On Monday 24th October 22 I attended the first hybrid meeting of the National Community & Voluntary Sector Committee at Unison Centre.

The meeting was opened by Haifa Rashed Assistant National Officer Community & Voluntary Sector, she welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the National CVS Committee and proceeded to ask everyone to introduce them selves to the other delegates.

After introductions were completed, the meeting proceeded to elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, two representatives to represent the committee on the CVS Service Group Executive and at the 2023 National Community service group conference, from the candidates that had put them self forward for nomination.

The following delegates were duly elected:

Chairperson Graeme Ellis

Vice Chairperson Lesley Discombe

CSGE Reserved seat Lesley Discombe

CSGE General seat Joe Kirwin

Conference Received seat Mary Madden

Conference General seat Graeme Ellis

The meeting proceeded with presentations from Anna Birley, UNISON Policy Officer, on the Cost of Living Crisis and Martin Russo, from the Learning and Organising Services.

I found both presentations very informative and felt that it gave the committee some very good starting point ideas, on how to approach organising CVS members in the various structures of the union within the work being undertaken at the National level of union as a whole.

The last item of business the committee discussed was appropriate topics for Motion for consideration by the committee to be submitted to 2023 Conference.

After a short discussion it was agreed that the committee would submit two motions, highlighting the present state of Social Care and the importance of future pay in the CVS sector.

Clive Streeter