GPM&IT NISC June 2018

This is my personal report, not an official one. It omits most of the industrial business, as this is often confidential. Other than that, if you are aware of any errors please let me know.

This was the first meeting of the new National Industrial Sector Committee (NISC) elected by the Regional Industrial Sector Committees (RISCs) for the 2018-20 term of office.

1. Steve Garroway was re-elected as chair.
2. It was agreed that as there were a number of new delegates, the election of deputy chair would be postponed until the next meeting, and for now Charlie Shieber would continue as deputy.
3. A number of corrections were agreed to the previous minutes
4. There is now a template for NISC minutes with an action plan as a spreadsheet at the end
5. Louisa Bull, the National Officer, has been working on a charter setting out where we are as a sector, subsectors, key areas of future work etc. The future work will include a full audit / mapping exercise of the sector, identifying membership density, areas of growth, combines, European Works Councils and experts etc. One of the aims will be to use the Work Voice Pay data to identify projects we want to do and extend collective bargaining, enhance subsectors and combines.
6. A draft of a booklet on apprenticeships was circulated for comments by 1 July.
7. The NISC's Organising Strategy Subcommittee was elected: Charlie Shieber, Gareth Lowe, Ronan Turley, Ian Allinson, Steve Garroway, Claire Lees
8. The joiners and leavers data provided to NISC members had gone from too much detail, not showing trends and changes, to not enough detail to be useful. Louisa explained that things like this were in flux following the GDPR data protection legislation. Louisa will produce a new template and email it out.
9. There was discussion about the fact that there are 170 different officers covering workplaces in the sector, most of them with only a small piece of GPM&IT in their allocation, and how this prevents focus or expertise. There are examples of different officers covering sites belonging to competing companies right near each other.
10. The issue of the Labour Party and even parts of Unite using non-unionised printers was discussed yet again. Louisa reported that she had raised it with Jennie Formby, now the Labour Party General Secretary. Louisa will forward to the NISC an email from Jennie confirming the policy on this set by the Labour NEC. Louisa has asked Regional Officers to produce a list of half a dozen small print shops they would happily recommend. It was agreed that this list should include what types of work the printers can do and that it should be circulated to RISC chairs and branch secretaries and Unite Political Officers as well as the NISC.
11. A team to work on content for the sector's web site and social media profile was elected: Helen Kerr, John Stuttle, Ian Allinson and Jamie Messent. Louisa reported that the web site was being revamped and she ws unable to get it updated. The NISC can still consider what it wants in terms of structure, sector and company pages, toolkits etc ready for when the site is usable again. Unite recommends that all RISC and NISC members have unitetheunion.org email addresses, which can be put up on the web site too.
12. The Unite briefing on the Gender Pay Gap (GPG) had been sent to all reps. A 5-day course covering this in Eastbourne is coming up, with the deadline soon. Delegates felt this was an important issue to raise, recruit around, and use as leverage to tackle the issue, even when there is no pay bargaining or transparency. A tool is being developed to show the GPG for every employer in the sector. There was also discussion about a successful equal pay case and the need to publicise such wins. Louisa will circulate a template grievance questionnaire for discrimination cases developed after the government scrapped the statutory questionnaire.
13. One area for potential growth is into the white collar staff and technical workers in workplaces where there is already shopfloor bargaining. In many workplaces the proportion of shopfloor workers is shrinking.
14. All activists should have received the activist briefing on the new GDPR data protection legislation and the document explaining how to report data breaches. The Executive Council have had training and all branch secretaries and chairs will get training via their regions in the next couple of months. Legal have been invited to do this at the November NISC as well. Some amendments had been made by the EC to the Unite Rulebook in response to GDPR. There was discussion about the fact that some officers and staff are refusing to share information with RISC members on grounds of the GDPR, unless specific consent is obtained each time. I pointed out that the Unite GDPR Guidelines make clear that reps and branch officers can have access to membership information for legitimate union activity and that the officers and staff were breaking rule 18.7 which requires RISC members to be given the identity, constituency and contact details of reps covered by their RISC. A situation where committee members can't even communicate with each other is absurd. Update: this still doesn't seem to have been resolved, with Unite legal advising officers and staff to break union rules on the pretext of GDPR. In the meantime, NISC members agreed to share their contact information with each other, and those absent would be asked to consent to this too. There was a discussion about how to ensure our use of data is GDPR compliant at branch and workplace level, and the risks of communicating or keeping information on employers' systems.
    
15. Barckley Sumner from the Unite Campaigns & Communications department gave a presentation about best practice for media content, producing content, use of photos etc.
16. Gareth Lowe was elected as editor of the GPM&IT quarterly newsletter which goes to all activists in the sector. Each RISC is asked to elect someone to liaise with him, to help ensure a good mix of content from round the UK and Ireland.
17. The NISC discussed ideas for content for the next newsletter, for which the deadline is 31 July. The newsletter will be shorter and more industrially focused, with the hope that activists will circulate copies in workplaces.
18. Work on the idea of piloting the "industrial hub" approach to organising in the corrugated subsector continues. Communication is being improved, and coordination around bargaining. The international union federations (IndustriALL and UNI) can help with research, and AGS Steve Turner has resources for the hubs strategy, which may be helpful as the sector isn't getting resources from the organising department.
19. Work to update the Stratum membership system records for GPM&IT workplaces to include subsector, national agreements, and which bits of workplaces are covered by agreements continues. Some Regional Officers are working on it, and some RISCs. Some NISC members volunteered to help too. Where possible, government codes for subsectors are being used. Louisa has a short description for each subsector which she will circulate. If the population isn't finished, the spreadsheets will be sent to RISCs to complete.
20. Louisa had attended 6 of the Regional Industrial Sector Conferences. She hadn't been invited to one (which clashed with another anyway), two were not quorate, and Wales is still not working. Reps from Wales who wanted to be on the RISC and NISC have been invited to the NISC as observers while this is sorted out. Most of the meetings were good in terms of attendance and participation.
21. Information wasn't cascading from the National Officer through the officers who act as secretaries to the RISCs to all the reps, so Louisa is now sending stuff directly to all officers who cover GPM&IT.
22. Louisa wants the NISC to produce a sector plan, then RISCs to work from that and identify how they can pick up those areas of work in their region, what actions they can take.
23. We hope to get NISC minutes finalised quickly so they can get to RISC members in time for the following RISC meetings. Louisa is emailing the RISC officers to ask them to put the NISC minutes onto their agendas.
24. There was discussion about the latest developments in the ongoing Fujitsu dispute.
25. The Print Futures award has been widened to include paper and packaging.
26. Ronan Turley, Steve Garroway and Claire Lees were elected as 2 delegates and a substitute to the Unite Manufacturing Combine.
27. Delegates were reminded that if they can't attend a NISC meeting, they should ask the RISC to send a substitute.
28. There was discussion about the push to "paperless meetings" in some organisations (e.g. UNI World Congress) and the fact that not everyone has the facilities or skills to engage effectively without printed material. Unite's policy is that individuals should be provided with printed copies of documents for meetings if they prefer that. For the NISC, documents will be emailed out, with printed copies posted to delegates who request it. Printed copies of the agenda, minutes and anything being debated rather than provided for background information will be provided on the day.
29. An emergency motion on Gaza for Policy Conference was agreed.
30. Louisa undertook to provide GPM&IT policy conference delegates with a list so they could communicate with each other.
31. Louisa will circulate a report from an IT delegation to a recent conference in Mumbai.
32. The NISC needs more women and BAEM members to join it, and there was a discussion about how to achieve this. Louisa will go back to the regions who have not sent a proportionate delegation.
33. The EC was asking the NISC to remit its motion on allocation of officers to sectors and it was agreed how this would be handled at conference.
34. The experiment with holding the NISC over one long day had caused problems for a number of shift workers. It was agreed to move back to a meeting split over two days.
35. Jonathan Hayward from the Unite International Department gave an update around European Works Councils (EWCs) and UK Information & Consultation (I&C) bodies. He said the main issue for EWCs at the moment was Brexit, which also has implications for the I&C regulations. The recasting of the EWC directive in 2011 has improved EWC functioning, particularly after Unite did a lot of training for reps and officers. There was still a need to push for more consultation and engagement, EWCs represent an opportunity to hold companies to account, e.g. they had delivered safeguards in the GKN/Melrose takeover battle. The European Commission says that from 29 March 2019 UK employee numbers won't count towards the thresholds for EWCs. Unite is advising reps to push for amendments to agreements now to ensure continued representation post Brexit irrespective of what happens - and has a document with suggested clauses. Employer responses are varying, often based on HQ country.
36. Jonathan explained that the UK government faces a dilemma over EWCs. They have promised that no employment legislation will be diluted by Brexit, at least in the short term. On the other hand they don't want the ECJ to have jurisdiction, so EWCs operating under UK law wouldn't be fully enforceable, even for EU citizens. Unite has proposed that the UK repeals most of the legislation that allows EWCs to be covered by UK legislation, but retain the right of UK employees to participate in EWCs based elsewhere. This would require some agreement with the EU, and EWCs currently based in the UK would have to move. German and French are best, while Irish is worst. Some EWC agreements have clauses saying it is under the law of the country with most employees, but companies usually want to choose. Sometimes the agreement allows the employer to choose from the top three countries by employer number. An update on all this will go in the sector newsletter, and Louisa will send something to our EWC chairs and NISC members.
37. Most companies are making contingency plans for various Brexit scenarios, and EWCs should be part of that debate. EWC reps should raise this now - though you don't always get good news. There is a document with questions you can raise.
38. The Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) made a useful recent ruling against Oracle over a failure to consult about a transfer of work. Oracle had held a phone conference with the EWC and then answered some later questions, and claimed that was adequate consultation. The CAC ruled that information and consultation is a process with more than one stage, and that the EWC had been unable to consider the information, discuss it with management and submit an opinion. They also ruled against the blanket confidentiality imposed by Oracle on the grounds that the information might damage the business by upsetting people. Since the wording of the I&C regulations on information and consultation is the same as the EWC regulations, the same arguments can be used there. This is potentially very useful for countering the talking-shop / focus group way of working that some employers favour.
39. NISC members discussed the idea of trying to incorporate the protections in the EU Social Chapter into collective agreements now, to retain them even if the Tories worsen the legislation.
40. The Unite materials were (again) criticised for not addressing the rights of non-UK citizens, many of whom are members and feel the union hasnt' focussed on them. My own branch had submitted Motion 13 to Policy Conference and another GPM&IT branch had submitted a supportive amendment. Jonathan explained that the International Department had picked up much of the work around Brexit, but the Equalities department had said they would deal with the issues raised. NISC members felt Unite needed to be more joined up to avoid such problems. Louisa agreed to write to Simon Dubbins (head of international department) to ask for a European migrant workers to have a focus group or their own committee.
41. There will be an update on European Works Councils and Information & Consultation bodies on Friday 5 June.
42. It was agreed to submit a second Emergency Motion to Policy Conference highlighting the demonstration against Trump on 13 July, the Unity demonstration against the far right on 14 July, and the need to do more to stop the FLA/DFLA using football links to build a racist movement.
43. We agreed to mobilise for the NHS demonstration on 30 June
44. The next meeting will be 4-5 October at Moreland Street, London

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Unite Policy Conference 2016 - Tuesday's business

The biggest debate of the day was around local government cuts. An Executive Statement strengthened Unite's policy, but didn't go as far as the motions which fell as a result of it passing.

Composite 1 (Motions 1 & 2): Campaigning Against Privatisation: Carried
Executive Statement 2: Austerity and Local Government Cuts: Carried
Composite 2 (Motions 3, 4, 5): Campaigning Against Local Government Cuts: Fell
Motion 6: Fighting Back Against Austerity: Fell
Composite 3 (Motions 7, 8 + Amendment, 9 + Amendment): Defending the NHS: Carried
Motion 138: Support the Junior Doctors Campaign Against a Pay Cut and Increased Working Hours: Carried
Composite 4 (Motions10 + Amendment, 11, 12, 13): Campaigning for Homes for All: Carried
Composite 5 (Motions 14 & 15): The Failure of Austerity: Carried
Motion 16: Defending our Libraries: Carried
Composite 24 (Motions 100, 102, 103, 104): Campaigning to Defeat TTIP, CETA and TiSA: Carried
Motion 105: Workers Uniting: Carried
Motion 106: BAEM Workers Internationally: Carried
Motion 107: Palestine: Carried
Motion 108: G4S/Palestine: Carried
Motion 109: Support for Syria: Carried
Motion 110: Anti-war in the Middle East: Carried
Motion 111: Solidarity with the Kurdish population and all progressive forces fighting repression in Turkey: Carried
Composite 25 (Motion 113 + As): Latin America: Carried
Motion 112: Columbia: Carried
Motion 114: Bullying, Harassment and Wellbeing at Work: Carried
Motion 115: Shift Working and its impact on our members: Carried
Composite 26 (Motions 117 & 112): Stress: Carried
Motion 118: Fibromyalgia Awareness in Unite and workplaces: Carried
Motion 120: Campaign and ban the use of Helium Balloons and Chinese Lanterns: Lost
Composite 13 (Motions 57 & 58): Ireland - economics and politics: Carried
Motion 121: Electronic Cigarettes: Remitted
Composite 27 (Motions 123 + As, 124, 125, 126): Mental Health: Carried
Motion 127: Food Standards / Hygiene Issues: Carried

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UNITE GPM&IT National Industrial Sector Committee meeting November 2015

The Graphical, Paper, Media & IT NISC met on 12-13 November, and this is a report of some points of potential interest. It doesn't include the (important) reports on what's going on in various employers and sub-sectors, as the NISC regards these as too sensitive for publication.

Steve Garroway from the north-west was elected as chair of the NISC and Linda Pollock from Scotland as vice-chair.

Organising:

1. The idea was floated of branches in the sector clubbing together to fund the employment of an organiser who could work on projects the NISC prioritised.
2. UNITE membership in the GPM part of the sector continues to decline due to job losses, though these seem to have slowed. There are opportunities to spread organisation into new workplaces, including within companies already organised.
3. RISCs should discuss the survey on agency workers and encourage reps to complete and return it.
4. The new NISC elected its organising strategy subcommittee - Steve & Linda as chair and vice-chair, plus Ian Allinson, Gareth Lowe and Phil Hood.

Trade Union Bill

1. Deputy General Secretary Steve Turner gave a presentation about the Trade Union Bill, which comes on top of the gagging act
2. Public opinion, despite being against some particular strikes, is strongly in favour of the right to strike and against the use of agency labour to break strikes.
3. He highlighted the connection between the proposed removal of the ban on agencies providing scabs during disputes and the Tories benefit sanctions. There is a worry that unemployed people would be told to take agency work to scab or lose their benefits. What would be the impact on social cohesion if agencies brought in labour from abroad to break a strike?
4. He pointed out that many of the attacks on the rights of public sector workers could also apply to private sector workers where services had been privatised, outsourced or were supported by public funds.
5. The government has dropped plans to include in the bill a requirement on unions to publish a detailed "dispute plan" including the use of social media. However, it is likely this will reappear in a new code of practice on picketing.
6. While opposing the bill altogether, Steve's view was that the Tory majority would force it through, and UNITE had therefore been focussing on trying to get amendments, particularly in relation to the ballot process. He said that Vince Cable had previously agreed to allow workplace or online balloting, but the new government did not support this. CAC statutory recognition ballots are workplace ballots, and not one has resulted in a complaint.
7. At some point UNITE will fall foul of the new legislation and be forced outside the law. This could be in relation to the ballot thresholds, where a majority voted to strike but it didn't count - UNITE would be forced to decide whether to call the strike anyway. Or a picket supervisor might refuse to carry a letter or wear an armband, which could lead to a £25K find for UNITE. Refusal to pay could be treated as contempt of court, as with the miners in the 1980s.
8. There is lots of opposition to the bill, ranging from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD, the professional body for HR) and the FT to the Police Federation. Devolved governments and councils are saying they won't implement it.
9. Letters and petitions will not be enough. In the 1970s it had taken action and civil disobedience to defeat the Industrial Relations Act. While the bill is still being debated, Steve urged people to continue lobbying MPs. Some Tories are very unhappy about aspects of it.
10. Lots of materials are available for workplaces, which can be printed off or obtained from Regional Political Officers. Activists are encouraged to organise meetings, invite speakers etc.

Globalisation and digitalisation:

1. Regional Officer Mike Eatwell talked through a presentation created by a Swedish colleague
2. Mike argued that the potential impact of automation was growing past routine jobs and also into white collar jobs. A 2013 Oxford study of the US and a 2014 one on France suggested nearly half of current jobs are at risk of automation. Even if this is grossly exaggerated, the impact is still significant. Mike recommended a book called "The Second Machine Age".
3. Mike also talked about other major trends. Population growth is expected to slow. Developed economies will need more migrants to sustain their economies. Technical developments such as cheaper and faster data processing; cloud; big data; artificial intelligence; mobile computing; individual crowd working (e.g. Uber); the Internet of Things and 3D printing would also mean large numbers of current jobs being destroyed and others created - potentially with bad terms and conditions.
4. New technology displacing workers is nothing new. From the Luddites onwards the debates have always been about who will benefit. Will we win a shorter working week and better pay? Or will some work ever harder while others suffer unemployment? Capitalism encourages a short-term view where only shareholders' interests count.
5. Big changes in employment patterns require big changes for unions too. IT work can't be stockpiled, so IT workers have a lot of potential power.

Health & Safety

1. Bud Hudspith discussed his comprehensive written report.
2. Leaflets are available for UNITE's campaign "Say no to unsafe jobs" and Bud had been pleased at a number of employers supporting the approach.
3. The government had planned to exclude self-employed people from Health & Safety legislation, but they have retreated and watered this down to the point where it will make little difference in practice.
4. Bud wants input for a review of the Unite Health & Safety Guide.
5. UNITE is pushing for more female Health & Safety reps. Anyone interested is encouraged to contact Siobhan Endean.
6. Occupational stress is the most common issue, and UNITE will be ramping up its work on this. Bud highlighted the materials available from the HSE. Surveys are useful, but they need to lead to action.
7. It was agreed at a policy conference that regions should hold meetings for H&S reps, but many had stopped happening. More are being revived now. If your region isn't doing this, suggest it to the Regional Committee.
8. Bud reported that where Area Activist Committees are having open meetings on H&S, they are getting very good attendances - he'd been at one with 300 activists the other day.

Partnership

1. Though it wasn't on the agenda, UNITE's attitude to "partnership" ran through many of the discussions (including industrial ones which I can't include here). This section of my report is comment about some of the ways partnership came up.
2. UNITE's leadership had persuaded the delegation at the TUC congress to support motion 3 at the TUC congress, which was a pro-partnership motion from Community, amended by the FDA. In my opinion the employment relationship is inherently unequal, so the concept of partnership is both flawed and dangerous. It runs against the organising approach UNITE espouses. UNITE did express serious reservations in the debate at congress, but the support for the motion shows weakness and confusion.
3. There was a heated discussion about UNITE's position on Trident (which is discussed here). Many of the arguments from those who supported Len McCluskey's position at the Labour conference (Trident jobs come first so keep Trident) rather than the position of the UNITE delegation at Scottish Labour's conference (scrap Trident and diversify to protect jobs) really hinged on a partnership outlook. At the heart of this is the assumption that the way you protect your jobs is to support the interests of your employer. This view would have prevented Lancashire cotton workers opposing slavery during the American civil war, or support for sanctions against apartheid South Africa. It gives ground to "There Is No Alternative" to whatever our boss plans - either we accept the jobs they offer or we have none. The contrast with Jeremy Corbyn's commitment to a Defence Diversification Agency (DDA) could not be starker, being based on the idea that we can find a better use for £167bn which would create many more good jobs.

Misc:

1. NISC meetings in 2016 are 21-22 January, 18-19 April, 30 June - 1 July and 6-7 October
2. The government is slashing funding for education for union reps, which partly comes through FE colleges. The Executive will be discussing a report on the implications of this at its next meeting, and it was agreed to discuss this at the next NISC too.
3. A group from the GPM&IT sector took part in a delegation to Palestine where they met various Palestinian and Israeli groups. One of the delegation explained how she had not been prepared for the horrific oppression she saw. Several of the delegates plan to do a talk about their experience in central London. They also plan to produce a report people can take into workplaces to raise awareness.
4. Rick Graham from the research department is willing to help reps put together pay claims, but bear in mind that he now covers four UNITE sectors.
5. I asked Rick to get more information on the reports of big changes to the use of contractors and its potential impact in IT.
6. Two motions were agreed to go to the national sector conference (24 November). One was on organising in the sector. The second was about getting Corbyn's support for an industrial strategy for the sector.
7. A new strategy for the IT & Comms part of the sector will be launched at the national sector conference.
8. The IT & Comms Advisory Committee will meet again early in 2016.
9. UNITE has regained union recognition at PCP in the West Midlands, having lost it over 25 years ago.
10. The GPM&IT "change at work" training event will now be held 11-16 April 2016 in Eastbourne. Activists are encouraged to book places ASAP and by January because rooms may be released then if not booked.

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Solidarity with Gaza - we need more than motions

My report on UNITE's 2014 Policy Conference included details of the union's strengthened policy on Palestine, supporting Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

One of the dangers with union conferences is that worthy motions can be passed, but little done to turn them into action.  The horrific slaughter unfolding in Gaza lays down a challenge to UNITE's leadership and to every activist and member - what are we going to do to make our policy count?

The response around the world has been inspiring.  I've been to a few of the demonstrations locally, and the national demonstration in London on 19th July.  Even local demonstrations have been attracting thousands, like this in Salford organised at very short notice on 12th July:

There is another national demonstration in London on Saturday 9th August.  Will UNITE regions fund and publicise transport?  Will branches mobilise members and chip in too?  The groups organising most of the demonstrations, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Stop the War Coalition, operate on a shoe-string and need help to get the message out and to fund leaflets, posters, coaches etc.

Can we take the campaign into workplaces too?  This won't always be easy.  If you work for one of the companies involved heavily in the occupation, such as HP or G4S, there's always a pressure to keep quiet.  But the unions have a proud record of taking up such issues and making a difference.  Many UNITE activists will know the story of Sergio Requena-Rueda, who used to be the convenor at Marconi and later Ericsson in Coventry.  Imprisoned in one of Pinochet's concentration camps in Chile, Sergio heard on a guard's radio about the solidarity of union members at Rolls Royce East Kilbride who refused to service jets for Pinochet's airforce.  Sergio tells how the news from half way round the world gave people in the camp hope - and saved lives.

Most of us may not have the organisation or confidence to be able to give such dramatic solidarity, but we should raise the issue and ask about policies on trade with Israel, use of Israeli goods etc.  And we should all be demanding the UK government stops helping arm Israel.  When the anti-apartheid movement was in full swing, unions involved members in campaigning to get South African fruit removed from workplace canteens.  Fewer workplaces have canteens now, but some do, while others have nearby shops where the same argument can be had.  Some members are doing collections for Medical Aid for Palestinians in their workplaces - both to raise money and to get people discussing the issues.

We can help by giving solidarity to other struggles in the Middle East too.  It's no coincidence that when the Egyptian revolution was at its height, the border to Gaza was opened.  Now the military are back in control and workers are facing massive repression, they even stopped an aid convoy passing from Egypt into Gaza.  The bloodshed in Palestine isn't a local issue - it is one symptom of the jigsaw of brutal regimes backed at different times by the big powers seeking to control the region in their own interests.

If unions are to show their relevance to a younger generation shaped by protests against racism, war and global inequality, we need to up our game.

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UNITE Policy Conference 2014 - report (updated)

A good conference this week.

Impressively, UNITE has already posted the "progress of business" reports showing the decisions taken for Monday - Thursday on the policy conference page.

My own note of today's business was as follows:

• C23 - withdrawn
• K2 - remitted to EC
• ES4 - passed, so C22, K1 and K10 fell
• K9 passed
• M21 passed
• M22 passed
• M24 passed
• Emergency Motion on Esher - remitted to EC
• Emergency Motion on Freedom Riders - passed
• Emergency Motion on Gerry Conlon - passed
• P17 - remitted to EC
• P33 fell
• P35 - remitted to EC
• P40 passed
• P42 passed
• P8 fell

Unfortunately UNITE hasn't posted the final agenda or the texts of the Composites or Executive Statements online, so for anyone who wasn't a delegate it's pretty impossible to make sense of the results.  Hopefully this will be rectified soon.


As usual, there was consensus over much of the business of conference, but real debates on a few key issues.  For the first time many can remember, conference actually dealt with all the business, rather than motions falling off the end of the agenda due to lack of time.

Political

Executive Statement 5 was passed, with about 10-20% of conference voting against because they wanted to support Composite 26 and/or motions L5 or L9 which were more critical of Labour.

ES5 backed Labour, while being critical - basically the same political strategy UNITE has been pursuing for some years.  It approved more funding to the Labour Party "The Executive Council will work with the Labour Party to ensure it is in a position to fight an effective election campaign in 2015, and is not overwhelmed by a tide of bankers' money supporting the Tories".  It included a commitment to "review Unite's political strategy in the light of the result of the General Election, and the prospects for the development of Labour policy in a progressive direction".

Composite 26 called for a debate throughout the union on the crisis of working class representation, something Len McCluskey was keen to avoid this side of a General Election.

Motion L5 (which I moved) called for parts of the political fund to be spent directly campaigning for UNITE's policies while Labour failed to do so, reducing our affiliation each time Labour disciplines UNITE councillors for opposing cuts, and greater transparency in the political fund.

Motion L9 talked about the poor support from Labour MPs over asbestos related diseases and said that until the lack of representation for working people was addressed, our political fund should be directed to fight for those who do represent us.

The EC backed motion L12, which was passed by conference, which marks a significant shift left in union policy.  UNITE publicly supports councillors who vote against cuts and "encourages other councillors who might consider voting against cuts to do so".  UNITE will also establish a dialogue with Councillors Against the Cuts to determine the scope for joint campaigning.

Global Solidarity

Conference heard a moving speech from Aidee Moreno from the Columbian union FENSUAGRO, which has seen over 1000 members murdered.  Aidee herself has lost family members.  There was a video from Huber Ballesteros of the Columbian TUC who has been imprisoned since August last year.

Conference passed very strong policy in support of the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli government's apartheid state in the shape of Composite C11 and motion F11.  Motion F12 which sought engagement with the Israeli Histadrut was not passed.  The action points from the two motions passed were:

• Raise awareness, build support, campaign and lobby for a free and independent Palestine;
• Highlight the suffering, and support the Palestinian population in Gaza living under siege; Palestinians living in the West Bank who are seeing their land illegally seized by Israeli settlements and are forced to navigate checkpoints to go to work, school and hospital; and in Israel, where they are treated as second class citizens and subject to racist laws;
• Work with other NGOs and all other supportive bodies in the UK and around the world and develop a UNITE campaigning and leverage strategy around BDS [Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions] within the next 12 months.  Notably against complicit companies involved in the occupation, the apartheid wall and the illegal settlements (such as Veolia, G4S and Sainsbury's) through workforce pressure, contracts and pension funds; and encourage members to call  on supermarkets and retailers to stop using companies which export goods from illegal settments;
• Continue to support and offer practical help to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and encourage all branches to affiliate to PSC.  Encourage branches and regions to send representatives on delegations to Palestine, to further strengthen the solidarity with Palestinian workers;
• Organise and facilitate with other union bodies and campaigning groups, a national speaking tour to include lawyers and child prisoners/families in the next 12 months;
• Raise the issue and table motions for support of the BDS campaign in the European and Global Federations;
• Organise and facilitate national or regional delegations to be sent to Palestine at least twice a year;
• Establish the issue as a standing item on the agenda of the EC and all other constitutional committees;
• Deliver a full report to the 2016 policy conference on the activities of the union.
• Utilise all Unite the Union campaign resources in conjunction with Palestine Solidarity Campaign to bring the plight of the Yarmouk Refugee Camp to members and the wider Labour movement
• To lobby MPs and government offices to campaign for the protection of humanitarian aid agencies and access to the Yarmouk Refugee Camp.
• To demand the UN enforces its commitment to Resolution 194 which asserts the rights of Palestinians to return to their land.

Motion F3 on solidarity with the Egyptian revolution, currently facing massive repression, was remitted to the EC on the basis of a commitment to discuss each point in it at the next EC meeting and report back.  The motion was calling for various solidarity actions including working with the MENA Solidarity Network.

Conference passed an emergency motion on Latin America, supporting the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign and Friends of Ecuador.  It passed an emergency motion opposing military intervention in Iraq.

Climate Change and Fracking

Conference passed Composite C7 "Climate Emergency - Green Jobs Now!" which backed the Campaign against Climate Change Trade Union Group, the 1 Million Climate Jobs pamphlet, work with the ITUC and promoting the Carbon Cuts not Job Cuts protest on 6th December in London.

Conference passed motion D7 on Global Warming included a number of important policy positions, crucially including campaigning for a move to "sustainable renewable energy and a reduction of fossil fuel use".

One of the biggest debates of the week was on fracking, where the EC sought to overturn UNITE's existing policy against fracking with ES2 - which didn't even mention climate change.  Conference comfortably overturned the EC on this, passing Composite 6 instead, which strengthened UNITE's policy against fracking, and resolving to:

• make all members aware of the dangers of fracking
• actively oppose fracking, to use its influence to prevent fracking operations, advise members not to work on fracking sites nor deliver materials to such operations
• support and lobby for a moratorium on all "fracking" activities across the United Kingdom
• encourage the Labour Party and Labour controlled councils to take actions formally opposing the application of hydraulic fracturing technology within the United Kingdom
• request Unite Regional Committees support local anti-fracking groups' activities, including help with funding
• encourage members at all levels of the union to support campaigns against "fracking" and to link up with local campaigners
• support calls for taking profit out of energy production and distribution and favour the public ownership and democratic control of the energy industry with the direct input of local communities and trade unions in decisions on creating a balanced and sustainable energy policy

Conference made clear that opposition to fracking does not mean UNITE will not seek to organise workers in the industry, just as we organise workers in many other industries where employers behave unethically.

Anti-migrant racism

Conference took a strong stance against anti-migrant racism, being whipped up by UKIP, the media and mainstream politicians.  Motions E1 & E2 were passed and members are encouraged to join the demonstration at the UKIP conference in Doncaster on 27th September.

Grangemouth

Conference showed solidarity with the members at Grangemouth, still facing great difficulties from Ineos and its rogue boss Jim Ratcliffe.  Delegates were particularly appalled at the treatment of Mark Lyon and Stevie Dean, who had lost their jobs after a witch-hunt by Ineos, the Tories, Labour politicans and the media.  Stevie's daughter Ailis addressed the conference and was given a standing ovation.

Subscription Rates - low pay

In response to Composite 43 the EC had put forward statement ES6 describing a working party to consider the practicalities of reduced subscription rates for low paid workers.

Composite 43 was much stronger, calling on the EC to "adopt a subscription policy based on salary levels" and to "bring in variable subscriptions at the same rate as current part-time workers" before 2015.  Conference overturned the EC to back the Composite.

Europe

Conference adopted Executive Statement 3 which was pro-EU but called for Labour to promise a referendum on the basis that "this issue can never be resolved except on the basis of a clear democratic mandate".  Most of the speakers called who opposed ES3 were supporting F4 (pro-EU, anti-referendum) though there was also a Composite 10 that opposed the EU from a left perspective.

Ricky Tomlinson

Ricky gave an extremely powerful speech about the campaign for justice for the Shrewsbury 24. 

Five months after the successful 1972 building strike ended 24 pickets were picked up and charged with over 200 offences, including unlawful assembly, intimidation and affray. Six of the pickets were also charged with conspiracy to intimidate. None of the pickets had been cautioned or arrested during the strike. Approximately 70 police had accompanied the pickets on the Shrewsbury building sites at all times. No complaints were laid against the pickets at the time.

Des Warren, Eric (Ricky) Tomlinson and John McKinsie Jones were sent to jail.  Ricky described the sentence and treatment of Des Warren as a death sentence and claimed that the conspirpacy against these innocent men went right to the top - Ted Heath.

The current government is still refusing to release the papers about the case on grounds of "national security", reinforcing the view that this was a conspiracy to undermine trade unionism. Len McCluskey reported that Labour had pledged to release all the papers if elected to government.

Defend Our NHS

The debates around the NHS were a real highlight of the conference.

Conference adopted Executive Statement ES1 on the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP), a trade treaty that threatens to force governments to privatise and deregulate and even allow companies to sue governments that take decisions not in their financial interests.  The statement concludes "adopt a clear position of outright opposition to TIIP; Unite will now join with other civil society organisations in mobilising to fully oppose TTIP".

This video from 38 degrees explains some of the issue around TTIP:


Conference passed an emergency motion in support of UNITE medical scientists and pathologists in Northampton - NHS workers who have been locked out by their employer!  Three of the workers visited conference and were given a great welcome.

This press release gives some information about their campaign.  Messages of support can be sent via Mike Orpin, Unite the Union, Transport House, 5 Saxon Court, St Peters Gardens, marefair, Northampton, NN1 1SX or emailed to Terry Lodge.

Conference also backed the campaign over NHS pay.  The Secretary of State for Health in England has refused to accept even the miserly recommendation of the NHS Pay Review Body (1%).  Cuts to the pay and conditions of NHS staff are bound to have a knock-on effect on the quality and safety of patient services.  An Emergency Motion called for UNITE to "escalate and intensify campaigning and support for industrial action in our fight for a fair pay award for all NHS workers and in the defence of quality patient services".

UNITE's head of organising and leverage, Sharon Graham, gave a fantastic presentation about the plans for the campaign for the repeal of the Health & Social Care Act, which is seeing our NHS fragmented and sold off at a frightening rate.  UNITE has researched the links between many of the key decision makers in the destruction of the NHS and their corrupt links to private healthcare interests.  Details of the plans are confidential so that they can be used with maximum impact. 

Given the media blackout against those campaigning to defend the NHS (while they promote a steady stream of anti-NHS stories), the intention is to support key local campaigns so that they can break through the wall of silence.  UNITE is supporting the People's NHS web site which is carrying details of some key campaigns against cuts and privatisation.

The campaign will not be politically aligned, though clearly Labour hope to benefit from it now Andy Burnham has promised to repeal the Health & Social Care Act.  Labour figures who have their snouts in the privatisation trough will not be immune from the campaign.  Conference was highly critical of Andy Burnham's comment that the public NHS should be the "preferred bidder".  UNITE doesn't want bidding at all.  The stronger the campaign the more pressure there will be on all parties to shift their position.

It was made very clear that the campaign is not just for members in health.  The NHS belongs to all of us and the campaign to defend it is everyone's responsibility.  The level of commitment to the campaign was made clear when Tony Woodhouse, UNITE's chair, said he was prepared to go to jail if that was what it took to defend the NHS.

July 10th Strikes

During conference the news came through that UNITE's members working for local authorities had voted to strike over pay, and will be joining the coordinated strikes on Thursday (J10) alongside members of UNISON, GMB, NUT, PCS, FBU.  This will be the biggest day of strike action since November 30th 2011.

All members are encouraged to visit picket lines and join marches and rallies to show their support.  If public sector workers see their pay cut further in real terms, private sector employers will be more confident to follow suit.  Cuts to public sector pay make it hard to recruit and retain skilled staff.  Many speakers highlighted the disgrace that some of the most socially important jobs, such as looking after old people, are paid below the Living Wage.

J10 is also an opportunity for activists to make links between workplaces, industries and unions which will help us with every other campaign (including defending the NHS) and will help press to ensure that effective action follows after J10 rather than it being an ineffective one-off.


Esher

The last EC meeting I attended before I stood down decided not to go ahead with a proposal to sell the Esher Place training centre.  It appears this may still be an option.  An Emergency Motion opposing the sale was remitted to the EC on the basis of three commitments from the General Secretary:

1. Educational facilities will not be diminished
2. Before any decision there will be full transparency on costs
3. Before any EC decision, all EC members will discuss it with the constituents

Other points of sectoral interest

Conference passed motion H1 on Social Media Policies in the workplace, which called for education for reps on safe use of social media, campaigning for freedom of speech and restriction of surveillance, and control over employer policies which breach employees human rights.

Conference passed motion P42 from the GPM&IT South East RISC on Industrial Representation and Accountability.  This included "Regions must take into account, as per rule 7.2, industrial servicing to the membership on the basis of sectors and within reason allocate work to regional industrial officers on the basis of industrial sector as well as geographical areas, but in any event, any industrial officer must have a responsibility to give written industrial reports to the appropriate Regional Industrial Sector Committee".  There have been strong feelings from our sector, and others, that this has not been happening in all regions, meaning officers struggling due to lack of sectoral knowledge and RISCs struggling due to lack of reports.

Executive Statement 7, which was passed, committed to put legal training in place for officers and activists, to ensure each branch has an allocated solicitor practice, and to promote the working relationship between the union solicitor; the officer and the representatives.  UNITE legal director Howard Beckett reported to conference that all branches now have a solicitor allocated.  I'm sure mine isn't the only branch this will come as a pleasant surprise to - it has been promised for years.  I presume branches should contact their Regional Legal & Affiliate Services coordinator to find out who their solicitor is.  UNITE recovers over £100m in compensation for members each year - and members get the full compensation, unlike through other sources of legal representation.

Len McCluskey indicated that PCS is unlikely to join UNITE in the near future following the decision at their conference.

SOC Election

Conference elected the Standing Orders Committee for 2016:

• East Midlands: Raffiq Moosa
• Ireland: Frances Hourihane
• London & Eastern: Jeff Hodge
• North East, Yorks & Humber: Stan Sims
• North West: Dave Rochester
• Scotland: Ray Stewart
• South East: Sam Webster-Moore
• South West: Joe Conway
• Wales: Julie Evans
• West Midlands: Barry Hartshorn

Pete Gillard, who has been chair of SOC for the last three conferences, is retiring and was thanked by conference.

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Report from UNITE Executive Council, June 2013

Ian Allinson's report from the UNITE Executive Council meeting, June 2013

N.B. This is not an official Unite Report; it is based on my notes of the Executive Council (EC) meeting. I believe it to be a fair account of some of the key points and decisions taken (where I give my views about them I make this clear), and I will willingly correct any errors upon receipt of official notification from Unite.  This was a four day meeting, so the report below can only be key points.

Ian Allinson

UNITE EC member, IT & Communications

www.iansunitesite.org.uk

Industrial & Political

1. The UNITE response to the TUC on the practicalities of a General Strike had been sent to all Regional Secretaries and every committee should be discussing it.
2. UNITE is encouraging members to take part in the People's Assembly on 22nd June and the People United tour that follows it.
3. At the March EC there had been discussion of a request from the Health NISC for a national demo on the 65th anniversary of the NHS, which was passed to the executive officers.  This is now not happening.  Instead there will be activities around the country on 5th July, including the end of People's United tour at the Trafford General Hospital.  UNITE is mobilising for a national demonstration in defence of the NHS at the Tory conference in Manchester on Sunday 29th September.  We were told that Dave Prentis from UNISON is also backing this.  Every sector should be building for this, and every region laying on transport.
4. The 86% yes vote in the political fund ballot was universally welcomed, but my suggestion that we should start spending it in the way UNITE had told members we did wasn't.
5. Regional Secretaries are responsible for ensuring there is a visible UNITE presence at key demonstrations and events in their region, such as May Day and Workers Memorial Day.
6. The rise in the UKIP vote is a concern, but in most areas this represents a reorganisation of the right wing vote rather than a shift to the right.  Rather than trying to chase after them, we should challenge racism.  Mobilisations against the EDL & BNP trying to capitalise on the murder of Lee Rigby had generally been successful, though many people are feeling intimidated and need solidarity.  Most of the Executive signed the UAF statement over this.  There will be a national demonstration in Liverpool on 12th October.
7. Councillor Kingsley Abrams continues to be suspended from the Labour Group despite reluctantly agreeing to vote for cuts.  Kevin Bennett in Warrington is suspended but is appealing.  Several of us argued that UNITE should affiliate to Councillors Against Cuts.  This meeting the excuse had changed from some nonsense about their policy on Trident to the bizarre claim that there was discussion about Councillors Against Cuts merging with TUSC!  [For an explanation of the issues, see here].  Len said he wanted to avoid that kind of open declaration and allow the situation to unfold.  A remit calling for an investigation into Warrington CLP Labour Group was agreed.
8. There was a lot of anger about Ed Balls speech on benefits and his promise to use Tory spending plans, Milliband's failure to pledge to repeal the bedroom tax and the lack of a robust public response from UNITE.
9. Steve Hart has been replaced as Political Director by Jenny Formby.  Steve will deal with CLASS and our anti-fascist work.
10. There was considerable discussion about the attempt to get more members to support and get involved with Labour and to influence candidate selection.
11. There was a lot of discussion about the campaign against blacklisting.  It was good to see the BBC finally picking up the issue on Panorama.  Pensioner George Tapp had deliberately been badly injured by a car on a protest - the solicitors are involved and UNITE is pressing the police to prosecute.  If they don't a private prosecution may be possible.  UNITE's organising & leverage department is currently focussed on the Crossrail project following the dismissal of Frank Morris and more than 20 other workers.  This is already producing movement from some employers, but there is a lot more to be done.  A remit from the north-west about the "otherwise agreement" against Steve Acheson was left on the table pending comments from Steve on notes and evidence sent to him by Gail Cartmail.
12. During the EC, members visited picket lines at Equinox Care and a protest demanding union recognition at the London Gateway port.
13. In the IT & Comms sector, members at CSC are facing further redundancies.  A remit for organising in Fujitsu was agreed.
14. Difficulties with USDAW and Community unions continue.

Equality

15. Guidance will be circulated on the Children and Families Bill, improving parental leave, which is unfinished business from the previous government and with the current government has not entirely scrapped.
16. A remit was agreed backing INQUEST, campaigning over deaths in custody, which are disproportionately of black people.

Strategy for Growth

17. Talks on a transfer of engagements of the TSSA into UNITE are proceeding and the Executive Council was given copies of the Heads of Agreement.  The majority of TSSA members would be in a new rail sector in UNITE.  The aim is to bring definite proposals to the September EC for a decision.
18. PCS conference had passed a resolution allowing their leadership to discuss merger or transfer into UNITE.  Len reported that there had been no communications since then, but that he was due to meet Mark Serwotka next week and would keep the EC advised.

Internal & Administration

19. It was agreed to send a proposal for reorganising the sectors, which would include splitting the IT & Comms sector between the GPM and SGI sectors, out to affected sectors for consultation.  In line with comments received from NISC members, I opposed this.  [I would welcome activists in the sector getting in touch to discuss how we should respond to the consultation].  The response to the consultation is required for the September EC meeting.  Len said that a similar exercise would be required for Area Activist Committees.
20. I raised the fact that some branch reorganisations appeared to have gone ahead without coming to the EC.  Andrew Murray confirmed that they should have come to the EC and he will check with Regional Secretaries.
21. One person per region has now been appointed to deal with member complaints.  This is in addition to the national guidelines produced a couple of years ago.
22. The September EC will decide on whether members paying reduced subs (Retired Member Plus, Community Members) should be eligible to vote in the Executive Council elections.
23. The web site and membership forms need updating to reflect the fact that reduced subs for part-time workers apply to those working 21 hours or less a week.
24. A proposal for changes in the running and staffing of the Eastbourne Centre which had been recommended by the staff reps was agreed.
25. The target for the new Birmingham office a training centre to open, if all goes to plan, would be 1 May 2015.
26. An existing UNITE Defined Contribution scheme is being expanded to be available for more members.  The main advantages are a larger scale than many employers can achieve and being run not for profit.
27. It was agreed to seek a new Assistant General Secretary (AGS) to cover political, international and policy work, to fill the vacancies for National Officers in Passenger Services, RTCLRD and Health, and to advertise the post of North West Regional Secretary.  No decision was taken on replacing Tony Woodley as Executive Officer.
28. The EC was given a list of approved severance applications and "known leavers", with the aim of implementing the "no more golden goodbyes" motion passed at the 2012 policy conference against the EC recommendation.  A number of EC members weren't satisfied that this went far enough.  A copy of the template Compromise Agreement was circulated, along with a copy of the standard terms.  No voluntary severance payments over and above the standard terms will be paid without EC permission.  It was agreed that the EC should receive a list of all those who left with any payment, whether this was "severance" or something else.  A subcommittee of 5 was elected to oversee payments to leavers.
29. A document was agreed clarifying who can apply for which officer positions and the process for appointing "stand-down officers" (reps who temporarily act as officers) was agreed, but it was accepted that more action is required to ensure we get more women and BAEM candidates.  Andrew Murray said that now (or soon) there would be no stand-down officers who had been in place for over 12 months.
30. A remit from the IT & Comms NISC asking the EC to reconsider the exclusion of an activist under rule 6 was defeated, with the advice that he can appeal to a panel but to succeed it is likely that the guidelines would need to be revised.
31. Following discussion at the North-West shop stewards seminar, Andrew Murray will ring round the Regional Secretaries to see if there are communication problems with activists in other regions.
32. A report from the Election Commissioner into the recent General Secretary election was presented for information.  I proposed that the EC should refer the second complaint to the Election Commissioner but was told that it was too late for the EC to do this.

Legal & Affiliate Services & Membership

33. The qualifying period for legal representation on employment matters has been cut to 4 weeks, but it will still be the policy that pre-existing issues are not covered.
34. UNITE's legal department recovered £26m for members in the last quarter.
35. UNITE's victory in the courts in the Waterford Crystal pensions case is of huge significance in the Republic of Ireland.
36. New membership cards will be issued this summer, and this will be used as an opportunity to promote the member get member scheme.  Work is also ongoing on new membership forms.
37. There's a lot of activity on contacting lapsed members, which has a good success rate in retention.

International

38. There was an encouraging update about the Miami 5 campaign
39. Contrary to some reports, the existing International Committee will oversee our solidarity work with Palestine.  People who have participated in delegations and other activities will be involved.
40. There was some debate about the Marikana massacre.  UNITE had received a delegation from the NUM and the report gave their account of the situation.  A delegation will be sent to hear both sides of the story.

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Decisions of UNITE Policy Conference, Wednesday 27 June 2012

These were the decisions:

• Composite 19 (motions 105+amendment, 106, 107 & 108) Defend the NHS: Carried
• Composite 20 (motions 109 & 110) Council Housing: Carried
• Motion 112 + 2 amendments Public Services, Jobs & Pay: The Fightback: Carried
• Motion 111 Rent Control to Replace Benefit Caps: Carried
• Motion 113 Shared Services / Contracting Out: Carried
• Motion 114 Campaign Against the Cuts: Carried
• Motion 115 Wealth Tax: Carried
• Motion 116+amendment Benefit Cuts: Carried
• Emergency Motion 10 A Tax On Young People: Carried
• Motion 118 Private Finance Initiative (PFI): Carried
• Motion 117 Campaign for the Reform of National Insurance Contributions: Remitted
• Motion 119 Yvonne Hossack Campaigner against Care Home Closures: Lost
• Emergency Motion 3 National Collective Bargaining: Carried
• Emergency Motion 8 Legal Aid Bill: Carried
• Emergency Motion 11 Hidden Agenda of the Localism Bill: Carried
• Composite 11 (motions 69+amendments & 71) Defending Pensions: Carried
• Composite 12 (motions 70, 72+amendments & 80) Occupational Pensions: Carried
• Composite 13 (motions 74+amendment, 76, 77 & 78) State Pensions: Carried
• Composite 14 (motions 75 & 79+amendment) Dignity for Pensioners: Carried
• Motion 73 Enhanced Retirement Provision: Remitted
• Motion 26 Diversity in the Union: Lost
• Motion 35+amendment Equality Monitoring in Appointments: Carried
• Motion 36 Getting Involved: Carried
• Motion 40 Job Equality: Carried
• Motion 27 BAEM Members at the heart of the Unite Community Sectino: Carried
• Motion 28 BAEM workers voice needs to be heard now: Remitted
• Composite 6 (motions 30+amendment, 31, 32 & 33) Disabled Workers: Carried
• Motion 29+2 amendments Disability Hate Crime: Carried
• Motion 34 Adherence to Article 19: Carried
• Motion 37 LGBT Education and Zero Tolerance to Discrimination: Carried
• Motion 38+amendment 2 (amendment 1 was remitted) Organising and Young People: Carried
• Motion 39 Young Workers - Underpaid or Unpaid: Carried
• Motion 104 Votes at 16: Carried
• Motion 41+amendment Asylum Seekers: Carried
• Motion 42+amendment Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform: Carried
• Motion 43 Moroccan Workers in Gibraltar: Carried
• Executive Statement ES1 Balanced Energy Policy: Carried
• Composite 3 (motions 17 & 18) Nuclear Power: Fell
• Motion 16 Nuclear Motion 2012: Withdrawn
• Composite 4 (motions 20, 21+amendment, 23 & 24) Green Jobs and Sustainable Development: Carried
• Motion 19+amendment Low Carbon Industrial Strategy: Fell
• Motion 22 Integrated Planning Regulation: Carried
• Motion 25 Hydraulic Facturing / Fracking: Carried
• Motion 101 CLASS Action: Carried
• Motion 102 Unite Code of Conduct for Employers: Remitted
• Motion 103 National Shop Stewards Network: Remitted
• Motion 44 Palestinian Child Prisoners in Israeli Detention: Carried
• Motion 45 Support for Gaza: Carried

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UNITE response to Israeli attack on aid convoy

Support for the Palestinian cause has been growing in recent years.

Firstly, as millions of people protested against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, they learned more about the damage that US and UK foreign policy has been causing the Middle East, and the central part that Israel has played as the USA's belligerent proxy in the region.

Secondly, we saw the barbaric attacks on Lebanon and Gaza, which few could defend as "proportionate" to any grievance that Israel could point to.
This week, the Israeli attack on the aid flotilla to Gaza has awoken many more people to the terrible injustices facing Palestinians. Exactly what level of violence would have been a "proportionate" a response to people bringing desperately needed humanitarian aid?

Last night a lot of the delegates to the UNITE and UCU conferences, which were taking place in Manchester, joined a huge and angry protest outside the BBC, which has become a focal point because of its biased coverage of Middle Eastern affairs. One protester managed to hoist a Palestinian flag on a flagpole high on the building:

This morning, UNITE conference agreed an Emergency Motion:

Conference condemns the hostile unprovoked attack in international waters by the Israeli forces on the humanitarian convoy which was on its way to aid and relieve the suffering of the people of Gaza.

We urge this Conference to do everything in its power to lobby the UK Government, Labour Party, TUC, European Parliament and all other relevant organisations to outright condemn the actions of Israel and lobby for immediate sanctions.

We ask this Conference to send a letter of support to the Palestinian trade union movement (PGFTU) to let them know that we stand shoulder to shoulder, side by side in their struggle to free themselves from oppression.

While only a few years ago raising the plight of the Palestinians was controversial, there now seems to be an overwhelming consensus that we need a mass solidarity movement on the scale of Anti-Apartheid to stop the UK and US governments propping up this racist and violent state.

At the Palestine Solidarity Campaign fringe meeting today, I heard three UNITE Executive Council members talk about their experiences having visited Palestine earlier in the year. What brings the issues home most often isn't the numbers dead or other horrific statistics, but the every-day harassment and oppression that Palestinians have to put up with. The delegates described in a very matter-of-fact way some of the examples they had seen with their own eyes. It was both moving and an unanswerable case for action.

Motions are a start, but a mass movement needs many individuals and groups to take practical steps. What can you do in your workplace or community? Can you join the national demonstration on Saturday?

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