Next Sheffield TUC delegate meeting: Tuesday 28 October commencing 7pm Trades and Labour Club, Talbot Street, Sheffield S2 2TG The agenda is shown below, which will be available as hard copies at the meeting. Our guest speaker is Steve Hart Chair of CLASS (the left think tank set up by UNITE GMB and IER) - he also Chair of UAF. He is speaking in a purely personal capacity on the left case for UK staying in Europe. This is the second of two debates hosted by Sheffield TUC to consider the left arguments for and against Europe. Our first debate was addressed by Rob Griffiths Gen Sec of the British Communist Party on the left case for withdrawal from EU. We are delighted to have such prominent speakers on this very important issue for trade unionists. Please try and come along. We also will have a GMB speaker on the current dispute in Sheffield involving low paid recycling workers who are on strike over bullying and poor working conditions. Among the many relevant topics of debate we will also be discussing the TUCs excellent Programme of Work for Trade Union Councils (copy attached for information). I also attach our latest diary of events to keep you up to date with whats going on in and around the Sheffield area. Please also see attached a flyer I have just received of another event of importance: National Assembly of Women conference at Wortley Hall on 8th November 2014 I look forward to a good attendance on Tuesday. Why not bring along trade union colleagues or friends who are not delegates? Visitors are welcome to our meetings - simply register at the door please. Martin Mayer Secretary Sheffield TUC Delegate Meeting, 28 October 2014, Agenda 1. Chairs opening remarks and apologies 2. Speaker: Steve Hart Chair of Class and Chair of UAF (speaking in personal capacity). Steve will deliver the second of our two contrasting views on Europe. he will present the left case for UK staying in the EU 3. GMB speaker on recycling workers dispute in Sheffield 4. Minutes of Delegate Meeting held on 23rd September a. True record b. Matters arising 5. Minutes of Executive Committee held on 21st October 2014 Matters arising not already on the agenda. 6. Trades Council affiliations 7. Trades Council facilities a) website b) mobile phone c) photocopier 8. Public Sector strikes 13th, 14th 15th October. Review of STUCs role and activities 9. TUC Britain needs a Pay Rise March and Rally London 18th October a) report on coach booking problems b) ticket sales and costs to STUC c) review of STUCs role 10. Meeting Sheffield TUC Officers and Cllr Julie Dore and other Council leaders Monday 20th October 1530hrs. Report back and follow up 11. Proposal to Regional TUC to make Sheffield Trade Union Council a pilot project for growth/capacity building 12. TUC JCCC report by Martin Mayer 13. STUC engagement with BAEM communities - proposed STUC activity 14. TUC Programme of Work - consideration by Exec Committee 15. South Yorkshire County Association of Trade Union Councils 16. Sheffield Peoples Assembly 17. Disputes i. Doncaster UNISON Care UK strike ii. UNITE/Eddie Stobbart tribunal case 18. UAF/ fight against racism and fascism a) Stand Up to UKIP rally Doncaster 27th September and Sheffield public meeting 25th October b) EDL activity in Rotherham 19. Rotherham Council crisis re childrens services. 20. South Yorks Police and Crime Commissioner by-election. 21. Freedom Ride protests - update on recent developments 22. Purchase of TUC/union literature for stalls etc. 23. UNITE Community/PCS joint leaflet Claimants - Know your Rights 24. NUM Hatfield Pit closure 25. Correspondence not already covered in agenda (see separate list) 26. Future speakers at STUC delegate meetings November: Andrew Fisher (LEAP) November January; Paul Blomfield MP (to be invited) February AGM; Len McCluskey to be invited other speakers to consider: Bill Adams Regiona TUC; CND speaker; English devolution; NUT on Teachers Manifesto 27. Motions; NUJ motion on Palestine This Sheffield Trade Union Council notes that the Israeli government continues to govern as an apartheid state in its treatment of the Palestinian people. The oppression faced by ordinary Palestinians and the way in which their plight is used as a political bargaining chip cannot be allowed to continue as it has done for so many decades. Israel continues to build colonies (settlements) in Palestinian territories, ignoring international law and all world opinion. The Israeli state carries out crimes of persecution against the Palestinian people on a daily basis without any fear of being held to account or punished. The Israeli military continues to arrest, detain and torture Palestinian children (aged 12 to 17 years) in contravention of international law and human rights treaties yet the world’s power brokers choose to ignore International law and basic human rights when it comes to the Palestinians, choosing instead to support Israel. Sheffield Trade Union Council very much welcomes the historic vote in Parliament recently to recognise the Palestine state with only 12 votes against, which reflects the change in the political landscape following Israels latest assault on Gaza, and the massive shift in public opinion following protests by trade unions and others on this issue. This Sheffield Trade Union Council believes: The siege on Gaza, which imprisons 1.6 million Palestinians in horrific conditions, must be lifted. The Palestinian people trapped in Gaza must be able to travel and interact freely with neighbouring states. Palestinians living in the West Bank 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. This Sheffield Trade Union Council supports the campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) of Israel in protest at its actions in oppressing the Palestinian people, which has been called for by civil organisations in Palestine. This includes supporting campaigns against complicit companies in Britain 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 encourages members to call on supermarkets and retailers to stop using companies which export goods from illegal settlements. This Sheffield Trade Union Council agrees to continue to support and offer practical help to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign in their work to raise awareness and solidarity in the UK. This branch also agrees to urge Sheffield Trades Union Council agrees to adopt this motion and campaign actively among member unions to urge them to support the BDS campaign as an important way to show solidarity with the people of Palestine. Executive Committees recommendation is to accpet the motion as amended (amendments in bold type) 28. Registrars report 29. Any other business
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 21:07:50 +0000
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