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Network Journal 2007 Issue 6 Nov/Dec |
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National Political Conference 2007
Union members have made important progress during the last ten years of the Labour Government, general secretary John Hannett told delegates to the annual national political conference in November.
"We have seen a minimum wage for 16 and 17 year-olds, extended paid maternity/paternity leave, additional holiday entitlement, the right to request flexible working, and legal rights for learner reps," he said. "Usdaw was at the forefront of the debate on these important issues.
"But that's not the end of our political campaigning. We want to see further improvements in the minimum wage. It's not fair that the adult rate doesn't start until a worker is 22. We want to see this lowered so it becomes effective from the age of 18. We will also be lobbying for legal rights for workplace learning committees, paid time off for emergencies, extended access to childcare and the scrapping of the earnings limit for working carers."
Delegates from across the union's seven divisions joined senior officials, minister for the cabinet office Ed Miliband MP, Ann Coffey MP, secretary of the Usdaw parliamentary group, and Hazel Blears MP over the two day event at the warrington training centre.
In an hour long Q&A session, delegates raised a host of issues with Ed, Ann and General Secretary John Hannett, including working carers; lifelong learning; the national minimum wage; executive pay levels; the disability discrimination act; social housing; equal pay; agency and migrant workers; tax credits; prisons and the chancellors last budget.
In workshops over the weekend delegates came up with a host of suggestions for Labour's next manifesto from providing more free and flexible nursery care to making it easier for people to access lifelong learning opportunities.
"All the ideas will be fed in to the policy making process," added John.
www.usdaw.org.uk/politics
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