Annual Report 2019 Kev Terry, in the Chair as well as the saddle on his sponsored ride around Cuba 2018 was a very tumultuous meeting as many people as he year for many with no clear could. The festival is a coming- vision of what Brexit means. together of unions to celebrate While the politicians argue the the struggles of our forebears workers suffer attacks on their and that the fight still goes on. terms and conditions. Wages So let’s look forward to 2019 have been squeezed and all with renewed vigour and with unions are fighting for their hope and positive actions we members. In all this we have will prevail. had some wins. My own union, Thanks to Joanne Kaye, the Unite, went to Brussels to help vice-chair, all the Executive, sister unions beat off attacks Regional Council members on drivers working time and and the team in the South rest periods and we won. No West TUC. doubt they will be back so no resting on our laurels. Tolpuddle was a resounding Joanne Kaye, Vice-Chair success, the weather was fair and Jeremy Corbyn both stole the show and caused havoc with his walk-about and South West TUC Regional Council rexit has dominated Brexit has been on the providers to do more to so much of the news agenda for many meetings tackle it. agenda for the last through the South West A simple to use pay Byear. It has squeezed out TUC year. Clare Moody calculator is now online critical issues that deserve MEP provided the Regional at www.tuc.org.uk attention. The South West, Council with an update from apprenticepay and a range like the whole country, Brussels and Matt Griffiths of materials has been remains divided on the issue from Business West gave the circulated aimed at helping but there is much trade Executive a stark assessment apprentices. unions can unite around. We of potential damage to fight to protect the limited investment and long-term The South West TUC rights workers have and prospects. the highly skilled jobs that The officers of depend upon EU trade. the South West Some of the regions ‘crown TUC have met the jewel’ employers, especially region’s Labour in aerospace and advanced MPs through engineering have sounded the year and warning alarms over Britain although Brexit crashing or slipping into has dominated protectionist border controls discussions other and tariffs. issues have been Health and Social Care raised such as South West TUC already has acute staff the need to Officers meet shortages, a problem that reform apprentice Labour MPs from the region will only get worse after minimum wages, living wage believes the government Brexit. The important campaign and workers’ should simplify the rules South West food and drink rights. and end the discrimination sector could be boosted against young workers. by higher prices but the Apprentice Pay But action could be taken consumer will pay the price. The complexity of the immediately by mandating Finding labour for seasonal National Minimum Wage training providers to check agriculture will probably lead and rates for young people minimum wage compliance the gang masters to recruit are one of the key reasons at the same time they check more vulnerable migrants why so many apprentices are training records. from further afield than the underpaid. The rates are EU. far too low in any event but the TUC believes more must be done to stop ‘non-compliance’. After researchers from University of the West of England exposed the level of under payment the South West TUC launched a campaign Jess Hurd taking photos of to raise awareness of the apprentices at Bristol Port issue and challenge training Apprentice pay campaign materials Living Wage The campaign for Better Jobs in Bristol has led to Marvin Rees, The Mayor, signing as an accredited Living Wage employer the first council in the region to do so. It is hoped that other authorities such as Cornwall, Plymouth and Stroud will follow suit. This ensures that staff in the supply chain as well as direct workers are paid the real Living Wage, currently £9 an hour. Care workers are amongst the beneficiaries of the Nigel Costley with Mayor Marvin Rees Living Wage Campaign Mayor Marvin Delegates supported a Rees signs the but the pressures Living Wage to them to accept worse motion from PCS last year pledge terms remain. UNISON protesting at the on-going care workers pay cap for many public took several sector workers especially in days of the civil service. A recent strike action survey found 69% of civil at Serona servants dissatisfied with New Deal for Workers demo Care, a so- their pay and conditions. called social to demand a New Deal for College lecturers, fed up enterprise Workers in May. The rally with being left further based mainly attracted a lot of media and further behind have in Bath. attention. The South West taken strike action in four Dave Prentis, The action team again marshalled colleges across the South UNISON took considerable courage the front of the London General West. Further education has Secretary joins by carers who remain procession. suffered from cut backs and determined to stick together Tudro Evans, Most workers have still not staff teaching the same the Plymouth leader to be treated fairly and with seen pay recover to their courses, are on pay levels and union reps respect. in signing the levels in 2008. The pay well below those in schools. Ethical Care New Deal for Workers squeeze is the longest in 200 USDAW recently launched Charter years. The TUC called a big march its Time for Better Pay calling for a £10 an hour, minimum 16-hour contracts Sirona care workers lobby the council in Bath and a right to ‘normal hours’ contracts. It backed up its case with a comprehensive survey of some 10,500 workers that exposed the problems of poor pay and insecure jobs. Impact of cuts The cuts to public spending continue despite the government’s promise of an end to austerity. West 5 Nick Ireland and Tracey XX promote USDAW’s pay campaign tribute to Kamil Ahmad Country Councils have and Bijan Ebrahimi asylum been hit hard and are yet seekers who were killed in to make further savings. racists attacks in Bristol. Somerset County Council’s Conservative leadership expressed its frustration with government and local Tory MPs after it announced its financial crisis. Roger McKenzie, UNISON Assistant General Secretary with Respect and racism Michael August at the Plymouth Sorry! Tribute to the murdered event to mark the anniversary USDAW also highlighted Kamil Ahmad of the Black Power salute at the the increasing abuse on 1968 Olymics shop workers including Bristol Cable writer the lack of police response Rebecca Yeo, who has opportunity to celebrate the to shoplifters. The South championed the cause of value and successes of trade West TUC met with Sue disabled refugees gave an unions as well as to promote Mountstevens, the Avon and impassioned speech to the current campaigns. This year Somerset Police and Crime Regional Council. The need a central theme was the case Commissioner to discuss to challenge prejudice and against zero-hour contracts. these and other issues. She racism in workplaces remains explained the squeeze on a priority for the TUC and all police resources and the lack unions. of capacity they now have, Asher Criag, Bristol’s Deputy to respond as they would Mayor joined Joanne like. Kaye at the Stand The meeting also Up To Racism discussed rising levels of event to mark abuse and racist attacks the Holocaust especially in the wake of Memorial Day. the EU referendum. Sue Tom De Wit, Tolpuddle Mountstevens has been a Heart Unions Unions used the week to Martyrs Museum strong advocate for more Week Manager and attention on such Heart recruit new members and Amanda Brown, crimes alongside Unions promote their campaigns. UNISON Dorset present domestic abuse and Week Lots of people took to social media to shout out for their a cheque to modern slavery. is a the homeless unions. project for Trade unionists sanitary joined others to West Country Workers products pay A special edition of the popular West Country Workers was produced great to be used in and around Asher Craig, Bristol’s Deputy Mayor Heart Unions week. This well written, good looking the rise of individual union magazine provides more in courses, pressures on reps depth look at some of the over time-off and cuts in key topics in the region. public funding. A London college had been covering The South West TUC mailing the provision, but the South lists have been substantially West TUC was delighted Patrick Brione from the IPA speaks pruned following strict when the City of Bristol about the future of work adherence to GDPR. The College agreed to take it South West TUC annual recognising that everyone back with Alison Foster conference proved an has different needs and the employed as the new co- opportunity to share best organisations are those ordinator. She is developing advice about GDPR who understand the variety the menu of reps training as well as debate the of mental health conditions as well as a number of short tensions between and accommodate them courses and seminars. the need to gather positively. and spread news, Mental health at work The South West TUC information and An area of huge interest Executive established a solidarity messages for rep training is around mental health working group with the needs of mental health at work. Rising that allowed union reps to data protection stress as well as heightened share some ground-breaking rules.