automation and ensure its fruits are justly distributed.
We propose: To give worker delegates nominated from recognised Unions 50% of the seats and voting power on company boards. Giving veto power to employees and providing a safeguard against offshoring and tax dodging.
To offer workers who are organised into a union, with a plan to improve productivity, government money to buy out and co-operatise their companies in exchange for a state share in the profits of the organisation. As well as ensuring there is a clear legal definition of co-operatives as properly democratic workplaces where management is elected and recallable.
To give workers in the public sector greater control, making management structures more democratic and to strengthen public services ability to voice opposition to and resist the cuts, fragmentation and marketisation of services that makes tragedies like Grenfell Tower possible.
Finally, we propose the government establishes and incentivises a model of co-operative start-ups that retains adequate incentive for enterprise. Perhaps with an expiry date on the shareholding of the owner and a limit on the proportion of that shareholding. This would ensure the next generation of businesses will be under democratic social ownership and control.
This motion is about reclaiming the tradition of industrial democracy from the coalition government’s sham mutualisation, with proper legal protections in tendering processes and security against asset stripping, in line with the Italian emilia romagna model.
Politics is in flux; the government is in strategic and ideological disarray. Now is the time to be bold, to set the terms of debate and articulate a radical alternative. After all the purpose of the Labour movement is not just to win power to exercise it in the interests of working people, it is also to hand power over to working people and transform society.
Neil Guild – Somerset County Branch
Our rights through Brexit speech: A year ago as the referendum results came in, the shock and disappointment at our national delegate conference could be seen in people’s faces.
While UNISON’s campaign for remain wasn't successful we responded quickly, speaking out for the right to remain for our 70,000 EU national members, who scandalously the Tories have left uncertain about their future and devalued as they are treated as a bargaining chip rather than as people. We stepped up our already comprehensive work against racism, xenophobia and all forms of hate.
And while the Tories dithered, UNISON set forth a comprehensive agenda that can be seen in the detailed content of this motion. We are clear that the economy and jobs are vital for the future of public services, and needing easy access to the single market, we set out our four priorities in the motion.
We are at one with Keir Starmer on this. Brexit was not our choice but if Brexit must happen it must be on our terms - putting our people and the country first, rather than the obsessions of the Tory right. This means maintaining the best of the EU; from equalities & human rights to scientific collaboration; from workers rights to professional standards.
But UNISON demands more. Taking back control, if it means anything, must mean a revolution in public procurement, so quality public services come before a quick buck, and so social and ethical standards can be unquestionably at the heart of their delivery. We can transform state aid rules to intervene in the economy in the interests of workers and the economy, such as our steel industry.
Theresa May, despite not losing a key vote in the Commons on brexit, felt she needed a super majority so she could have a strong and stable mandate in the negotiations. Now a humiliated Theresa May has lost her majority and her mandate. The Tories are now reliant on their very own coalition of chaos with an unsavoury deal with the extremists in the DUP. So having lost her majority, a weakened Prime Minister on borrowed time is not talking about working together with others across the political divide to deliver on brexit.
This MUST include the voice of working people through the trade unions. The scale of the task of Brexit should not be underestimated; it is arguably the greatest challenge faced by the British state in the past 70 years. That‘s why we will work constructively with our sister unions across Europe through the EPSU and the ETUC.
Forum, like many things we deal with as trade union reps in our branches, exiting the EU has threats and some opportunities. UNISON has a clear agenda, organising and standing with our EU members, standing with all our members, and supplying you with the information you need in your branches. In the uncertain future of brexit, one thing we can be sure of. UNISON, will represent the interest of all our members for A brexit not of little Englanders, not of turning our backs on our European neighbours, not in increasing deregulation, marketisation, or trade deals like TTIP on speed. Not a neo-liberal fantasy land of the Tory right. Not a brexit that allows the festering of bigotry and racism.
Forum, our Brexit brings this country together, supplies hope for the future, gives public sector workers a fair deal, promotes equality and human rights, supports all our regions and nations, and offers a stable foundation for our economy to grow now and in the future.
Belinda Burton – Somerset County branch
Local accountabilityfor educationspeech: I sit on Unison national school sector Committee and I have worked in education for 26 years formally as a science technician in a large comprehensive school and as a schools Convenor and branch secretary in a large LG branch and in that time and particularly during the life time of the last two governments I have seen staff gradually become more disillusioned more overworked more at risk of redundancy and more and more at the mercy of unnecessary governmental interference which has made all their lives a lot harder.
This has been compounded by the advent of academies and free schools which have added nothing but confusion and unaccountability to the mix.
The government was forced to make a u turn last year on their aim to make all schools become academies but that still means schools that are not performing or coasting the precise definition of which is still uncertain can still be forced to become academies whether the school leadership or parents think that would be beneficial for their school or not.
This leaves UNISON members in schools particularly primary schools vulnerable to being forced in to Academy trusts. It is now government policy for staff, particular non classroom based staff, to have responsibility for all schools in the trust leading to heavily increased workloads and redundancies.
Free schools are given permission and funding by central government to set up whenever they please and teach what they please often with unqualified staff the unaccountability of free schools is shocking and they are often established where there is no need for them leaving other maintained schools in the locality to become undersubscribed and at risk of closure.
Another group of unison members who are often overlooked and are also placed at risk because of free schools and academies are council based education support stuff such as education welfare officers parent and support advisorsschool psychologists and counsellors.
As funding is shifted from being centrally based to individual schools these staff who play an absolutely vital role in protecting vulnerable children and ensuring they have the access they need to a monitored safe education are being downgraded and made redundant. It has also led to these support services having to become traded services putting them in competition with other councils and private companies.
This also has had an effect on Unison activists facility time in schools as funding streams change or dry up completely just as they are having to deal with multiple employers and multiple terms and condition for staff
It was really good to see Angela here yesterday and let's hope she becomes education secretary as soon as possible it's starting to look thankfully after the momentous events of the last few weeks that it might not be too long. The recent political changes have also seemingly seen off the idea of grammar schools thankfully although the spectre of the approaching funding changes still loom,.
We need a government that will listen to education staff leading to well staffed happy schools where all children can get the education they deserve please support the motion
Sharon Foster – Bristol branch
Report: Delegates welcomed the opportunity to debate motions at the forum in a true sense of passion and importance.
Motions successfully carried including two South West motions, as follows
· Industrial Democracy – South West motion brought a number of speakers against, despite the opposition our young member was able to put his most valid points across, and it was carried.
· Local Accountability for Education – South West motions moved and successfully carried.
· The WASPI Campaign - 3.5m women are affected, UNISON should be at the forefront of this. This is an injustice to women and has a negative impact on women who are now in their 60's and is unable to work. Lesley Discombe, one of our delegates spoke as a WASPI woman and highlighted the fact that she has been denied the right to retire at the age she wishes to and that she would be too worn out to do things with her family at that later age.
· The Future of the NHS
· Mental Healthcare in Wales
· Health and Social Care: Better Funding and Rolling Back Creeping Privatisation
· Addressing the crisis in Domiciliary Care in Wales
· Crisis in Child Social Care Services
· End the cuts in Policing
· We Need a Safe, Affordable, Reliable, Integrated Public Transport System
· Why we need to build a new Housing Consensus for affordable and decent homes for all
· Stop the Demonstration of the Homeless Community
· Exiting the European Union Emergency
· EU Rights Post Brexit
· Protecting Disabled People's Rights
· Standing Up for LGBT Equality
· LGBT Inclusive Sex and Relationship Education
· The UNISON Political Fund
· Changes to Labour Link Operational Rules
· All Black Shortlists
Workshop – a brief highlight on discussions I engaged in at one of the workshops