GFTU BGCM 2019 Minutes

Indeed, apart from the motions which are concerned with the specific

workplace or industry specific matter, all the others address major issues which

impact on society as a whole – climate change, expanding access to

education, domestic violence, cultural democracy, mental health. We spoke

about issues which may bring young people to engage with us, first and

foremost, because we have the right campaign, we have got the right

communication, we have got the right message, we have got the right

messengers. That may raise their awareness of all the other things that a trade

union can do for them.

Whilst we may be active within our individual unions across all of these areas,

there are many which with the pooling of experience and resources that we

have within this room and beyond we could develop into powerful campaigns

under the banner of the federation to more effectively implement our policies

and resolutions. This was written before Dave addressed conference on some

of the initiatives that he is speaking about. As I contemplate the theme of this

conference, Altogether Now, and witness the spirit of fraternal collaboration in

evidence, I feel confident that our bonds as affiliates will continue to grow

stronger.

At this point I am going to return to my own union for two particular purposes.

One is that it would be the elephant in the room not to allude to some of the

press coverage which has been pretty evident over many months. We have

already received that sort of headline back page coverage because of the

industry that we are in. The reports have chronicled meltdown, disaffection,

poor governance within the association. We were reported to be in turmoil with

an internal coup about to take place. We were not doing enough for members

and failing our former members suffering from dementia and mental health

problems. When the initial reports hit the headlines I was away from work, I

was away from the kind of hurly burly of that day to day activity as I was at

home recovering from minor surgery. Do you know what? The descriptions of

the organisation I read seemed to bear no resemblance to that which I and

many of my colleagues had served for a number of years, the organisation

which sought to provide its members with unrivalled services and benefits

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