Report on Regional Council

Report on UNISON South West Regional Council
Education Centre, Bristol Royal Infirmary
Saturday 15th January 2005

Venue – Nice education centre, hopefully Yeovil’s Somerset Academy will be that nice. Central Bristol Health had arranged a minibus to collect delegates from Temple Meads Station to the Council venue.

Standing Orders – South West Committee had rejected our emergency motion on the murder of Hadi Salih on the grounds that it had not been okayed by a branch executive. I was told that there had been some on the South West Committee who had wanted it to be accepted, but given that six motions from Somerset County and one from Bristol City had been rejected for technical reasons, it was never likely to happen.

Plymouth City Council withdrew their motion attacking ASBOs so I couldn’t speak in opposition to that. South West Committee produced an emergency motion on pensions and an amendment to the Plymouth City pensions motion, which were grouped and also a technical amendment to Regional Health Committee’s privatisation motion.

Matters Arising – Tony Staunton (Plymouth City) thanked the nine branches who had helped him get to the next World Social Forum in Brazil and promised to write a report for next Regional Council in May.

NEC Reports – Myf Manning (Exeter Community Health) pointed out the increase in the NEC London day allowance to £40. Both her and Steve Warwick (Exeter City) had abstained. This was not popular, particularly in the light of the tight budget that Regional Council was asked to approve.

Guest Speaker – Dave Prentis (General Secretary) spoke well, particularly on the pensions issue and contracting out. He then took questions which all seemed to be on the Warwick accords and his relationship with the Blair government. He didn’t answer anything new, just repeating that he was not in the pocket of the Blair government and that if Labour discouraged UNISON help in the forthcoming election that was Labour’s problem not his. Prentis then stayed for the rest of the morning session, including my contribution to the privatisation debate, and speaking in the pensions debate.

Organisation, Recruitment and Representation – Ian Ducat (Regional Secretary) was pleased to announce that 4th quarter recruitment in the region had gone up 12% year on year. This is seen as a direct result of the TV advertising campaign.

Improving Negotiations – The focus of the pensions issue was on the Local Government pension scheme as that will come into effect in April 2005, in contrast to the NHS one which will start changing in April 2006.

Motion – South West Committee on Pensions CARRIED unam.
Amendment – South West Committee on Plymouth’s Pensions motion CARRIED unam.
Motion – Plymouth City on Pensions, as amended CARRIED unam.

Campaigning – Jon Gray (Regional Head of Local Government) spoke twice, once on Housing Stock Transfers which went over my head, but as South Somerset has already been though stock transfer that’s probably just as well and once on the Political Fund Ballot, I had already heard that at the Regional Health Committee.

Motion – Gloucester City on Partnership CARRIED
This motion was opposed which was a surprise, John Vickery (Central Bristol Health) thought the wording was confusing and while I agreed with him, the spirit of the motion was clear to me and I voted for. In the middle of this debate, we did go inquorate, only 81 present compared to 88 quorum but some staff rounded up the strays to bring us back up to 95.

Report from TUC Delegates – Rosie MacGregor (West Wiltshire District) spoke on the last regional meeting in Exeter, she was disappointed that the UNISON delegation numbered only 5 out of 13.

Lunch Break – I managed to have a good discussion with Tony Staunton on the Stop the War Coalition and a chat with Nigel Behan on nominations for the NEC elections.

Motion – Plymouth City on NO2ID CARRIED

Motion – Plymouth City on Stop the War – Troops Out Now FELL
This motion was surprisingly heavily defeated, over 2 to 1 despite many more speakers for. Should make clear here that I voted against, basically in annoyance about the way Tony was treating the issue, UNISON does not have the power to turn back time so approaching a motion as if we could is dishonest. Instead we have to be pragmatic, say where we are and what we should do about it, not wish we could wave a magic wand and leave Iraq as a model swiss-style democracy instantly.

Finance – Most committees in the Region are facing a cut of 25%, I asked a question on funding in the light of the increased membership and increased subs, how was it that we had a zero increase in income. But it was not answered to my satisfaction. During this debate we dropped inquorate again and it was decided to end the Council at 2:50pm.