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Congress Report 2005 Congress Report 2005 The 137th annual Trades Union Congress 12-15 September, Brighton 4 Contents Page General Council members 2005 – 2006……………………………… .............4 Section one - Congress decisions………………………………………….........7 Part 1 Resolutions carried.............................. ………………………………………………8 Part 2 Motion remitted………………………………………………… ............................30 Part 3 Motion lost…………………………………………………….. ...............................31 Part 4 Motion withdrawn……………………………………………………………………..31 General Council statement on the consequences of the terrorist attacks in London ………………………………….……........................................................32 Section two – Verbatim report of Congress proceedings .....................35 Day 1 Monday 12 September ......................................................................................36 Day 2 Tuesday 13 September……………………………………… .................................73 Day 3 Wednesday 14 September...............................................................................114 Day 4 Thursday 15 September ...................................................................................154 Section three - unions and their delegates ............................................180 Section four - details of past Congresses ...............................................192 Section five - General Council 1921 – 2005.............................................195 Index of speakers .........................................................................................200 General Council Members Janice Godrich 2005 – 2006 Public and Commercial Services Union Anita Halpin National Union of Journalists Bob Abberley UNISON John Hannett Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers Lesley Auger National Union of Teachers Billy Hayes Communication Workers’ Union Jonathan Baume FDA Sally Hunt Association of University Teachers Sheila Bearcroft GMB Chris Keates Mary Bousted National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Association of Teachers and Lecturers Women Teachers Barry Camfield Jimmy Kelly Transport and General Workers’ Union Transport and General Workers Union Marge Carey MBE Paul Kenny Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers GMB Jane Carolan David Lascelles UNISON GMB Gail Cartmail Mick Leahy OBE Amicus Community Brian Caton Paul Mackney Prison Officers’ Association NATFHE – The University and College Lecturers’ Union Jeremy Dear National Union of Journalists Leslie Manasseh MBE Connect Gerry Doherty Transport Salaried Staffs Association Judy McKnight OBE napo Jeannie Drake OBE Communication Workers’ Union Lesley Mercer Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Tony Dubbins Graphical, Paper and Media Union Gloria Mills CBE UNISON Sue Ferns Prospect Doug Nicholls Community and Youth Workers Union Mark Fysh UNISON Ged Nichols Accord Allan Garley GMB Paul Noon Prospect 4 Brian Orrell National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers Tim Poil Nationwide Group Staff Union Dave Prentis UNISON Alan Ritchie Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians Sue Rogers National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers Dougie Rooney Amicus Mark Serwotka Public and Commercial Services Union Alison Shepherd UNISON Derek Simpson Amicus Steve Sinnott National Union of Teachers Liz Snape UNISON Patricia Stuart Transport and General Workers Union Ed Sweeney Amicus Mohammed Taj Transport and General Workers’ Union Paul Talbot Amicus Sofi Taylor UNISON John Walsh Amicus Tony Woodley Transport and General Workers Union Brendan Barber General Secretary 5 6 Section 1 Congress Decisions Listed below are the decisions taken by the 2005 Trades Union Congress on the motions and amendments submitted by unions. The numbers given to resolutions and motions refer to their number in the Final Agenda, or to that of the Composite or Emergency Motion. 7 Resolutions carried which the annual subscription is paid is relevant to the employment. Under these rules union subscriptions are generally not Part 1 allowed as payments “relevant to the employment”. The failure to provide a tax relief for union subscriptions is even more unacceptable when Resolutions Carried considered against the wide range of membership subscriptions that can be made with full tax relief using the “Gift Aid” scheme. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said that “the role 1 Organising of trade unions and the contribution they have made and continue to make is something to be celebrated”. Congress applauds the work of the TUC Organising and Congress believes that the time has come for the Representation Task Force and the success of the TUC Government to take positive action to support trade Academy and unions’ own organising efforts. A new union membership. culture requires that the union movement should measure all we do by the impact on winning in the Congress calls on the Government to change the workplace and growing. legislation in the 2006 Finance Bill to recognise the fact that union membership is an important feature of a Congress calls for a comprehensive programme at all person’s working life and should be encouraged by a levels as follows: specific statutory allowance for the annual i strengthen union-to-union cooperation subscription. and the TUC’s role in enhancing positive FDA inter-union relations and removing harmful competition; ii tighten the rules to ensure that no union 8 Trade unionists in the classroom in future plays into the hands of an Congress notes that up to two and a half million school employer by accepting a ‘sweetheart children will enter the workforce at some point. Many deal’ – undermining a sister union which young people have either little understanding of the is organising or has the members; role of trade unions or a view of unions that is iii ensure unions have the resources to fund informed by negative representations, particularly by real change; the media. iv press for improved paid time-off and Addressing the lack of understanding and the facilities for union workplace reps; misconceptions is vital not only to the future of the movement but also to secure social justice and to v provide improved TUC and union ensure that young people are properly protected at support and training for union work. workplace reps and officers; Congress supports the work of the TUC and affiliate vi strengthen the key functions which unions to raise the profile of trade unions among support union organising, including young people, particularly through its training, support research and campaigning; materials and speakers as part of the TUC Trade vii explore how unions can use new Unionists in the Classroom project. technology to support organising; Congress urges all affiliates to support this programme viii encourage dialogue with sister unions at and to continue to work with the TUC to develop European and international level on resources and initiatives to promote trade unionism organising strategies and possible joint and employment rights to young people. action; National Association of Schoolmasters Union of ix help change the face of the union Women Teachers movement to better reflect our The following AMENDMENT was accepted membership; x make a reality of our commitment to Add new paragraph at end: organise beyond our current areas of “Congress therefore agrees that the General Council strength; and and Executive Committee will seek to engage the xi ensure public policy assists the Government in general and the Department for organising agenda, in line with the Education and Skills in particular, in pursuit of these welcome commitment in Labour’s objectives, reporting back to Congress 2006.” workplace manifesto to help unions Communication Workers’ Union grow. Transport and General Workers’ Union 17 Disability and employment The following AMENDMENT was accepted Congress notes that since 1997 the levels of Add at the end of paragraph 1: employment of disabled people have only marginally increased and, in relation to employment of people “We must in particular concentrate organising efforts with sensory impairments, have actually decreased. in the private sector, which suffers in comparison to the public sector from significantly lower levels of union Congress therefore notes that despite considerable and membership, organisation and recognition.” welcome advances on the civil rights agenda, employment prospects of disabled people remain Connect bleak, with little prospect of change. 7 Union subscriptions and tax allowances Congress therefore resolves to encourage all affiliates to raise employment matters to the highest point on When an annual subscription is paid to a body that is the disability agenda, and to defend the jobs of any approved by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), a disabled members under threat. In view of the person is able to claim a tax deduction in respect of the disadvantages that disabled employees encounter payment. Under the current legislation HMRC will when faced with competitive redundancy selection approve the fee or contribution where it is paid as a processes, disabled workers should be retained, statutory condition of exercising the employment, or where the membership of the “approved body” to 8 Resolutions carried supported and given reasonable adjustments, before European Union is withdrawn, as it will promote being appointed into suitable alternative posts. further liberalisation and privatisation of public Congress calls on the General Council and affiliates to services, attack workers rights throughout Europe and promote in every workplace:
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