1. Trade Union Blacklisting
“For well over three decades blacklisting of workers because of their trade union activities and barring them from employment, mostly in the construction industry, has been covertly taking place. More recently, companies who are known to have blacklisted trade unionists are now tendering for and procuring public contracts throughout councils in England.
The practice of blacklisting is illegal, immoral and reprehensible. In some cases this practice has led to long term unemployment for those who have been “blacklisted” for nothing more than representing their fellow workers. We ask this Council to publicly condemn this practice and affirm its own commitment to its recognised trades unions.
The Office of the Information Commissioner has exposed these companies and a list is available upon request. We call upon this Council to exclude such companies from undertaking work on its behalf, and where possible to award contracts to companies who give a commitment to working positively with trade unions within their organisation, whilst recognising the values of a unionised workplace and the benefits and savings it can bring.”
In the names of Councillors A Audin, K Audin, M Bailey, D Bailey, N Bayley, J Black, P Bury, G Campbell, S Carter, D M Cassidy, M Connolly, A J Cummings, E FitzGerald L Fitzwalter, J Frith, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J S Lewis, A K Matthews, N A Parnell, A Quinn, K Rothwell, R Shori, A Simpson, S Smith, J Smith, S Southworth, T Tariq and S Walmsley.
2. Council Tax Discount Schemes
“This Council recognises the tremendous amount of hard work carried out by thousands of dedicated volunteers in our Borough. This Council also notes the increasing importance and role of the voluntary sector and the need to continue to recruit more volunteers.
Over the last few years, councils of all political persuasions, in all parts of the country, have been introducing various Council Tax discount schemes as a way of thanking existing volunteers and to incentivise more people to become volunteers.
Therefore, this Council resolves to set up a cross party “Task and Finish” group with immediate effect with the goal of producing a financially affordable package of Council Tax discounts for the people who live and undertake voluntary work in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.”
In the names of Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I Gartside, D Gunther,
M Hankey, R Hodkinson, K Hussain, S Nuttall, B Vincent, R Walker, J Walton and Y Wright
Minutes:
Two Notices of Motion have been received and set out in the Summons.
1. Trade Union Blacklisting
A motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:-
Councillors A Audin, K Audin, M Bailey, D Bailey, N Bayley, J Black, P Bury, G Campbell, S Carter, D M Cassidy, M Connolly A J Cummings, E FitzGerald, L Fitzwalter, J Frith, J Grimshaw, S Haroon, P Heneghan, T Holt, A Isherwood, M A James, D Jones, J S Lewis, A K Matthews, N A Parnell, A Quinn, K Rothwell, R Shori, A Simpson, S Smith, J Smith, S Southworth, T Tariq and S Walmsley
It was moved by Councillor Parnell and seconded by Councillor Holt:
“For well over three decades blacklisting of workers because of their trade union activities and barring them from employment, mostly in the construction industry, has been covertly taking place. More recently, companies who are known to have blacklisted trade unionists are now tendering for and procuring public contracts throughout councils in England.
The practice of blacklisting is illegal, immoral and reprehensible. In some cases this practice has led to long term unemployment for those who have been “blacklisted” for nothing more than representing their fellow workers. We ask this Council to publicly condemn this practice and affirm its own commitment to its recognised trades unions. The Office of the Information Commissioner has exposed these companies and a list is available upon request.
We call upon this Council to take such steps as are lawful recognising the values of a unionised workplace and the benefits and savings it can bring; and to refer this matter to the Leader and Director of Resources and Regulation to consider how best the objectives of the motion can be taken forward.”
(Note: In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 14.7(a), Council had agreed to the Motion set out in the Council Summons being altered by the deletion of the final paragraph and the substitution of that set out above).
The Motion was put and with 32 voting for, none against and 17 abstentions was declared carried.
2. Council Tax Discount Scheme
A Motion had been received and set out in the Summons in the names of:-
Councillors I Bevan, R Caserta, J Daly, I Gartside, D Gunther, M Hankey, R Hodkinson, K Hussain, S Nuttall, B Vincent, R Walker, J Walton and Y Wright
It was moved by Councillor Gartside and seconded by Councillor Gunther:-
“This Council recognises the tremendous amount of hard work carried out by thousands of dedicated volunteers in our Borough. This Council also notes the increasing importance and role of the voluntary sector and the need to continue to recruit more volunteers.
Over the last few years, councils of all political persuasions, in all parts of the country, have been introducing various Council Tax discount schemes as a way of thanking existing volunteers and to incentivise more people to become volunteers.
Therefore, this Council resolves to set up a cross party “Task and Finish” group with immediate effect with the goal of producing a financially affordable package of Council Tax discounts for the people who live and undertake voluntary work in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.”
It was moved by Councillor Walmsley and seconded by Councillor FitzGerald as an amendment:-
“Delete Paragraph 3 which begins “Therefore the Council resolves………….” And substitute:
Therefore, this Council resolves to examine this option in conjunction with the current development of the Bury Volunteering Strategy as part of a wider range of feasible volunteering initiatives of the people who live and undertaken voluntary work in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.”
The amendment was put and unanimously carried.
The following Substantive Motion was put and carried unanimously:-
Council Tax Discount Schemes
“This Council recognises the tremendous amount of hard work carried out by thousands of dedicated volunteers in our Borough. This Council also notes the increasing importance and role of the voluntary sector and the need to continue to recruit more volunteers.
Over the last few years, councils of all political persuasions, in all parts of the country, have been introducing various Council Tax discount schemes as a way of thanking existing volunteers and to incentivise more people to become volunteers.
Therefore, this Council resolves to examine this option in conjunction with the current development of the Bury Volunteering Strategy as part of a wider range of feasible volunteering initiatives for the people who live and undertake voluntary work in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.”