Now -read the book!

Here is a link to my memoirs which, if you are a glutton for punishment, you can purchase online at https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history.
Men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name. (William Morris - A Dream of John Ball)

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Setback for Equality at the TUC

Congress has just had its first card vote of the week. A motion from the TUC LGBT Conference, moved very well by Maria Exall of the CWU, and supported by UNISON, fell by 3,789,000 votes to 2,411,000.

The motion asked for the General Council to listen to the views of the TUC equality conferences, and to consider allowing each equality conference to submit two motions to Congress (rather than just one as at present). It also asked for direct representation for the equality conferences on the General Council.

This disappointing decision is a setback for equality within our movement. I was pleased at least that UNISON stood firm in support of self-organisation.

I am also very pleased that Maria Exall will be on the TUC General Council from today - no doubt she will continue to educate some of the less enlightened unions about equality issues. Good luck Maria!

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