PCS Annual Delegates Conference

Janice Godrich (National President) opening the conference at 9am on Wednesday 21st May 2008.

The opening motion was "Protecting Public Services" it was debated alongside several other motions relating to the same issue. It received a lot of support and the motion was passed. I didn't get to see all the debates because being a trainee delegate meant I had to keep going out of the hall to discuss various issues with the other trainee delegates.

After the Wednesday session was our fringe meeting "Campaigning to win" which was very well attended but could have done with a bit more organisation. More on this in a separate post...

When the meeting had finished our Regional Officers invited a few of us back to their hotel for a drink before we attended a black members function. When we got to the hotel we accidentally gatecrashed the presidents reception. We thought it was a bit odd when we didn't have to pay for the drinks and then we spotted the PCS general secretary and president. There was a large screen on the wall for people to watch the match so our colleagues who chose to go back to their rooms to watch the football aren't too happy with us ;-)

Thursday saw many more debates and more learning for me as a trainee. In the evening I split my time between two groups of colleagues although I did have a little bit of difficulty finding the second group. I was supposed to phone when I was on my way. I always knew this was going to be a bad idea it would be too loud to hear the phone! I was right and they had moved on from the initial meeting place. I knew where they were likely to have gone and it was only just round the corner, but I wasn't quite sure which street it was in. Luckily I found it! When I got there the conversation went something like this...

You're in trouble you said you would wait
Did you phone?
Yes twice
It is quite loud in here

At this stage I am just thinking Aaaagh!!!

From here we attended a couple of functions and never quite managed to meet up with our other colleagues (this was good in some cases and bad in others ;-) ).

The conference wasn't quite so well attended on the Friday morning, too much partying I guess ;-) Then we had our long journey home... I put all my conference papers in my case and I did so wish I hadn't packed the kitchen sink too, my bag was far too heavy!!!

But anyway after a long but smooth train journey home it is all over until next year.