GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

the trade unions to do something, but the way Gary and I had the conversation

about it was that it is not, it is asking the GFTU to do something.

BRO MANUEL CORTES (TSSA): Correct.

BRO LEE MOON (Nautilus International): In that instance we feel we can support

the motion for those reasons. I will not go over everything that I agree with that

the previous comrades said there, apart from highlighting the points that Glyn

and Theresa were making. I think it is vital we get people out to vote. May 22 nd is the biggest deadline for us, that is what we should be working towards

and I cannot stress enough how we can promote and it is our responsibility to

get young people to vote in this election and just sending out an email with a

link is not good enough. We have fallen into that trap too often and too much in

this movement. We need to talk to people. We need to show people. We

need to tell people. Some of our affiliated unions have some big young

members as part of the organisation, so I would urge them to get out and to stress the May 22 nd cut-off date and then we work towards changing minds and

opinions about policies. For years and years and years people have been

crying out and begging for a politician they can believe in, they can trust who

stands up for principles and we have that now in Jeremy Corbyn and a true

Labour Party. So if we can have the clarification hopefully on Manuel’s right to

reply, as I understand it, and then we can move to the vote.

THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Manuel, do you really need the right to reply?

BRO MANUEL CORTES (TSSA): Not really. The intention of the motion is clearly

for the GFTU to ask people to vote for the Labour Party. Clearly individual

affiliates will do what they can do. In our case we have got a political fund, we

are affiliated to the Labour Party and we will be doing all we can to get a

Labour Government. People will have to do what they can do, but I think the

point you make is vitally important, getting people to register and, in particular,

young people who do not tend to vote, where we know that people are

supporting Jeremy Corbyn by a huge margin, the young people. We have got

a massive lead, it is a 35% lead in the polls with people under 40. We need to

get out there and get those people registered.

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