In this issue…
FBRCAEMPEING
GM
at the
festival
NEIL DERRICK
d North
GMB Yorkshire an l Secretary.
na
gio
Re
e
Derbyshir
Testing times
ahead
for GMB
Join GMB and enjoy this year’s
Tolpuddle Festival in Dorset. Page 11
5 Don’t lose your voice
16 Made by GMB
6 The pride of Yorkshire
18 If the lights go out…
GMB fights the Trade Union Bill, plus our
#10PoundNOW Living Wage campaign
As Tim Roache becomes General Secretary, we
welcome new Regional Secretary, Neil Derrick
8 Help floods in
9 Tim Roache
20 Get your branch online
22 GMB 2015 election results
Who you elected across all GMB regions
Welcome to GMB’s new General Secretary
10 EU referendum
An angry ‘yes’ vote
11 Tolpuddle 2016
Free camping for GMB members at this major
summer festival
12 Pension protection
GMB makes sure members
at EDF get decent pensions
13 Equal pay claim
If you’re a woman and
have worked for Avery
Care Homes, read
this page!
24 UNIONLINE
GMB members’ own legal service
25 Care in crisis
A forum to support care workers
26 Equalities update
Women’s conference is a success
28 GMB local heroes
GMB member shaves her hair
for charity; and lots more!
31 Direct Debit
Public service workers
should switch to Direct
Debit now!
14 Mental health
Our Young Members have
been busy! Page 27
GMB’s new guide to
mental health at work
Cover: Andrew Wiard
The government needs an energy policy
Websites are easy with Pellacraft
GMB assists flood victims; and strikes in Sheffield
On average
union members
are 16.7%
better paid
than non
members
Building the UK – GMB members make the
bricks, concrete, glass and plaster
GMB
membership
covers you
wherever you
work
UNIONLINE
Your trade
union law firm:
0300 333 0303
Not a GMB member? Join today
www.gmb.org.uk/join/join-online
INS24.yor_03.CW10.indd 3
No one can stop
you joining
GMB
Current
Vacancies
@GMB See
www.gmb.org.uk/
about/gmb-jobopportunities
I am proud and honoured
to introduce myself to you
as the new Regional Secretary of the
Yorkshire and North Derbyshire Region.
I am no stranger to the Region, having
worked here for 22 years as a legal officer,
organiser and then senior organiser. I am
looking forward to the challenge and
opportunities that lie ahead for GMB,
its staff, reps and membership.
My priorities as Regional Secretary will
be to ensure that our Region continues
to grow, and encourage and involve reps
and members in its campaigning activities.
I will continue to motivate all regional
employees to play a full part in building
GMB. I intend to reach out to our activists
to ensure they receive the support and
resources that they need to carry on the
fantastic work they do in workplaces
across the Region. I will be an equalities
champion and will work hard to ensure
that GMB both engages with the wider
communities and with those who feel
disenfranchised or disengaged because
of their gender, race, disabilities or
sexual orientation.
I am under no illusion that the most
immediate challenge working people
face is the current government’s anti-trade
union ideology, its opposition to properly
funded public services and its
determination to use austerity as a
measure for shackling working people,
their aspirations and the unions who give
them a voice. There is a lot of work to do
– but I am ready for the challenge and I
am ready to work with all GMB members,
activists and staff to ensure that our great
union does what it does best, which is stand
up for the rights of working people and to
broaden the opportunities that working
people have, both in the workplace and
in the wider society.
My predecessor, Tim Roache, has left
us in a fantastic position. I wish him
every success in his new role as
General Secretary of this great union.
www.gmb.org.uk 03
17/02/2016 11:07