EC Meeting March 2017

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60,000 come into the UK and, only 3% of those 60,000 claim benefits. This may explain an ICM poll that was conducted on 13 January 2014, showing that 54% of people admitted that they thought that EU migrants would have a negative effect on the economy, despite being told beforehand that citizens born in the UK draw more from the welfare state. (5) This Conference demands the Government stop pedalling misinformation when official statistics, academic reports and even an independent fiscal watchdog who is an advisor to the government, show that immigration would be beneficial to the UK. This is because most immigrants who arrive into the UK are of working age andwill consequentially contribute to taxes; thus contributing to giving a well needed boost to Britain’s economy. (6) This Conference also calls on leading politicians of all parties not to whip up racial tensions by pandering to anti-immigration sentiment in the false hope of winning support from UKIP. Much of the cause of this fear is the direct result of the neo- liberal drive in this country to deregulate our labour markets by attacking trade unions and diminishing the role of collective bargaining. Employers now set the rate of pay and have been on a relentless drive to reduce wage rates to the bottom – and import low cost labour to fill the jobs local people cannot afford to take.

Implementation

(7)

This Conference calls on the GFTU to:

1.

Campaign with and amongst our own affliates, the community and in the media to make the link between racism, fear of immigration and the deregulation of our labour markets; Link with and support the campaigns by Hope Not Hate and Unite Against Fascism to explain and oppose the racism, xenophobia and far-right policies of UKIP, including their opposition to trade union organisation, beyond this year’s General Election; Reinforces the call for collective bargaining to be accepted once more as the best means of regulating pay, distributing income and stopping the race to the bottom which is the real reason why employers are encouraging low cost labour to migrate to this country.

2.

3.

Strong support was given by the GS to London campaigners on this issue following a comprehensively supported letter in The Guardian.

Resolution 17

Playwork services

(1) This conference notes with dismay the damage and destruction wreaked upon play services as a consequence of the austerity agenda that continues to destroy services. We are dismayed at the number of adventure playgrounds, outreach play ranger schemes and play centres across the country that are now closed and unable to support children in poverty at a time when they need the support most. We believe the current emphasis on targeted work to support only children at a point of serious crisis is flawed and fails to value children, Playwork and Playworkers. (2) It notes with concern the recently introduced childcare regulations, which seriously affect the professionalisation of the workforce, is leading to widespread redundancies and eroding the quality of experiences-including the safety – of children in after school clubs and holiday playschemes.

(3)

We call on the GFTU to:

Endorse and promote the Unite statement for employers to adopt to commit to employing qualified Playworkers.

Endorse the article by Unite Playwork Convenor Chris Martin ‘Play is a serious business’ as well as the article on the impact of austerity measures on Playworkers in the inaugural Journal of Playwork Practice.

(4) Support the work to encourage Playworkers into Trade union membership.

(5) Support the proposal for Playworkers to be incorporated on to the JNC for Youth and Community workers and covered by these National Terms and conditions.

(6) Support the development of plans to rebuild and reinvest in a professional Play service for Britain.