Although the "Dying to Work" campaign was being promoted by the TUC, which was talked about at Congress, it was only when Richard Oliver of the GMB gave a presentation at the GMB Northwest Justice conference on the 8th October this year, I fully appreciated what the campaign was all about. Having discussed it with a number of my GMB colleagues within the council, we made the decision to approach Mayor Anderson and Deputy Mayor Ann O'Byrne, to see whether Liverpool City Council would be willing to sign up to the "Dying to work" policy.
As we all know, the forward thinking Labour council, is always willing to work together with the Joint Trade Unions and JTUC, and it was a welcomed surprise not only the fact they would be willing to agree to sign up, but have it signed off within a few weeks of our approach.
As a JTUC at the council we work well together, and both the Unison Branch Sec and I met with the Council jointly, this would give a stronger representation to the cause.
We were also given the opportunity to speak on the policy, the night the full Council meeting and was overwhelmed when it was unanimously agreed to sign up to the policy.
To me it proves if you don't ask, you don't get. The GMB should always be a campaigning union, hopefully other GMB branches will be as successful with their employers.