GREEN PARTY TRADES UNION GROUP. MINUTES 29/11/.06
Apologies. M.Scheiman, S.Tibbles, Sue Miles
- Minutes 26/10/06
- Agreed for accuracy
- Matters arising:
- GPTU banner had been taken to climate change demo, several GPTU
members helped carry it and give out GPTU leaflets. JH to email photo of
banner.
- Finances c £132 in bank mostly committed to producing new leaflet.
There would be some workers´ beer activities next year, Neil had hopes that
money could be raised by staffing St Patrick´s day event and would request
volunteers in future.
- Leaflet: It was suggested that GPTU write to GPEX for money for this. Pete
thought this would be better when they could be shown a draft leaflet.
- Other ideas for fund raising invited.
- Police dispute: No response from J.Jones.
- New Leaflet Paul Ingram is drafting, Tim Summers to send logo
design,
hopefully draft available in January. Both Hard and soft copies should
be produced
and it should replace version in PDF currently on GP website.
- The issue of lack of prominence of TU issues and GPTU leaflet on
national
website discussed and at recent Green Left meeting. GPEX had not taken
the
action it was called on to in GPTU supported motions passed at Brighton
conference.
N.Lynch stated that such material would be welcome on the London GP
website.
And it was agreed to send some such material to Green Left website
P.Murry working on GPTU website, , hopefully prototype in early 2007.
- Agreed to hold conference fringe jointly with Green Left,
(provisionally
entitled "Eco -socialism and Trades Unions" ), Derek wall to be invited
to
speak. Requests for fringe booking to be made ASAP by J.Healy.
GPTU also needed to hold its AGM at Swansea but it was agreed to fix
and
date and time for this , and circulate after appearance of 2nd
conference
agenda.
Trades Unions needed to be encouraged to book stalls at Swansea
conference.
J.Healy to ask GPRC Welsh reps to contact TU's GP conference
organizers.
- Green left report back;
- Mat Sellwood to draft motion on ALMOs and council housing funding.
- P.Murry to draft motion on academy schools, advised to see NUT
website.
- Reading list (P.Frost already collecting suggestions, also mentioned
that
lengthier theoretical articled could be placed on GL website.
- METROLINE & METRONET
N.Lynch had proposed a motion to London fed, (passed nem con), to
support
the Metroline strikers and too bring Metronet back into public
ownership. this
had been press released and posted onto various bogs.
- WELFARE RIGHTS DEMO
Monday 4/12/2006 11am at Houses of parliament. Mark Douglas and invited
GP
presence A. Gray and N.Lynch to liaise with MD re speakers.
- AOB
- J.Healy collecting reports of GP involvement with TUs for report to
GPRC
at Manchester in early Jan 2007.
- Concerns expressed re likely NHS and transport funding crises next
year
Info re involvement of GPTU members with local campaigns needed.
- GPTU/ GL conference had been tabled at last Green Left meeting,
perhaps a
more modest prolonged GPTU discussion meeting was suggested and ideas
for
venue sought. The GreenSpeak meetings in Brighton were suggested as a
possible
model.
- London Fed Xmas party Railway tavern , Liverpool St 16/12/06
- NEXT MEETING
10/1/2007 6.30pm Queen Elizabeth Hall cafe next to Festival Hall
ADDENDUM Email from Sue Tibbles received after the meeting;
Some items to note from Oxon Green Party and from Oxford & District
Trades
Union Council and its affiliated unions:
- Plenty of work going on for
Keep the NHS
Public locally at present: a proposed candlelit vigil in Bonn Square,
Oxford
on evening of 14 December with publicity, media etc. to mourn the
closure of
the Radcliffe Infirmary in Woodstock Road. Its departments are moving
to
Headington area in different hospitals, but probably will involve job
losses.
- The
University of Oxford will be taking over the Radcliffe Infirmary site
and it will
be redeveloped as a humanities centre amongst other things. Again a
number of
humanities libraries are due to move there in 2010 so it will cause job
losses, also there are the usual issues, especially that of space for
housing
library materials. By lumping a number of libraries together in the
same area,
there will be a move to have one copy rather than multiple copies of
library
materials to save money. Many publications are now available online,
also saving on
space and money.I have now had some plans on this so can forward if of
interest.
University Governance meetings have happened. Decision may go to a
postal
ballot. According to Sue Miles, there were very good speakers against
adopting
the new Governance paper. The speakers for the paper were not very
good. Also
there appears to be no mention of libraries in the newspaper, and many
staff are
employed to work in libraries, so this does not help with things
either. One
main issue is that the new Governance is relying on 'outside experts'
to be
the ones directing the Univ in future. This is not well liked as you
can
imagine. If the paper is accepted, it could have a knock on effect on
many staff and
students etc.
- Latin America Conference in 2007- a proposal from Trades Council for
the
local solidarity groups to host a conference on Latin America, to
progress with
work already begun locally. All welcome to this once the date is
announced.
- VERO:
Voice for Ethical Research at Oxford A very successful meeting held
last
night on concerns about the building of the Oxford Univ Animal
Laboratory with
Peter Tatchell from Green Party as one of the key speakers.He spoke
very well at
the meeting and met up afterwards socially with Green Party activists
(some
GPTU members) who had attended the meeting.
- 2nd December - Stop the War National Demo at Brize Norton, should be a
strong
presence of GP and trade union members attending this.
- International
Women's
Festival: I am currently working with Anne Mobbs on the meeting with
women
Green Councillors and politicians at this two week festival. A
programme of events
will be circulated nearer the time.Website available at
http://www.oxfordwomen.co.uk/
- Green Fair in Oxford on Sat 9 December Peter Tatchell may be able to
speak at
this event Also I can put GPTU literature on the GP stall.
Sue