Notes of the follow up meeting
Wortley Hall – Friday 3rd & Saturday 4th October 2008
In attendance
Simon Dubbins
Jonathan Hayward
Francisco Dominguez
Alex Tilley
Steve Davison
Chris Hargreaves
Emily Davies
Danny Coleman
Nigel Cawthorpe
Sean Maclean
Chris Grimshaw
Steve Parkin
Apologies were read out from non attendees but not recorded
REPORTS
A brief report was given by each delegate on the progress with their written reports of the trip to Bolivia and the presentations that each had given
Emily Davies had produced a comprehensive report and had been invited to various events to talk about the visit. Along with her written report which was a personal reflection she had presented a Power Point Presentation to the branch and work colleagues but had some issues with time off at work and objections from her team leader. She had also agreed to speak at the TUC fringe meeting but unfortunately had to withdraw at the last minute
Danny Coleman’s report was complete but not yet submitted but it was similar in content to most of the others. Danny offered the groups compliments to Alex Tilley on the comprehensiveness of his notes. Danny had been a last minute substitute for Emily at the TUC fringe meeting. This had been a successful event and he had been impressed by Colin Burgin MP as a speaker and by his knowledge
Sean Maclean had produced a comprehensive report which he had presented to various local groups
Chris Grimshaw had done a comprehensive report which was also a personal reflection intermingled with the factual side of the visit and the recent historical events. He had reported back on the visit to Branch, Regional Council, National Sector Committee and E-mailed the report to anyone who showed the slightest interest
Steve Parkin had produced his own notes and had a large article in the local newspaper
Nigel Cawthorpe had produced a comprehensive report and had been invited to various events to talk about the visit
Chris Hargreave was in the middle of producing a website on the visit. This was taking longer than expected due to the complexity of the process. The details had been circulated to delegates. He had reported to various local organisations
Michelle Gracio had produced a booklet on all the reports which was given to all. A pamphlet was being prepared on the visit for wider distribution and there was to be an article in the Activist magazine. All agreed to submit their photographs to Michelle were to go onto the web and Michelle was to supply the link to the delegates
TAKING IT FORWARD
The discussion digressed into “taking it forward” How could the knowledge the group had gathered be relayed to a wider audience who in general had little knowledge of South America or what was going on in Bolivia
Several suggestions were made
Unite Policy Conference – perhaps a motion or a visit by Evo himself
Scottish TUC Conference
Welsh TUC Conference
Setting up a constitutional Unite Bolivian Group
- a campaign group
- a solidarity group
- or the funding of projects
There was a political discussion on how the visit related to the UK and events here and government involvement with Bolivia
FUNDING
The first cash for this group would come from forfeited expenses. Michelle commented that very few expenses for the visit had been claimed
A discussion took place on the question of funding and any legal or rule book implications for this group. Steve Davison agreed to discuss the issue and the raising of funds with Derek Simpson. Steve commented that Tony Woodley had been won over on the work of the International Department but this wasn’t universally popular within all sectors of the T&G sectors. It was vital that the work of the Department continued. Although the credit crunch was likely to have an impact on membership it shouldn’t be forgotten that £10 can go a long way in South America
BOLIVIA INFORMATION FORUM & CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
Alex Tilley apologised that Ann Chaplin wasn’t able to be with the group. She had been due to attend but problems with American Airlines after the expulsion of the American Ambassador from Bolivia had delayed her. He also gave a report on events in Bolivia since the Recall Referendum
Alex informed the meeting that the Constitutional Referendum was likely to be on January 25th. Most of the text of the constitution had now been agreed but the tactics of the opposition had been to delay the referendum as much as it could. There was a possibility that a couple of people from this delegation could go to Bolivia to act as observers to the referendum
Steve Davison speech to the Labour Party Conference was shown to delegates and had been passed on to Bolivia where hopefully Evo Morales would see it. The purpose was to raise the profile of Bolivia and the social change that was going on in South America. A meeting had been held with Meg Munn Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs who agreed to ask for a message of support from our government for Bolivia and its democratic reform
Work was going on in Bolivia to see if President Morales would speak at the Union’s Policy Conference next year
Alex commented on the success of the fringe meeting at the TUC conference, the excellence of the speakers and the involvement of the lay members
PROJECT SIGLO XX
Simon Dubbins reported on the Unite project for young Trade Unionist’s in Llallagua which should be approved. Perhaps a couple from this delegation would be asked to make the long journey to Llallagua once again for the launch of the project
Work was ongoing on a second project with assistance from the Union solicitors
A discussion took place on direct support from this group along the lines delivering items that were needed in the area
POLITICS IN SOUTH AMERICA
Francisco Dominguez reported on the political situation in the region and the drift to the left. Among the items he covered
There is shortly to be a referendum in Ecuador
Elections in Venezuela
American Military bases closing
The decline of the IMF powers
Cancellation of multinational company contracts
UK trade with the region falling
Decline of US influence
UK have failed to sign the UNASUR 9 point declaration
Worldwide economic crisis hasn’t hit the region yet
USW and Unites campaign for the Miami Five
Next Meeting
Prior to the Latin American conference to be held in London on 6th of December
Chris Grimshaw
Note taker
Wortley Hall – Friday 3rd & Saturday 4th October 2008
In attendance
Simon Dubbins
Jonathan Hayward
Francisco Dominguez
Alex Tilley
Steve Davison
Chris Hargreaves
Emily Davies
Danny Coleman
Nigel Cawthorpe
Sean Maclean
Chris Grimshaw
Steve Parkin
Apologies were read out from non attendees but not recorded
REPORTS
A brief report was given by each delegate on the progress with their written reports of the trip to Bolivia and the presentations that each had given
Emily Davies had produced a comprehensive report and had been invited to various events to talk about the visit. Along with her written report which was a personal reflection she had presented a Power Point Presentation to the branch and work colleagues but had some issues with time off at work and objections from her team leader. She had also agreed to speak at the TUC fringe meeting but unfortunately had to withdraw at the last minute
Danny Coleman’s report was complete but not yet submitted but it was similar in content to most of the others. Danny offered the groups compliments to Alex Tilley on the comprehensiveness of his notes. Danny had been a last minute substitute for Emily at the TUC fringe meeting. This had been a successful event and he had been impressed by Colin Burgin MP as a speaker and by his knowledge
Sean Maclean had produced a comprehensive report which he had presented to various local groups
Chris Grimshaw had done a comprehensive report which was also a personal reflection intermingled with the factual side of the visit and the recent historical events. He had reported back on the visit to Branch, Regional Council, National Sector Committee and E-mailed the report to anyone who showed the slightest interest
Steve Parkin had produced his own notes and had a large article in the local newspaper
Nigel Cawthorpe had produced a comprehensive report and had been invited to various events to talk about the visit
Chris Hargreave was in the middle of producing a website on the visit. This was taking longer than expected due to the complexity of the process. The details had been circulated to delegates. He had reported to various local organisations
Michelle Gracio had produced a booklet on all the reports which was given to all. A pamphlet was being prepared on the visit for wider distribution and there was to be an article in the Activist magazine. All agreed to submit their photographs to Michelle were to go onto the web and Michelle was to supply the link to the delegates
TAKING IT FORWARD
The discussion digressed into “taking it forward” How could the knowledge the group had gathered be relayed to a wider audience who in general had little knowledge of South America or what was going on in Bolivia
Several suggestions were made
Unite Policy Conference – perhaps a motion or a visit by Evo himself
Scottish TUC Conference
Welsh TUC Conference
Setting up a constitutional Unite Bolivian Group
- a campaign group
- a solidarity group
- or the funding of projects
There was a political discussion on how the visit related to the UK and events here and government involvement with Bolivia
FUNDING
The first cash for this group would come from forfeited expenses. Michelle commented that very few expenses for the visit had been claimed
A discussion took place on the question of funding and any legal or rule book implications for this group. Steve Davison agreed to discuss the issue and the raising of funds with Derek Simpson. Steve commented that Tony Woodley had been won over on the work of the International Department but this wasn’t universally popular within all sectors of the T&G sectors. It was vital that the work of the Department continued. Although the credit crunch was likely to have an impact on membership it shouldn’t be forgotten that £10 can go a long way in South America
BOLIVIA INFORMATION FORUM & CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
Alex Tilley apologised that Ann Chaplin wasn’t able to be with the group. She had been due to attend but problems with American Airlines after the expulsion of the American Ambassador from Bolivia had delayed her. He also gave a report on events in Bolivia since the Recall Referendum
Alex informed the meeting that the Constitutional Referendum was likely to be on January 25th. Most of the text of the constitution had now been agreed but the tactics of the opposition had been to delay the referendum as much as it could. There was a possibility that a couple of people from this delegation could go to Bolivia to act as observers to the referendum
Steve Davison speech to the Labour Party Conference was shown to delegates and had been passed on to Bolivia where hopefully Evo Morales would see it. The purpose was to raise the profile of Bolivia and the social change that was going on in South America. A meeting had been held with Meg Munn Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs who agreed to ask for a message of support from our government for Bolivia and its democratic reform
Work was going on in Bolivia to see if President Morales would speak at the Union’s Policy Conference next year
Alex commented on the success of the fringe meeting at the TUC conference, the excellence of the speakers and the involvement of the lay members
PROJECT SIGLO XX
Simon Dubbins reported on the Unite project for young Trade Unionist’s in Llallagua which should be approved. Perhaps a couple from this delegation would be asked to make the long journey to Llallagua once again for the launch of the project
Work was ongoing on a second project with assistance from the Union solicitors
A discussion took place on direct support from this group along the lines delivering items that were needed in the area
POLITICS IN SOUTH AMERICA
Francisco Dominguez reported on the political situation in the region and the drift to the left. Among the items he covered
There is shortly to be a referendum in Ecuador
Elections in Venezuela
American Military bases closing
The decline of the IMF powers
Cancellation of multinational company contracts
UK trade with the region falling
Decline of US influence
UK have failed to sign the UNASUR 9 point declaration
Worldwide economic crisis hasn’t hit the region yet
USW and Unites campaign for the Miami Five
Next Meeting
Prior to the Latin American conference to be held in London on 6th of December
Chris Grimshaw
Note taker
