Fusion by Future Plus

The magazine for GMB members

Fusion www.gmb.org.uk

WIN

Winter 2012

PRESTON guild See p26

an Apple iPhone! See page 10

gold star!

TUC celebrates our ! r e n r u T y r a M n w o y r e v Use your smartphone to bring this issue to life! See p9

Get elected to

l a n o i g e r council GMB North West and Irish regional council is an elected body that oversees the regional committee and meets twice a year to make decisions on the things that matter to members in the region. If you have been a GMB member for more than one year, you are entitled to stand for election to the council and influence the decisions that affect your fellow GMB members in the region. You can seek nomination by contacting your GMB branch (shown on your membership card). Nominations close on 28 February 2013. The newly elected regional council will take office on 15 April. For more information, contact your GMB regional office.

Advice in line with GMB rules 17F, 18.3, 19, and 20.

get ready for

3 1 0 2 ss e congr

making! n io is c e d B M G f o rt a ce to be p Don’t miss your chan is built on n will follow – but this t polices the unio ha w s de ci u’re not already de yo if ss re So . ng ar ye e th GMB Co of st branches over the re tings take place ee m ch an Br t. the hard work of GMB ar st to ch, now’s the time involved in your bran ake a difference. m to ce an ch u yo e ar regularly and

SAy HAVE YOUR

ss 2013... To attend GMB Congre by your branch You must be nominated B member for 53 weeks GM p -u id pa a en be ve You must ha t reach regional office us m ns io ot m ’s ch an Your br by 31 January 2013 outh, 2-6 June 2013 ym Pl in e ac pl s ke ta ss GMB Congre

• • •

02 www.gmb.org.uk

FIND YOUR GMB BRANCH

Find your GMB branch on your membership card or ask your GMB workplace organiser. Alternatively, check your profile at

www.gmb.org.uk

In this issue...

Paul McCarthy etary GMB regional secr

Paul Magee was one of GMB’s Olympic stars Page 6

Mary Turner gets a TUC gold badge Page 12

Regional

National

4 Olympic glory

9 Get elected with GMB

6 Going for gold

12 TUC cracker!

7 Take Pride

13 Paul Kenny

8 Social networking

14 The heat is on

25 Memorial bike ride

15 Pensions for all!

26 Preston Guild

16 Paul Routledge

28 Political update

18 Better off with GMB

29 Asbestos aid

20 The best you can be

30 On guards

22 Watch your wages!

31 Contact GMB

24 The Full Monti

The members who made the games special

Introducing GMB’s champion archer

All the action from Pride in the North West

Don’t get sacked for social networking

A charity tribute to Steven Dawson

GMB celebrates this historic event

Get the lowdown on the LGPS agreement

The new fund to help asbestos victims

GMB helps Olympic guards find new jobs

Names and numbers you can call on

GMB regional editor Terry Mellor: 01928 572 726 Editorial director Stephen Pierce Editor Simon Hugo Art editor Johnny Goddard Contributors Jake Day-Williams, Matthew Robinson Advertising manager Debbie Blackman Account managers David Parker, Lisa Dunham Production and procurement manager Matt Eglinton Production co-ordinator Katty Skardon Creative director Matthew Williams Design director Dylan Channon Director, Future Plus UK Jayne Caple Printed at St Ives Direct

We’ll help you stand for office – and win!

Award for national president Mary Turner

A word from your general secretary

Sign the petition for fairer energy policies

How automatic enrolment will affect you

The Mirror man on the future of gas

Our annual report on GMB membership

GMB’s John Kane on living with Parkinson’s

Beware the dangers of regional pay

GMB defeats EU threat to workers rights

Produced by Future Plus, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW

We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future Publishing and its paper suppliers have been independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).

Would you like to advertise in GMB Fusion magazine? Please contact Debbie Blackman on 01225 442 244 (ex 2243)

A decent welfare system is an insurance policy Welcome to the latest edition of Fusion magazine. The party conference season is long over and a distant memory to most of us, as are the promises made by the politicians. Parading up and down in front of the cameras is becoming an art form for some, and tiresome for the rest of us. Especially when we’ve heard it all before and are left wondering why we should trust any of them. Nick Clegg apologised, not for breaking promises, but for making them in the first place. But isn’t making a promise you know you can’t (or wont) keep just a lie? And give the Tories their due, they are telling us exactly what they intend to do (and not do). Not making the well off pay any more (let alone their fair share), not closing tax loopholes for the super rich and not tackling the banks over their institutionalised greed. Instead they are intent on making savings by freezing pay for public sector workers, cutting services and cutting benefits for vulnerable people. Osborne has announced plans to slash a further £10 billion from the welfare bill as well as the £18 billion of cuts already underway. While it is easy to say that people should be encouraged to work, the fact is we have massive unemployment, a double dip recession and an economy that is so fragile that if any one of half a dozen European economies sneezes we all catch a cold. So next time you look at the deductions on your payslip just remember that a welfare system is an insurance policy for all of us. It provides some peace of mind that in times of need we can still feed our families. The premiums keep going up, but the cover is reducing.

www.gmb.org.uk 03

l a n o i reg

ATE D P U

B M G m o r f s All the new

e n i h s s r e mb e m GMB

e h t s s o r ac The members from your region l who made the Olympics so specia GMB branch secretary Paul Magee carried the torch in Northern Ireland

P Paul Magee Torchbearer 04 www.gmb.org.uk

nominated me for this aul Magee has been a GMB honour. It was a once in member for over 40 years and a lifetime opportunity he was nominated to carry the and it will never be torch by a young member of his erased from my memory. iers. Harr local athletics club, Beechmount It was a unique thing to All the members of GMB branch 252 do and I am delighted and Belfast City Council were delighted also that my athletic club, y to carr proud of Paul for being selected which I have been involved rves. the torch, an accolade he richly dese with throughout the years, Paul said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being selected as a ion derful has been given recognit torchbearer was fantastic and a won do and they work rb supe the for nd experience and I would like to exte s that nitie ortu for the many opp the my sincere thanks to everyone at .â&#x20AC;? bers mem their to they open who club and particularly those people

Carolynn was nominated for running a cheerleading group for young people

Carolynn McCord Clarke Torchbearer

a light

Mild-mannered GMB member by day, Carolynn McCord Clarke is a wildcat by night! She started the Valley Wildcats Cheerleading Club in 2007 and continues to run and coach the club as a volunteer – she’s even been known to turn her hand to making costumes for competitions. The Wildcats have 70 members, have competed nationally and even won the Irish Cheer Sport Association National Cheerleading Championships. Carolynn is now setting up the Northern Ireland Cheerleading Association, the first governing body for cheerleading in Northern Ireland. She hopes to improve the skills of the clubs in her community and take a team to the Cheerleading World Championships. Carolynn took the day off from tumbling to run with the Olympic Torch when it came through Newtonabbey on 3 June.

region Caroline was an official driver for the Paralympics, and got to see some of the events first-hand

Caroline Horton Volunteer driver

GMB member Caroline Horton, was a volunteer driver at the Excel Centre for the Paralympic games. Though she was based at the Excel Centre in East London, her work took her as far away as Brans Hatch, Weymouth and Portland. Caroline is no stranger to the hustle and bustle of sporting events as she was also a driver for the Maltese team at the Commonwealth Games. But driving wasn’t all Caroline did while she was in London. As a volunteer, Caroline took the opportunity to watch a few Paralympic events too. She says: “Watching the athletes compete at such a high standard left me feeling very humbled and very proud to be at the Paralympics. I went to the North Greenwich arena to watch the male and female wheelchair basketball. They left me speechless with their dexterity, speed and passion.”

regional

Stephanie Murphy Torchbearer Lighting the way for children with disabilities Stephanie was nominated to carry the Olympic Torch through Crewe by her mother, retired GMB member Angela Murphy, to recognise the important work she does for young people with special needs. Stephanie set up and runs the Central Cheshire Buddies Scheme (Buddies), a voluntary organisation which provides activities and clubs for children and young people with disabilities and complex needs. It is a lifeline for many young people in Cheshire, providing a place for them to meet friends, develop new skills and have a go at new activities. It also provides vital respite for carers and parents – giving them an opportunity to take a break, have their hair done or meet friends for a coffee. In the last year alone, Stephanie has raised £40,000. The money has paid for a sensory garden and an outdoor play area. It has also funded a number of residential trips to the Isle of Man, Conway and Stratford Upon Avon. Visit www.cheshirebuddies.co.uk for more information on Buddies or to volutneer or donate.

FLAME ON Stephanie holds the flame with pride in Crewe.

5 www.gmb.org.uk 05

regional

UPDATE

from GMB All the news

Going for

Gold GMB member on target for archery glory

oung GMB member Jack Grogan is an apprentice engineer at A&D Sales in Skelmersdale during the week, but he’s got more than one string to his bow. He’s also a champion archer, who shoots for his country. Jack’s first appearance for England was at last year’s Junior EuroNations Tournament in Nottingham, when he was part of the winning recurve archery team. The Junior EuroNations Tournament took place in the Republic of Ireland in September and Jack captained the England recurve team, winning the cup for a second year running. As well as receiving a gold medal for his recurve performance, sharpshooting Jack also received the Gold medal for achieving the highest individual score for the Gents FITA (Federation International de Tir l’Arc) and won the head-to-head competition. Jack might be the best of the best but he gets no financial support. He has previously been sponsored by Asda but now, despite his world class abilities, he receives nothing. If you think your branch or workplace can help, email sponsorjg@talktalk.net to discuss opportunities.

Beat the

BOW SELECTOR Jack is a promising young archer.

Blacklist

Political officer Neil Smith’s call to name names Recent figures from the Information Commission Office (ICO) have revealed that 44 construction companies – including Carillion, Mowlem and Balfour Beatty – paid to access an industry blacklist detailing workers active in trade unions. There were 3,200 people on the list, which construction companies used to vet employees. Newly appointed GMB political officer Neil Smith explains: “Blacklisting is the practice where hard working people are put on a list and denied employment because at some point in their career they have stood up for themselves or their colleagues or objected to unsafe working practices.” The ICO knows every name on the list but has only told 194 of the blacklisted workers. GMB is campaigning for the ICO to inform all workers whose names appear on the list. “Their excuses for not 06 www.gmb.org.uk

proactively contacting workers on the list are not acceptable and are so weak as to be a joke,” says Neil. “The ICO is the cork in the blacklisting bottle that needs to be popped.” GMB has won the support of Labour to force the ICO to inform everyone on the list. We are also seeking compensation for workers on the list, which lawyers estimate could total £600 million. GMB has also won support from local councils in the region, most recently from Knowsley Borough Council. Neil concludes: “I know I can rely on the support of GMB members and TAKING SCYTHES activists in our region for this GMB sent the Grim Reaper campaign and the many others I will be to the Labour conference to highlight Carillion wrongdoing. organising in my new role.”

regional

GMB

takes pride

Members across the North West come out for GMB

liverpool pride

manchester pride

Members flocked to the UK’s largest Pride event outside of London, increasing attendance for the third year in a row. There were 5,000 marchers in this year’s nautical-themed procession and 10,000 spectators lining the streets. GMB North West and Irish region had an Information stall at the Pier Head in Liverpool for the second year running – and it attracted visitors from employers across the city, including Liverpool airport, the council, Enterprise, Wilkinson and Asda. As well as GMB’s information stall, Pride-goers were treated to spectacular entertainment from Marcus Collins, Liz McClarnon and 2 Shoes. David Hope, GMB Regional Equality Forum member, said: “This is the best Pride I’ve been to this year. Trust me, I know – I go to over five Prides around country.”

For the ninth year, GMB had a stand at Manchester Pride, but this year it was bigger and bolder than ever. GMB Regional Equality Forum member David Hope, along with GMB volunteers, Paul, Brenda and Steve were on hand to give visitors advice on workplace and LGBT issues. Even the torrential rain couldn’t dampen the festivities as 100 colourful floats made their way

through the town. But the culmination of the weekend was the George House Trust Candlelit Vigil, in which Sackville Gardens is turned into a sea of flickering candles as attendees take a minute to remember those lost to the HIV virus. The vigil is the spiritual heart of Manchester Pride and there is a magical and moving atmosphere of quiet reflection in the gardens.

thank you gmb! The North West and Irish region and the regional equality forum would like to thank the following branches for their generous donations towards the North West Pride events: 141, C51, F50, 6, 115, 94, 14, X24, A56, 376, 173, B16 and W79. Without the support of local branches we would be unable to maintain a presence at Pride.

WHAT A DRAG Members get in to the spirit at Manchester Pride.

sweet charity A big thank you to everyone who donated to Strawberry Tea

TIME FOR TEA! The region has raised more than £1,500 through tea mornings.

Members across the region have played host to special tea and cake mornings to raise money for breast cancer charity, Strawberry Tea. The Regional Equality Forum, along with the North West and Irish region would like to thank the following branches for their support: C51,139, 14, 94, X83, D41,

F50, X24, P141, 376, 115, 79, 173, B16, W79, 274, B85, D58, 130 Oldham, 97 and D13. It is still not too late to donate and the region still has some way to go to match the fantastic £1,506.96 raised last year. If your branch wishes to support Strawberry Tea, please send a cheque made payable to GMB/Strawberry Tea, for the attention of Marie Saunderson. www.gmb.org.uk 07

regional

UPDATE

from GMB All the news

NETWORKING OR

NOT WORKING? How social media can get you sacked!

he internet, social networking and email can all be problematic at work. If you think what you post is private, or that you can click without consequences, think again. Of course, an employee can be dismissed for accessing inappropriate websites at work, but the issues go much deeper than that. Any employer can – and most do – monitor internet usage at work and many prohibit personal use of their computers. There are valid reasons for this, including the potential to pick up viruses on company systems, but it can also be to stop employees using the company’s time and facilities for things like internet shopping and social networking. Some employers do allow a limited amount of personal use, but excessive use can still be a disciplinary offence. It can be difficult to define what is and isn’t ‘excessive’, so it is worth finding out about your company’s policy on the matter. It is also advisable to

save most of your social networking for home, though even that has its dangers.

social club If you have a Facebook, Twitter or other social networking account, you should always assume that your current or future employers can find out what you have written – whether you wrote it at home or at work. If you have friended or followed at least one work colleague, you will be linked to a chain of others through their online friends and friends-of-friends. Nothing you post will be private, so if it’s not something you would be happy for your boss to see, don’t post it. Recent cases have seen workers get into trouble for complaining online about their working conditions, naming the workplace for all to see. Many employers have a computer usage policy that says staff must not identify where they work online, even if the comments

rise of the cyberbully Cameraphones have given bullies a new weapon in the workplace. Candid moments can be snapped or caught on video, with the results either put online or held back as a threat. Provoking a colleague into a reaction and then

08 www.gmb.org.uk

filming it for the purposes of poking fun is not acceptable and can be subject to disciplinary proceedings. Sending such material to one other person is bullying, even if it was “just a joke”. The same goes for writing abusive comments about colleagues online or on email, whether or not the colleague in question finds out.

that they post are not critical. Breaking the policy can be a disciplinary matter – particularly if it affects confidentiality or could be seen as slanderous.

POST HASTE It’s not just your current boss you need to be worried about, either. An inappropriate post can be hard to delete, as comments and photos are reposted by others. If and when you come to apply for a new job, any potential employer is likely to check out your social networking presence and run a Google search. A Facebook account full of embarrassing pictures and vocal opinions can become an alternative CV you never wanted or intended. Remember that you are responsible for everything you do and say online. Every time you open an email without knowing what it contains, you take the risk that it could be inappropriate. If a friend sends something dodgy to your work computer, even as a joke, you risk losing your job for having it on there – especially if you don’t delete it straightaway. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use the internet. Simply do your best to behave with the same care you would when saying or doing something in the non-virtual world. It can be a fair reason for dismissal if you damage the relationship with your employer. Bear that in mind whenever you email, blog, comment or Tweet, and remember that what you post today could stay online forever.

l na O I NAT

E T A UPD

B M G m o r f s All the new

g n i o d b o j a t n a w u o If y

. . . y l r e prop GMB is helping its members get elected to public office – and you could be one of them!

don’t agree with that! Why didn’t Labour sort this out when they were than in power? I could do a better job this lot! ething How many times have you said som felt let bers mem like that recently? Many GMB now and ent, rnm gove down by the Labour we’re stuck with a cutters’ coalition literally no one voted for. There is still a lot of work to do to make sure the Labour party has real policies that help ordinary people and families. That’s why GMB members made a decision at Congress this year. If we want a Labour party that to we can really get behind, we need it. t abou g do somethin

pean Whether its local councils, the Euro hern Nort and s Wale on, Lond Parliament, the nts in iame parl the or ies, mbl Asse nd Irela to get Westminster and Scotland, we need into ce rien expe life people who have reale. renc diffe a e mak can they re positions whe councillors, as bers mem GMB e mor ns mea That MPs, assembly members and MSPs. t it You might not think you’ve got wha we but , me” like le peop for “not takes, that it’s , working nary ordi of s dred hun have dy alrea e. class GMB members in elected offic them gave and skills GMB developed their ing winn a run to ce iden conf and the insight difference a ing mak ’re they Now n. paig cam and for every day for their own communities ’s help GMB With UK. the ss GMB members acro ? next be you ldn’t shou why and support, e! mor out find to e pag the Turn

Rex Features x 2

Bring YOUR mag to life!

YOUR FACE HERE! election With GMB behind your ere wh ws kno o wh , campaign you might end up?

Discover a world of extras when you point your smartphone at the pages of this GMB magazine. To get started, download the Layar app from get.layar.com

1 Download the Layar app for iPhone and Android devices.

2 Point your smartphone at a WHOLE page of the mag where you see this logo.

3 Watch as it comes to life on your screen.

www.gmb.org.uk 09

national

from GMB All the news

GMB members are already MPs, SMPs, MEPs or AMs

ORD le MUM’S THE W sa has the peop Li um m ng ki Wor r! he nd gh behi of Peterborou

Name :

Lisa Forbes e parliamentary Labour’s prospectiv orough candidate for Peterb gh for has lived in Peterborou I’m a mum of four who ss cla ng an ordinary worki over 25 years. I’m from my d an rer s a manual labou background: my dad wa jobs, of ts sor NHS. I’ve done all mum was a carer in the t! en being a travel ag from potato picking to last Labour party after the the I got involved with my to ed en ember what happ election, because I rem le op Pe r. we Tories were in po family the last time the

here can’t afford for that to happen again. I know my family can’t – we’re already starting to feel the pinch. Thanks to the support of the trade unions – especially GMB – I was recently selected to be the prospective parliamentary candidate for Peterborough. GMB is serious about helping people like me get into parliament. They’re serious about supporting people with a genuine connection to the everyday lives of working people, and the support they gave me really showed that. If Labour is going to deliver policies that relate to the real lives of the people we seek to represent (and win elections at the same time), we need more GMB members to come forward to become party members, activists, councillors, MPs and elected representatives at all levels. It might seem daunting, but whether it’s going along to your first branch meeting or asking for advice on standing for council there is always someone on the end of the phone to ask for advice. When I moved to Peterborough 25 years ago, I never dreamed I would be standing to be the city’s MP. Now I am determined to beat the Tories and make sure that people have someone in Westminster who understands the impact of government policy on their everyday lives.

Get 50% off Labour party membership! Go to

www.gmb.org.uk

WIN an iphone 4s! Register online to enter

very elected official needs to stay in touch! That’s why, when you tell us that you want to stand for the Labour party, we’ll automatically enter you into a free prize draw to win an Apple iPhone 4S! The iPhone 4S is a super-fast phone, camera and music player, with email, internet and access to thousands of apps and games – all available to download. It also comes loaded with maps, HD video

recording capability and futuristic Siri voice-recognition software. To find out more about standing for election, and to be entered into the free prize draw, call GMB national political officer Hilary Perrin on 020 7391 6749, or email hilary.perrin@gmb.org.uk before Friday 14 December. When emailing, remember to include your name, address and your GMB membership number.

TERMS & CONDITIONS The winning entry will be drawn at random. Draw includes members who enter themselves into the draw by phone or email before close of business on Friday 14 December. The winner will be notified by GMB. Prize is subject to availability. No purchase necessary. This prize draw is only open to GMB members. Entries from employees of GMB will not be accepted. The winner must be prepared to participate in publicity arising from the competition. Winners’ names and photos may be published in future issues.

10 www.gmb.org.uk

Case study 1

100+

UPDATE

NATional

Join the GMB what to do councillors’ Want to become a Labour network candidate? Here’s what you need to do… 1

Join the Labour party at the discounted rate for GMB members at www.gmb.org.uk/ LabourPartyApplicationForm

Call GMB national political officer Hilary Perrin on 020 7391 6749, or email her at hilary.perrin@gmb.org.uk and tell her which seat you want to stand for.

Sign up for GMB’s I Want To Be Elected programme for all the help you need to be selected. Sign up at www.gmb.org.uk/ GMBLabourcandidatesnews

Case study 2

285

Get elected, then get online for full support from GMB

MB won’t desert you once you get elected! We’ve set up an exclusive network to offer you help and support in your role on the local council. GMB’s councillors’ network is a new online forum where GMB councillors can share experiences and best practice, ask for and offer advice, and set up realworld meetings with fellow members who have plenty of experience of council business. So, maybe you want advice on implementing the living wage for council workers? Log-on to the forum and ask Gary Doolan, GMB national political officer and councillor for the London borough of Islington, where the living wage is now official policy. This is the sort of difference that GMB can make, and with info and ideas flowing, we can make those differences nationwide! GMB has more than a quarter of a million members working in local government, with many more directly affected by the decisions their local councils make. So who better to turn to for help and advice? The network is completely confidential and exclusively for GMB members. To sign up, go to www.gmbcouncillorsnetwork.org.uk and enter your GMB membership number to get started.

GMB members are already Labour councillors

Name:

Clive Lewis Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Norwich South I’ve lived in Norwich for more than 12 years and work locally at the BBC. I’m not from a professional political background, so running for Labour was daunting. It was certainly a bit different from the Afghan desert, where I served as an army reserve! From the coalition’s plans to close two-thirds of Remploy factories, to their nakedly political attack on the pensions of public sector workers, it’s obvious that the first priority is to get rid of this government. But I don’t think that’s enough in itself. Undoubtedly, the Labour party did many good things during our time in government, but we also got some very important things wrong and didn’t do enough in other areas. I’m not in politics for the career – I want to see real and lasting change for the many not the few. For me, getting a Labour government is just the first step.

ON THE FRONTLINE other GMB Army man Clive joined mploy demo. Re members on a recent GMB supported me throughout my selection and continues to support me now. I will be working closely with GMB to secure the change we need for people, families, communities and for soci ety as whole. If you live in Norwich and want to get invo lved, get in touch at clive@clivelewislabour.org.uk

www.gmb.org.uk 11

national

UPDATE

from GMB All the news

Over seas

AID

GMB and Maggie Hughes win change in EU law

golden girl Mary Turner honoured at TUC Congress

ongratulations to GMB national president Mary Turner, who was awarded the TUC Women’s Gold Badge at this year’s TUC Congress. Mary was presented with the award by TUC general secretary Brendan Barber and dedicated it to trade union members around the world. TUC Congress is the annual policymaking get-together of the Trades Union Congress, made up of GMB and other unions. This year’s event took place at the Brighton Centre from 9 to 12 September and was chaired by GMB general secretary Paul Kenny in his role as TUC president. Also flying the flag for GMB was CEC (central executive council) member Barbara Benham, who took the shadow chancellor Ed Balls to task during his address to delegates. 12 www.gmb.org.uk

GET HELP SAYING HELP!

“The last Labour government failed Want to know how to ask for help to regulate so many areas to protect abroad? Go to www.missingabroad.org for the interests of the British people,” a list of essential foreign phrases, plus she said. “Labour deregulated and lots more vital info for travellers. removed controls over pricing in areas Originally set up to help families like energy markets, failed to build of miss ing people, the GMB-backed char social housing, embraced PFI, and lost ity now offers practical support for anyo touch with millions of people by taking ne who has been affected by an acci their votes for granted.” dent or serious crime away from home. She went on to ask Mr Balls what he If you or your loved ones get into would do differently if he could turn trou ble abroad, call the Missing Abro back the clock. He replied immigration ad 24/7 helpline, which is part-funded and regulation of the banks. by GMB donations, on 020 7047 50 TUC Congress also paid tribute to 60 (or 44 20 7047 50 60 from overseas). outgoing GMB national secretary and TUC general purposes committee (GPC) member, Phil Davies, warmly congratulating him for all his hard COSTA LIVING work on behalf of Remploy and Don’t go away without wishing him well in his retirement. Missing Abroad’s details. Sharon Holder will now replace Phil on the GPC for Congress 2013.

Rex Features

TURNER PRIZE Mary Turner is the GMB national president.

GMB member Maggie Hughes has won a change in EU law with help from GMB. Victims of violent crime across Europe will now get better access to medical care and legal help, thanks to her campaign. Maggie’s own son Robbie was beaten and left for dead while he was on holiday in Crete in 2008. She did everything she could to support him in his hour of need, but didn’t speak the language and found there was nowhere she could turn for help and advice. With support from GMB Brussels officer, Kathleen Walker Shaw, Maggie has spent the last four years campaigning to make sure other victims and their families get better treatment than her and her son. The new laws will make sure all EU countries offer the same levels of advice and access to medical and judicial services. “I hope that no other family will now have to go through the agony, frustration and pain that we did to get support and justice for our son Robbie,” Maggie said. “I am delighted by the progress we have made on victims’ rights in the EU.” “However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and once these measures have been adopted, all member states need to work hard to implement them in their countries. This will turn the progress we have made into a practical reality on the ground. “I have been on a major journey with GMB, and I would like to thank everyone who has supported our campaign so far.”

Paul kenny

speaks

cretary e s l a r e n e g your GMB m o r f d r o w A

Protection from a mansion tax and £40k pay rises for the super-rich show whose side Osborne is on

ny suggestion that George Osborne doesn’t know how tough things are right now for his friends have been robustly put to flight by his decisive interventions to protect millionaires from the mansion tax and, of course, his £40,000 a year handout to the super-rich from next April. At a time when decent, hardworking families are facing pay freezes and cuts to working families tax credits threaten to finally shove hundreds of thousands into poverty, this Conservative government reverts to type and – with utter contempt – merely goes about lining the pockets of the rich and greedy.

IT’S NOT WORKING Pay freezes; cuts to our NHS, schools and services; and unemployment – particularly among the young – are the price the country is paying for Osborne’s obsession with an economic plan which even his own side are having to admit just isn’t working. In fact, the deficit is growing not shrinking – a direct result of more people out of work courtesy of Cameron and co, and the

subsequent downturn in spending created by year upon year of squeezed household budgets. Is it any surprise that the Olympic crowds, who cheered their hearts out at every event and for every competitor, ended up roundly booing George Osborne at a medal ceremony? Why, the pundits asked, did 80,000 people boo George Osborne? Answer: that’s all the stadium could hold!

TIME FOR CHANGE As the TUC march for the alternative showed, hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England are prepared to march and campaign for a change in economic strategy. Social and economic justice will not come about by doing nothing. Everyone knows that building more social housing will cut waiting lists, reduce emergency housing costs and help cut the £20 billion a year housing benefit bill, most of which ends up in the tax-free offshore back pockets of private landlords and property companies which feed off the council housing shortage.

Everyone knows that leaving a million young people without jobs or access to higher education is storing up a huge social problem for us all – as well as the pure waste of talent that mass youth unemployment brings.

ATTACKING RIGHTS Everyone knows that attacking the basic protection rights of working people leads to abuse, fear, bullying, stress and unfairness in the world of work. What’s more this spills over into family life. Everyone who relies on the NHS knows it is in danger of being sold off to profitmaking spivs in the name of progress. Just like the disasters of rail and water privatisations before, our NHS is in real danger of becoming a cash machine for private companies first, and a service to the public second. It seems that everybody knows these things except George Osborne and his millionaire mates. Well, when you have just been handed a £40,000 wage increase, life under Osborne and the Conservatives must seem a little more rosy than for the rest of us ‘plebs’. www.gmb.org.uk 13

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ON THE UP Help stop rising prices with GMB.

he UK is facing an energy bill crisis. One in every four households can’t afford to heat their homes, and this is expected to rise to one in three by 2016. Cold homes damage the health of our most vulnerable citizens, including children, older people, those on low incomes and people with disabilities. The main reasons for the crisis are that gas, oil and coal prices are high, and the UK’s homes are some of the most energy inefficient in Europe – badly insulated and with old-fashioned boilers. This means they cost much more than they should to heat and power, and they contribute to climate change, too.

But there is a fair and permanent solution. We can have warm homes, reduce our fuel bills, and help the environment at the same time! The government currently taxes big companies on their carbon emissions, which are harmful to the environment. If the government used the money it gets from those taxes to fund an energy efficency drive across the UK, it would keep people warm while cutting their fuel bills, cut harmful carbon emissions and create jobs! Over the next 15 years, the government will raise an average of £4 billion every year in carbon taxes. The companies eventually pass these taxes on to consumers in the form of higher bills, so it

“GMB is calling for super-energy efficient homes.”

join the 14 www.gmb.org.uk

is only fair that the government recycles the revenue back into households by paying towards better insulation, modern boilers and renewable energy. GMB is part of the Energy Bill Revolution, a campaign calling on the government to do just this, making our homes super-energy efficient and driving down our energy bills forever. Hundreds of charities, consumer groups, businesses and politicians are already behind the campaign, but there is still more to do. By taking two minutes to go online and sign the petition, you can add your voice to this vital cause. You can also help by writing to your MP, and by sending the link to your family and friends. Together we can end the energy bill crisis forever. Join the revolution by signing the petition at www.energybillrevolution.org

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PENSIONS FOR ALL! New rules guarantee a workplace pension for millions of workers

s your boss ready for automatic enrolment? October saw the start of a new pension system which requires employers to include their workers in workplace pension schemes by 2017 at the latest – but many bosses still claim to be unaware of the changes. Known as automatic enrolment, the new system is the first time employers have been obliged to put their staff into pensions, and to make contributions towards them. It has been introduced to tackle a pensions crisis caused by very low state pensions combined with a lack of individual saving. Workers will be auto-enrolled if they are aged between 22 and the state pension age, and earn at least £8,105 a year. You also have the right to be enrolled if you are outside this age group but earn more than £5,564 a year. Workers have the right to opt out of the system, but they must not be pressured or encouraged to do so by their employer.

If this happens to you or anyone you know, tell your GMB workplace organiser and your local GMB office (see p31). The government has already written to employers explaining the new system, so bosses have no excuse for not knowing what to do. Many large employers have already started enrolling employees, and even the very smallest must do so by April 2017. Though GMB welcomes automatic

enrolment as a step in the right direction, the union is disappointed that the standard of pension scheme required by the new system is not very good. Currently, the minimum employer and employee contributions stand at just one per cent of pay, which is nowhere near enough to secure a decent income in retirement. However, it is a start, and GMB will continue to argue for higher employer contributions.

“Workers must not be pressured to opt out.”

dukes of hazard

iStock

GMB health and safety representative Dave Carter reports from the National Hazards Conference This year’s National Hazards Conference took place at the University of Keele, bringing together health and safety activists from around the UK. High on the agenda was the problem of asbestos, which remains a deadly danger after all these years. I was amazed to discover that the British Commonwealth is a major part of the problem, as Canada continues to mine and produce the fatal fibres with seemingly no regard to the dreadful implications. Meanwhile, in UK schools, government policy is not even to remove asbestos – simply to seal it off and make it ‘safe’. Yet that same government has approved £1.2 billion to remove all traces of asbestos from the Houses of Parliament! How much clearer could they be that they only care about themselves? Another major issue to emerge from the weekend was workplace stress. This has huge

financial implications for many companies, but more important is the cost to the health and wellbeing of affected workers. Stress levels are rising as budgets are falling, yet government responses have been atrocious at best.

executive stress Health and Safety Executive (HSE) budgets have been slashed by 35 per cent; many industries have been reclassified as low-risk; and vital inspections are no longer being carried out. So not only are workplaces suffering from HSE cuts – the flagship body of health and safety itself is becoming a hotbed of stressed and overworked employees! One of the highlights of the conference was a wonderful speech from Louise Adamson, a young woman whose brother was tragically killed while working as an electrician.

Louise has turned her bereavement into positive action, becoming involved with a group called FACK, or Families Against Corporate Killers, and her evocative speech lambasted big business for trying to shirk its responsibilities when it comes to deaths caused as a result of work, and she went on to receive a standing ovation. If the conference taught me anything, it’s that – no matter who you are or where you work – health and safety must be the paramount concern for all of us, all the time. This government simply doesn’t care, so we – as workers, managers, companies and GMB members – must look out for our colleagues, our loved ones and, of course, ourselves. Work safe. Go home safe. Dave Carter is a GMB health and safety rep at Harsco Metals in Scunthorpe. www.gmb.org.uk 15

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cooking with

ow many of you remember the catchy jingle “Cook, Cook, Cookability – That’s the Beauty of Gas!” that went out on TV as long ago as 1978? Written by award-winning Roger Greenaway – author of “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing” and other hits - it was timed to coincide with the flow of North Sea gas into people’s homes. The ad ran for years, and even featured a very young Noel Edmonds bopping with teenagers in a kitchen. The industry was still publicly-owned in those days. How things have changed since! But the reality behind the slogan is as true now as it was then. Gas is still the cook’s friend, and a versatile fuel that remains the nation’s favourite for central heating. It doesn’t make sense to burn this vital primary energy source in power station

IT’S A GAS Noel was always warm in the 1970s.

16 www.gmb.org.uk

furnaces to produce electricity. But that’s precisely what the Coalition government threatens to do - up to and beyond 2030, probably in contravention of Labour’s 2008 Climate Change Act and certainly with greater risk of global warming. Gas is needed in the home and in industry to supply clean, efficient power, not the ovens of privatised power stations looking for a quick buck. However, ministers in what David Cameron once called “the greenest government ever” are trying to rat on their pledge to de-carbonise the electricity generation market. In particular, Chancellor George Osborne, under intense ideological pressure from anti-wind farm Right-wing Tory MPs, wants to get round policy commitments put into law by the Labour government. In private, he sneers at legal curbs on toxic emissions and panders to the gas lobby. As the union for energy workers, with 40,000 members working in the industry (and more than half a million members with gas in their homes), GMB takes a close interest in developments in this field. And recently, top scientists on the government’s Climate Change Committee intervened to undermine GMB’s case. They want to see gas phased out and be replaced by electricity for home heating and cooking. This reckless and extremist policy could lead to a four-fold increase in your energy bills if households are forced to use electricity to cook and heat their homes. Thousands more would have to be spent on new appliances. They wrote to Energy Secretary Ed Davey

FRIED ED The heat is on for energy secretary Ed Davey.

expressing “great concern” that the government plans to favour imported gas over nuclear generation and renewable forms of electricity generation. The Thatcher government’s “dash for gas” of the 1980’s is in danger of becoming a permanent feature of energy policy under Cameron’s Tory-led Coalition. But there are huge financial penalties in store for consumers, warns GMB’s national officer for energy and utilities, Gary Smith. “Our union has never been a supporter of burning gas to produce electricity,” he explained. “Even with the development of shale gas GMB do not think it is the best use of what is a finite resource. “We recognise that while gas-fired stations are easy to turn on to meet peak demand, the UK needs investment in low-carbon ways of producing electricity including nuclear. “The view that gas should not be burned to meet base load electricity is right.” GMB agrees with the scientists that

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Plans to phase out gas for home use will inflate your bills says Daily Mirror political correspondent Paul Routledge

of energy. A unit of electricity is about FOUR TIMES as expensive as the equivalent unit of gas. “Given the fact that around 80 per cent of British homes use gas for heating and cooking there is no way they will easily or cheaply move from gas to electricity. “Nobody in their right mind would suggest that people will have to fork out thousands of pounds to replace their gas boilers and gas cookers with electric units – and then have to endure a fourfold increase in fuel bills. “The experts need to face the fact that the suggestion of forced conversion to electricity is bonkers and will not be accepted by households.” Energy Secretary Davey – one of the Lib Dems in the Torydominated Cabinet – defends his policy with a weasel-worded statement, offering only “significant” de-carbonisation of the industry. No dates, no promises. One fifth of the nation’s power stations are due to close over the next decade, he HOB-NOB Chancellor George Osborne says, adding : “We have always said that this will isn’t out of the frying pan. include gas-fired plant which is quick to build and flexible. After 2030 we expect that gas will be increasingly used as back up…. but gas has an important role to play.” government ministers In plain English, the Coalition are sending out “mixed intends to keep as much gas-fired messages” about energy policy that will capacity for as long as possible, damage investment in low-carbon and certainly beyond the date technologies. There is already evidence of a when it should be phased out. That’s bad “very poor” investment climate in the industry. news for climate change and very possibly These new electricity generating methods for consumers. are needed to tackle long-term climate change. And Davey isn’t the But there is an even worst of them. more pressing Cameron’s demand to bring appointment of home to politicians hard-liner Owen the impact on Patterson to be families of switching Environment Secretary from gas to in his autumn Cabinet electricity for reshuffle is seen as a cooking and snub to the greenhome heating says tinged Lib Dems. A Gary Smith. dedicated opponent of “There is a need wind turbines, with the for a reality check by OLD FLAME ear of the Prime some of these experts Even tellies ran on Minister and the about the economics gas in those days.

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NO DEAL Even Noel couldn’t foresee the problems of modern energy policy. Chancellor, he’ll be hostile to GMB policy. But Gary Smith is clear that the union will continue to campaign for a rapid transition to nuclear and renewable power supply, to stave off the imposition of totally electricity-dependent cooking and heating. All this is a far cry from yesteryear’s “The Beauty of Gas” commercial. Adverts today stress the ease of switching from one supplier to another, rather than “cookability” or the versatility of gas. The industry is mired in an ideologicallydriven, profit-based dispute about the best way forward for consumers and energy generators alike. GMB stands four-square with households and the champions of climate change through conversion to low-carbon technology.

“This reckless policy will mean a four-fold rise in energy bills.” There is a role for gas in electricity production, Gary Smith agrees. But it has to be back-up, rather than supplying the base load. “We also have to think about carbon capture and storage for coal-fired generating stations, but the reality is that in the long term, electricity has to come from renewable sources, which in practice means nuclear.” Gary also criticised ministers and the energy companies for failing to spend the £1.3 billion already taken from customers to help insulate their homes and bring down bills for poorer people. “This is a scandal,” he added. “This is an obligation from government. We are all paying for this but the energy companies can’t find the people whose homes need insulating.” That’s the beauty of consistent energy policy. www.gmb.org.uk 17

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! l a i c i f of

you’re better off with GMB W orking people who are trade union members earn an average of 18.1 per cent more than those who aren’t. That’s a big increase on last year’s figure of 16.7 per cent, so it’s more worthwhile to join GMB now than ever before. It’s not just GMB saying this, either, but official figures from the annual labour force survey, published by the Office of National Statistics.

We’ll fight for your rights Collective agreements – how unions make a difference to your workplace

collective agreement is an understanding between employers, which regulates terms and conditions for all employees. These collective agreements affect your pay, working hours and duties and even have a bearing on the duties of your employer. They usually follow long bargaining sessions between unions and employers and this is a fundamental way in which

18 www.gmb.org.uk

GMB improves conditions in workplaces all over the UK. The trade union membership report 2011 shows just how important collective bargaining is. A whopping 73.2 per cent of members are covered by a collective agreement. Almost a third (31.2 per cent) of employees said their conditions were affected by collective agreement. In the private sector, collective agreements cover just 16.9 per cent of

The report shows that the hourly earnings of UK union members average £14.18, an impressive 18.1 per cent above the hourly rate for nonunion members, which comes in at just £12.01 an hour.

you’re in good

company Between Septe mber 2011 and Septem ber 2012, GMB mem bership grew by 1.6 per ce nt, making GMB on e of the fastest growing unions .

employees, while in the public sector they account for a much healthier 67.8 per cent of employees. The highest sector for collective agreements is public administration and defence, with 71.1 per cent, while the lowest rate is in accommodation and foodservice, which has just 4.6 per cent.

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Bring these pages to life!

gmb nation

We’ve got your number! Stats from the trade union membership report 2011 give us a detailed view of the UK’s union members. This information is helpful to GMB members, workplace organisers and officers for planning recruitment, supporting existing members, and recognising areas that need improvement.

+18.1%

£14.18

average hourly wage for union members

£12.01

average hourly wa ge for non-union members

amount that union members earn above nonunion members

of GMB members are women

2.5m 6.4m

48%

union members in the private sector

21.6%

of asian and british asian workers are union members

people in work who are union members

+£3.23

56.5%

hourly extra earned by women in unions over non-members

of public sector workers are trade union members

34.5% of people aged 50+ are union members

87.1%

of public sector workers have a union in their workplace

n. ireland

wales

scotland

England

33.6% 34.9% 29.8% 24.8% percentage of workers who are union members (by country) www.gmb.org.uk 19

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FLIGHT CREW John (far left) with his winning darts team.

the best you

can be! My life with Parkinson’s, by GMB Sellafield branch president, John Kane

champion, Phil ‘The Pow

20 www.gmb.org.uk

testing times I saw my GP, who arranged an appointment with a neurologist. I was also a keen runner, and my trainer could not explain why my right arm and leg suddenly lacked the speed and rotation I still had on my left side, so I was really starting to worry. But when the specialist put me through tests including nerve conduction, a lumbar puncture and an MRI scan, they all showed up nothing, so I carried on with my life. When I started dragging my right leg in 2007, I thought I might have suffered a stroke, with the worst of it masked by my youth and my general fitness (I was only just in my 50s). I went to see the doctor at Sellafield, where I worked, and he put me in touch with a Professor Bates in Newcastle. Within 20 seconds of meeting me, and after seeing me walk along the corridor, the professor told me he was 99 per cent certain I had Parkinson’s. He said the only way to be sure was with a DAT scan, which shows up a lack of dopamine

Rex Features x 2

first knew I had a problem in 2005. My social life had always revolved around darts and for 25 years I had played at the highest levels – captaining the Cumbria county team, winning national and international titles, even winning the old ITV game show Bullseye! But now, at a national team competition final in Blackpool, I found I was not the darts player my teammates had come to rely on. Together, we won the competition, but amid the celebrations that followed, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. There had been something up with my handeye coordination that I had never experienced before. Little did I know that in two WE’VE GOT THE POWER years I would never be able John with 15-times darts world to play darts again. er’ Taylor.

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SIGN up for the GMB eNEWSletter AT www.gmb.org.uk Bring these pages to life! – the chemical in the body that helps to control movement. My earlier doctors had not considered such a test because they simply aren’t looking out for Parkinson’s in anyone my age.

keeping active After the scan confirmed the professor’s diagnosis, I decided to give up the job I loved and do all the things I had planned to do when I eventually retired naturally. Parkinson’s isn’t fatal, but it is progressive, and worsening symptoms relating to lack of movement control and balance often lead people to become housebound – or the victims of tragic accidents. My wife and I always wanted to travel the world. Now I wanted us to do it together while we still could. I also decided to stay as active as I could in the wider community. I had many years experience with GMB, first as a shop steward and then as convenor, so I knew I could deal calmly and confidently with other people’s problems and concerns. In the same year I was diagnosed, I was elected as Labour councillor for Copeland. At first, I didn’t tell anyone about my Parkinson’s, but when I did, nobody treated me any differently, or expressed any doubts about my ability to do the job. I also got involved with the charity Parkinson’s UK, working hard to raise the profile of the condition, which most people know so very little about, and organising days out and other activities for people with Parkinson’s and their families.

compulsive behaviour – and for a while I became obsessed with gambling, keeping it secret from my family while my debts and my shame grew. I am on a different drug now, that suits me much better, but the experience has only spurred me on to spread the word. I’m lucky to have such a loving and understanding family (and a daughter who’s a nurse!), but many people with Parkinson’s risk becoming isolated and some even become suicidal. That’s where my work with Parkinson’s UK comes in. I go into care homes around the North West running awareness courses for staff who might not spot the signs of Parkinson’s, or might simply mistake them as the signs of old age. I talk about diagnosis, about the drugs, about the way the condition affects every individual differently. I share my own experiences, using humour and all the invaluable skills that I learned standing up and talking in front of people during 30 years representing members in GMB.

“The tests showed up nothing, so I carried on with my life”

side effects My work for Parkinson’s UK is what really motivates me now. I’ve had some very hard times since I was diagnosed – not just with the symptoms, but with the drugs I have been prescribed to control them. Among the many things people don’t know about Parkinson’s are the extreme sideeffects that the drugs can cause, including

you can help I have always believed in fighting for what’s right, whether as GMB steward, a Labour councillor or as a campaigner for Parkinson’s UK. In every job I have done, I have also believed in being the best you can be, and I get a great deal of satisfaction from knowing that I make a real difference. Last year I was elected chair of the West Cumbria branch of Parkinson’s UK and I am still GMB branch president at Sellafield. I’m 57 now, with two wonderful grown-up children, and my wife and I have just returned from trips to Borneo and Kuala Lumpur. So it’s not all doom and gloom! I have made it my ambition to raise the profile of this condition, because Parkinson’s is often forgotten when it comes to charity donations. Without money for research, a cure will never be found. If you want to help, go to www.parkinsons.org.uk and please give whatever you can.

The life and times of John Kane

1970s

• Started work at Sellafield and joined GMB on his first day.

• Became a shop steward while

working for BNFL in the Magnox reprocessing plant.

1980s

• Voted onto the Sellafield shop stewards committee.

• Elected GMB convenor at Sellafield. • Married Dot, now his wife of 30 years.

• Together they have two children, Laureen and Jenna.

1990s

• Lead the national campaign for

the licensing of THORP (Thermal oxide reprocessing plant). • Negotiated new company contract raising basic and pensionable pay by 40 per cent. • Stepped down as convenor after seeing members through the MOX data falsification scandal.

2000s • Elected Labour councillor for Copeland.

• Awarded honorary life membership of GMB while still at Sellafield.

• Elected chair of the West Cumbria branch of Parkinson’s UK.

• Remains president of the GMB Sellafield branch.

PARKINSON’S FACTS • P arkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition • T here is currently no cure and doctors don’t know

what causes it • O ne person in every 500 has Parkinson’s • Most people with Parkinson’s are aged 50 or over but younger people get it, too • B oth Mohamed Ali and Michael J Fox were diagnosed with Parkinson’s in their 30s

PLANT LIFE John dedicated his working life to GMB members at Sellafield. www.gmb.org.uk 21

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watch

your

Government proposals for regional pay spell disaster

wag s

LOOK OUT! The government wants to slash your pay. 22 www.gmb.org.uk

regional NATional

% of workers employed in the pu

blic sector

££££££££££££££££££ ££££££££ 30 ££ ££££££££££££££££££ ££££ 28 ££ .8£ North East ££££££££££££££££££ ££28 ££ Scotland ££ ££££££££££££££££ 27££ .1 North West ££££££££££££25 ££.3£ Yorkshire & The Humber ££££££££££ 24 ££ .5£ Unit d South West Ki n g d e ££££££££ 23££ .4 o m as a whole West Midlands ££££££ ££.2£ 23 24 % East Midlands ££££££ 22££ .9 East ££££ ££ 22 .3£ South East ££££22 ££ Wales

Area by % rank

Northern Ireland

London

££ 21££ .3 20

% of people

iStock x 2

he pay of millions of public sector workers would be cut if the ConDem government goes ahead with its plans to scrap national agreements and introduce regional pay. These agreements are negotiated with GMB and other unions to ensure a fair rate of pay for workers, and scrapping them could lead to harsh salary cuts. Public sector workers make up 24 per cent of the total UK workforce – and as much as 30 per cent in some regions. A pay cut for them would mean less money going into their local economies. The areas that would be hit

hardest are in Wales, Northern Ireland, the North East and Scotland. Eilean Siar in the Western Isles, has the highest percentage of public sector workers with 42.7 per cent facing a pay cut. Many other areas would be badly affected too. See the full list at www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom GMB general secretary, Paul Kenny said “GMB negotiators have built up the pay of public service workers over many years and now the government wants to cut the pay of millions of public services workers by getting rid of the national agreement that is so successful. “If they succeed it would be a further devastating blow for local economies, where previous Tory governments have devastated the mining and manufacturing industry. “The Tories have a problem with workers in the regions. They just don’t like to see them doing well.”

DEEP CUTS Nearly a quarter of UK workers would be affected.

The general secretary warned that pay cuts would be a harsh blow to British workers, and affect all local businesses. He continued: “To reduce their pay further would not only be iniquitous, it would also reduce consumer spending and choke-off business confidence. The result would be local economies suffering a further drop in demand and private sector jobs being lost in their thousands.” GMB membership is the best defence in the face of the government’s reckless plans to cut wages across the country in the public sector. Paul Kenny concluded: “GMB is proud of its record in raising pay in the regions and cutting it back is in no one’s interest. As well as a regional policy to promote good, wellpaid jobs we need to see the levelling up of the poor pay in the shops and other commercial services, not a levelling down of public sector pay.”

“Regional pay will choke-off business confidence.”

www.gmb.org.uk 23

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The Full Monti

EU drops plans opposed by GMB that would have restricted workers’ rights

s the European Union a social project, designed to improve people’s lives, or a purely economic one, designed simply to make money? That was the question at stake back in September, as GMB and other unions fought against proposals that would have undermined the fundamental rights of workers, including the right to go on strike. The proposed Monti II regulations, which have now been abandoned in the face of overwhelming opposition, were meant to safeguard the right to collective action (including strike action) in the face

of pressure from regulations allowing the free movement of goods across EU borders. “From the day these proposals were launched, trade unions across Europe told the European Commission that they were not going to solve the problems they set out to resolve,” says GMB European officer Kathleen Walker Shaw. “In fact, they actually posed further threats to trade union rights. “GMB welcomed the decision to withdraw these very damaging proposals, but the Commission still needs to find a workable solution to make sure fundamental trade union rights and freedoms are not restricted or undermined by economic freedoms.” The need for clarity comes from two judgments in the European Court of Justice in 2007. While the freedom to take collective action is a fundamental workers’ right,

WELCOME NEWS Kathleen Walker Shaw led GMB’s opposition to the dropped plans.

protected by the European Union charter, the court judgments raised questions about what happens when that right comes into conflict with regulations on the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital. “There are huge legal uncertainties left by the EU Court of Justice rulings regarding the rights of workers,” says Labour MEP Stephen Hughes. “The problem is not going away and the European Commission has the responsibility to act.” European social policy includes commitments to improved living and working conditions, proper social protection, and dialogue between management and labour. GMB believes the European Union should put those commitments first and foremost.

EUROPE MUST ACT Labour MEP Stephen Hughes says workers’ rights must be clearer.

“Fundamental trade union rights and freedoms must not be undermined.” 24 www.gmb.org.uk

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GMB members sponsor Steven Dawson’s memorial charity bike ride

MB regional secretary Paul McCarthy joined members from branches N89, 224 and Shorts Bombardier Massive in supporting this year’s annual bike ride to remember Steven Dawson. Steven, son of GMB organiser John Dawson, joined GMB in October 1996, when he started working for Ulsterbus. He was just 16. Sadly Steven’s life was cut short when he died, aged just 30, on 25 December 2010. He

lost his life to an unusual form of cancer known as a Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET). Since his death, his family and friends have been raising funds for the NET Patient Foundation, which researches and raises awareness of this form of cancer.

FITTING TRIBUTE As part of their fundraising, Steven’s close friends came up with the idea of an annual

bike ride in his memory – and it has been a huge success. Last year his friends and family raised a massive £20,734, of which £9,067 was from the bike ride. This year a lot of the girls opted for a sponsored walk instead of the bike ride. Also, to make sure the kids weren’t left out, there was a kids’ bike ride on 1 June. The total raised to date from these events so far is close to £30,000, with much more money yet to be received.

Steven’s family remember him Steven first showed signs of a health problem in February 2010. He was diagnosed with a tumour in May and in June he had an operation to remove it. Three weeks later, we were told Steven had a neuroendocrine carcinoma. They told us it was incurable but hopefully with chemotherapy they could improve his life expectancy. He married his girlfriend in August and it was the happiest of days. But, by November, Steven was struggling with the side effects of chemotherapy. There was also another tumour rapidly growing. He was sent home from hospital on 3 December to spend Christmas with his loved ones. Steven passed away on Christmas night. But he got his wish

and had Christmas Day with his family and loved ones. Thankfully we all had the honour of being by his side and holding him tight as he slipped away.

e future Fundraising for th We have chosen to support the NET Patient Foundation as it is dedicated to the specific kind of cancer Steven had. This charity needs funds to continue its vital research and help doctors diagnose neuroendocrine tumours as early as possible. Many thanks to all the GMB members who supported us and gave so generously.

Find out more here: www.netpatientfoundation.org www.gmb.org.uk 25

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ic r o t is h s e t a r b e l e GMB c

d l i u g n o t s pre T

he 10-day Preston Guild celebrations in Preston are an exciting part of the city and GMB’s heritage. And this year was particularly special, not just because it was the first Guild of the millennium, but it was also the first since Preston was awarded city status in 2002. As part of the celebrations, which took place from 31 August, GMB had a float in the main trades procession, with a number of members on board enjoying the fun and many others walking the route. The GMB learning bus also took part.

There’s nothing like it!

PARADE DAY GMB banners at the ready for the procession through Preston.

The Preston Guild is the only event of its kind in the country. It takes place once every 20 years and is rooted in the traditions of the city’s historic Guild Merchant. The Guild Merchant was introduced by King Henry II in 1179, giving Preston a guild of merchants with a monopoly on trade in the town. Only members were allowed to trade and newcomers had to be given permission by the Guild. Once every generation, members would take part in a public ceremony to show they

1179

1542

1790

King Henry II grants Preston the right to have a Guild Merchant and gives the town its first royal charter.

Guild celebrations are held roughly once a generation, until 1542, when it is decided the guild will take place every 20 years.

The Guild Merchant loses its power and trade becomes free in the town. But the celebrations continue, growing ever more colourful and elaborate.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE The Bard was baptised in 1564.

the history of preston guild 1397

1782

1802

The first documented celebrations take place, although these were – perhaps more informally – taking place for years before.

A masked ball is held for the Guild, in which attendees wear black masks and disguises.

The cotton industry is involved in the procession for the first time.

26 www.gmb.org.uk

TOILET PAPER Invented by the Chinese in the late 1300s.

With

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PRESTON PROCESSION Members fly the flag for GMB during the Guild Celebrations.

were still eligible to trade. This public swearing in, gradually became more and more lavish until it evolved into the colourful celebration that exists today. In 1542 it was decided that the Guild would take place once every 20 years. The rarity of the event meant it became a carnival and feast – a great social gathering and an exciting part of Preston’s heritage. This year, as is traditional, there was a feast laid on for GMB members who took part. After the procession, GMB’s Preston office hosted a lavish buffet, which would have been fit for King Henry II himself.

FIT FOR A KING GMB members enjoy the traditional Guild feast.

1835

1942

2002

The Guild Merchant is abolished – but public appetite and tradition keep the celebrations alive.

The Guild is skipped because of the second world war.

Preston gains city status.

WAR BEGINS The first world war breaks out in 1914.

an 800-year history, the Guild has stood the test of time 1862

1972 – 1992

2012

Word-famous tightrope artist Blondin, comes to Preston to perform as part of the Guild.

New industries take part in the Guilds of 1972 and 1992, including nuclear power, mail order catalogues, electronics and aircraft building.

GMB members take part in Guild 2012 celebrations.

IRON LADY Thatcher strangles the UK between 1979 and 1990. www.gmb.org.uk 27

regional

UPDATE

from GMB All the news

m a h a r g tt o m r e mcd

Why the new local government pension scheme agreement is good ne ws for GM B memb ers

he decision by GMB members to accept the government’s proposals for the local government pension scheme (LGPS) was sensible, pragmatic, and, in my opinion, good news for the future of local government pensions. Last year the government announced plans to increase contributions by 50 per cent, raise retirement ages to 68 (eventually) and reduce benefits by 30 per cent. The purpose was to save £1 billion on top of the £2 billion already saved through squeezes on public services, such as the cut in indexation, redundancies and the ongoing pay freeze. Not only would these changes have impacted on our members directly, they would also have threatened the future of the LGPS because people would drop out in their droves, unable to afford the increases. These dangerous proposals would have affected 1.7 million local government pensions, and GMB members fought hard for their right to negotiate, even taking industrial action last November. Now, after months of talks between joint trade unions, local government employers and the government, GMB members have voted to accept the proposals with a 95 per cent yes vote in a ballot. GMB has negotiated a healthy compromise that not only secures the short term future of the scheme, but also helps put it on a sound footing for the future.

pension age The new scheme comes into effect on 1 April and meets most of our objectives, although some changes have a negative impact. For example the ‘normal retirement age’ has 28 www.gmb.org.uk

GMB’s decision is good news for the local government pension scheme New contribution rates Member contributions per year Earnings

Current rate

Treasury proposals

DCLG proposals

Negotiated LGPS 2014

£8,000 Part time – half hours

£464

£712

£624

£440

Treasury DCLG Current

£272 £184 £24

saving saving saving

£10,000 Part time – half hours

£590

£900

£790

£550

Treasury DCLG Current

£350 £240 £40

saving saving

£16,000 Full time

£944

£1,440

£1,264

£928

Treasury DCLG

£512 £336

saving saving

£25,000 Full time

£1,625

£2,400

£2,125

£1,625

Treasury DCLG Current

£775 £500 £0

saving saving

£35,000 Full time

£2,380

£3,465

£3,080

£2,380

Treasury DCLG Current

£1,085 saving £700 saving £0

£50,000 Full time

£3,600

£5,150

£4,600

£4,250

Treasury DCLG Current Increase

£900 £350 £650

saving saving

DCLG proposal

CARE (career CARE (career average average scheme) scheme)

Negotiated proposal CARE (career average scheme)

1/60th accrual

1/70th accrual

1/49th accrual

Individual pension age link to state pension age

Immediate pension age rise to 66 then state pension age

Individual pension age link to state pension age

9.6% average 8.5% average member member contribution contribution

6.5% average member contribution

been scrapped and pension age is now linked to your state retirement age. However, the average member contribution will remain at 6.5 per cent and will be based on actual salary, not a full-time equivalent. The lowest paid will pay the same or less and the highest paid will pay more on a more progressive scale after tax relief.

Rex Features

better accrual The scheme will work using a career average and has a better accrual rate than the current scheme (1/49th instead of 1/60th). A career average scheme means that your pension is based on the amount you have paid in over the years (increased in line with CPI inflation). This helps to protect members who reduce earnings in the years leading up to retirement. It also means that someone who gets a big promotion near to retirement will not unfairly boost their pension funded by the rest of us. In 2014, LGPS contributions will, for the first time, include non-contractual overtime. This means that part-timers will not have to work out their full or whole time equivalent earnings; both contributions and benefits will be based on actual pay. Tax relief means that basic rate taxpayers will effectively get a 20 per cent discount on their headline contribution rate while higher rate taxpayers get a 40 per cent discount. Another important element of the new scheme is that members who are outsourced will be able to stay in the LGPS and not have to move to a “broadly comparable” scheme. Members will also have a 50/50 option and be able to pay half contributions. This may be helpful if personal circumstances change and you find you can’t afford to pay the full amount. You will still have full death in service, ill health cover and survivor benefits. We now have an agreed scheme that will continue to provide a decent pension long into old age for local government workers. We have only achieved this because GMB members were prepared to take on a government determined to squeeze the public sector.

regional

Asbestos victims get a Fund of

last resort

The new fund for mesothelioma victims is a step forward, but it’s limited in scope

fter years of campaigning by GMB, lawyers and support groups, the Westminster government has agreed to set up a fund for victims of mesothelioma – an incurable cancer caused by asbestos fibres in the lining of the lungs. This fund is vital for people who have developed mesothelioma only to find that they can’t claim compensation because their employer has gone out of business or the company’s insurer cannot be traced.

why we need a fund In 1972, it was made compulsory for employers to take out Employer’s Liability Insurance to cover any compensation payable to an employee who suffered an injury that was the employer’s fault. The problem is that if the insurer cannot be traced and the employer has gone out of business, the employee has no one to claim against. But from 25 July 2012, anyone diagnosed with mesothelioma, whose employer no longer exists and the employer’s insurer cannot be traced, can apply to the scheme for compensation funded by the Insurance industry.

• Anyone diagnosed on or before 24 July

2012 cannot apply and neither can the families of victims who are dead. • N o payments will be made until July 2014 and many victims will not survive to see their claim paid out. • P ayments will be lower than victims could expect if they claimed through the courts. • I t will only compensate sufferers of mesothelioma; not anyone diagnosed with other asbestos-related illnesses such as asbestosis, pleural thickening and asbestos-related lung cancer. • W hat about victims of workplace accidents or cancers such as bladder cancer caused by exposure to toxic chemicals at work? GMB regional secretary Paul McCarthy said: “GMB believes all victims of employer negligence deserve to be treated equally and will continue to fight for a fund of last resort that will compensate any employee who is denied justice simply because their employer has gone out of business and the insurer cannot be traced.”

not enough Although GMB welcomes this as a step forward, the scheme is flawed. Here’s why:

www.gmb.org.uk 29

regional

UPDATE

from GMB All the news

Dream team Steve Carr, Glyn Thornton, Maria Almond, Alan Collinge and Neil Smith.

Sporting chance GMB is dedicated to helping Olympic guards find new jobs

lmost 8,000 G4S staff joined GMB during the 2012 Olympic Games. In the North West and Irish region alone, a dedicated team signed up 478 of the 546 new G4S employees – that’s a whopping 87 per cent! The Baldock office was kept extremely busy during the Games, and is still helping to tie up outstanding issues involving G4S. But the key focus for GMB is now helping GMB members employed at the games find new jobs.

GMB organiser Alan Collinge said: “Our focus now shifts to helping our members with new employment opportunities with existing security companies.” Before the games GMB made a register of all members working for G4S who are Security Industry Association Licensed. All GMB members on the register have been sent a special newsletter to guide former Olympics guards into full time positions. Proof that GMB is in it for the long-run.

gmb is in the building

GMB members occupy Remploy head office in fight for justice As the government’s merciless attack on Remploy factories and the disabled workers they employ continues, frustrated GMB members occupied the company’s head office in Leicester. Another 27 factories have closed recently and Remploy staff fear they will never work again if they are made redundant. GMB representative Brian Davies said: “No-one who has been made redundant has been able to find a job.” GMB regional secretary Paul McCarthy went to the Labour Party conference to lobby Labour for their support. He said: “It is an absolute disgrace that hundreds of disabled workers have been thrown out of work with little or no support to help them get another job and those who remain are concerned about the future.” 30 www.gmb.org.uk

Be a life

saver

Once again we have been inundated with messages of support for young Louise, who is waiting for a kidney transplant. Louise’s grandmother, GMB rep Beryl Midgely, made a plea to members in the hope that a donor might come forward, but despite lots of support Louise is still in need of a transplant. Louise was was recently admitted to hospital for surgery and after some initial complications she was discharged and is recovering at home. Beryl urges GMB members to consider becoming an organ donor and knows only too well how the lives of thousands of people could be transformed if more people would come forward. For more about organ donation, contact: www.organdonation.nhs.uk

john torpey

Simon walsh

bolton

A warm GMB welcome from everyone at the Bolton office Gina Stott and her colleagues give all members a warm welcome, when they drop into GMB’s Bolton office. Gina has been gina stott with GMB for almost seven years and says there is never a dull moment, with members calling in for help or just for a cup of tea and a chat. “They can often brighten up your day,” says Gina. “Sometimes they tell humorous tales.” But it’s not all laughs and Gina says that when members visit in need of help it tugs on her heartstrings.

There is no magic wand but Gina and her colleagues are always ready to help. She says: neil smith “GMB is always on hand to listen, support and provide professional representation.” The listed Georgian building has been completely refurbished in recent years and has for almost three decades serviced GMB members right across mid and east Lancashire. Officers based at the Bolton office include John Torpey, Simon Walsh and Neil Smith. If you live in the area, drop in for a chat or call. Details are in the panel to the right.

GMB NORTH west & IRISH REGION

Contact If you have a problem at work and need advice, in the first instance speak to your GMB workplace organiser. Alternatively, contact your local GMB office.

GMB Regional Office

Columbus Quay, Riverside Drive, Liverpool L3 4GB T: 0151 727 0077 F: 0151 728 2929 Regional Secretary: Paul McCarthy, E: paul.mccarthy@gmb.org.uk

GMB Holywood Office

Victoria House, 1a Victoria Road, Holywood BT18 9BA T: 02890 393 340 F: 02890 393 349

GMB Blackburn Office

JOSS GUITTARD The North West and Irish region is saddened by the loss of one of its longstanding branch secretaries, Joss Guittard, who died on 6 August 2012, aged 55. Joss worked for the East Lancashire NHS Trust as a charge-hand porter and was based at the Royal Blackburn site. Joss was well known and liked throughout the Trust for his jovial manner and willingness to help people. He held a seat on all the main committees in his NHS Trust and, in addition, he was a member of GMB’s NHS National Advisory Group – a post he had held for many years. More recently Joss had been instrumental in helping to establish the region’s NHS Reps’ Forum. Indeed, the most recent meeting of the Forum, before Joss’s death, was held at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Joss was, as always, meticulous in the preparations that he made to ensure that the meeting went smoothly. Joss’s energy and enthusiasm for his trade union work was boundless and it will be difficult to replace someone of his calibre. Fortunately, Joss had always encouraged his local reps to expand their roles as far as they wished, and in Wendy Griffiths, the new branch secretary, the branch has found someone who shares Joss commitment and enthusiasm. We know that Joss would very much welcome Wendy into her new role. It was clear from the large attendance at Joss’s funeral the great esteem in which he was held by his friends and colleagues at East Lancashire NHS Trust. GMB has lost a great friend and champion but his colleagues know he would want them to continue the fight to protect GMB members and all staff working in the NHS. That fight goes on.

9 Wellington Street, St John’s, Blackburn BB1 8AF T: 01254 683 454 F: 01254 433 362

GMB Bolton Office

Jack Brown House, 80 St Georges Rd, Bolton BL1 2DD T: 01204 523 011 F: 01204 529 040

GMB Manchester City Council Office

GMB Trade Union, c/o Abraham Moss Centre, Crescent Rd, Crumpsall M8 5UF T: 0161 908 8316 F: 0161 908 1907

GMB Oldham Office

108 Union Street, Oldham OL1 1DU T: 0161 627 3062 F: 0161 222 1039

GMB Preston Office

The Textile House, 6 Sedgwick Street, Preston PR1 1TP T: 01772 555 879 F: 01772 253 415

GMB Runcorn Office

Tudor Hall, York Pl, York Street, Runcorn WA7 5BB T: 01928 572726 F: 01928 59 0317

GMB St Helens Office

72 Claughton Street, St Helens WA10 1SN T: 01744 25474/738330 F: 01744 451118

GMB Warrington Office

Assembly Rooms, Town Hill, Warrington WA1 2NG T: 01925 630 095 F: 01925 634 797 GMB regional website www.gmbnorthwest.com