GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

But I think it is really important to recognise that all of this is happening at a time

when in the UK, for some, people have never had it so good. This is an

extremely wealthy country. What we have seen, for sadly most of my adult life,

is an appalling reversal of the strides towards equality this country made

between 1945 and 1979. That clearly means that what is happening now is

absolutely not in some way pre-ordained by the invisible hand of market forces.

It is the result of the deliberate policy choices that can genuinely be described

as pulling up the ladder behind them by powerful interests in our society, aided

and abetted by a media that has a massive stake in this selfish process.

Those choices have to be changed and they can be by the simple act of electing a Labour government on 8 th June. I believe we must do whatever we

can to bring that about. Now is absolutely not the time for us to fall out

amongst ourselves. I have always believed in the basic tenet of the trade

union movement – have your rows in private, establish the way forward and

then support it. It is this collective will and collective action that makes us

strong. That is what we need to do over the next few weeks.

There are many people I should thank for their contribution to the GFTU over

the past few years and, in particular, over the four years I have been Vice

President and then President. The current GFTU staff are magnificent. Fellow

members of the GFTU EC have been massively supportive and sometimes

downright brave. The decision to invest in Quorn, to embark on some of the

changes we have made over the last few years have basically involved betting

the farm. I think we have pulled it off, but it has sometimes been touch and go.

I would like in particular to thank John Fray for handing over a going concern

when he stepped down as President two years ago, John Smith for his huge

support for the GFTU over the last two years as Vice President and he will be a

great President and Doug particularly. He has been a real rock through

sometimes some very difficult times. Thank you. (Applause)

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I now call on the General Secretary to give the vote of

thanks.

VOTE OF THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT

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