Summary of Branch Meeting 290224

The February meeting of the GMB Northants Community Branch took place on Thursday the 29th February 2024 at 7pm on Zoom

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

---

A PDF copy of the February Summary Minutes are here

---

​Summary Minutes of the Branch Meeting held on 29th February 2024

Special Speaker:
 
Rosie Wrighting, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.
 
Rosie gave an excellent presentation to the branch which was well received with plenty of questions from members.  Rosie was thanked for accepting our invitation. 
 
Matters Arising

• The Chair confirmed that branch elections would take place in 2025
• Confirmation on survey conducted by Verena – Verena to report. 

 
Correspondence

• Big volume of correspondence from 38 Degrees on various domestic and international issues.
• Midland Manufacturing – course in Stoke.
• Big volume of correspondence from Team Labour, gearing up for the GE.
• Rachelle – GMB pregnancy Charter.
• International Transport Workers – international campaigning issues.
• Adelle Atkiss, vacancies in the Southern Region and regional minutes.
• Lee Barren, to speak at our March meeting.
• Nicaragua - update
• Team Wellingborough – election update.
• Corby Pride – 2025.  Action – agreed - £xxx donation.
• Request, CTC – LP.
• Kettering CLP – call to canvass on behalf of Rosie.
• Labour Research – action – re-affiliate.
• Correspondence from members wanting to join the WhatsApp group.
• Labour HQ - GE
• Finbar Bowie – LP fund raising event.
• Adelle Atkiss – Ukraine appeal. Demonstration, 24th February, London
• Virtual reality programme on Corby Works – Secretary to be interview as a former steelworker.
• Regional Committee to decide whether they will support the play Planks Gave Way, at Congress.

 
Secretary’s Report

• Secretary workload quite heavy at the moment.
• Canvassing on behalf of the KCLP to support Rosie.
• Workers Memorial Day – possibly event in Kettering this year.  Secretary to update at the next meeting.

 
 
Presidents Report
Jackie gave an excellent report from the recent Regional Committee which included the following:

• Amazon – significant increase in member and update on industrial action.
• Legal cases update.
• Equalities report.
• Recruitment and retention.
• Membership update.
• CEC reports.
• TUC Midlands, awards night.
• International Women’s Day

 
Digital Communications Officers Report
Website activity (GA4) for last 30 days: we had 153 (+10) website visits (sessions) by 119 (+7) people (users)
News Items Added to Website:

• GMB CHARTER CONSULTATION - WOMEN'S CAMPAIGN UNIT
• GMB PREGNANCY LOSS CHARTER CONSULTATION
• BRANCH SECRETARY SPEECH FOR HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY CORBY 2024
• 2024 MARY MACARTHUR LECTURE
• SUMMARY OF BRANCH MEETING 250124
• THE CHAINMAKERS FESTIVAL 2024
• FEBRUARY 2024 BRANCH MEETING
• INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY ZOOM EVENT

WhatsApp Group has 37 (+1) members

The February email newsletter was sent out on Thursday 22nd February to 1,605 members (Jan members list) and has been opened by 733 members, a 45.8% opening rate
Young Members survey email campaign sent out Friday 16th February to 76 members, 34 opens, a 44.7% opening rate, resent today to 43 non-opens

X / Twitter: 804 Followers. Last 28 days: Tweets viewed (impressions) 84 (-42.1%)

​Facebook: 365 Followers. Last 28 days: Posts seen (reach) 25 (-88.3%)

Equality Officers Report

• Report on International Women’s Day  - update.
• Planks Gave Way – progress report.  It won’t be put on at Congress.  Regions considering it.  Update at the next meeting.

 
Youth Officers Report

• Verena, update on survey.   Poor response but being re-sent. Update at the next meeting.
• Verena reported on the few responses she did receive back and the concerns that young people have, e.g. more diversity in the workplace…
• Campaigning they would like to see was better pay and conditions. 

 
Regional Organisers Report

• Rachelle reported on ‘activity’ she has been involved with which included:
• North Northants Council update.
• ASDA, Kettering – Balloting for strike action.
• Matalan – two-year deal agreed.

 
Accompanying Reps Report
Secretary reported being very busy with cases he’s received. He expressed his concern about being let down by a member who didn’t inform him that the meeting he was attending had been cancelled, after travelling to Northampton. 
 
Workplace Report

• Neil reported on workplace activity, which included:
• Issues that concern staff.
• Grievances submitted.
• Changes in working systems. 
• Recruitment day update.
• Set up a WhatsApp group.
• Consultive ballot – update.

 
Any Other Business

• Adrian agreed to send the WhatsApp link to the Secretary before meetings so that it can go out with the agenda. 
• Neil raised a point about people ‘possibly’ not attending because they feel they might be expected to talk at the meeting.
• Verena endorsed those concerns on the pressure on members attending. 

 
Next meeting – 28th March 2024
 
Yours fraternally
Alan Irwin

summary_minutes_290224.pdf
File Size:	238 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

---