Life Goes on Recognition Agreement Signed with Charnwood Foods
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SUMMER 2017 LIFE GOES ON... RECOGNITION AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH CHarNWOOD FOODS 2 FOODWORKER EDITOR’S SUMMER 2017 NOTES "You wonder how anyone could put an 'X' in the box marked Conservative" LIFE GOES ON... RECOGNITION AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH CHARNWOOD FOODS "Ronnie Draper @ronniebfawu INSIDE THIS ISSUE: As I write this article, we are approaching A triple hit on pensioners with the demise Editor’s Notes . 2 life- changing decisions on two fronts. First, of the triple lock on pensions, loss of winter fuel payments and the knowledge that, if National President . 3 we have a General Election, called by Theresa May on the basis that she expected you are unlucky enough to get a long term TUC Youth Conference . .5 to wipe the Labour Party out. The second illness like dementia, you may well have Stand up to Racism . .5 event that potentially has the power to most of your planned family inheritances Tamil Solidarity . .6 change lives is our Annual Conference taken to pay for past care. Too Big To Fail Megabanks . 7 which takes place early in June. Put these on top of cuts to disability payments, destruction of our NHS, the LGBTQ+ Network . .8 Whilst I cannot predict the outcome of the election, I am pretty sure that the devastation of our education system and Tribunal Help . .10 predicted landslide for the Tories will not multiple failed targets on immigration, you Charnwood Foods . 10 materialise. We have witnessed over the would wonder how anyone could put an past few weeks the rise of Jeremy Corbyn’s 'X' in the box marked Conservative, but the HEALTH & SAFETY reality is that some will. Hazards H&S Manifesto . 1 1 political credibility to the level where he would not be out of place gracing the heady RPE fit testing . .13 heights of No 10 Downing Street as Prime We have witnessed the rise Focus on Health & Safety . 14 Minister. of Jeremy Corbyn’s political Photography Competition . .14 Not a 'natural speaker' credibility to the level where WHEC Report on High I have watched with interest Theresa May Temperature and Bakers' falling apart at the seams as she is questioned he would not be out of place Asthma . .15 by what in essence is a right-wing press, gracing No 10 Downing St demonstrating her inherent weakness when Learning Services at as Prime Minister Fox's Batley . .16 her answers are not scripted by her PR machine. A Tory manifesto that hasn’t stood By the time this article is read, we will know 40 Year Awards . 17 up to scrutiny, made up of a lot of maybes, the result of the election and hopefully Conference Delegates . .18 perhaps and future consultations is people will vote for a Labour manifesto that Contact Details . .20 collapsing into a Brian Rix farce. You would seeks to redress some of the balance be forgiven for thinking that a Prime between rich and poor. A pledge to build FOODWORKER is published for BFAWU by: Minister who knew the date of the election affordable housing, raise the minimum wage Ronnie Draper at Stanborough House would have planned her manifesto to the to £10 per hour, give security in employment, Great North Road eighth degree, not leaving any opportunity rid students of life-inhibiting tuition fees to Stanborough, Welwyn Garden City for anyone to pluck holes in it. name but a few. But will the electorate vote Hertfordshire AL8 7TA Instead we have a list of uncosted for this or will they be satisfied to live in Tel: 01707 260150/259450 pledges that damage virtually every group austerity with little hope of change? Only FOODWORKER is designed and produced in our society with the exception of the time will tell. for BFAWU by: Inscape Solutions Limited super-rich. It's Conference time again… 3 Long Hedge Lane Taking away free lunches from young Moving to our Annual Conference, we know Worthington children (which for many is the only hot that there are many of the 100+ motions that Ashby de la Zouch meal they get each day) and replacing it with Leics LE65 1RL have the power to change members', their a less than 7p breakfast, begs the question families' and communities' lives for the Tel: 01530 222657 of just how nutritional can that be. better. SUM MER 2017 FOODWORKER 3 If you look at the range of subjects you not only realise that a lot of thought has gone into compiling each individual motion, but recognise how thoughtful our members are in putting them on the agenda to better living standards for thousands of people. Conference is also an opportunity to recharge the batteries of activists and officials alike – although 5 days in Southport should not be seen as some sort of jaunt. On the contrary, it is a challenging few days of intense debate, learning and networking that lays the foundations for what we are all hoping to achieve over the coming year. It would be remiss not to thank Adrian and Jan from Head Office who have made sure that when delegates turn up in Southport, things go like clockwork – from logging delegates to booking bedrooms, from printing all the papers needed to collating the conference folders, they have both worked tirelessly to make our task easier. [Conference] is a challenging few days of NATIONAL PRESIDENT intense debate, learning and IAN HODSON networking The despicable actions of an extremist, aimed at killing children, is Life goes on… both shocking and disgusting. However, the measure of our response Irrespective of whether Labour win the to this is of vital importance election or not (and I sincerely hope they do), we still have a policy that we include the quest for £10 per hour on every wage Like many who woke up on the morning A day later, vigils and religious services negotiation. That policy needs to continue of May 23rd to the awful news of the took place all over Greater Manchester, with if we are to raise living standards of our bombing at Manchester Arena, I couldn't people united in shock and grief and a members and set a platform to build on in believe what I was seeing. This was a pop refusal to be divided. They showed a the future. One thing is for sure: we won’t concert. There were no links to any war; humbling sense of community that made a achieve it if we don’t ask. religious, political or otherwise. This was a powerful statement: Kick one of us, you kick music event that was attended (for the most Make use of Learning Services all of us. part) by young girls. Speaking as both a Lessons to be learnt Finally, I would like to give a plug for all father and grandfather, it was an atrocity of The Manchester attack showed us two our learning services who are currently a kind I thought I'd never see in the UK. things: that austerity and governmental cuts working on new contracts to deliver a wide The usual suspects on the political right to Police and security services can put lives range of educational benefits to members were quick to take to social media, with at considerable risk, and that the UK’s and non-members alike. predictably divisive statements, one of foreign policy in the Middle-East continues The difference this year is that some which actually called for a ‘final solution’ to be a shambolic mess that serves only to of them are now going to be judged on for Muslims. Theresa May’s answer, was outcomes (as opposed to targets) and all our to grandstand by putting armed soldiers on put us in harm’s way. participation is needed to ensure we have the street; a cynical attempt to score cheap We cannot go down the road of denial, continuation in the future. At this Conference political points whilst other politicians as that demonstrated by the Home Secretary, we will be running assessments which we had suspended their General Election Amber Rudd. Community Officers are our would ask every delegate to take part in, but campaigns out of respect for those affected first line of defence and intelligence. She more importantly we need you to go back to by the attack. Thankfully, the Manchester should be taking steps to reverse cuts to base and do an in-depth study of how your community showed the very best of us. policing NOW. In addition, UK foreign branch can benefit from our services. People from all backgrounds, cultures and policy should come under immediate Talk to our team at Conference; see beliefs came together and galvanised in review. There can be no doubt that invasions what they have to offer, how you can access an overwhelming display of solidarity and and interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, courses and how you plan to get the projects defiance. Public and emergency service Libya and Syria, along with selling arms to involved in your workplace. workers, along with taxi drivers, restaurant the likes of Saudi Arabia makes us a target Solidarity! owners and even homeless people, rallied for terrorism. Violence begets violence. We Ronnie Draper around and supported those caught up in must play no further part in the Project For General Secretary the explosion. The New American Century agenda. SUM MER 2017 4 FOODWORKER We must not be afraid to call out politicians who express despair A special feature of this year’s Conference is the fact that our Union when blood is spilled in this country and yet who happily vote for is now 170 years old.