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LEEDS UNISON

AGM 2019

You are invited to attend the Leeds UNISON ...

Annual General Meeting

To encourage attendance the AGM will be held over four meetings and

members can attend whichever is the most convenient. Please make

every effort to attend.

Wednesday 13 March 2019 12.30 p.m.

The Sullivan Room

Leeds Town Hall Leeds, LS1 3AD

Thursday 14 March Tuesday 19 March Thursday 21 March 12.30 p.m. 12.30 p.m. 5.15 p.m. Technorth St George’s Centre Merrion House Unit 7 (Lynne Barthorpe Room) Suite 18, 2nd Floor 9 Harrogate Road St George’s Road 110 Merrion Centre Chapel Allerton Middleton Leeds LS2 8BB Leeds, LS7 3NB Leeds LS10 4UZ

British Sign Language Interpreters will be available at the meeting on 13th March.

If you have any special requirements or require this information in an

alternative format, please contact the Branch to arrange.

A buffet lunch will be provided at the lunch time meetings from 12.00 p.m.

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AGM AGENDA

1. Chair’s opening remarks 2. Election of scrutineers 3. To approve minutes of the last AGM (available at the

meeting or on request) 4. To receive and approve the Annual Report 5. To receive and approve the Statement of Accounts 6. To approve honoraria for Branch Auditors 7. Election of Branch Officers 8. To confirm the list of stewards as elected by their

constituencies (list to be circulated at meeting)

9. Appointment of Auditors

10. Appointment of Superannuation Adviser

11. Branch Rule Amendments

12. To consider Motions

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AGENDA item 4 - Annual Report 2019 2019 has been another difficult year for public sector workers. We continue to feel the impact of austerity measures despite claims from the Government that public funding cuts and caps are over. Every day we take calls from members who are still finding themselves victims of austerity measures. Whether the issues be related to poor pay (the cumulative effect of year-on-year pay freezes), increased difficulties in caring (with a hardening of employers’ attitudes to time-off) or high levels of stress (as workers are expected to do more work with fewer staff), the effects of austerity remain very real. UNISON helps whenever we are approached, providing advice and representing members. This year Leeds UNISON has launched a major campaign against the scandal of low pay in the public sector. The campaign we set up aims to persuade Leeds City Council to become an accredited “Real Living Wage” employer. The Real Living Wage differs from a minimum wage in that it represents the actual minimum hourly rate a worker needs just to get by. The current hourly rate is £9.00. Ultimately, we want to make Leeds a Real Living Wage city. We have successfully engaged with Leeds City Council to work with them as the main employer in the Branch and a major employer in Leeds and they have agreed to look at how we can encourage other employers in the City and wider area to become Living Wage employers. It is pleasing to report the Council have themselves committed to paying living wage rates on an ongoing basis and seek to encourage this with companies they contract with. This is encouraging news but our campaign is by no means at an end as work needs to be done by activists across the voluntary sector in conjunction with the Branch and the Council to get their employers to accredit as Living Wage employers. We will be stepping up our campaign in 2019. UNISON membership in our Branch has stood up well over the last 12 months but the years of austerity and cuts have seen shrinking workforces and a reduction in UNISON membership. Significant effort has been made to recruit new members, particularly into making the “Grovember” Programme – UNISON’s 25th Birthday Celebration - a success, and the recruitment figures for the year have exceeded expectations. We have visited scores of work locations to speak to staff about the issues they face and to encourage those yet to join to do so. As always, our ability to make a difference relies upon us having a strong membership. We are now the biggest UNISON Branch in the Yorkshire and Humberside Region. Casework handled by Stewards, Convenors, Branch Officers and Staff continues to be at a high level. Our Branch records show that 950 members contacted the Branch in the year with individual issues. Many other members had their queries dealt with by stewards. This, and the collective issues taken up – e.g. equal pay, minimum wage, cuts to terms and conditions and bullying, stress, sickness issues - demonstrate just how necessary trade union membership is. It should also be said that the Branch simply couldn’t function without the high quality work carried out by Stewards. If your workplace doesn’t have a steward, please elect one or contact the Branch for further details.

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AGENDA ITEM 10 – Branch Rule Amendments

Annual Report continued

The Branch has used part of the additional funding it received this year to continue to “buy in” additional UNISON Regional resources to deal with Private Sector cases and Academy chains. This resource uses 60% of the additional funding. Without this support the Branch would be unable to properly represent members in these sectors. Branch Staff and excellent stewards within Colleges and the Community and Voluntary Sector continue to handle a high level of individual and collective casework. The difficulties in accessing training for new stewards has been resolved and we now have Officers within the Branch who are qualified to deliver accredited stewards’ training. The Branch made the decision during the year to withdraw from the Leeds City Council Joint Learning agreement because of difficulties being experienced with the operation of the learning arrangements. I am pleased to report these difficulties have now been overcome and we are working with the Council on reviewing the Learning Agreement and being able to access additional facility time for Branch Learning Officers. Our officers have been able to access an excellent suite of learning opportunities which can be taken up by our members. Despite the rumoured end to austerity, the Council continues to rely upon a section 188 redundancy notice which indicates the potential for up to 75 potential job losses in the coming year. The Branch in the main has dealt with very few situations that lead to compulsory redundancy within Leeds City Council in the year. The picture is not the same in schools and across the wider voluntary and private sector membership with many consultations taking place and resulting in job losses. There have not been any formal disputes through the year but members in some sectors are gearing up to campaign about pay. The Branch will continue to work to protect public services and, above all, to prevent compulsory redundancies, and protect staff terms and conditions. It is clear that as employers seek to make cuts, the attention paid to workers’ safety slips down the list of priorities. The Branch Health and Safety Officers and Safety Representatives continue to work to make sure this doesn’t happen, carrying out dozens of workplace inspections and attending many meetings to raise the profile and importance of health, safety and welfare. The Branch is fortunate to have a team of dedicated staff who work in the branch office and ensure that members and activists receive services and communications that keep everyone informed of developments in the union. The experience and commitment of the staff is highly valued and provides a much appreciated resource for all members.

Martyn Walker Branch Secretary On behalf of Branch Committee

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AGENDA ITEM 6 - Recommendation of Honoraria

Auditors £331 plus tax x 2 (£414 incl.tax) N.B. 2018 figure + 2.4%

Treasurer £3059 plus tax (£3824 incl. tax)

AGENDA ITEM 7 – ELECTION OF BRANCH OFFICERS Nominations Received:

Branch Chair Trevor Hall

Branch Vice Chair Leon Kirkham

Branch Secretary Martyn Walker

Assistant Branch Secretary Glen Pickersgill/Andrew Pointon (Job Share)

Branch Treasurer Pauline Bailey

Assistant Branch Treasurer No nomination received

Education Co-ordinator No nomination received

Equality Officer No nomination received

Health & Safety Officer Michael Binks/Gilly Margrave (Job Share)

International Officer No nomination received

Labour Link Officer No nomination received

LifeLong Learning Co-ordinator Carol McGrath/Neil Rhodes (Job share)

Membership Services Officer Stella Smales

Publicity Officer No nomination received

Welfare Officer Karen Weir

Women’s Officer No nomination received

Young Members’ Officer No nomination received

AGENDA ITEM 9 - Appointment of Auditors 2019

Alan Pinder - Retired member, former LCC Finance Officer Duncan Hargreaves - Retired member, former LCC Finance Officer AGENDA ITEM 10 - Appointment of Superannuation Adviser

Mick Binks

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AGENDA ITEM 10 – Branch Rule Amendments

AGENDA ITEM 11 – Branch Rule Amendments

1. The following are amendments to alter the term “Affiliated Political Fund” to “Labour Link”.

This new term reflects national union advice.

Rule 5.6.12 Delete ‘APF Officer’ and Insert ‘Labour Link Officer’ Appendix A Change ‘Affiliated Political Fund Officer’ to ‘Labour Link Officer’ Alter all references of ‘APF’ to ‘Labour Link’ Appendix E Section (a) Alter all references of ‘APF’ to ‘'Labour Link’

2. The following amendments seek to establish a new Branch Officer role: “Women’s Officer”.

New 5.6.12 Insert ‘Women’s Officer’ and renumber accordingly.

Appendix A Add: ‘Women’s Officer’

‘The Women’s Officer, who shall be a member of the branch and who identifies as a woman, shall bring to the attention of other Branch Officers and the Branch Committee issues affecting women, will encourage their membership of and activity in the union, will develop initiatives to promote greater involvement by women members in the work of UNISON and will act on all occasions under the direction of the Branch Committee.’

3. The following changes the quorum of the AGM and SGM. The current quorum was established

over 20 years ago when the Branch membership was significantly larger. This rule change brings

the quorum in line with the changing membership and in line with Branches throughout the

region.

Rule 5.3 Annual General Meeting 6.2.1 and 6.3 Special General Meeting

Delete ‘150’ and Insert ‘100’.

The new rules will read:

5.3 ‘The quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be 100.’

6.1.2 ‘at any time within 21 days of the receipt by the Branch Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by at least 100 members of the Branch, stating fully the terms of the motion to be discussed at such a meeting.’

6.3 ‘The quorum for the Special General Meeting shall be 100.’

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AGENDA ITEM 12 – Motions

1. Redundancy Contingency Fund

At the branch Annual General Meeting in 2017 a resolution was agreed to establish a Redundancy Contingency Fund. This decision was prompted following advice from the union nationally and regionally that it is prudent and expected that branches establish a special reserve fund to cover any potential future redundancy costs. However, the branch has now been advised that it is not possible to establish such a fund as a dedicated branch reserve fund (such funds are not counted as general branch reserves in calculating the branch’s annual income entitlement). This therefore undermines the purpose of establishing a separate dedicated Redundancy Contingency Fund. This AGM therefore agrees not to establish a fund in the way previously agreed.

However, this AGM still considers that it is important to ensure that staff employed by the branch are supported and protected in the event that any serious circumstances impact significantly on the finances of the branch. This branch AGM therefore resolves:

1. That general branch reserves are kept at a level that would enable an element of the reserves to be used in the event of redundancies being necessary but being mindful not to increase reserves to a level that would significantly reduce branch income.

2. In the event that, in the view of the Branch Committee, insufficient funds are available in general

reserves (taking account of other general contingencies), it is agreed that the Branch Committee be authorised to utilise funds held in the Premises Fund or the Industrial Action Fund to ensure that sufficient funds are available to satisfy the employment liabilities of the branch in relation to redundancy payments.

3. In agreeing to this resolution, this AGM is agreeing to vary the purpose of the dedicated funds in

line with rule 18.2 (18.2.1 & 18.2.2) and 19.2 (19.2.1 & 19.2.2) only for the specific purpose of satisfying its employment liabilities as described in this resolution.

Proposed by Branch Committee

2. Stand Up To Racism

This Annual General Meeting notes:

The alarming rise of racism, Islamaphobia, anti-semitism and far right forces across Europe, America and elsewhere.

The rise of a far right street movement here in Britain around the “Football Lads” and English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson. This is centered on targeting Muslims, with UKIP leader Gerard Batten giving open encouragement and support to this movement by appointing Tommy Robinson as an advisor.

The ‘hostile environment’ created by the government to scapegoat migrants and refugees and attack Muslims with its Prevent agenda. This provides fuel for the far right to grow.

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Leeds UNISON, Geoff Hodgson House, 160a Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9EN Tel: 0113 245 8442 E-mail: branch@leedsunison.org.uk

Website: http://www.leedsunison.org.uk

That the workplace also remains a ‘hostile environment’ for many Black workers.

The threat posed to freedom of movement by a Tory Brexit. This Annual General Meeting also notes:

That Tommy Robinson and the far right have not had it all their own way however. The Unity demonstration on 17 November and the 15,000 strong mobilisation against him on 9 December show the strength of a diverse anti-racist movement that is capable of challenging the bigotry of the far right.

That we must combat all attempts to divide and rule ordinary people.

It’s not migrants and refugees who undermine wages and public services but cuts and austerity.

Black people in Britain face discrimination in the justice system, employment, education and poverty.

Racism has no place in the workplace and unions must be at the forefront of challenging it. Organising our members is an important part of resisting racism, including institutional racism.

This Annual General Meeting resolves to:

1. Affiliate to Stand Up To Racism in line with national policy.

2. Publicise Stand Up To Racism events and activities amongst our members.

3. To sponsor the Stand Up To Racism meeting and a Love Music Hate Racism fundraising event at UNISON National Delegate Conference, hosted by Camden UNISON, on the evening of Wednesday 19 June 2019.

4. To donate (amount can vary depending on branch resources) towards the evening’s events and publicise it in our Region*

5. To circulate this motion and our decision to sponsor the event to other branches in our Region inviting them to do the same.

6. To send this motion to our Region and ask that it donates £500 towards the costs of the event that Camden LG branch is hosting at NDC 2019 to raise funds for and promote Stand Up To Racism.

7. To request our Region adds its name as an official sponsor of the event, publicises it and adopts the social in our Region, encouraging conference delegates to get tickets and attend.

*cheques payable to Camden UNISON – contact unison@camden.gov.uk for more details Proposed by: James Dean Seconded by: Lisa Cooper