GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

So our position is that we may vote against this proposition and would urge

other delegates to do so, unless we can hear back from Community that this

motion is not about going soft on exploitative ‘gig’ employers. That will be our

position. In summary, as a movement we need to challenge exploitation and

GMB is one of the unions that is challenging the exploitation of ‘gig’ economy

workers by trying to get them into membership and trying to ensure that their

rights are protected at work. As a movement we need to challenge

exploitation. We ask Community to confirm that this motion does not suffer the

stance on exploitative ‘gig’ employers. If Community are not able to come back

and confirm that, then, respectfully, we ask you all to vote against this

proposition. (Applause)

THE PRESIDENT: Any further contributions from the floor? Robert, do you want

take the right to reply.

BRO ROBERT MOONEY (Community): Thanks very much. I would much rather my

General Secretary was here to reply to this, because I was not involved in the

motion, I was just asked to come up and speak, but since I have been thrown

in at the deep end, obviously Community does not want to see any worker

being exploited by any employer, but the truth is that the ‘gig’ economy is there,

that it is growing massively. Just now they reckon there are about 5 million

people self-employed and within the next five years that is going to double to

10 million and if we don’t represent them we will just let them get exploited, so

trade unions need to be in there to make the conditions of ‘gig’ workers better.

They are exploited. There are zero hour contracts and you are not going to get

a good employer saying, “We love all our workers, we’re going to make

conditions”. The only way that will happen is if a trade union is in there fighting

for them, so we would like you to support this motion. Thank you. (Applause)

Motion 2 was CARRIED

THE PRESIDENT: What I would propose that we do now is to have a break for a

cup of tea and coffee and, for those of you who like a smoke, a smoke.

Because of the time it took yesterday, could you make absolutely certain that

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