UNISON London Labour Link & Black Members

 

Many thanks to London Assembly member, James Small-Edwards, for organising an event last week at City Hall for Labour Link and Regional Black members. He gave a key note speech together with Abena Oppong-Asare MP. Other speakers included UNISON activist (and Councillor) Joseph Ogundemuren (who also helped organise the event), UNISON Director of Political Strategy, Maggi Ferncombe (and myself). 

The main theme was the new Government bill on Employment rights and how it is so important for all workers. 

UNISON National Delegate Conference 2022: Day 1

A busy first day of UNISON conference in Brighton. I managed to go for a short slow jog along the prom this morning. It was a beautiful sunny morning. 

Conference was supposed to start at 10am but started late. I was expecting some trouble about the Standing Order Committee (SOC) reports but attempts by the majority NEC to "reference back" (reject their recommendations) the decisions of our independent SOC were decisively defeated by conference. I thought this was interesting and a good sign. 

I am a "shared" branch delegate and then handed over to my "sharer" and largely missed the discussion on the annual report and financial statements. I did witness the huge row by so many delegates who walked out of the conference hall, amidst shouting and chanting, when the "President" gave his speech. This is due to the many complaints of misogyny, bullying and harassments by the #Kirkless15 against him. I have never seen such anger and disruption in my 25 years or so of attending UNISON conferences

After lunch there was massive debates on two "Not in our name"motions, which condemned the majority NEC not only for fragrant rule breaking but dividing our union by their divisive and sectarian actions. There was some fantastic contributions, in particular from colleagues in Northern Ireland who know what it is like to have intolerant bigots and extremists trying to gain power. I tried to speak on both debates but points of order that the "question be put" were passed before my turn to speak. Such is life but I will post my speeches. 

I was really pleased that both motions were passed overwhelmingly by conference which included a vote of no confidence in the NEC. The 2nd motion was bizarrely disputed by a tiny minority of delegates so went to a "card vote". We will find out that result tomorrow but the view of conference was absolutely clear on the "No confidence in the NEC". 

After conference, there was a really packed UNISON Labour Link rally with keynote speaker Angela Rayner MP (deputy Leader of the Labour Party), Abena Oppong-Asare MP and our General Secretary Christina McAnea. Angela was on form and gave a marvelous and passionate speech about the importance of her UNISON family. 

I am so pleased that my branch was one of many that have sent in an emergency motion to conference, condemning the Majority NEC for "banning" Angela from speaking at the main conference by their ultra far left extremists. 

After a long day, some of our branch delegates went for a curry, followed by a walk along the Brighton Prom, enjoying the full moon across the water. 

UNISON Regional Labour Link Committee - Leonie Copper AM & Abena Oppong-Asare MP guest speakers

 

Today I chaired our virtual Greater London UNISON Labour Link Committee (which represents UNISON members who have chosen to affiliate to the Labour Party in London).  

AS well as discussing budgets, work plans and campaigning for next years Council elections (all London seats are up election in May 2022) we had verbal reports from London Assembly Member, Leonie Cooper, a Parliamentary report from Abena Oppong-Asare MP and a report on Labour Party Conference by our senior delegate (and vice chair of this committee) Yvonne Green. 

Leonie gave a frank and far ranging presentation on the many issues facing the London Assembly. In particular the funding crisis facing Transport for London (TFL) which can be directly linked not only to Covid but the actions of the previous Mayor, a certain Boris Johnson. Some sort of deal needs to be reached since it would be a disaster if the Government decided to take over TFL. A compromise needs to be hammered out. 

There was a wide ranging Q&A. I welcomed Leonie on the move of GLA City Hall from London Bridge into the Peoples Republic of Newham (they are taking over the Crystal building in our Royal Docks. 

Abena gave another comprehensive report on her work in Parliament and as a dedicated constituency MP. She is also now the Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. 

In the Q&A I asked her and her Parliamentary colleagues for support in the forthcoming pay disputes in local government, health and others sectors (including my own). Abena made it clear she is already known as an active campaigner for working people and their issues but obviously would have to understand all the arguments beforehand on all the different issues. 

Yvonne gave a detailed and pretty positive report on the September Labour Party Conference in Brighton. It now seems like a million years ago since that conference. I will ask her if I can post her full report later. 

UNISON London Labour Link Training

This evening there was a virtual training session for new London UNISON Labour Link officers. Labour Link is the UNISON political fund that supports the Labour Party. UNISON is affiliated to the Labour Party and every UNISON branch should have a Labour Link Officer but of course, individual members do not need to support the Labour Party. 

The meeting was Chaired by Yvonne Green and our guest speaker was Labour MP for Erith & Thamesmead, Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, Abena Oppong-Asare (a long time UNISON Labour Link activist). Abena gave a marvellous talk and Q&A about how tough it is to get on in local and national politics as a Black women but how the support of her political sisters (and others) helped her get through.    

Next we we had brief introduction on "What is UNISON Labour Link" by our local organiser, Jack Phipps, followed by a presentation by me on "The Role of the Labour Link Officer" (which I hope people found useful). 

We then split into workshops and later reported back on how Labour Link can help branches with campaigns, how to increase engagement and persuade more members to join and participate in Labour Link. 

The final session was a training by UNISON Labour Link activist, Anu Prashar, on Dialogue, the Labour Party telecanvass software and in particular how to support our Labour candidate Kim Leadbeater in the by election in Batley and Spen. 

I thought the training went well and this will be the first of many.  

London UNISON Labour Link phone bank with Abena Oppong-Asare MP

 
Photo (hat tip @iamritabegum) from tonight's Greater London UNISON Labour Link sponsored phone bank for the London Mayor and Assembly elections. I was pleased as elected Chair of the regional Labour Link committee to welcome long standing UNISON activist Abena to address the session on the importance of re-electing Labour Mayor, Sadiq Khan and a Labour Assembly victory in May. 

I was also very pleased that we had another old union comrade, TSSA ringer, Sam Tarry MP also present! 

Many thanks for UNISON @JackTMPhipps for organising. 

Next week in Newham the Labour unions are planning another telephone bank session with our local East London & City Labour candidate, Unmesh Desai. 

Greater London UNISON Labour Link AGM 2020 - Re-elected!

 

I was really pleased this morning that both myself and Yvonne Green were re-elected unopposed as the respective Chair & Vice Chair of Greater London Labour Link committee for the next 2 years. The last two years have been very difficult for all of us in the Labour movement and it was good to have the trust and confidence of a newly elected committee for the next term. 

The meeting started on a sad note as we held a minutes silence for former long serving committee member, Ann Jefferson, who has recently passed away. A letter of condolence and offer to pay into a charitable cause has been sent to her son. 

UNISON Labour Link works directly within Labour to take UNISON's policies into the heart of the party. In London we affiliate to the Labour Party Region and all 32 Constituency Labour Parties. We have representation on the London Labour regional board and have a network of branch Labour Link officers and CLP delegates. We work closely with other affiliated trade unions.

The committee has a budget which supports a wide range of training and mobilisation events, campaigning and importantly, UNISON members who seek elected office.

It is comprised of directly elected London UNISON members (such as myself and Yvonne) and representatives of our regional self organised groups. All of us are UNISON and Labour Party activists.

At the AGM we had a fantastic and detailed Parliamentary report followed by a Q&A with former London Labour Link activist, now MP for Erith and Thamesmead, Abena Oppong-Asare, who has been recently promoted as Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury

London Assembly member and leader of the Labour Group, Len Duvall, also gave his report and submitted a 14 page update on the great work that has been done to protect our capital city during the pandemic. 

I gave a commitment on behalf of the committee that we are united to do everything possible to re-elect Sadiq Khan as our London Labour Mayor and Labour Assembly members in the election in May 2021.

Once the other business of the meeting had finished in my closing remarks as Chair, I also spoke about how in our workplan we ought to consider in light of Covid-19, how we can prioritise the promotion of the UNISON Ethical Care charter in London in recognition of the personal sacrifice by so many of our most important but vulnerable members.

(Picture of Yvonne and I in collage was obviously after the last AGM in 2018)