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Delegation
The 2001 delegation was Maureen Christie (also
a teller), Kevin Duguid, Alison Gowrie, George
Lee, Natalie Robertson, John Stevenson (Branch
Secretary), Irene Stout, and Wattie Weir. George
Lee was depute leader. There was no nomination
for the manual womens seat which was left vacant.
Mo Innes had been elected to the delegation
but after the Branch Committee on 4 June she
indicated she would unfortunately be unable
to attend. Because of the need for proportionality
and because there was no other method available,
Irene Stout was asked to join the delegation.
She was able to make arrangements to attend
and we are grateful to her.
It was a delegation that worked together with
every member prepared to speak on branch policy,
even if only two actually got the chance. Nevertheless
good liaison work was done to get amendments
accepted and our policies backed. Thanks to
George Lee for his work as depute leader and
his help in compiling this report.
Our Branch's Amendments
· 11.1 Car Allowances (LG Conf)
- Carried, adding the issue of Road Tolls and
the effect on all staff in course of their work
and particularly disabled members. Wattie
Weir moved the amendment.
· Comp C - Carried with prominence
to our addition of a Commission on Social Need
(14.1). Natalie Robertson to speak but mix up
and question put before her.
· 32.1 Food Safety - Motion not
heard
· 61.1 ME Retirement - Movers
withdrew motion
· 70.1 Visual Fire Alarms - Motion
not heard. Was next on agenda when Conference
closed. However, branch secretary negotiated
with the moving branch and SOGs to have amendment
accepted.
· 111.1 Drop the Debt - Motion
not heard but would have withdrawn in favour
of NEC amendment which better stated the branch
committee position.
· 156.1 Communications Strategy
- Motion not heard
· 162.1 Stress Counselling - Amendment
accepted by movers and Kevin Duguid spoke. Amendment
carried.
Mandates
The mandate on several motions and amendments
was to `Listen' and the decisions taken are
marked thus (*). On three issues the
delegation voted differently from the mandate
when the issue became clearer and to vote with
the mandate would have compromised branch policy.
They are marked thus (**).
Speakers
Kevin Duguid spoke very well to a hushed
Conference on 162.1. George Lee was listed
but kindly deferred to Kevin as a first time
speaker. Wattie Weir spoke on our Road
Tolls amendment at Local Government Service
Group Conference. John Stevenson was pipped
at the post for speaking on 131 The Labour
Government - What do we get for our money and
Rule Change 23, Kevin Duguid on Tuition
Fees and Alison Gowrie on Visual Fire
Alarms in that it just missed being heard.
Conference
The first two days of Conference were pretty
slow and quiet, perhaps because of a remarkable
post-election unity with a clear consensus against
the Government's apparent statements on privatisation.
The Branch was instrumental in setting
one of the main policies of the Conference in
Composite C on Public Services, adding
the strategy of a Commission on Social Need.
Things livened up in the rules debate of all
places (see below).
Solidarity: New General Secretary Dave
Prentis gave, by general agreement across the
political spectrum, one of the best General
Secretary speeches heard at Conference. His
keynote was `solidarity' and he tore into PFI
and privatisation.
"I will continue to contest the notion
that the private sector equates to efficiency
and effectiveness. If the private sector is
the answer someone has asked the wrong question",
he said.
"So my challenge to the Government is this
if you are truly modernising, if you are really
evidence based and if you are customer focused
just as you say you are, get on with the investment,
get on with the reform but stop the creeping
privatisation, scrap the private finance initiative
and make your rhetoric match the reality, which
our members experience every day in their working
lives."
Dave also thanked the union for its solidarity
in his fight with cancer. A report of his speech
can be found at www.unison.org.uk
,or www.unison-scotland.org.uk/conf2001.
President: President Adrian Dilworth
from the energy group proved to be one of the
best chairs we have seen at Conference. He handled
proceedings fairly, gently, with humour and
firmly. During Stephen Byers' speech he managed
to balance
dealing with the heckling while leaving the
MP in no doubt about UNISON's position on public
services.
Because Adrian has a visual impairment, he
was assisted by Scotland's Danny Gillespie who
was his eyes for the week. Both Adrian and Danny
are facing redundancy from their jobs in the
industry this year - Danny for the second time.
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