work lives RMT conferences are unlike any


other – a roll call is taken of the 100 or so delegates at each morning and afternoon session. The late Bob Crow’s voice was among the more moderate. Conferences of the RMT’s predecessor, the NUR, used to last two


weeks. Most now last a week, with some unions, including Unite and the NUJ, switching to every two years. Disputes were often settled during “crucial”


talks on the fringes, and delegates marched out to join picket lines or protest against local firms. The entire GMB conference marched to the AA’s Newcastle offices one year to drive home a pay campaign, while RMT picket lines at Brighton station have been bolstered by union delegates. Paul Kenny, a former GMB leader, is a huge fan


of annual conferences, saying they bring together officials and members, leading to important debates and key decisions. He says: “They are irreplaceable. They are our parliament, holding officials to account as well as letting activists know they are not alone. They


are a great recruitment vehicle – we always increase membership after our conference.” I also feel enthused at conferences. Where else could I meet postal workers, firefighters, dinner ladies, rail guards, refuse collectors, nurses, care home staff or campaigners? I have been privileged to interview campaigners such as actor Ricky Tomlinson, Eileen Turnbull seeking justice for the Shrewsbury 24, Dave Smith, still fighting on behalf of blacklisted workers and the Women Against State Pension Inequality. And where else could I hear stories such as this one from Dick Murray of London’s Evening Standard? “Packing up after an Aslef conference, I found a drawer full of ladies’ black underwear of what can only be described as of a ‘specialist’ nature. I spent half hour trying to convince reception they were not mine and I definitely did not want them forwarded onto my home.” After years in the conference wilderness,


Blackpool is building a new centre, due to open in 2019, and the GMB has decided to return there. No doubt the new venue will offer a decent view of any passing submarines.


Alan Jones is industrial correspondent for the Press Association


Back to Blackpool?


Blackpool’s Winter Gardens used to host most union conferences, but new, purpose-built centres in cities such as Manchester and Liverpool have become increasingly popular, giving a huge economic


boost to the regions, while Brighton and Bournemouth remain


firm fixtures on the conference circuit. A new venue is being built in Blackpool, which may see unions returning to the resort. The old engineering and electrical union


once went to Jersey after being offered a cheap deal, while the GMB held its conference at a plush conference centre on the outskirts of Dublin two years ago.


9/11: The TUC Congress in Brighton in 2001 will be remembered for taking place during the terrorist attacks in New York. The then prime minister Tony Blair was


due to speak, but, as the horrors enfolded, it was clear he would have to return to Downing Street. He made a brief speech explaining why he was leaving. Even from my seat in the balcony of the Brighton Centre, I could see he looked white and totally stunned.


Awards: Labour and industrial correspondents used to hold an event at the end of the TUC Congress, giving an award to the reporter who had made the biggest mistake in the past year. It was considered a badge of honour. As more union press officers were


appointed over the years, they were given their own category – the biggest “bum steer”, or tip-off that never actually materialised. Sadly, the awards have been consigned to history.


MARCUS ROSE theJournalist | 11


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