UNISON New NEC 2025 - 2027 - 1st meeting

 

On Tuesday there was the first proper meeting of the newly elected UNISON National Executive Council (NEC). The NEC is the UNISON "Parliament" of elected members, which helps run and lead the union in-between our national conferences. 

I was so pleased when I arrived early at the UNISON National headquarters in Euston Road, London to see the new Presidential team in their office on the 8th floor preparing for their first meeting with the NEC. 

The meeting itself was pretty lively (and some breath-taking hypocrisy by some sore losers) I will post a report here for Community members soon(ish). 

It was confirmed at the meeting that I was on the UNISON national Policy Development and Campaign Committee (PDCC), the Industrial Action Committee and the Staff Pension Committee (after 4 year gap). 

In an earlier vote I had also been confirmed as being on the UNISON National Labour Link committee as a NEC nominee. 

See picture of myself and my UNISON Committee colleague Denise, the top table and also the 4 Greater London Regional reps Clara, Sonya, Eddie and Abiola (aka S Club 7). 

Greater London UNISON Regional Council AGM 2025

 

Picture collage from last weeks Regional AGM. I gave the the Finance report and thanked Council for being re-elected unopposed together with the rest of the Regional Council officer team Yvonne, Conroy, Clara and Katie. 

The key note speaker was former London UNISON activist and now MP, Deirdre Costigan. 

I moved a motion on Grenfell which the Branch Chair of UNISON Kensington & Chelsea, Sonya Howard, also spoke in favour. The motion was passed unanimously and I hope will the sent to UNSION National conference. 

Another very important motion passed was on our Regional campaign to end exploitation of migrant workers in public services. 

Sonya, Clara, Eddie Brand and Abiola Kusoro, who all spoke in various debates are standing to be elected as London UNISON NEC reps in the forthcoming elections. 

During the meeting the Regional Secretary, Jo Galloway announced that she will be starting her maternity leave the following week. She will be hugely missed but we all wished her well.  

UNISON NEC Elections: Team London & Members Together Recommendations

 

I am supporting my London colleagues Eddie, Clara, Sonya and Abiola for the above London seats and making recommendations regarding the the other national seats below.  Scan the QR code below to keep up with the campaign and receive updates. 

UNISON SGE Elections 24 - London Local Government

 

Ballot papers are being sent out to members homes from today. If you are a UNISON member and work in London Local Government please consider voting for

• Sean Fox - general seat

• Sonya Howard - female seat

• Clara Mason - reserved seat

UNISON London Local Government Reps: Vote Sonya, Clara & Sean 2024

 

UNISON Service Group elections nominations opened on Monday. I no longer work for a Council but do recommend that UNISON London Local Government branches consider nominating Sonya, Clara and Sean. They are top trade unionists! I will be posting on other recommendations soon. 

UNISON Service Group Executive Election Results 2022

 

Yesterday I was really pleased to get an email from the elections office confirming that I had been elected unopposed to the UNISON Service Group Executive (SGE) for Greater London Community (alongside I believe the one and only, Lola Oyewusi). 

I haven't done a proper reccie on the national results yet but I was delighted that Sonya Howard defeated a long standing tfrc incumbent to join Clara Mason, representing London on the Local Government SGE. Also, London Ambulance Service, Julie Cunnane, will be there for London Health. 

Also, in the only contested Community election, our SGE Chair Malcolm Gray (no known family connection but coincidentally, he is also known to like an occasional beer and a curry) and Clare Penny-Evans, fought off tfrc extremist candidates to win both seats in Northern region. 

Looking forward to UNISON National Delegate conference next week in Brighton (Monday evening to Friday). Should be very interesting. 

I will try to blog as much as possible but for the first time in 11 years, I will be an active branch delegate (not there as a NEC member, mostly sitting on the conference pedestal trying to look interested) so will be busy writing speeches, trying to speak, organising and supporting delegates. 

UPDATE:  Did some rough and ready number crunching. SGE results 2022: Extremist hard left misogynist gang 45 seats (24%), Forces of light & reason/Unaligned 100 seats (54%) vacant seats 41 (22%)

Nominate Sonya Howard and Clara Mason for London SGE seats

I am no longer in the Local Government Service Group for London but if I was, I would vote to nominate Sonya and Clara! 

"Dear Branches 

We are writing to you to request your branch nominations in the upcoming 2022 SGE Elections 

Who are we? 

Clara Mason -Assistant branch Secretary at Greenwich UNISON also currently female representative for London on the SGE. Standing for the Greater London SGE female seat membership number 107824223 

I am a teaching assistant who has a real understanding of schools’ members issues and support many of them during the pandemic with concerns around their safety during pregnancy, supporting them through individual risk assessment, ensuring school risk assessment were updated regularly and fully assessed the many risks faced by our members. 

I continued to support many of our reps in other roles like waste services, care workers and cleaners. I have championed mental health support not just for our members but for all reps who faced increased workloads and changes to way of working. 

A key success I have had is supporting many of our school support staff winning our term time only case which led to 5000 school support staff in Greenwich reviving back pay not only was this a success for Greenwich, but this has led to many other UNISON branches in London to successful challenge term time only contracts and get back what was rightfully members money. 

I want to continue championing for our London branches on the SGE ensuring that issues we all face are raised and that we push our Union to fight issues that effect our members and reps – we are set for some challenging times ahead with many employers and workplace try to recover from the 

Sonya Howard 1162788 Standing for Service Group Executive Greater London Local Government General Seat I am the Branch Chair Kensington and Chelsea Local Government branch. 

I have various National positions and have a vast amount of experience across UNISON and the Labour movement. Including negotiations across Tri -borough working. Over the years I have both organised successful disputes; lobbies, and campaigns across Labour and Tory led Councils ensuring better pay and condition for our members. 

Recently securing through Negotiations and a fairer pay and grading, with increased leave for many members. Continue to ensure that COVID working has seen members protected through risk assessment, including Negotiation new working from home ensuring no losses across the Council including our School members. 

A decent pay rise is needed more than ever before if we are to prevent members falling deeper into debt. This corrupt government sees inflation rising beyond 4% with a pitiful offer that will not prevent our members becoming classified as the working poor. 

We now need a clear strategy and leadership to build for solid support on future pay campaigns. I believe in strong democratic rights within the union and lay representation. I believe empowering our membership and standing up for fairness and transparency is crucial to take this union forward. 

We will bring Fresh approach to the SGE. Listening to our members including I promise that we will ensure the voices of our Black, LGBT+ , Women and Disabled will always matter and be heard. That UNISON Equality agenda will never be ignored. 

Yours in solidarity Sonya Howard and Clara Mason

Team London for Members 4 UNISON NEC 2021

 

We are standing to

• Represent every one of the 130,000 UNISON members across London

• Amplify the voices of our members from every service group and sector – community, utilities, higher education, health and local government

• Ensure UNISON is a leader in the campaign to eradicate systemic racism in society

• Hold the government to account for their incompetence in dealing with the Covid crisis and for our members paying the ultimate price

• Defend our members and the services they deliver from government attacks and neglect

• Fight the public sector pay freeze – UNISON members must not pay for the cost of Covid

We believe that for our new General Secretary to take these fights to the government and for UNISON to punch its weight as the largest trade union in Britain, she needs a unified NEC. She can deliver but only if she has an NEC that puts members interests before those of any personal gain, politics or faction.

For our NEC to deliver on the issues that matter most to you and your members we need an NEC that is united in its priorities rather than fighting itself.

Nominate Sonya Howard, Clara Mason, Eddie Brand and Eunice Whyte- your NEC team for London

Eddie Brand for London Male Seat

Clara Mason for London Female seat x2

Eunice Whyte for London Reserved Seat

Sonya Howard for London Female Seat x2