Medway Trades Council: Next Trades Coucnil Meeting: Wednesday 18th April

The next Trades Council meeting will be held on Wednesday the 18th April, this will be a packed agenda, with the BNP fielding 3 candidates in the Gillingham area, there is lot of work to do in countering their lies and agenda to split the solidarity of working people.

The Love music Hate Racism festival on the 28th will also require a great deal of organising – if we are to stamp the mark of trade unionism on the event, and the need to organise and mobilise against racism.

This event will role straight into the campaign to build for the PCS dispute set for the 1st May, a significant dispute as the PCS union is striking as much against privatisation as it is for the cynical attacks on Collective Bargaining and agreements. The Trades Council in conjuction with the PCS North West Kent branch will be holding a public meeting on the 24th at the Sunlight centre, Gillingham, starting at 7.30pm, this event will primarily discuss solidarity action for the 1st.

All council members and volunteers are required to build for all of these events.

What are Trades Union Councils?

Trades Union Councils, Trades Councils or local TUC’s operate in towns or a cluster of towns. They aim to bring together trade union branches and activists from across their geographical area, working together in solidarity and campaigns to improve the conditions of their members. After several decades of decline trades council have witnessed a resurgence of interest, activity and reformation and the Medway Trades Union Council is no exception reforming in 2005. Historically trades councils occupy a unique place in trade union and working class history forming and organising locally from Friendly societies, Guilds and early trade unions some like the Chelmsford TUC date back to the 18 centaury. As trades councils and trade unions began to grow, so did the need to link up and work together; in 1822 John Gast formed the ‘Committee of Useful Classes’, seen by many as the first attempt to create an organisation of national Trades Union Councils. In 1866 trades councils from Sheffield and Yorkshire created the United Kingdom Alliance of Organised Trades and by 1897 this organisation held a conference that agreed to create the Trade Union Congress the present day federal body for trade unions and trade union councils.

How are Trades Union Councils Organsied?

Trades Councils are organised into local branches each mapping a geographical area, local trade union branches and activists affiliate to the council and send nominated delegates to show support for other unions and cooperate around campaigns and activity. Each branch pays a fee based on a formula of their membership levels, the Medway Trades Union Council is branch membership multiplied by 10 pence. The trade’s council like trade union branches will hold monthly meetings, for delegates to come together and discuss issues. The Medway Trades Union Council meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at the Redstar Learning Centre Chatham accessed via the car park opposite the entrance to the station. The Council has membership from the following affiliated unions and branches: Unison NHS logistics, UCU West Kent College, GMB North West Kent, Community Steel Works, PCS north West Kent, PCS Passport Office, Aslef Gillingham, Aslef Jubilee line, Unison East Kent Mental Health, Unison Kent County Council, RMT Slade Green Signals, RMT Gillingham, NUT North Kent. Along with monthly meetings the trades council is structured around a governing executive, this executive through the presentation of motions is mandated to organise and act in the interest of the affiliated branches inline with council rules. The executive members are: Chair: Jacquie Berry (Community) : Jacqui_berry@hotmail.co.uk Secretary: Jon Clark (UCU) : jonclark@wkc.ac.uk Events/ Social organiser: Vince Mapall (PCS) : http://by125fd.bay125.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/addresses?&curmbox=00000000%2d0000%2d0000%2d0000%2d000000000001&a=0bace26fc234ca944c5657d3bfd7d17bab37c6db3b140ac6759a7eb2005904b1## Treasurer: Tom Buttler (Community) Community Organiser: (GMB) : Sofie Toronto : http://by125fd.bay125.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/addresses?&curmbox=00000000%2d0000%2d0000%2d0000%2d000000000001&a=0bace26fc234ca944c5657d3bfd7d17bab37c6db3b140ac6759a7eb2005904b1## Industrial Organiser: Steve Wilkins (GMB) : http://by125fd.bay125.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/addresses?&curmbox=00000000%2d0000%2d0000%2d0000%2d000000000001&a=0bace26fc234ca944c5657d3bfd7d17bab37c6db3b140ac6759a7eb2005904b1## Press officer: Chas Berry (Unison) : http://by125fd.bay125.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/addresses?&curmbox=00000000%2d0000%2d0000%2d0000%2d000000000001&a=0bace26fc234ca944c5657d3bfd7d17bab37c6db3b140ac6759a7eb2005904b1## Equalities officer: Stephen Hetterley (PCS) : http://by125fd.bay125.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/addresses?&curmbox=00000000%2d0000%2d0000%2d0000%2d000000000001&a=0bace26fc234ca944c5657d3bfd7d17bab37c6db3b140ac6759a7eb2005904b1## General enquiries can be made through: medwaytuc@hotmail.co.uk

Medway Trades Council

Next Trades Coucnil Meeting: Wednesday 18th April

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What are Trades Union Councils?

How are Trades Union Councils Organsied?