Day 1 - Sat 13th June

A 6am update from Jim Paterson

Up early to get on the flight to Gatwick and on to Brighton. The NL delegation are in good spirits despite the early rise. On arriving in Brighton the thing that strikes you is how vibrant a town it is and the wonderful weather keeps everyone in high spirits.

As a conference virgin i don't really know what to expect, all the language is a bit foreign to me but i will hopefully get to grips with the motions and comosites!

We meet a lot of other scottish collegues and it is interesting to hear them speak about their worries on job evaluation, something we in NL know only too well.

Looking forward to tomorrow and the main event, have to go a cold beer is calling.

 Day 2 - Sun 14th June

A insight into day one of Conference by Sean Hanlon

What a start to the first day! The Local Goverment conference was opened by Sue Highton, President of unison and then moved to the annual report reflecting on some of the many challenges local goverment wokers and the unison service group have faced over the last year.

You won't be suprised if I tell you that the words paycut, payfreeze and privatisation had a good few mentions... Reflecting on the difficult year that unison members have faced.

Some great debates took place with motions, suggestions and examples of how we as a union can tackle the biggest problem our country is facing... the recession.

"The global bankers have done a great job in proving that captalism doesn't work" - a quote from a fellow delegate.

Another interesting debate that took place was around the role of the voluntary sector and ensuring that this is recognised and that we in the public sector do what we can to support our colleagues in the community and voluntary sector.

On a lighter note, whilst writing this update and looking out onto the seafront, I seen 2000 naked cyclists passing...... protesting against traffic congestion. Maybe a thought if industrial relations break down? ;)

 Day 3 - Mon 15th June

Marie Quigley

This mornings session was around a subject we are familiar with in North Lanarkshire, namey organising suppport staff in schools. The message from the platform was clear that we should be demanding the same approach to their pay and conditions as is dealt out to teachers.

Dave Prentis addressed the local governmet conference and gave us a few funnies at the expense of John Prescott.

The afternoon was taken up by a debate on social work in England and it was one of the votes we cannot vote on.

It is another stunning summr day and the delegation now have some free time to sit on the beach before the meeting of the Scottish Region before the National delegate conference starts tomorrow. 

 Day 4 - Tues 16th June

National Delegate Conference - General Secretary Address

After a rousing address by Unison general secretary, the bars and hotels were busy and buzzing with delegates and branches discussing the address, North Lanarkshire delegates were no different .

The address and the call on the Labour link to suspend funds from Labour politicians who did not support the fight for public sector workers received rapturous acclaim in the conference hall and was well received by the NL delegation.

The Labour Party can rely on ’No more blank cheques from Unison’

Dave offered the government the option of backing the public sector and providing services in our communities and also the enjoy the economical benefits our members contribute to the economy or cut back and compound the problem.


The address seemed to offer the Labour government a clear choice between backing the continued bail out banks and the culture of greed that got them into the most serious financial crisis the country has ever known since the 1930’s or back the millions of public service workers who strive to provide service to the most needy in our society.

The general secretary went on to chastise politicians who claimed they ‘ hadn’t broken any rules’, the general secretary went on that they hadn’t broken any rules except those of common decency and morality that every worker in the public sector is expected worked to.

 Day 5 - Wed 17th June

Conference started this morning on an International note with guest speaker Tom Woodruff from the SEIU. Tom spoke very well on the gap between workers pay and that of bosses and showed through research and statistics , that the gap is getting larger.

Tom and his union campaign very activley to get Obama elected and toured states to canvas for votes. 

The morning went on to discuss union learning and we heard from several speakers who gave testimony as to how this had changed their lives for the better.

It was also announced that thei would be no more conferences in Brighton, until they sorted out the seating in the arena, something that the NL delegation and other Scottish delegations had a poblem with, when it was discovered there weren't enough sats for everyone.  

 Day 6 - Thurs 18th June

Thursday morning was very much in an International theme, with an inspirational speaker from Cuba and a debate of Palastine / Israel unrest.

The afternoon motions were on the subject of rule changes and in particular a rule change to stop members of the BNP being Unison members, amazingly there are 264 BNP members at preset in Unison, some as shop stewards and branch officers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Day 7 - Fri 19th June

Most of your delegation are heading back home today, and it has been a packed week, i have to say.

On reflection attending conference gives you an idea of the size and scale of our union, it really is massive.

It was great to meet and talk to other Unson members and compare our exeriences, i'm sure we have all made some new friends.