Summary Minutes of Branch Meeting 250925

The September branch meeting of GMB Northants Community Branch (C51) took place on Thursday the 25th September 2025 at 7pm on Zoom. 

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Below are the summary minutes of the meeting. A full copy of the minutes are circulated to attendees and available on request from the branch secretary

​A PDF file copy of the September Summary Minutes are here

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Summary Branch Minutes 
25th September 2025

Correspondence

• Correspondence from members – ref: advice and guidance over the past two months. 
• Vacancies that have arisen in the Region and past onto branches.
• Website updates in collaboration with Adrian.
• Wortley Hall – updates.
• Corby CLP – by-election update.
• Corby Food Bank – update – visit to be arranged with Gordon and myself.
• Labour Party – Conference update.
• Rachelle – Reform update.
• Megaphone – Campaigning issues.
• Jackie – Labour – SNC.
• Invite to speak at I/borough Labour Party.
• Report from Maggie – KCLP.
• Ross, delegate to the Corby CLP.
• Lee Barron MP – date for branch meeting.
• TUC – Tackling The Far Right.
• Rachelle – Pellecraft order.
• Rachelle – new rep, ASDA Raunds.
• 38  Degrees – various campaign issues.
• Banner Theatre – update on productions.
• Retired Members – update and new rules on subscriptions and CEC.

 
Branch Secretary’s Report

• Retired Members Report – Regional and National.  Jackie and Alan to attend National conference 21st October 2025. 
• Reading group to talk at future meeting.
• Report from Tommy Beattie – Corby CLP – circulated.
• Report from Maggie – Kettering CLP.

 Presidents Report:

• Jackie very busy with her duties in the Labour party, especially with a current by-election.  Good response on the doorstep!
• Very busy with the Council – including sitting on a disciplinary.
• Ross reported on the Corby by-election.  Two horse race between Labour and Reform.  Reception on the doorstep “not great”. The key message is to stay positive!

 
Digital Communication Officer and Social Media Update.

• Communications Strategy Policy – presented to branch. Video introduced by Neil.  Hazards Conference 2025. Keele University. Agreed for broader publication.
• Presentation of Digital Marketing Strategy.  Copies sent to members.
• Website activity (GA4) for last 30 days: we had 183 (-93) website visits (sessions) by 166 (-51) people (users)

 ​News Items Added to Website:

1. GMB union Benefits and Services
2. Calling All Waspi Women
3. GMB Union Big Summer Survey
4. Accompanying Reps Training
5. Iron Ladies the documentary
6. Industrial Workers Against the Far Right
7. Health and Safety Stage 1 - Spaces Available
8. Summary Minutes of Branch Meeting 310725
9. Recent Political Developments and Our Responsibility to Members
10. Regional Retired Members meeting 24 September 2025
11. September 2025 GMB Northants Branch Meeting

 

• WhatsApp Group has 49 (+0) members

 

• The August Email Newsletter was sent out on Saturday 30th August to 1,786 members (June members list) and has been opened by 791 members, a 44.4% opening rate
• The September Email Newsletter was sent out on Sunday 21st September to 1,827 members (August members list) and has been opened by 828 members, a 45.5% opening rate

 
X / Twitter: 795 (+5) Followers.
Facebook: 479 (+4) Followers. Last 28 days: Posts Views 111 (-78%) seen (reach) by 27 (-69%) people.
YouTube 46 (+24) Subscribers.  Last 28 days- views: 33 (-156)
Latest Content:  GMB Northants “Great Things To Come
 
Equality Officers Report
Pat had problems with her laptop and had to leave the meeting.  She text an update on Retired Members Association. Progress going forward is all positive.
 
Regional Organisers Report
Rachelle offered a comprehensive and detailed report on the following workplaces.  Full report to branch members!

• Schools.
• Matalan.
• ASDA.
• St Andrews.
• Investment in Northamptonshire.
• Question and comments from branch on their observations on new warehouse around Northants and the concerns about Reform MPs voting against the new Employment Rights Bill. 

 
Accompanying Reps Report (ARs)

• Secretary reported on usual level of demand for advice and guidance from members. 
• Neil reported on cases he has dealt with.

 
Workplace Report.

•  Neil reported on the following, taken from Hazards conference
• AI monitoring concerns
• Workers under pressure – work intensity and the fear of disciplinary measures being taken against staff.
• Sexual harassment and reporting measures.
• Workplace reports from RMT and transport. Violence at work…
• Report on Lifelong Learning committee recently attended.
• ASDA – workplace cases involved with!

 
Any Other Business

•  Delegate Conference, Blackpool 2025 – two candidates declared: Pat Willmott and Neil Gardiner.  Ballot election at our October meeting.
• Maggie – Kettering CLP report.  Kettering Energy Park development and campaign against.
• Maggie – report on meeting with Danille Stone, Fire and Crime Commissioner. Real concern about domestic violence and the measures taken to deal with the increasing number of cases coming through the system and onto the police radar. 
• Maggie and Ross – Labour Party, Deputy Leader election. 
• Jackie – Irthlingborough issues on the High Street.
• Adrian – Pat texted through on Equalities AGM that will focus on pensions and AI. 
• Juan fed in that his camera and microphone are currently not working but really enjoying attending the meetings.
• Ross reported on cutting funding of ESOL courses. 

 
Yours fraternally
Alan Irwin
Branch Secretary

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