GFTU BGCM 2019 Minutes

some of our resources over the next period to ensure that we can enable every

affiliate to bring young people at our expense to the BGCM in a couple of

years’ time.

When we debate the future Union Building Conference which has been a very

creative gathering of our affiliates every other year, maybe we could platform

this debate at the start of that Union Building Conference next February. My

difficult point really is around the day of action, because we have been divided,

we have been unnecessarily split and we have been at sixes and sevens for

years, because it has been polarised as “Do you support a general strike or

don’t you?” Dave has put a much, much, much more creative alternative to

that which gives a means by which every union can engage at their own pace,

at their own level in a way that is in accordance with their members and builds

on their strengths. If we repeat the debate about the general strike in the

movement we will repeat the divisions and we will go down the plug hole. If, if,

we can encourage everyone to do their bit in their own interest and in the

interests of supporting the whole day of action, whatever it is that their union

can muster on that particular day, or the Artists Union do a particular set of

images or pictures on that day which support us or whatever, whatever it can

be that builds on our strengths. That is what action is about. The debate on the

general strike has been helping us to build on our weaknesses. So I think it is

a very, very important debate. Thanks very much indeed, Dave.

THE PRESIDENT: Just to wrap up, I will pass over to the incoming President, Oshor.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you, John. Dave, before the coffee break when you

arrived we were just having a chat about football and we were speaking about

the engagement, the activities of our members and it is something that in my

ten years within the EC I have felt in a slightly uncomfortable position, because

of the situation that our union has placed our members and our members have

placed us. We have 100% density. I will allude to this a little more in my

address, but referring to our conversation, I think the point you made, Dave,

was, “Look, I don’t mind if somebody with great talent uses that talent to further

their status and lifestyle, but I do like to see them giving something back”.

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