GMB Magazine GMB25 Centre Point Summer 2016 | Page 8

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Congress 2016 in Bournemouth
was a winner for Birmingham and
West Midlands Region delegates

G

MB members from Birmingham
category for her work at the care
and West Midlands Region
home where she’s employed. Patricia
made a big impression
received these fantastic accolades from
at GMB Congress
Mary Turner, GMB National
2016 in Bournemouth, with
President, alongside other
our delegates eager to lead
GMB award winners.
debate and discussion on
Patricia said: “Allowing
union policy.
workplace racism breeds
A huge highlight for
an environment of
our Region was when
discrimination, distrust,
Patricia Gumbria
friction and unsafe
received the prestigious
conditions. Myself and
GMB President’s Award
colleagues, with the help
for Most Inspirational
of fantastic supportive
Individual on Equality in
staff at GMB in Halesowen,
GMB or at Work. Patricia has
fought hard against racism
PATRICIA GUMBRIA
been pivotal in fighting to raise
and discrimination where ethnic
employment terms and conditions
minorities were given zero hours
for non-white workers in the Birmingham area.
contracts and at one point had all their
As well as the individual award, Patricia
shifts cancelled.”
was also Highly Commended in the Most
Joe Morgan, regional
Inspirational Equality Project for Organising
secretary, said: “Patricia’s

CAMPAIGN RECOGNITION
Margaret Aspinall received a Gold
Badge for her Hillsborough work.
care home was blighted by racial
discrimination. A new manager gave all
new white workers full-time contracts,
denying the same for existing ethnic
minority workers.”
Our Region also led the way in its support
for the families of Hillsborough victims, who
were vindicated by the recent inquest which
found their loved ones were unlawfully killed.
The Birmingham and West Midlands Region
persuaded Congress to donate £10,000 to
the Hillsborough Family Support Group.
Congress had already awarded the GMB
Gold Badge to Margaret Aspinall, who leads
the group. While the Gold Badge was a
well-received gesture, it was felt that due
to the hardships suffered by the families
of those at Hillsborough, a financial award
was well-deserved.

NEW FACES IN BOURNEMOUTH
There were 15 new delegates from the Birmingham and West Midlands
Region at Congress 2016 and they spoke on a number of issues from
challenges in the workplace to the EU referendum. Pictured here with
regional secretary Joe Morgan are Steve Carter, Byron Cooke, Sam
Fagan, Paul Graham, Angela Jones, Pauline O’Rouke, Ian Price, Andrew
Pyke, Christopher Rhodes, Gerald Richards, Rachael Roberts, Yvonne
Thomas, Charles Chatfield and Charlie Taylor.

08 CENTRE POINT – GMB Birmingham and West Midlands

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21/06/2016 16:00