Saturday 11 October 2014

Too Clever by Half?

As is often the case, I have no idea where this blog post will go, especially on several pints and at this unearthly hour, but I know people are desperate for news, so here goes.

I really don't know what to make of yesterday, but in essence the quandary faced by everyone in the morning 'closed' session goes like this - have I just been privvy to a complete charade, or have I just heard the unvarnished truth? 

It was clever swearing a room full of probation staff to secrecy, because unlike other parts of the criminal justice system, we generally keep secrets. As a union member, I feel duty bound to do as requested and not pass on any details via social media, but the question is, was this more about an attempt at neutering dissent, silencing a blog and covering the backside of the General Secretary, than a genuine expression of intent and a plan?

It's not scientific, but the vibes I picked up were very mixed. Undoubtedly some in the hall feel it was all smoke and mirrors, but I have to say the General Secretary was somewhat unusually in sombre explaining-mode and rhetoric-free. Maybe he took heed of yesterday's advice? Whatever, in retrospect, it may ultimately prove to have been a tactic too clever by half. 

But it's not over yet. A dickie bird tells me there may well be some Emergency Motions to put before the conference this morning, possibly in a further closed session. So, apologies for talking in apparent riddles at this time, but I don't want to be accused of sabotaging any genuine actions being considered by the union. It may come as a surprise to Napo HQ, but this blog has always sought to be supportive, and especially in prosecuting the fight against TR.  

All I can say is, carry on watching this space, and I will endeavour to provide more information and explanation as soon as I possibly can.

Good night all.          

18 comments:

  1. Thank you Jim - unable to attend but have some info from comrades via phone calls and texts. Hopefully more to come tomorrow but nothing going to be effective without all members being active in some way. TW

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  2. thanks for that Jim. being supportive to the request of NAPO, while attempting to ease the anguish of the 'desperate for info' outsiders. May this morning be a good one.

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  3. Well I am at the agm .. I have this view... I sincerely hope I am wrong.. But... My assessment is .. That they've akready made the decision not to do JR but they won't come out at say this at the agm as they know we will be in uproar.. So what we heard today was their way of 'letting us down gently'.. And then announce in a week or so it's not happening for some evidential reason..
    I don't profess to know all the legal dos and donts,protocols or procedures but .. This is our money isn't it ? So we should have the right to determine what it gets spent on.. In which case what about a ballot. It is always being said that the union is it's members etc etc so Let the Members decide/vote.. Push the JR button !! This is our last chance ... If we use all the money in going for JR well at least we/napo will go with all guns blazing . If JR doesn't win at least we know we did absolutely everything we could and that we went out with a bang not a damp squib!!!!!!!!

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  4. I hope there aint a copyright issue here. Still, tmrw never knows, eh?

    Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream
    It is not dying, it is not dying

    Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void
    It is shining, it is shining

    Yet you may see the meaning of within
    It is being, it is being

    Love is all and love is everyone
    It is knowing, it is knowing

    And ignorance and hate mourn the dead
    It is believing, it is believing

    But listen to the colour of your dreams
    It is not leaving, it is not leaving

    So play the game "Existence" to the end
    Of the beginning, of the beginning
    Of the beginning, of the beginning
    Of the beginning, of the beginning

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    1. More like the beginning of the end, sad to say

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  5. Thanks Jim, a difficult blog but I guess at least we have an inkling..... my view? It really had better not be a stalling tactic ....with the definitive information to come after AGM. After the saga of our former GS, I hope lessons have been learned about having respect for the membership.

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  6. I share your impression of the closed session - I am doubtful about TR.

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  7. hmmmm.... to add insult to injury - did you see final comment on previous blog? - Andrew Selous spending Thur and Fri riding around on a fire engine and visiting local schools- good to see he takes his job seriously...

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  8. I have looked on Napo website AGM blog (Dean Rogers musings/reflections but no account of business ) looked on this mornings twitter #napo 14; appear to be working through remaining motions(which only polled 75 or so votes nationally )ie nothing earth-shattering. Feels very deflating as really hoped we'd have an EM or firm accountability session. Will wait till hear from colleagues' returning from AGM but at present difficult to see what of real value this AGM has achieved

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  9. Apparently all Napo members are being sent an email on Monday to update as to our current position so am reserving judgement till know what's in this

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    1. Sorry, but this is just fucking childish!! They have a website where they could just as easily put the info on and stopped treating us like friggin kids!!! As for claims that they do not want to show their hand...well, the MoJ will know soon enough and I'm not sure what a few days of subterfuge will change.

      In the words of my gran...what a fucking liberty!!!

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  10. Very disappointed, I can only assume emergency motion failed to get through Steering Committee. Feels like we are 'Puppets on a string'! I should leave Scarborough inspired, apart from the beautiful location, I feel exasperated.

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    1. If you were at AGM(I wasn't) you'll have been told of all Ems submitted and if steering committee accepted them or nit. So if you didn't hear of an EM on JR thats cos there wasnt one submitted.

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  11. I really think its s*** or bust for NAPOnow. My CRC has 36/250 members. Any less and it will be a farce.

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    1. In thinking sbout staff being properly represented and defended in local negotiations with employers then more of them should join a Union to protect t&c

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    2. mixed messages - many members seem to be in high spirits as they leave the AGM, incl GS, and I was aware of some people talking to lawyers last night, but no evidence on NAPO Twitter or NAPO14 Twitter, of any discussion of JR, just tagging, work loads, safeguarding, CRC's traning and so on, all within framework of TR. Even Ian L's direction to his blog leads to chat about what preceded the conference, and Dean Roger's blog about sea dips, pop songs, lib dems and such. It's like reading a who-dun- it with the last chapter missing. I've had a text from a colleague, apologising for being unable to update me, but they have been told to say nothing. I can understand NAPO not wanting to give the enemy advance warning of a coup attempt, but if it's still open-ended, why can't members who couldn't be there not be told, at least, of how it ended, and then join the rest in waiting for the news on Monday. It's easy to see tempers are becoming very frayed when we should keep cool and prepare for the battle ahead, whatever form it will take, JR or no JR.

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    3. See new blog post 'The Tide Has Turned' for an explanation.

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  12. Just doing a bit of autumn cleaning & found a placard which one of the kids had been scribbling on. It now says "official piglet". Not far off, eh? After all the squealing and wriggling and kicking off, I've now been auctioned off at Scarborough Fair and its a nice hot oven for me with a pastry blanket.

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