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UNITE Retired Members Branch Central London (RM005)

Branch Meeting 14 (14/2016)
Branch meeting held on Wednesday 13 January 2016 at UNITE offices,
Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8TN at 14.00.
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Present:

George
Anthony
Chair
Patrick
Cronin
Kevin
Gavin
Treasurer
Susan
Grey
Eamonn

Murphy

Secretary

Secretary
Ian
Scales

Murphy

Ruth
Wright
Minutes Secretary

Apologies and Announcements:

Apologies were offered and accepted from:

Janet

Hart

Equalities Officer

Members expressed their pleasure in seeing the Secretary well on the way to full
recovery after a major operation.
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Minutes of last meeting (14 October 2015)

The Minutes were approved. All Actions had been completed or on the agenda.
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Matters and Actions Arising from the Minutes

No matters were arising.

5

Secretarys Report

NHS - a sub-group of the Regional Committee was due to meet the following
week and he intended to raise that IPSOS/MORI had identified that pensioners

UNITE Retired Members Branch Central London 13 January 2016

Branch website: http://eamo.weebly.com

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votes at the last General Election had swung the balance towards the
Conservative Party. He would seek to establish what UNITE was planning to do to
turn this around. Members suggested that complacency had also played a part in
the defeat and focus needed to be on the upkeep of safe seats as well as on
winning or re-taking marginal seats. Good organising in all Constituencies was
vital.
The Trade Union Bill was now in the House of Lords. Even amongst the
headliners there were some huge issues such as 50%+ turnout required, a
licence to be obtained, armbands to be worn and so forth. Fines and
sequestrations were proposed for non-compliance. The detail had yet to be filled
in. The TUC and UNITE were campaigning against the Bill. More information:
http://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigning/no-to-the-trade-union-bill/
UNITE Education might be in trouble due to cuts the annual Summer School
for Retired Members at Eastbourne had been cancelled for this year. The
Treasurer suggested that European funds for education and training might also be
uncertain because of the forthcoming referendum.
National Pensioners Convention (NPC- http://npcuk.org) - there were reports
that it was struggling financially. Members agreed to renew the Branch
affiliation (20). It was noted that individuals can also join.
Branch Membership now around 100 Members. The Secretary had emailed all
those with email addresses. Many were very elderly so it was not reasonable to
expect that they would attend meetings but an aim for 2016 should be to get
regular attendance back up to about 15-20 Members. The Secretary would
update the Branch website (http://eamo.weebly.com).
Rule changes the Secretary noted a rule change
3.3
Members of the union who upon retirement wish to remain in membership
but not as Retired Members Plus shall be organised as ordinary retired
members. Such ordinary retired members shall not be afforded any entitlement
to vote in any ballot or election held by the Union.
[Revised Rule Book: http://www.unitetheunion.org/uploaded/documents/Unite
%20Rule%20Book%20201511-24332.pdf]
Literature see Annex.
Actions
14/2016/5i Treasurer to pay the National Pensioners Convention
annual affiliation fee.
14/2016/5ii Secretary to update website.
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Regional Committee Report

Members congratulated Eamonn Murphy (Branch Secretary) on his re-election as

Chair of the London & Eastern Region Retired Members Committee.
The Chair had taken the Branch motion This meeting declares its opposition to

UNITE Retired Members Branch Central London 13 January 2016

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the renewal of Trident (see Minutes of 14 October) to the Regional Meeting but it
had been turned down on grounds of it not being a Regional issue. It had
however been noted. In discussion, Members expressed concern that the motion
had been dismissed and noted that tension might be building between opposing
Trident renewal, defence-sector Unions supporting Trident renewal, lack of
reference to possibilities of alternative production and support for Labours
support for strikes (John McDonnell has said in September that Labour would now
automatically take a position supporting strike action when called).
Janet Hart (Equalities Officer) would now stay on the Regional Committee
although it was not yet clear if she would have a vote.
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Treasurers Report

It was NOTED for the record that this Branch meeting was convened fully
in line with the Rule Book, quorate and that Kevin Gavin is the elected
Branch Treasurer.
The Treasurer had attended a 5-day Branch Secretary training course - aspects of
which were relevant to Treasurers. He had found the course useful and now had
in hand all the paperwork necessary to reinstate the Branch Account. However a
Branch stamp was required in order to complete the submission. The Secretary
would aim to acquire one when he attended the sub-group meeting the following
week and would then liaise with the Treasurer to meet and finalise the
documents.
Current balance was around 1,000. The Secretary had passed on some income
statements from Regional Office and it looked as though there were incoming
monthly payments from UNITE to reflect a % of Membership fees. The Treasurer
hoped to be in a position to produce a statement of account at the next meeting.
The Treasurer now had a UNITE email address (kevin.gavin@unitetheunion.org).
Should it ever be necessary this enabled UNITE to retrieve any information. The
Treasurer also now had access to the online Branch register.
Two signatures would be required on cheques. Signatories George Anthony
(Chair); Eamonn Murphy (Secretary) and Kevin Gavin (Treasurer).
Actions:
2016/14/7i Secretary/Treasurer to liaise to acquire a Branch Stamp
and finalise the banking documents.
2016/14/7ii Treasurer to produce a statement of account for the next
Branch meeting.
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Equalities Officers report

The Equalities Officer would report to the next Branch meeting.

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Topics of Discussion

UNITE Retired Members Branch Central London 13 January 2016

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The Secretary expressed his gratitude to the NHS. He intended to request support
at the Regional Committee sub-group meeting for the Junior Doctors Strike.
Members strongly welcomed this proposal and emphasised that more resources,
training and so forth were needed across the NHS and that government attempts
to impose working conditions must be challenged alongside the media campaign
to discredit the NHS. It was important to keep in mind that the privatisation
agenda underpinned much of the attempt to challenge the Junior Doctors and to
discredit the NHS.
The planned discussion regarding frequency of Branch meetings was postponed
until the next meeting.
Action:
14/2016/9 Agenda item for next meeting discuss frequency of Branch
meetings.
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Any Other Business

Sue Grey asked Branch to consider nominating her as its delegate to Vauxhall
Constituency (Vassall Ward). Members welcomed this proposal and the Secretary
would arrange for the necessary paperwork to be completed.
Action:
14/2016/10
Secretary to liaise with Sue Grey regarding
nominating as Branch delegate to Vauxhall Constituency (Vassall Ward)
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Next meeting

The next meeting will be at 2pm on Wednesday 13 April 2016 at UNITE

offices, Theobalds Road, London WC1X 8TN
The meeting closed at 16.05
ACTION SUMMARY
ACTION
14/2016/5i

Pay the National Pensioners Convention

annual affiliation fee.
Update website.

Treasurer

14/2016/7i

Liaise to acquire a Branch Stamp and

finalise the banking documents.

Secretary/
Treasurer

14/2016/7ii

Produce a statement of account for the next

Branch meeting.

Treasurer

14/2016/9

Agenda item for next meeting discuss

frequency of Branch meetings.

Sec/Minutes Sec

14/2016/10

Liaise regarding nominating as Branch

Secretary / Sue

14/2016/5ii

UNITE Retired Members Branch Central London 13 January 2016

Branch website: http://eamo.weebly.com

Secretary

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delegate to Vauxhall Constituency (Vassall
Ward).

Signed:

Grey

Date:

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ANNEX - Literature:
Free Press

Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom

http://www.cpbf.org.uk

Searchlight

Fighting fascism and racism

http://www.searchlightmagazine.com

Labour Research Department

Fact Service bulletins

http://www.lrd.org.uk

Labour Research

Magasine
http://www.lrdpublications.org.uk/all_issues.php?pub=LR&year=2016

London Socialist Film Co-op

Sept 2015-June 2016 Film Season

http://www.socialistfilm.blogspot.co.uk

London Hazards

London Hazards Centre bulletin

http://www.lhc.org.uk

SERTUC

Truth, lies and migrants - a guide to population and migration

https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/SERTUC%20Myths%20Booklet%202014.pdf

UNITE Retired Members Branch Central London 13 January 2016

Branch website: http://eamo.weebly.com

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