Summary of Branch Meeting 270325

The March branch meeting of GMB Northants Community Branch (C51) took place on Thursday the 27th March 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 March Summary Minutes are here

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​GMB Northants Community Branch Minutes 27th March 2025

Minutes of branch meeting held on the 27th February 2025
Agreed as a true record.
 
Matters Arising
WASPI funding has now been sent as requested by the branch at the previous meeting. 
 
Correspondence.

• Banner Theatre, Battle Lines.
• Team Labour.
• Home Start – Receipt.
• Pat – Blanks Gave Way
• Megaphone – Redhill’s – Durham Miners.
• East Midlands Labour.
• 38 Degrees – Elon Musk.
• Adrian – Cloud recording.
• KCLP.
• South Yorkshire Festival – 10th August.
• Sarah James – RMA mins.
• Matt Keane – Local elections.
• Midland Retired Members Association.
• Midlands – education courses.
• Rachelle – school visit.
• Adelle– Regional C. Mins
• Adelle – RIP – Robert Murrey
• Adelle – York Disabled Workers Co-operative – newly set-up.
• Adrian – website inclusions.
• Neil – recruitment day.
• GMB – Employment Law course.
• Ian – urgent call for candidates.
• Sara – Case Management Systems. Secretary to report.
• KCLP.
• Sarah - RMA
• Kate  Diaries.
• Pat – WASPI update.
• 38 Degrees – Tax the Super Rich.
• Finbar  – GFTU.
• GMB – Rally for Carers – Zoom -25th March.
• East Midlands Labour.
• Request to join WhatsApp group.
• Adelle – CEC mins.
• Pat – UN  - Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
• Pat – WASPI – update.
• East Midlands AGM.
• Adrian – website updates.
• Midlands – GMB vacancies.
• GMB – Regional Equality Forum.
• Adele – Regional Council Elections -results.
• Rachelle – On-line enrolment of courses.
• Verena – ideas for young members.
• Sarah – RMA stall at conference.- donation /prize ?
• East Midlands NPC.

 
** Jackie left the meeting and handed over the Chair to Adrian. 
 
Branch Secretary’s Report

• Secretary reported that himself and Neil had attended a recent course for accompanying representatives.  A new system for allocating cases has now been introduced by region. 
• Report on recent attendance at the Midlands, Retired Members Association in Nottingham. Big issue still concerns formal recognition within the union. 
• Local elections on May 1st 2025.  Both Jackie and I are candidates. 
• Update on Rajko
• Young members meeting – Zoom, 3rd April.  Report to April meeting. 
• Report on Scunthorpe steel works, threatened closure.

 
Branch Elections , June 2025.
Reminder of elections in June.  Officers always available to talk to any potential candidates as agreed by the branch.
 
Presidents Report:
The President had to leave the meeting due to Labour Party commitments.  She reported before she left that both Pat and herself had been re-elected  to the Regional Council.
 
Digital Communication Office

• Website activity (GA4) for last 30 days: we had 201 (-17) website visits (sessions) by 164 (-3) people (users)
• News Items Added to Website:

ASDA Kettering recruitment Day Feb 2025
Irthlingborough Foodbank
GMB Midlands Retired members meeting
GRASP Sisterhood Event 20 March 2025
Derby Silk Mill Event 7th June 2025
GMB Employment Law Course
GMB Northants Branch Elections 2025
Summary of Branch Meeting 270225
United Nations Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
GMB Northants at ASDA Corby
GMB Midlands Health and Safety Forum
 

• WhatsApp Group has 49 (+0) members
• The March Email Newsletter was sent out on Saturday 22nd March to 1,682 members (January members list) and has been opened by 785 members, a 46.8% opening rate
• X / Twitter: 790 (+3) Followers.
• Facebook: 455 (+9) Followers. Last 28 days: Posts Views 497 (+70%) Seen (reach) 114 (+75%)

 
Equality Officers Report

• Pat reported that she had attended the TUC and had been elected to represent the GMB and reported on issues raised. 
• WASPI report and confirmation on funding received. 
• Report on International Women’s Day. Event in Leicester which Pat attended. 
• Report on Regional Equalities Forum.  Pat reported there was quite a discussion around the status of retired members which has been picked up by the equality’s forum. 

 
Youth Officers Report

• Verena reported on the scheduled young members meeting on the 3rd April 2025 via Zoom.  Recently reviewed the survey that was carried out and in particular how we can become ‘more present’ in the workplace.  Especially in health care!
• One of the issues also raised was that young people are concerned about their terms and conditions. 
• Alan, Jackie and Adrian to attend first meeting.
• Adrian to send out a further reminder email of the meeting. 

 
Regional Organisers Report
Apologies given.
 
Accompanying Reps Report (ARs)
Alan reported he’s been very busy with recent cases, mostly disciplinary. 
Considerable increase in phone advice given to members. 
 
Workplace Report

• Neil reported on ASDA, equal pay issue still very prominent in the workplace. 
• Abi supporting Neil significantly in the store.
• Recrutment day planned for Easter weekend.
• Both Abi and Neil recently visited store in Corby and were successful in recruiting a few new members. Neil reported that he was very happy with how the day went. 
• Meeting Alan to discuss various ways to better profile the branch going forward.
• Report on the Health & Safety Forum which both he and Abi attended. 
• Abi to attend a H&S course at the end of April. 
• Issue raised about a workplace disagreement being currently dealt with. 
• Two current grievances ongoing.

 
Date and Time of Next Meeting
Thursday 7pm 24th April 2025– Zoom.

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