MINUTES GPTU Meeting 26/11/2009

APOLOGIES: S.Miles, E.Benjamin

1. Minutes 14/10/2009: Accuracy:
   1. 4a should read "Caroline visited magic roundabout"
   2. 8c should read "John Carver´s and Sue Tibbles´ donation of costs for Oxford meeting."
2. Matters Arising
   1. Had anyone asked Romayne Phoenix re GPTU presence at AGC AGM.
   2. Unison 4. S. Tibbles had written to Reg Prentice (and Unison NEC) cc to Unison United Left. Caroline Bedale, had been suspended from standing for office by Unison, believed this was connected to support for Karen Reissman campaign.
   3. List of TU Councils, S. Tibbles to seek digital copy.
   4. STW march, small turnout with some Union banners but large Green contingent. Corporal Joe Glenton had been arrested for speaking at the rally.
   5. Motion supporting TU Councils passed at London Fed, lack of GP members involvement with TUC´s noted. The Brixton Transition Town initiative for Green job retraining might be an opportunity to increase involvement.
   6. Possibility of GPRC funding for new GPTU leaflet.
   7. London Metropolitan Uni. Higher Ed Funding Council and London Met UCU branch calling for resignation of Governors. Agreed that GPTU should write in support and liaise with S.Dawe.
3. Finances and Fundraising
   1. P.Murry forgot to bring bank forms for changing treasurer´s name & address and adding new cheque signatory.Will bring to next meeting.
   2. Volunteers coming forward for Workers Beer Co, Noted that it would be best to have 6 volunteers and six reserves in case of dropout. Agreed to split any income 50/50 with Green left. Call for volunteers and reserves to be put on lists.
   3. Mythical bank old GPTU bank account treated with scepticism.
   4. quiz, a future possibility.
   5. Items for sale at conference stall requested.
4. Industrial disputes:The meeting agreed the following statement

   " In the event of industrial disputes it will be GPTU´s normal position to support the Union(s) and employees in question. This will also apply when local workforces take action when the relevant Union may be inhibited from declaring the dispute official due to constraints of legislation, or other factors. It shall also apply when non-unionised workforces take action.

   Any departure from this position will require a poll, by e-mail or otherwise, of GPTU members called by the Committee or by petition of 5 GPTU members. Pending the outcome of this, no statement implying variation of the normal position shall be made. "

5. Current disputes and issues
   1. POA, some wildcat strikes seemed to have been effective.
   2. RMT balloting for Tube strikes, Green councillors to be asked for support.
   3. Irish General Strike reported to have been successful, involving c 0.25m workers, Irish Greens involved in government condemnations of strike, a second General Strike and further resistance to government cuts expected. See Joseph Healy´s blog http://greenmpforvauxhall.blogspot.com/ for further details. Joseph to draft letter of support on behalf of GPTU.
   4. PM had attended People´s Charter meeting in London, other meetings may be taking place in Oxford and Lewisham. PC seemed to be proposing endorsing some parliamentary candidates.
   5. Various reports of Respect conference recieved.
   6. UCL petition for victimised migrant worker details on GPTU & GLeft blogs. Link to petition at http://www.gopetition.co.uk/petitions/a-living-wage-for-all-at-ucl.html.
6. Campaign Against Climate Change
   1. Cacctu conference planned for 13.3.2009 in London.
   2. Climate Rally on 5/12/2009 meet Hyde park Corner 12 noon. The meeting asked Romayne Phoenix to ask about Gp speakers (it appears Caroline Lucas will be speaking).
   3. Green jobs pamphlet now avialable. P.Murry has some copies for sale otherwise obtainable from http://www.campaigncc.org/greenjobs.
   4. Danish, Swedish and German TUs support protests in Copenhagen on 12/12/2009.
   5. Cristian Dominguez, the National Secretary of Environment and Resources of CSUTCB (Confederacion Sindical Unica de Trabajodores Campesinos de Bolivia) United Confederation of Peasant Workers of Bolivia, Who visited London Fed will be presenting the Bolivian Goverment case at Copenhagen.
7. Green Party Spring Conference 2010 Spring Conference 2010 will be at The Arts Depot, 5 Nether Street, London, N12 0GA Thursday February 18th and finish on Sunday 21st.
   1. Motions still coming in (deadline 30/11/2009). GPTU supporting Minimum/Maximum Wage, Lisbon Treaty and Pensions motions.
   2. Stall needs to be booked
   3. Fringe: Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom / new media ST to contactpotential speakers.
   4. AGM is there a suitable venue at Conference?
8. Website: meeting agreed a proposed redesign.
9. AOBS
   1. Battersea and Wandsworth TUC using Bread & Roses pub in Clapham, GP speaker on nukes needed for future meeting(R.Weston?).
   2. Reel News "Countdown to Copenhagen" nights: FREE Sunday 6th December LONDON 6:30pm The Foundry, 86 Great Eastern Street London EC2A 3JL Old Street tube (exit3) contact: http://www.reelnews.co.uk/.
   3. Possibility of article in Green World re GPTU had been discussed further negotiations tba
   4. Reading TUC to be relaunched, local GPTU members need to be informed (Rob White of Reading GP).
10. Next Meetings: 15/1/2010 6.30pm RFH and AGM at GP conference,