GFTU BGCM Report 2017

Motion 3 continued

3 Similarly the GFTU should promote identifying common recruitment and organising challenges and support active learning around best practice and overcoming these challenges. For example, managers are critical union gatekeepers across the public sector but some unions, such as Napo have seen a significant reduction of membership in managerial roles and could learn from unions who have retained strong managerial membership levels. This BCGM calls upon the GFTU to: A dentify examples of best practice and such opportunities for such sharing B use the training co-ordinators network to support this activity C identify champions, who can be supported to lead on progressing identified themes D use the GFTU’S network to access academics, specialists and experts in other fields to support developing the highest quality of training and practice in these critical skills. Promoting efficiencies & greater inter-union co-operation 1 The GFTU provides a safe space for union leaders to come together, share challenges, and celebrate successes. However, all GFTU affiliates will be aiming to stretch resources so they have the maximum impact for members and this BCGM believes that the GFTU is not fulfilling it’s potential as a broker for finding shared solutions to common resourcing challenges amongst affiliates. 2 By definition affiliates are small so capacity to find solutions to internal operational challenges is difficult - in terms of time, expertise and cost. For example, Napo would like to have cutting edge integrated ICT platforms that could make our membership, finance and communications more efficient and effective with a direct benefit for supporting activists, campaigning and organising. This is difficult as we have limited time and expertise to devote to this and options can be disproportionately expensive. 3 This BCGM believes that through the safe space provided by the GFTU, common challenges can be identified and common solutions explored, extending to shared commissioning and economies of scale in areas such as ICT, insurance and internal financial support, internal legal services, and aspects of HR support. 4 This principle can extend to shared commissioning of research into common bargaining challenges, with the GFTU brokering this via their network of academics. 5 Indeed, this BCGM believes the GFTU is uniquely placed to promote, co- ordinate and broker such sharing across affiliates. Therefore, this BCGM calls upon the GFTU to: A include opportunities to specifically promote this sharing in the GFTU annual events programme. B create a working party of union sharing champions

Motion 4 NAPO

Motion 5 NAPO

Domestic violence victims in the Family Court System

1 This BGCM welcomes the announcement of an emergency review of the Family Court system on the need to afford greater protection to the victims of Domestic Violence and the prevention of the situation where perpetrators may cross examine their victims at hearings. This practice serves only to re- victimise and passers the power to perpetrators in a system which is there to protect victims. This anomaly is already prohibited in the Criminal Courts.

Motions | Page 59