GFTU BGCM Minutes 2017

in terms of education, trade union education, bringing the politics back into

trade union education. I think we were very fortunate at the BGCM, we have

had submissions from people like Keith Gildart, people from Leeds Beckett.

Leading in with that, we looked at personnel management and Steve delivered

a particularly useful presentation on performance management. Again, as

trade unions, and I think this was the point that Steve was making, we have

been locked into a kind of business model of performance management which

is really not necessarily effective or appropriate to our needs. That business

management model has negative connotations and performance management

does not in itself produce what we call productive labour, so we need to look at

new models. I must stress for those that did not attend and are looking forward

to attending the next conference and the progression of that in February, this is

not a sit down, be talked to and listen kind of event. It is very, very interactive

with workshops that are led by some of the delegates, by some of the members

of the EC, but it is very, very much your conference.

Following on from that we looked at organisational change and probably a

good example of that was given to us by someone like Gary of Nautilus. In a

changing workforce and a changing environment we have got to really be

prepared to look at our own organisational structure, how we organise. As I

say, Gary gave a great example of the mergers that they have effected

internationally. A big part that came out of the conference was shared services

and I think that led to a paper which was distributed to all affiliates regarding

shared services. There are some great opportunities for us to really act as a

strong collective, pooling our physical resources, our logistical resources and,

bearing in mind that was first mooted two years ago, I think first mooted with

the offer of the use of the offices at TESSA, I know there has been a fraternal

spirit in terms of trying to collaborate and save money, pool ideas, and that was

probably one of the key things that came out of that. So it was an integrated

programme that emerged and this is why the BGCM has been so important in

giving us that direction. It emerged out of the 2015 BGCM. You have seen the

progress over the last two years. That will continue and what I would urge you

to do, brothers and sisters, is to disseminate information regarding all the

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