GMB Young Members at the Young Labour Conference
29 February 2016

From 26th to 28th February, Young GMB members from North West & Irish region were in Scarborough for Young Labour Conference 2016, carrying the voice of young GMB members from the workplace to the Labour Party and promoting the GMB Fair Deal for Young Workers campaign.

NW&I young members were part of a national young member delegation collectively representing the union’s policies in Young Labour policy motions and the vote made by young members prior to conference on which candidate to support for the election of Youth Representative to the Labour Party National Executive Committee (NEC).

Delegates arrived Thursday evening for the UnionsTogether Political School, where young trade unionists from all Labour Party affiliated trade unions were able to make new friends, share ideas and learn the historic link between trade unions and the party, as well as new skills in public speaking and campaigning to name a few. This included talks from staff of Labour Party Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, former MP for Elmet, Colin Burgon and the new Director of CLASS think-tank, Faiza Shaheen.

On the first day of conference, delegates attended the speeches and Q&A’s for elected positions in Young Labour, candidates for Young Labour Chair: Caroline Hill and Rachel Barker, and for NEC Youth Rep: James Elliot and Jasmine Beckett. Delegates then fulfilled their collective mandate and voted the candidate in the NEC Youth Rep election that was supported by national young GMB members.

The results for the Chair and NEC Youth Rep elections are as follows:

Chair - Caroline Hill

NEC Youth Rep - Jasmin Beckett

GMB NW&I Young Members would like to congratulate both candidates on their election wins and congratulate our own fantastic North West & Irish young member, Charlotte Nichols, on her election as Women’s Officer for Young Labour!

In the evening delegates were kindly invited by the Bakers’ Union, BFAWU, to attend their Fast Food Rights campaign event where young fast food workers shared powerful stories of their experiences of low pay, bullying and precarious work in the fast food industry. The event also included a speech from the Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, and our GMB delegates got the chance to meet Jeremy and receive his support the GMB Fair Deal for Young Workers Campaign.

On the second day of conference, delegates continued their work representing the union and its young members in Young Labour policy motion debates. Unfortunately, due to time restrictions, only a few motions were discussed including free higher education, European Union Referendum and migrant rights, student bursaries and saving the UK Steel Industry. Those not discussed included fighting the Trade Union Bill and the living wage.  Delegates then attended Jeremy Corbyn’s speech to conference, followed by ambassador talks on liberation issues and caucuses (LGBT, Disabled, Women’s and BAME), talks on how to get more involved in Young Labour and Q&A sessions for the newly elected Young Labour committee before heading home Sunday evening.

GMB NW&I young members would like to thank all GMB delegates, GMB young members who were also attended as Labour Regional delegates, and Young Labour for a great conference in Scarborough. We look forward to use the campaigning momentum generated by conference in working closely with Young Labour in the North West ahead of local elections this May and throughout 2016.