Union Mail – July 2013

National Conference 2013

The NGSU National Conference will be held over 7th – 9th October 2013. The Conference is the forum where Union policy and rules are decided. All motions passed with a two-thirds majority become Union policy and define our agenda for the next two years.

I am now calling on all members to submit ideas that will form the basis of Conference motions.

Submit Your Ideas for Conference

Any member can put forward an idea for discussion. These ideas will be discussed with your local Union Regional Council and a Representative from your Council will propose the motion at Conference.

Conference motions can be about any aspect of working life, terms and conditions or about the rules and activity of the Union. There is guidance on writing ideas for motions and some examples of possible topics below but this is not an exhaustive list and you can submit ideas on any topic you think the Union should be involved in.

How to submit your Conference motions ideas

You can submit your ideas on the form on July’s Union Mail (paper copy) and return it to the Union Office or give it to your local Union Representative. You can also submit ideas online on our website. A member of your local Regional Council will contact you about your ideas. You do not need to attend the Conference to submit an idea – a Conference delegate will propose the motion on behalf of your Regional Council.

The closing date for motions is 21 August 2013.

If you would like more information about Conference or need help with your ideas please call us on 01295 710767.

Tim Poil
General Secretary

Writing Conference Motions

As motions can become Union policy, the wording used is very important. Try to be clear in expressing what the issue is that you think needs to be addressed and what action you would like to see the Union take. Try to make sure that its meaning is clear to anyone who reads it.

For example here are two ways to write the same motion:

1) This Conference wishes to consider the possibility that, at some time in the future, the Union should consider whether it might be to its benefit to affiliate to the Grimsby Town FC supporters’ club. This is because the Grimsby team needs all the support it can get and if this motion is passed it could demonstrate the Union’s commitment to developing links with local Communities.

2) This Conference instructs the National Executive Committee to affiliate to the Grimsby Town FC supporters’ club immediately.

The first version is vague about what it sets out to achieve and does not state what needs to be done – instead it talks of the ‘possibility’ and ‘at some time in the future’. It also includes some of the reasoning behind the motion which makes it unnecessarily long.

The second version is very clear about what it sets out to achieve, by whom, and when. It is not blurred by describing the arguments behind the motion which are better used in the speech proposing the motion at Conference.

Whilst the subject of this motion is flippant, it demonstrates how much better it is to make sure that the aims of the motion are clear to all who read it. Speak to your local Representative or call us on 01295 710767 if you need help in writing a motion.

Suggested Subject Areas

These are some of the topics that members regularly contact us about. If you think something needs to be changed, why not submit an idea for Conference?

Pay & Bonuses
Performance Management
Health & Safety
Overtime & TOIL
Shift Working
Redundancies
Pensions
Disciplinary & Capability Issues
Flexible Working
Stress
Targets
Harassment
Equal Opportunities
Union Rules
PRIDE

You can see examples of the motions that were passed at previous Conferences on our website – following the links to Conference 2013 from the home page.

Rep of the Year

Our Constituency Representatives play an important role for the Union – working on behalf of local members and keeping us in touch with local issues whilst keeping up their day job with the Society.

We like to recognise their achievements by inviting members to nominate their local Rep for our Rep of Year award, to be presented at our National Conference in October.

If you’d like to acknowledge the contribution of your local Rep please find a few minutes to fill in our nomination form on our website – just follow the links for Conference on our home page.

July Draw Winners

First Prize: £10, 947
094202: Andrea Williams of Associate Members

Second Prize: £5,000
095341: Jennifer Thompson of Pension Fund Members

Third Prize: £2,000
093348: Ronald Waldren of Pension Fund Members

Fourth Prizes: £500
095001: Judith Martin of Diamonds
082235: Susan Harvey of Sheffield
109547: Ronald Tudor of Pension Fund Members