EC Meeting Papers January 2018

With the Head of Finance I have been modelling the future prospects of the GFTU’s finances under the new build arrangements and will bring a further paper on this to the EC. We have also looked at the profitability of the hotel. It is my responsibility as General Secretary and Treasurer to advise the EC on financial performance and prospects. Bear in mind that it no longer looks viable to build the new nursery building and that if we were to build that building and dedicate it to another use we would require planning permission (which could take a while), then our potential income generation per annum on the Quorn site is £85k from the houses and a predicted £246k from the hotel. I am not entirely confident at this stage with the hotel prediction and have requested a further review of it. Even if this amount were achieved a £331k per annum profit from the Quorn site would still potentially leave us with £150k per annum to find from our capital to sustain the current level of free education and other services. Our total capital would be reduced by then because it would only be sensible to pay for the new build at Quorn entirely from our current reserves. Taking out a loan on the new build all or part would make no sense at all.

Closer consideration of this position will be needed on the basis of a further paper at the EC.

I will be meeting our financial advisor also in early February.

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International

2.1

Kurdish Question and Free Ocalan.

I was asked to speak at the Annual world conference held in the EU Parliament on the Kurdish Question and the Free Ocalan campaign. I attach my speech. The support of the British Trade Union Movement is much appreciated. I would propose that the GFTU donates £500 to the Freedom for Ocalan Campaign which is entirely trade union based and results from the TUC and GFTU work and policies.

I would encourage all affiliates to support this campaign.

2.2

Vietnam.

Four senior colleagues from the Vietnamese General Confederation of Labour, their TUC< joined us for a full week to consider mainly health and safety at work. The Education Officer organised a number of informative and high level meetings for them and the VGCL considered this a successful visit with a lot of learning taking place.

The Vietnam UK network gave some financial assistance to this visit.

The Morning Star covered the exchange in a feature. Attached.

The delegation were also able to have a discussion with the AEGIS General Secretary Brian Linn.

The next stage of this exchange is to send health and safety experts to Vietnam to train their health and safety trainers. I understand that such an invitation may be forthcoming in 2018. As a member of the Vietnam UK network I attended the recent dinner at the House of Lords celebrating 5 years of the network and 45 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Vietnam. Relations are now at their highest level and extensive trade and development with

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