Labour Party Conference 2015: CWU Delegation Report

Labour Party Conference 2015: CWU Delegation Report 

The 2015 Labour Party Conference was held in Brighton from Sunday 27th September to Wednesday 30th September 2015.

 

The following is a report of the decisions taken by the CWU delegation at their meeting on Sunday 27th September 2015 at the Waterfront Hotel in Brighton.

 

CWU Labour Party Delegation 2015

 

PRESENT:​

Beryl Shepherd (Vice President), Dave Ward (General Secretary), Andy Kerr (Deputy General Secretary T&FS), Francis Banks, Jonathan Bellshaw, Gary Daw, Hugh Gaffney, Kate Hankey, Kate Hudson, Vera Kelsey, Brian Kenny, Joe Malone, Sajid Shaikh, Amarjite Singh, Alan Tate, Mark Walsh, Linda Woodings

 

IN ATTENDANCE:​

Jane Loftus, Simon Alford Andrea Snowden, Janina Dunn, Jane Loftus, Lionel Sampson, Chris Tapper, Bill Taylor, Andrew Towers, Meta Thomas

 

 

1. INTRODUCTIONS

 

Beryl Shepherd, Vice President welcomed all CWU Delegates particularly those attending the Labour Party Conference for the first time. She especially welcomed our youth delegate, Gary Daw.

 

The General Secretary also welcomed all delegates and observers to the meeting. He said that this was the first conference since the election of the new Labour Leader, Jeremy Corbyn and it would be a very important conference for him and the Party.  

 

2. APOLOGIES

 

Apologies had been received from:-

 

▪ Terry Pullinger – DGS (P)

▪ Phil Browne – (PFMC Chair)

▪ Karen Rose, NEC (who was unwell but hoped to join the delegation) 
3. LABOUR PARTY DOCUMENTS

 

The General Secretary ensured that all delegates had the appropriate documentation:-

 

▪ NEC Annual Report 2015

▪ National Policy Forum Report 2015

▪ Delegates Report  

▪ CAC Report No. 1

▪ Labour Party Annual Conference Guide

▪ CWU Policy Document: 2015 Summary

▪ 2015 Labour Party Rules booklet

 

4. CONFERENCE ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE (CAC) REPORT NO.1  

 

The Chair advised delegates that each day they would receive a Conference Arrangements Committee Report. CAC Report No.1 issued that morning, contained the day’s agenda and the full list of all contemporary motions submitted.

 

CWU Contemporary Motion

 

The General Secretary explained that Labour Party Policy was made via “Agenda 2015” – the Labour Party’s National Policy Forum (NPF) process. The NPF operated on a rolling programme across a Parliament to develop policy for a future manifesto.

 

The Policy Commissions considered submissions from individual members, trade union affiliates and other affiliated organisations. Following consultations within the wider party, policy documents would be agreed by the NPF and then formally endorsed by Annual Conference.

 

Contemporary motions to annual conference allowed constituencies and unions to address issues which could not otherwise have been raised through the NPF process. Each affiliate was therefore entitled to submit one Contemporary Motion to Labour Party Conference.

 

The CWU submitted a motion on “A new deal for working people”. This referenced the second reading of the Trade Union bill which took place on 14th September 2015, making the motion a contemporary issue. Those contemporary motions meeting the strict criteria go forward to the Contemporary Motions Priority Ballot.

 

In formulating our motion there was a requirement to liaise closely with other affiliates to agree the contemporary nature of the motion, consider composite partners and ensure it would be incorporated in one of the four subjects selected for inclusion on the conference agenda. The General Secretary explained that CLPs were also entitled to vote for four subjects, which may or may not coincide with those selected by the trade unions.

 

Priorities Ballot

 

The Chair advised that all Contemporary Motions were contained on page 13 – 55 of CAC Report no. 1 (see Appendix A).

 

As stated, trade union affiliates choose four contemporary issues and in accordance with colleagues in TULO the General Secretary recommended the following contemporary issues in the Priorities Ballot:

 

1) Employment Rights (CWU Motion)

2) Europe

3) License Fee

4) Austerity and Public Services

 

The contemporary issues were agreed.
It was further agreed that if TSSA were unable to secure ‘Rail’ as the subject of an emergency motion we should vote for this, instead of the ‘License Fee’ motion.  
Composite Meeting

 

The Chair advised that there would be composite meeting on Sunday 27th September 2015 and that CWU would be aiming to have the union’s motion in a composite with UCATT.

 

5. NATIONAL POLICY FORUM (NPF) REPORT 2015

 

The Chair drew to the attention of the delegation the NPF Report 2015 containing the final year Policy Documents and the Policy Commission Annual Reports.

 

1) Stability and Prosperity

2) Work and Business

3) Living Standards and Sustainability

4) Stronger, Safer Communities

5) Education and Children

6) Health and Care

7) Better Politics

8) Britain’s Global Role

 

     In addition there were two Appendices:

 

▪ Submitting organisations

▪ National Policy Forum membership

 

The NPF Report 2015 was agreed.

 

6. LABOUR PARTY NEC ELECTION (Trade Union Section)

 

The General Secretary advised that the Delegates Report contained details of the candidates standing for the Labour Party NEC.

 

There were 12 individuals to be elected, 6 of whom must be women.

 

TULO did not have a formal recommendation but following consultations the General Secretary recommended the following candidates

  
The recommendation was agreed.

 

The election would take place on Monday 28th September 2015.

 

7. EMERGENCY MOTIONS

 

The Chair advised the meeting that no Emergency Motions had yet been advised but it was likely there would be one on ‘Rail’.  

 

8. NEC CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

 

Delegates were provided with the relevant rules from the 2015 Labour Party Rule Book.

 

Chapter 4, Clause II.2.B – Election of Leader and Deputy Leader (Page 14)

​​​​​​​​​

Support was agreed

 

Chapter 4, Clause II 6.B – Nominations for Auditors (Page 15)

​​​​​​​​

Support was agreed

 

Chapter 6, Clause 1.3 – Effect of suspension (Page 25)

             

Support was agreed 

                                                                       

Chapter 13, Clause II.2.C.i – 14 day letters (Page 48)

           

Support was agreed                                                                          

         

Chapter 13, Clause X.1 – Arrangements with other Parties (Page 50)  

           

Support was agreed

 

Chapter 13 – Clause x1.15 – Arrangements with other Parties (Page50)

 

Support was agreed      

 

 

9. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS 2014

 

The Deputy General Secretary (T&FS) explained the rule changes and advised that the NEC would be asking for remission or oppose. The General Secretary said that TULO would be recommending to unions that they support the NEC’s position.          

         

Chapter 1, Clause V &VIII – Party Programme & NEC (Pages 3 & 5)

Liverpool West Derby CLP    

 

Oppose was agreed

       

Chapter 2. Clause III, 1A (i) – Membership Subscriptions (Page 9)

Wyre Forest CLP​​​​​

                                                                           

Oppose was agreed                  

 

Chapter 4, Clause III, A (i) c – NEC Elections (Page16)

Colne Valley CLP

Huddersfield CLP ​​​​

​ ​​​​

Oppose was agreed

 

 

 

10. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS 2015  

 

These constitutional amendments were for Conference to note and would be submitted and timetabled for debate at the 2016 Labour Party Conference.

 

11. POLICY SEMINARS  

 

The Chair advised that there were nine Policy Seminars taking place in the Brighton Conference Centre and adjoining Hotels. The CAC Report No. 1 (page 9) contained the details and locations of all the Policy Seminars.

 

Monday 28th September 2015 (4.15pm – 5.30pm)

 

▪ Stronger Communities ​

▪ Better Politics ​            

▪ Work, pensions and Social Security ​

 

Tuesday 29th September 2015 (4.15pm – 5.30pm)

 

▪ Health and Social Care ​

▪ The Economy: Stability and Prosperity ​  

▪ Supporting our young people                                                      

 

Wednesday 30th September 2015 (9.00am – 10.15am)  

                         

▪ Britain and the World ​​

▪ Living Standards the Environment and sustainability                                                        

▪ Crime and Justice ​

 

Anyone who wished to make an intervention on any of these subjects would need to ensure this was in line with CWU Policy. All delegates had been provided with a copy of the 2015 CWU Summary Policy Document.

 

12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS  

 

The General Secretary advised the delegation that Maria Exall had been nominated by the union as Vice Chair of TULO.

 

He also advised the delegation that next weekend there would be a TUC rally and demonstration in Manchester at the Tory Party Conference (Sunday 4th September 2015). The following day Monday 5th October was the CWU Peoples’ Post Rally which was taking place in Manchester Cathedral. The General Secretary said that it was very important to be in attendance and to encourage as many members as possible to also attend.

 

The meeting concluded at 10.15a.m.

 

Any enquiries on this LTB should be addressed to the General Secretary on gsoffice@cwu.org quoting the reference GS14.12/LTB 677/15.

 

Yours sincerely

 

​​​ ​​

Dave Ward​​​​​​

General Secretary