Yet more disasters by the UNISON NEC Far Left extremists - "Our union is at a crossroads"

It is no secret that we have now had disastrous ballot results for pay claims in Health and Local Government. The blame for which must lie squarely with the new UNISON NEC who decided to wage a civil war in the union.  As well as trying to sack our newly elected, first ever female, General Secretary, instead of trying to unite us. 

Check out below our former President, Chris Tansley views.  

"Our union is at a crossroads and the wrong decisions now could have profound consequences well into the future.

The far-left faction ‘Time for Real Change’ who already control the National Executive Council are now planning to extend their reach by taking over Regional Convenor Teams and the Service Group Elections.

Since assuming control of the NEC, Time for Real Change has focused attention not on the interests of members but on strengthening their control of the union. In the last 12months the union has lost almost 30,000 members and a good number of our activists, but Time for Real Change has focused on internal politics, and the wrong priorities.

Controversial motions to change our rules were pushed through against the advice of our General Secretary and legal officers. New rules for internal elections have been imposed which permit the involvement of outside political parties. Long-standing conventions that guaranteed a voice for our devolved nations have been dumped, and our Self Organised Groups have rightly criticised Time for Real Change for the lack of diversity in the lay leadership of our union.

This is a group supported and resourced by political organisations and groups from outside Unison in particular Momentum and the Socialist Workers Party. This last week we’ve seen among others John McDonnel MP launch the Time for Real Change SGE election campaign. The same people who led the Labour Party to its worst ever election defeat, left it mired in anti-Semitism, and were found to have acted illegally by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, are now invited to exercise power and influence in our union.

Time for Real Change is not representative of UNISON members, and we must ensure that our union remains focused on its members, addressing their issues, not taken on a political journey to the point of being irrelevant".
 

UNISON NEC 2019: Vote Chris Tansley - East Midlands Male Seat

Former UNISON President and all round good egg. Ballot papers out 15 April

UNISON Community Conference 2013: Day 2

The second day of Conference started off with a 09.00 meeting of the Service Group Executive (SGE) to plan ahead the days business. (See Day one, Bedroom tax rally, Speech by Joe Irvin and my pension speech)

In the morning there were a number of workshops and taster training sessions arranged on:- introductions for new delegates; TUPE & transfers; campaigning & public speaking; how to recruit a member; violence at work and negotiating & leadership.

As a branch secretary I spent the first part of the morning taken up with last minute change of branch delegates authorisation and working out how to confirm to the necessary proportionality requirements.

I then chaired the workshop on recruitment and was impressed how serious and thoughtful delegates were about this key and fundamental role.

During lunch we went to the Manchester bedroom tax rally (see report here). Then after lunch the Community seminar session ended and the actual Community Conference started.  This was chaired by UNISON President Chris Tansley.

There was about 21 motions to discuss and debate on various issues and concerns facing our members in Community. My branch delegation spoke on a number of motions including our composited motion on a "Living Wage plus" and "Save our Pensions". I also spoke on the pensions issue on behalf of the SGE.

Out of these 20 odd motions there was really only one motion regarding the big Community specific  branches meeting up to discuss their issues at the expense of all other branches that caused any sort of a stir.

It does make you think what is the point of having a motion based conference that consists of moving, seconding and debating, motion after motion that nobody opposes? I think we need to think again about what we do at conference since I suspect most delegates did not think this was a good use of time and resources.Especially since we completed all of conference business on the Saturday afternoon when we had Sunday morning timetabled for it as well!

We had a social and raffle in the evening. This raised money for the Presidents project "Hope Not Hate". Where I won tickets to a County cricket match, which of course being North Wallian I gave away (to my branch chair who despite being Irish is a cricket fanatic) and a UNISON Community bottle opener and stopper! We then went to China Town for a London region meal and one or three beers.

The next morning I went for a run (aka slow jog) around the nearby canals and much to my surprise came across a recreated Manchester Roman fort gatehouse!

This is the 3rd UNISON Community seminar and conference and while it is not all perfect, I really think we are going from strength to strength. We do have a long journey ahead but I am confident we will achieve it.

(Centre picture of Community NEC member, Isobel (Izzy) McVicar speaking about health and safety in our sector UPDATE: See UNISON press release on safety issue in our sector and UNISONactive take on conference).

UNISON Labour Link Forum 2012: Day 2

Saturday was the second (and last) day of this year's Forum in Cardiff. Check out the report on day one here. The traditional Labour Link Social had been held the previous night and "a good time had been had

by all" (it also raised money for UNISON welfare).

Forum started off at 9.15 sharp with a speech by our new UNISON President, Chris Tansley (and life long Labour Party member). Then a presentation on the UNISON Labour Link annual report and review of the year by Chair Steve Warwick and National officers Keith Birch and Julian Cooke.

In the feedback on the recent Local elections in May we heard about the computer tele-canvassing software piloted in London and Eastern region. It was such a success that there are plans to roll out the software to all regions and even possibly for Labour Link volunteers to use from home.  We were also shown the video by Southampton UNISON on how they helped get rid of its anti-union Tory Council in May (I will post when I find it).

Followed by motions on "Impact of the cuts on the Black Community"; "LGBT equality - reality not rhetoric"; Labour & Disabled people" and "The Labour Party and detrimental age discrimination".

Next were seminars on "Police and Crime Commissioners" and "Devolution". I chaired the seminar on "Devolution". Delegates from Wales, Scotland and London (who will not be facing Police Commissioners elections in November) came to together with Welsh Assembly Minister for Europe, Alan Davis (right of picture), Welsh Assembly member (and former MP) Julie Morgan and Dave Watson (UNISON Scottish Organiser and top blogger) to discuss the political impact of devolution on the Party and trade unions.

I said at the start that I was perhaps well qualified to chair this meeting since I was born and bred in Wales to a Welsh mother and Scottish father. I have since lived and worked in Scotland but have now spent most of my life in London (and am now a Councillor in the Peoples Republic of Newham where we have a 61-nil Labour majority).

Alan made the valid point that it was sometimes very frustrating being in a Labour Government in Wales since the UK media are completely obsessed about what is going on in the "SW1 bubble" and it's about time that London recognised that trains go down to Cardiff as well as up to London.  Julie made the very interesting point that this was the first ever meeting she had attended of representatives from Wales, Scotland and London discussing this issue.

Dave pointed out that before devolution he would give evidence to the London Parliament 2/3 times per year on Scottish issues. Now with a Scottish Parliament he is in Holyrood 2/3 times a week! London UNISON Labour Link Political officer, Steve Terry, also spoke about the work we are doing with Labour London Assembly members to hold the Tory Mayor, Boris Johnson to account. Difficult to do of course with someone who doesn't do anything.

After this there was Motions on "Renewable Energy" (another London Regional Motion) and a rule amendment on representation in Labour Link of self organised groups.

The Chair Steve Warwick closed the Forum and hoped that we all got home safety (the weather has been atrocious with floods up and down the country). Due to time limits he declined to accept a vote of thanks to the Chair from Bristol delegates (in joke).

On the way home I did feel reflect on Forum and felt very proud of Wales for not only keeping the faith and returning a Labour Government but also demonstrating "Socialism works" and (most importantly) "it can deliver" (Alan Davies).  

UNISON NDC 12: End of Conference

At 3.45pm on Friday the UNISON National Delegate conference begins to wind down with the traditional motion of thanks for our  President. Who this year was Eleanor Smith, a

NHS theatre nurse from Birmingham (see photo left).

The general idea is to gently tease the President with embarrassing reminisces and photographs from childhood.

Eleanor was in tears when her two daughter's spoke to conference about their Mum and how proud they are that she had been UNISON's first black President.

At the NEC meeting on Friday Morning Chris Tansley, a child care social worker, from Nottingham who did such a great job as Chair of the Local Government Conference debate on pensions, has been elected as the new president of UNISON together with Maureen le Marinel and Lucia McKeever as our vice presidents.

I don't think that you can really understand UNISON if you haven't witnessed the end of national conference. Anyway, roll on NDC 2013 which will take place I understand for the first time next June at the fair City of Liverpool!