Coventry

Trades Union Council

Secretarys Annual Report of Work
And Presidents Report

2015-2016

Coventry Trades Union Council.

Presidents Report for the March 17th 2016 AGM.
Dear Sisters, Brothers and Comrades,
This will be the second and final report that I will be making after two years as President of Coventry TUC. I wish to
place on record my heartfelt, sincere and comradely thanks to all CTUC delegates and affiliated trade unions for the
work that they have done and the dedication they have shown to the trade union movement and the working class
over the past two years. In particular I want to thank our secretary, Jane Nellist, for her work for without it the CTUC
would not have been able to function.
I was won to the ideas of Marxism in the middle of 1965 and since then these ideas have been a guiding light
through the trials and tribulations of my activity in the labour and trade union movement. One of the fundamentals
of Marxism is that everything that exists, changes and this applies not only to nature but also to society. When
society is relatively calm as it is developing the productive forces and going forward, the changes are almost
imperceptible, but at times of crisis such as now, the changes are rapid.
Unfortunately, however, human beings are by nature conservative in that they tend to cling to the known, to
routine, to what gives them safety and security. It can therefore often happen that human consciousness lags far
behind economic and social developments. The outgoing governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, once
remarked that he was surprised that the massive cuts in public spending and the attacks on living standards had not
produced mass riots and upheaval on the streets. Today, the capitalists in Britain and their political representatives
are aware that this apparent passivity on the part of those hit by cuts, working class people, will not last so therefore
laws such as the Trade Union Bill are being formulated and implemented to try to hamstring organised labour and
prevent it fighting back on behalf of our class.
What history teaches us, however, is that human consciousness can not only catch up with objective conditions but
also overtake them. Such developments produce revolutionary periods. The basic lesson from today is that economic
instability produces political instability and vice versa. We are on the cusp of a new economic crisis that will take
place on a far more unstable basis than that of 2008. In fact, many economists say that the impending crisis will not
be a new one but a continuation and deepening of the 2008 one. Whatever it is, it will be devastating for our people
as it will mean even greater attacks both directly and indirectly on working class living standards as our people are
made to pay for a crisis they did not cause.
The unfortunate scenario in all of this is that we do not yet have a leadership, with some important exceptions as
regards to trade union leaders, in our movement that understands that we have entered a period of terminal decline
in the capitalist economic system but in its death agony it will produce economic and political upheaval that will
present to humankind a stark choice socialism or barbarism.
Most of the leaders of our movement still cling to the belief that if we keep our heads down, the crisis will pass and
we will return to the halcyon days of expanding public services and rising living standards, a period in which we can
continue to reform the system and remove its worst excesses. What they do not realise, or if they do they prefer to
ignore it, is that the period of capitalist expansion post WW2, a period that consolidated the ideology of reformism

amongst our leaders, was an exceptional period in the history of capitalism due to certain conditions. We have now
returned to the norm of capitalist development frequent booms and slumps with the slumps at each stage
superseding the booms. We are now being told that before 2008 we had an upswing of capitalism punctuated by
slumps, but that now we have entered a period of a capitalist downswing punctuated by booms based on consumer
credit. And the main feature of this new period will be an even greater polarisation of wealth as those who own the
means of producing wealth steal more from the value created by the labour of working class people. In my report
last year I wrote that 80 people on the planet owned as much wealth as 3.5 billion people, half of humanity. This
year the figure is down to 62 people.
This new period is a recipe for economic instability and political upheaval as working class people seek to defend
past gains. It will also usher in even greater cuts in public spending as the reforms of the past can no longer be
maintained by a system in crisis. The major attacks that are now in the pipeline are based on a December 2015
Autumn Statement that predicated a certain level of economic growth and therewith an increase in state revenues.
Barely three months later even more cuts of 4bn are announced as the economic growth rates have not been
achieved. World markets are in chaos, the EU is facing economic meltdown and political polarisation, and Chinas
growth rates have been slashed. Such is the economic crisis in Communist China that the state has announced that
6 million workers will lose their jobs in state enterprises and as I write these lines hundreds of thousands of Chinese
mine workers are on strike as they are owed so much back pay.
In my 2015 Presidents report I wrote these lines:
Coventry TUC is not a political party but though our discussions and we have many most of our delegates have
realised that the problems facing our people working class people can only be resolved through political action.
In this way we are no different from the time when trade unions created the Labour Party as they sought political
solutions to day to day problems. It is indeed unfortunate that the LP has disappointed so many. It is also
unfortunate, from my point of view, that there is no mass alternative to Labour as there is in many European
countries Syriza, Podemos, Front du Gauche, die Linke and so on. If there were such an alternative, I am sure that
many members of my party, the Labour Party, would seek political solutions elsewhere.
What has changed since then? In the Labour Party the election of Jeremy Corbyn has ushered in a new period of
economic and political hope that things will be done differently. The LP itself has seen a mass influx of new members
and in less than a year membership has gone from 160k to more than 400k. A year ago some comrades on the CTUC
were saying that the LP was a Tory party. Many of those comrades are now seeking to work more closely with LP
members and have even raised the prospect of affiliation to the LP. Under the hammer blow of events,
consciousness can change and I welcome that. On the CTUC most of us seek to change society but our tactics differ.
However, we have a dilemma. The Corbyn and McDonnell leadership of the LP has raised hopes and expectations
amongst new LP members and trade unionists. If history teaches us anything, it teaches us that thus system cannot
be reformed so it must be changed. The new LP leadership believes in reforming capitalism. What they will find is
that governments do not dictate to markets, but that markets dictate to governments.
We are heading for very interesting times that will shake society from top to bottom. These events will form the
backdrop to the work of the CTUC and in that work I am sure that at a local level the necessary trade union and
political leadership will be forged.
And if you think that I am galloping off into the sunset, at the regional AGM of my union in Birmingham on Monday,
March 14th, I was asked to continue to represent my members on CTUC.
Darrall Cozens, UCU
Outgoing President of Coventry TUC.
March 16th 2016.

Coventry Trades Union Council brings together local trade union

branches and the communities we are part of to act in pursuit of
common goals.
Our meetings are open to all trade unionists although voting is limited
to those delegates elected by their trade union.
We meet on the third Thursday of every month at Koco, Spon End,
7.30pm . Our Executive Committee meets on the 1st Thursday of the
month.
If you would like to receive our papers by e-mail then please let us
know.
Coventry TUC,
Unit 15, Arches Industrial Estate, Spon End,Coventry. CV1 3JQ.
tel: 07958985614
e-mail: coventrytuc@gmail.com

Trades Union Councils 2015 2016 Programme of Work

The key theme for the Trades Union Councils Programme of Work for 2015 to 2016
must be setting out a positive vision of trade unions as we know them to be: a
democratic force for fairness in the modern workplace.
The key areas of campaigning for the year are:
1. Protecting workers rights to organise together
2. An end to austerity economics
3. A twenty-first century Europe
4. Making devolution and decentralisation work
5. Reaching out to young workers
6. Fighting racism and defending black, Asian and ethnic minority workers
7. Defending the Welfare State.
We think that Coventry TUC has more than met these aims set out by the Trades Council Conference last year.
For the full report visit www.tuc.org.uk and search for Trade Union Councils 2015-16 Programme of Work.

Attendance at Delegate meetings

Over the last 3 years we are pleased to report that our attendance at Delegate meetings is
on the up. We average around an attendance of 15.

Coventry TUC activities throughout the past year...

Here is just a taste of the activities and campaigns that Coventry TUC has initiated or supported this past year. If
there are events that have been missed please let me know and we will include them.
Throughout the year, Coventry TUC has been at the forefront of the campaign against the cuts and defending
workers in struggle. We must pay tribute to the Junior Doctors who are waging a magnificent struggle against the
attacks on their pay and conditions and in defence of the NHS. Thank you to all Delegates who have supported
events throughout the year.
We have continued to received Industrial Reports on a regular basis from unions across the city engaged in battles
to protect jobs, pay and conditions. We have supported those struggles.
Throughout the year we have supported campaigns against fascist groups in the city and have been kept briefed
about attacks and potential threats including a number of racist bands at gigs across the city.
We have developed a library of interesting books that delegates can borrow. We purchased copies of the State
Intervention in Industry- a workers inquiry, which was written alongside other Trade Councils in 1980. It is hoped
that other pamphlets written by Coventry TUC will be made available on line.
The Executive has met regularly to deal with business and ensure the smooth running of Coventry Trades Council.
Thank you to all EC members for their time.
March 2015
Our AGM was well attended. We elected a great team of activists to lead Coventry TUC over the next year.
We have supported the growing campaign against library closures in the city. Delegates attended the Anti
Racist demo in London. We sent delegate to the first Midlands TUC Trades Council Conference in Derby.
Delegates also attended the first Mary MacArthur lecture with Frances OGrady. Coventry TUC also
supported the Reclaim the Night march which was well attended.
April 2015
Our discussion in April focussed on the proposed closure of the Employment Support Service and Coventry
TUC chaired the public meeting later in the month.
We organised the annual Workers Memorial Day in Coventry on April 28th with the Lord Mayor in
attendance.
We also supported the Youth Fight for Jobs Fast Food Workers Rights international day of action in
Coventry and circulated photos of their action.
May 2015
At our May meeting, we welcomed Lee Barron, the new Regional TUC Secretary to speak on the Trade
Union Movement After the Election. This meeting followed the disappointing General Election. A very
good discussion followed.
May Day was held in the Broadgate for the first time. It coincided with an anti-fascist demo organised by
various groups in the city to counter the planned march by EDL and West Midlands Infidels. A further
demo, later in May, was held to protest at the Austerity agenda of the Tory government on the first day
Parliament sat.
Des Arthur agreed to become Treasurer. John Boadle of Coventry Against the Bedroom Tax spoke at the
meeting about the attempted eviction of a Coventry resident and the successful campaign to defend him.
June 2015
Discussion centred around the newly announced West Midlands Combined Authority. An urgent matter
arose regarding Coventry City Council proposed cuts to facilities time for LA Union Reps. A motion was
agreed and support was pledged for this important campaign.
Coventry TUC supported the Peoples Assembly demo in London.

July and August 2015

Coventry TUC sent delegates to the NSSN Conference in London. We supported the Chainmakers Festival
in Cradley Heath. Julys discussion focussed on Social Enterprises and how our local services are being
hived off to become Social Enterprises as a result of the Tories Big Society. An Emergency Motion on the
proposed Trade Union Bill was agreed.
September 2015
The September Delegate meeting discussed the renewed vigour in the Labour and Trade Union movement
with the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party Delegates joined the annual coach visit to
the Burston Festival which was the biggest for years with Jeremy Corbyn speaking. We supported the
coach to the Free Education demo in London organised by Warwick Students and we received a report of
that demo.
Delegates supported the Blue Coat strike picket line and attended the Regional Kill the Bill Trade Union
Bill meeting. Delegates also supported the Refugee demo in Broadgate.
We received a report from Darrall Cozens on the TUC Congress.
October 2015
Sandra Durkin spoke at the October Delegate meeting on Pensions which provoked an excellent
discussion.
We supported the demonstration in Manchester against the attack on workers rights and Austerity
organised by the TUC.
November 2015
A Kill the Bill public meeting was organised for the November Delegate meeting with Lee Barron and
Sandy Nichol, suspended UNISON Rep at SOAS, speaking. A lively discussion followed.
Coventry TUC organised jointly with other organisations, a lobby against the proposed budget cuts. Officers
worked with Birmingham Trades Council members on developing concerns about the WMCA.
December 2015
Coventry TUC supported the TUC Womens Network campaign to collect for Homeless Women and
donated collection to Coventry Cyrenians.
We worked with Coventry NUT and Coventry Friends of Palestine to organise a public meeting on
Palestine.
Richard Harty, UNISON, organised an excellent Xmas social at the EGO theatre. Thanks to Christine
Thomas and Dave Kersey for organising the music and entertainment.
January 2016
Delegates and trade unions supported the Junior Doctors strike on their picket lines. A motion submitted by
Coventry CWU (telecommunications branch) was agreed to organise a local conference and invite
representatives from trade union branches, anti-cuts campaigns and others, to draw up a needs-based
budget for Coventry.
February 2016
An excellent discussion on Mental Health in the Workplace was led by Richard Harty, UNISON. We also
received a report on the attack on the suspension of a Unite Rep in Coventry CC and a report from Unite
members at Coventry Co-op and plans to TUPE them over to Eddy Stobbart.
February was the Love Unions TUC campaign and delegates joined regional TUC at leafletting events in
Coventry as well as attending a public meeting in Nuneaton.

Coventry TUC has also supported throughout the year:

UAF and Hope Not Hate,

The Haldane Society
Cuba Solidarity
Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Campaign against anti trade union laws
Campaign to Close Campsfield Detention Centre throughout the year, Dave Anderson has taken
the Coventry TUC banner to the regular demonstration

NSSN
PTUDC
National Pensioners Convention
BPTUAA
MENA
Coventry Against Racism
Peoples Assembly
Warwick students
National Gallery Strike
Unite the Resistance
Supported FBU campaign

Honorary Membership was awarded to John Fisher, Unite, and Fred Davies, Unite
Coventry TUC has also corresponded with organisations on a number of issues and sent solidarity
greetings to campaign groups and trade unions in dispute and taking strike action.
Coventry TUC has funded delegates to attend the national Trade Union Councils Conference held in
Crewe
We have also supported anti-racist work across the region including supporting protest demos against the
EDL across the region
We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all those trade unionists associated with Coventry
TUC who have died this year.
Thanks must go to JP Rosser who has provided very accurate and concise minutes of our meetings and
also to Zoe Mayou and Des Arthur for keeping our spending on track and in check.

Secretary, Coventry TUC