Conference 2009: Bournemouth

Bournemouth is the venue for BECTU’s next Annual Conference in April 2009, which again follows a new format.

Branch delegates from all parts of the union will be attending Conference, which includes debating motions from both BECTU Branches and the union’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

For a second year, Conference will be following a new format:

• The NEC report will not be taken paragraph-by-paragraph, but a preliminary copy will be sent to Branches before Conference.
• Branches will be invited to indicate which paragraphs of the NEC’s report they would like to debate. Everything else will be ‘taken as read’ at Conference.
• Conference will break up for a time into three workshop sessions.
• The topics of these workshops will be confirmed in due course, but are likely to be:
• Disability in the workplace.
• Employment rights or Employment Tribunals - how do they work?
• Countering casualisation or collective freelance negotiation.

The Standing Orders Committee (SOC), which has responsibility for the agenda, has issued the timetable for Conference, which includes a 28 January 2009 deadline for receipt of proposed policy motions (propositions) from Branches.

Branch Secretaries have been sent details about Conference by the union Head Office, which includes forms for submitting motions.

The SOC is willing to assist Branches with the wording of their propositions. If proposition forms are returned early it may be possible for the SOC to consider any accompanying request from Branches for guidance.

BECTU members should contact their local Branch if they:

• Have ideas for motions they would like their Branch to put forward to Conference.
• Are interested in representing their Branch as a delegate.

Women, black and disabled members are especially encouraged to put themselves forward as delegates from Branches.

Conference is the supreme policy-making and governing body of the union and BECTU Branches are encouraged by the SOC to play their full part.

Conference takes place Saturday 25 April 2009 at the De Vere Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth.

See the BECTU Conference home for details of previous Annual Conferences.