GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

INCOMING PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

BRO JOHN SMITH (Musicians Union): Colleagues, let me begin by saying how

delighted I am by that decision. You do not know what that means to us on the

Executive Committee. We have been looking at this, like Doug said, it seems

like a lifetime, but we are probably talking about ever since we bought Quorn

really we have been exploring these possibilities and it is a big thing, because

none of us are experts in this area. We have taken lots of high level advice.

We have got a fantastic project manager. In fact, his company HMC sponsored

the drinks the other night, Mark Childs, and we have had great guidance and

Tim the hotel manager is terrific, so this is a really significant moment and I

suppose it is going to be the main thing during my presidency, because the two

years that I will be President of the GFTU will see the completion, fingers

crossed (you all know what it is like when you have building work done), of this

project. You can quote my words back to me in two years’ time, so I am

looking forward to seeing you all in Quorn for the next BGCM in 2019.

It is wonderful to take over. I have been on the Executive Committee, as you

can imagine, for a long while, not quite as long as Ben, but I think only a few

months less than you, Ben, and I have seen the organisation change

tremendously and to get involved in it has been really quite exciting and, as

Ronnie said, this has all happened since we sold Central House, which was a

big thing to do at the time, that was a big decision. The debates at the EC, as

you have heard, about buying Quorn were massive and Doug has been able to

guide us through that, so this is a very exciting time to take over for me.

What I thought I would do to prolong your agony and keep you in this room for

a bit is just tell you a bit about my background and a little bit about the union

and a little bit about how I see things developing and where we go. I was a

musician and I worked in orchestras for about 25 years. For 20 years I was in

the orchestra of the English National Opera and I was a union activist within

that orchestra, but, I emphasise, within that orchestra. Orchestras are like little

communities and you do look inwards all the while. I joined the union when I

was 19, so I have been a lifelong trade union member, but I did not really take

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