HTUC AGM 24 February 2010 7pm Café Z Bar, Stoke Newington High Street.

Please note agenda before - the meeting will start promptly at 7pm. It was scheduled for one hour but some delegates feel that this is not sufficient and therefore the meeting will continue until a maximum of 2 hours have elapsed (end time 9pm) or earlier if all business is completed prior to that time.

Please ensure that you bring all your papers with you - these will not be circulated on the night - we are trying to be as green as possible and not waste paper printing unnecessary copies.

Agenda

1. Registration of delegates

2. Minutes of 2009 AGM: already mailed out

3. Secretary's Report: already mailed out

4. Treasurer's Report: already mailed out

5. Confirmation of recent officer elections and re-opening of nomination for vacant Web editor position (or New media communications officer).

6. Motions: 2 motions submitted - see below.

7. Work programme for 2010

8. Nomination of HTUC delegates to:
-TUC Trades Union Conference - 15-16 May Blackpool.
-TUC Black Workers Conference - 23-25 April
-TUC Disability conference - 19-20 May - London
-TUC LGBT conference - 1-2 July - London
-TUC Women's conference - don't have any details

8. TUC drafted 'Model rules and guidance for trade union councils': for adoption at 2011 AGM.

9. AOB

Motion one: Proposed John Page, seconded Jane Holgate

This AGM notes:
o that there are many thousands of workers in Hackney who do not have access to trade unions because unions are not recognised or are not active in their workplaces.
o that many of these workers will be 'vulnerable' in the sense that they are employed at or below the minimum wage, sometimes cash in hand, and often by employers who have no respect for employment rights or health and safety obligations.
o that it is part of the trades councils' work programme to work within their communities to establish links with vulnerable workers and build trade union organisation in workplaces where none currently exists.
o that strong union organisation is built through workers self organisation.
o that we have a small 'organising fund' which is dedicated to building local trade union organisation.
o that the organisation Hackney Unites (of which we are a founder member) has initiated a workers advice project (inspired by the American Workers Centre movement) working with trade unionists and progressive lawyers.
o that as part of this initiative Hackney Unites intends to establish a workers rights/organising training course so that those who come seeking help go away with the skills to organise their workplace.

This AGM resolves
o to encourage appropriately qualified shop stewards and reps to volunteer as advisors for the workers advice project.
o to commit £500 from our organising fund to help develop and pilot a workers rights course in association with the workers advice project.

Motion 2

Please note Glyn Harris, delegate from Hackney Unison has requested that his motion be re-circulated with the original formatting - see below

HTUC notes the motion (see below) passed at the recent Unison (Hackney Local Govt Branch) AGM stating ".. the importance of borough wide Trades Councils in enabling local trade unions and trade unionists to work together effectively." and that "..we are in a period where all sections of the public sector face serious attacks to jobs, terms and conditions"

HTUC agrees with the content of this motion that of " the importance of having a fully functioning and regularly meeting Hackney Trades Union Council, based on the largest and most active trade unions in Hackney workplaces, to enable a effective response to these attacks" and that "..the function of a trades council is simply, first and foremost to network and support local trade unions and trade unionists.."

HTUC resolves to then " .. network and support local trade unions and trade unionists.." and to hold " .. regular two monthly delegate meetings to do that..."

proposed Glyn Harries Hackney Local Govt Unison delegate
seconded Janine Booth RMT delegate and Matthew Waterfall Hackney Local Gov Unison Branch Secretary and Delegate

motion passed at Hackney Local Govt Unison AGM

"Hackney Unison notes the importance of borough wide Trades Councils in enabling local trade unions and trade unionists to work together effectively

Hackney Unison notes we are in a period where all sections of the public sector face serious attacks to jobs, terms and conditions

Hackney Unison further notes the importance of having a fully functioning and regularly meeting Hackney Trades Union Council, based on the largest and most active trade unions in Hackney workplaces, to enable a effective response to these attacks

Hackney Unison believes that the function of a trades council is simply, first and foremost to network and support local trade unions and trade unionists, and that HTUC should have regular two monthly delegate meetings to do that.

Hackney Unison resolves to re-affirm it's full support for HTUC, if operating in the above way, including sending the full amount of delegates as often as they are able to attend

proposed glyn harries unison shop steward hackney homes and delegate to HTUC
seconded brian debus unison branch chair and president HTUC "