Chelmsford TUC

Monthly Reports

OCTOBER GENERAL MEETING

At the meeting held on 7 October Chelmsford TUC delegates reported on their attendance at the Mid Essex Hospitals Trust AGM and received an assurance that the Trust could meet its obligations regarding future patient capacity and the costs of the PFI project despite its current losses. We also received a response from the Trust regarding the new car-parking charges but delegates expressed concern at the way in which staff parking fees had been introduced.

Delegates finalised arrangements for the public event it is holding in conjunction with Oxfam on Climate Change. Supported by Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society, the meeting will be at Christ Church on 4 December at 7.30pm. There will be speakers from Oxfam, the United Nations Association and Saffron Walden which is engaged in the increasingly important Towns in Transition Movement. Over thirty local groups and employers are supporting the meeting.

Plans were agreed for the traditional May Day Rally and a series of exhibitions in 2010. Speakers are to be invited from Campaign against the Arms Trade, the Fire Brigades Union, the postal workers’ union and Thompsons Solicitors.

A discussion took place about the Trades Council’s anti-racist stall in the High Street on 4 October. This had been very successful but delegates noted, with concern, that racist activity has been taking place in Mid Essex. This has been responded to throughout the area by a distribution of leaflets condemning racism. The meeting concluded with a number of workplace reports, one of which was about the cuts proposed for the fire service. Delegates supported the action taken by the FBU nationally and locally to ensure that the community has sufficient equipment and fire fighters to meet demand.