UNITE's National Industrial Sector Conferences

Every two years, UNITE holds an National Industrial Sector Conference for each of its sectors. These set the policy for the sectors of the union, as well as being a useful opportunity for reps from across the sector to meet up, share information and discuss key issues.

These are due to take place in Brighton over four days:

Monday	(AGS Diana Holland)
28 November:	CAT Docks, Rail, Ferries & Waterways Passenger RTC, Logistics and Retail Distribution Food Drink & Tobacco Rural & Agriculture
Tuesday	(AGS Tony Burke)
29 November:	Aerospace & Shipbuilding Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Process & Textiles Electrical Engineering & Electronics Metals (inc Foundry) Vehicle Building and Automotive Graphical, Paper and Media
Wednesday	(AGSs Gail Cartmail & Tony Burke)
30 November:	Finance & Legal Energy & Utilities IT & Communications Motor Components Servicing & General Industries
Thursday	(AGS Gail Cartmail)
1 December:	Community, Youth Workers & Not For Profit Construction Education Health Local Authorities MoD & Government Depts

Delegates to these conferences are elected from the Regional Industrial Sector Committees (RISCs), and occasionally from National Industrial Sector Committees (NISCs). RISC delegates must be notified to the conference office by 3rd October. NISC delegates must be notified to the conference office by 31st October.

These elections are from the existing RISCs - elections to form new RISCs have been delayed into the new year. The September EC meeting is expected to decide on arrangements.

Two measures are in place to deal with the fact that not all RISCs are working well:

1. "in those Regions where we have struggled to establish a RISC that meets with any frequency that methods with some democratic legitimacy (eg, the convening of a special or extraordinary meeting of the RISC during September) should be used to fill the seats allocated to the Sector."
2. Normally, RISCs must elect the national conference delegates from amongst the RISC members, but "in those Regions where we have struggled to establish a RISC that meets with any frequency that methods with some democratic legitimacy (eg, the convening of a special or extraordinary meeting of the RISC during September) should be used to fill the seats allocated to the Sector."

The IT & Comms sector is entitled to a National Industrial Sector Conference of 30 delegates including at least 6 women and 2 Black Asian and Ethnic Minority (BAEM) delegates. The allocation is as follows:

• East Midlands: 4 (including at least one woman)
• Ireland: 2
• London & Eastern: 5 (including at least one woman and one BAEM delegate)
• North East, Yorks and Humber: 2 (including at least one woman)
• North West: 5 (including at least one woman)
• Scotland: 2 (including at least one woman)
• South East: 4 ((including at least one woman)
• South West: 2
• Wales: 2
• West Midlands: 2 (including at least one BAEM delegate)

Please do everything you can to ensure a fully-attended conference so that it can do an effective job on behalf of the members.

Each NISC and RISC is entitled to submit TWO motions on industrial business pertinent to their Sector for consideration by their National Industrial Sector Conference. The deadlines for sending in the motions to the conference office are the same as for delegate details.

The motions are a crucial part of setting the agenda for conference, so I would encourage every rep to consider submitting a motion before your RISC meets. If you aren't on the RISC yourself, there's nothing to stop you sending a motion in for the RISC to consider - these committees are there to represent the membership, not just the individuals on them.

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