UNISON NDC 2026 - Reflections (Day One)

For the first time in many years, I arrived late to the start of UNISON National Delegate Conference due to other urgent matters. I am attending conference in my capacity as an elected member of the UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) for Community, representing members working in Housing Associations and the voluntary/charity sector.

Despite my late arrival, it was clear that there had been a number of strong and constructive debates on the conference floor. A range of views were expressed in what I would describe as a positive, comradely manner. In my view, this was particularly encouraging, as there is not enough space for appropriate and constructive critical debate on motions. Unfortunately, I missed some of the more controversial items due to my late arrival.

Following the close of conference, I met with members of my branch delegation—where I also serve as Branch Secretary—to deal with some important admin matters.

I then attended a fringe meeting on Responding to Reform and the Populist Right. This featured several strong contributions, including from Nick Lowles of Hope Not Hate. While the discussion recognised the very real challenges posed by the rise of Reform and other far-right elements (including more extreme groups such as Restore), it was not entirely pessimistic. There were some important positive points highlighted, particularly that the overwhelming majority of voters rejected Reform in the recent local elections, despite the party achieving some high-profile results.

A key theme from the discussion was that our response should not be to simply demonise Reform or its supporters. Instead, we should focus on clearly exposing the reality of their policy platform—namely that it would undermine core public goods and protections such as a free NHS, decent public pensions, and essential employment rights.

During the Q&A, I made the point that while I agreed with much of the optimism expressed, there is a real danger that our movement could “sleepwalk” into allowing a Reform government in the future. The current political dynamics remind me strongly of what occurred in the United States, where dissatisfaction with the Democrats for not being “perfect” contributed to the election of Donald Trump—twice. That experience underlines the risks of complacency and fragmentation on the progressive side of politics.

Conference resumes tomorrow, with the NEC pre-meeting at 8:30am and conference business recommencing for delegates at 9:30am.

March TOGETHER Against The Far Right - London 28 March 2026

 Friend,

Thank you for joining Together, a new alliance of 50+ organisations and thousands of individuals united against the hate of the far right.

We’re so proud to have you with us, and so excited to get to work to show what this country really stands for.

That’s why we’re asking you to get started by taking these two simple steps:

Step 1:

We know our strength lies in solidarity. That the change we need comes from working together for hope, not despair.

On 28 March from 12PM, we’ll prove that together, with a national demonstration through Central London.

This is our first public action — and it’s going to send a message no-one can ignore:

Thousands of us taking to the streets to show what Britain can be: united and hopeful.

Can we count on you to march with us?

Save the date

Step 2:

To make this march as powerful as it can be, we need people from every walk of life standing shoulder to shoulder.

Different backgrounds, different beliefs, different stories — all showing that despite what divides us, there is something much stronger that brings us together.

It’s about showing that when this country chooses love over division, we are unstoppable.

That’s why we’re asking you to watch and share our launch video — so we can spread the word as far and wide as possible and make sure people from every corner of the country are with us.

UNISON National Labour Link Forum 2025: Day 1 & 2

UNISON Labour Link is the part of our union that is made up of members who decide to affiliate to the Labour Party and the Forum is our annual meeting, which this year took place in Glasgow. 

I attended as an elected London delegate but came early as member of the National Labour Link committee for a pre forum planning meeting. In the morning I went for a run along the Clyde which took longer than expected due to getting just a little lost.

Forum started in that evening with delegation meetings and then a reception addressed by my former UNISON NEC colleague and now MP, Katrina Murray. Afterwards the London delegates had a meal in an Italian restaurant in Argyle Street. 

Forum started and finished the next day with a mixture of reports, motions, keynote speakers and panel debates. 

Former UNISON national officer (and London lay activist) Deirdre Costigan gave a well received speech to forum on the 1st year of a Labour Government and gave an honest and considered response to sometimes robust questions in the Q&A. 

The highlight to me, was the panel debate on "Tackling the rise of Reform" with guest speaker Nick Lowles from "Hope not Hate", who gave a fascinating account of recent research on who supports Reform, why they support such a right wing, anti worker Party and what we should all be thinking of doing to win back disillusioned voters. I asked the panel about the importance of social economic class inequality in this debate, which pretty much all the panel agreed was a key issue. 

Forum finished on time, with all the annual reports agreed and all the tabled motions debated. Looking forward to next year's Forum. 

‘They shall not pass’ in Ukrainian ✊

 

Wear your anti-fascism with pride wherever you go.

Hi John, With everything that’s going on in the world, it’s never been more important to take action against fascism and make it clear to everyone where you stand.  That’s why HOPE not hate produces a range of merchandise from clothing, bags, badges, water bottles and much more - so that you can wear your anti-fascism with pride in all aspects of your life. I’m particularly excited about our new t-shirt and hoody, steeped in antifascist history, which reads 'They shall not pass’ in Ukrainian. All proceeds from the sales of these items will be donated to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal for Ukraine.*   Get the t-shirt   Get the hoody   Show me more great antifascist merchandise Thank you for everything you do, Nick Nick Lowles CEO, HOPE not hate *Our t-shirts are made to order, which helps us to reduce waste. This means orders can take up to ten days to be delivered - apologies in advance for the wait!

Hope Not Hate Action Fund

Hi everyone, My name is Robbie Mullen. I asked HOPE not hate if I could send this email to say thank you to everyone who sent me a message since the end of the trial at the Old Bailey last week. The last few years have been a bit mad to be honest. I don’t know how else to put it. But it’s been great to have all these good wishes from people who have seen the news about Jack Renshaw and his murder plot. I want to take this chance to say a bit about how this happened. I first became interested in far right politics when I was quite young — when Nick Griffin was elected as an MEP actually. In about 2015 I began going to a few NF demos and became almost addicted to following the far right and far left online. I ended up joining National Action. We hated everything and everyone and if I’m honest it made us feel like we were superior. There were some very disturbing people in NA. Everyone was obsessed about training for a race war. You’ve probably read that Jack Renshaw is a paedophile, but he wasn’t the only one. Well before Jack told us about his plan to murder Rosie Cooper MP, I’d decided that the whole thing wasn’t for me. But NA wasn’t something you resign from. I couldn’t just hand my membership card back. And anyway, I’m not a grass and wouldn’t have dreamed of going to my local police. So I went to HOPE not hate. I contacted them because they — and in particular Matthew Collins — had never stopped going after us. Matthew got under National Action’s skin so much, it just seemed obvious to me he should be the one to go to. I’m not the first person that HOPE not hate have helped get out of the far right and I won’t be the last. At least I hope not, because there’s lots more Jack Renshaws out there. I’ve seen some messages from people saying stay safe and worrying about my photo being online and what not. HOPE not hate have been looking after me, and the people still involved in NA know exactly who I am already. If having my story out there can help others avoid the life I got into then it’s no loss to me. Anyway, thanks for reading this. Thank you again to Matthew Collins, Nick Lowles, and to every HOPE not hate supporter who’s been in touch or helped during this whole thing. Thanks, Robbie The HOPE Action Fund We've launched a new way to help sustain our work to challenge, close down, and defeat the far right. Why? Despite our recent success foiling a neo-nazi terror plot to murder a Labour MP, the threat of the far right remains. Donald Trump is openly appealing to white nationalists, and protesters are taking to the street to support 'Tommy Robinson' and his Islamophobic agenda. Our research work is more vital than ever, and we need to be ready now for the next fight. That's why we're asking our most committed supporters to become members of the HOPE Action Fund by signing up to a regular monthly contribution of £5 or more. Are you in? Set up your membership now:

UNISON London Regional Council: Speakers on Camden Parking Strike; Rise of the New Far Right & Legal measures to fight mental health discrimination at work

I was little late turning up to the Greater London UNISON Regional Council on Thursday, so missed the guest speakers from Camden UNISON on their dispute with Parking Contractors NSL on poverty pay (see UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, on their picket line). 

However, I did hear a speaker from Hope Not Hate give a thought provoking and deeply disturbing analysis of the rise of a new poplar far right front and neo-Nazi terrorism in the UK (and beyond).  

On the one hand membership of British Nazi and Fascist parties such as the BNP has collapsed but we are now seeing the largest numbers of people in decades on the streets supporting campaigns led by new far right groups. 

The thug and serial convicted criminal ,Tommy Robertson, has a huge social media presence, far in excess of any anti-fascist group. 

The speaker correctly pointed out that we cannot fight modern day fascism with the tactics of the 1980s and simply screaming "NAZI" at people attending marches since they are genuinely angry at the Manchester bombing, is not going to do anything positive. 

We have to work out how to defeat this new social network of individuals, who do not belong to traditional far right political parties but are being radicalised by Nazi websites, here and abroad. 

Going on anti Nazi demos and protests are tactics and not a means to an end. We need to get a better and more effective modern message to counter this threat. 

Final speaker was Ann-Marie Christie from Thompsons solicitors, who since this was World Mental Health day, gave a  practical update on possible employment law and personal injury measures that union reps could use to protect members at work. 

I usually think that as a Labour Party activist it is a bit pointless for me to sign petitions calling for political opponents to resign over something they have said, no matter how stupid or offensive. However, Boris Johnson's vile racism and islamophobia is beyond the pale and should have no place in modern day democratic British politics.

I hope that fair minded Conservative supporters (yes, they do exist) will also support the call by the respected anti-fascist organisation "Hope Not Hate" for Boris Johnson to be suspended from the Tory Party.

SUSPEND BORIS JOHNSON

Boris Johnson uses his national profile to spout racist, hateful points of view. We can't let him get away with it any longer.

We’ve had enough of Boris's loud-mouthed, unashamed racism – and we're calling on the Tories to suspend him from the whip.

Agree? Sign our petition now.

"UKIP are bringing fear and intimidation in to British politics"

"After this week’s Twitter row at the Rochester by-election, I am using my keynote speech to the
Labour East Regional Conference today to say that it is UKIP who truly offends working class sentiment and represents a party which is fundamentally un-British.

Today I am lucky to serve as a Euro MP but, like many in our movement, I grew up on a council estate living in poverty, so don’t need any lectures from UKIP about snobbery.

First, we can’t counter UKIP simply by labelling them as extremists as we learnt was not enough either with the BNP. But make no mistake – they are.

Doing a deal with a Polish party that says Hitler didn’t know about the holocaust; that it shouldn’t be a criminal offence to force non-consensual sex on a woman; that women shouldn’t even have the vote.

But it’s not just what they think, it’s how they behave.

When I joined criticism of UKIP’s attitude to disabled people, I started to receive around 50 messages a day from people who were self-professed UKIP supporters, using the most foul and disgusting abuse against me personally.

Two UKIP MEPs actually interrupted a private conversation I was having with two guests from a Stevenage business in a public coffee bar of the European Parliament itself, and proceeded to shout at and abuse me.

I have no doubt that this was an orchestrated campaign in which UKIP’s MEPs were directly involved.

Then last weekend a gang calling themselves UKIP supporters physically attacked aLabour street stall in East Thurrock which is part of my own constituency, injuring two elderly activists.

UKIP are bringing fear and intimidation in to British politics.

UKIP can deny responsibility for attacks like the one on our stall, but no-one should deny that this is the product of ultra-nationalism re-entering British politics.

Meanwhile it is arrant nonsense for millionaire, public school educated, expenses-claiming, City trader Nigel Farage, who kept his savings offshore in a tax haven, to say that he is somehow more in touch with ordinary working people in this country than us – the party of labour.

My single parent mum taught us to say our please and thank-you’s and to apologise for our mistakes. We were the classic poor but proud.

When UKIP Members stood up and turned their backs at the inaugural sitting of the new European Parliament, they symbolised what they would do for our country – making us turn our back on the rest of the world. But what struck me when I knocked on doors the following weekend, was that ordinary voters hadn’t liked it.

When UKIP behaves with such rudeness and unpleasantness, I can tell you: it is them who are offending working class sentiment – not us.

The deepest irony of the United Kingdom Independence Party is how un-British they really are.
British values of reserve, of courtesy, of decency, of respect, and of fair play are values which – by their actions – UKIP shuns.

Patriotism isn’t: ‘My country – right or wrong?’ That’s chauvinism.

Patriotism is a pride in your country because of what you are proud about in your country.

And when I sit in the European Parliament and see the UKIP Members be boorish and insulting I’m not proud they’re British – I’m ashamed. And I don’t believe that’s what the British people really want.

Are there ways in which Labour has to change in the face of UKIP?

One conclusion after the European Elections which I did form is not to change our policies but that we do have to change our language.

It is time to start calling it as it is.

We’ve called a spare room subsidy a bedroom tax and we’ve won.

And so Europe can’t be about the Single Market or subsidiarity.

It’s about your job, your children, your security, your voice, your rights, your future.

And we’ll never win the argument on immigration with statistics or criteria.

We have to say the chance to travel and work in different countries is a good thing.

That low wages and zero hours contracts benefit no-one. To say there are not enough homes or jobs for anyone. That fairness must now be restored.

And we may not be as rude as UKIP. But many people in the electorate are angry and Labour has to show them we are angry for and with them.

The success of Ed Miliband’s so-called “fightback” speech two weeks ago where indeed he came out fighting, may be a lesson for us all.

He fought back and so will we.

Richard Howitt MEP is Labour Member of the European Parliament for the East of England and Chair of the European Parliamentary Labour Party.

Hat tip Labour List 

Jean Geldart from Hope Not Hate - UKIP is a Far Right Party of Race Hatred

Today was the UNISON Greater London Regional Council meeting. Hope Not Hate Trade union organiser,  Jean Geldart was a guest speaker.

Before she retired from Tower Hamlets Council, Jean was my  Branch Secretary and a senior UNISON NEC member. She is also the daughter of Phil Piratin who was the Communist Party MP for Stepney 1945-1950.

Jean described how appalling and openly corrupt many of the UKIP MEPs and Councillors are. While many of them are good for a laugh, the leaflets UKIP have put out are worse than even the fascist BNP!

They have organisers who use to work for the National Front and see nothing wrong with this.

The recent shambles in the European Parliament has seen them form an alliance in order to gain EU funding of £1 million (from us tax payers) with Polish anti-Semitic racists and Holocaust deniers.

While they are not  a serious threat in most of London at the moment we have to be vigilant. UKIP can be defeated. In May 2014 when there was local election as well as Euro elections, voters tended to vote UKIP for the EU since they did not think it was important and mainstream parties for local council.

All polling indicates that although they do have real support, the majority are positively opposed to them and actively dislike the UKIP.

So what we need to do is get the anti UKIP vote out.

In the May elections in the North West, there was was a massive anti BNP and UKIP campaign which resulted in them getting only 6 Councillors in the whole of the region. Compare this to similar areas in North and Midlands where they got far more.

We need to expose UKIP and look at what they say and their voting record in Europe. Such as their views that women deserve less pay, their wish to privatise the NHS and destroy workers employment rights.

We need to get this message out what UKIP is really about. We also need to get people to register to vote and set an positive agenda for multiculturalism in London. Jean encouraged all UNISON branches to affiliate to Hope not Hate!

Become a HOPE not hate supporter for just £1

Dear John

On Friday, the regulated period for the 2015 General Election begins and every penny we spend on campaigning or exposing extremist and racist parties and politicians has to be recorded and reported to the Electoral Commission. Because of the recent Lobbying Act we will have 70% less to spend than we did in 2010 but we have to account for a far greater number of activities.

The Electoral Commission has even decided that you - our supporters and activists - must be considered members of the public unless you pay a financial contribution and so every email, telephone call or meeting we hold with you must be included in our election returns.

This is both stupid and undemocratic but unfortunately this is now the law.

As a consequence, we are creating a £1 HOPE not hate 'supporter' category so we can communicate and involve you in spreading our message without it counting as an election expense.

Become a HOPE not hate 'supporter' for just £1

https://donate.hopenothate.org.uk/page/contribute/one-pound-for-hope

By becoming a HOPE not hate supporter you will:

·         help decide our campaign priorities and direction

·         receive a HnH supporter newsletter

·         be invited to HnH meetings, events and trainings

·         be making a contribution to our 2015 campaign fund

Back us to continue our work

https://donate.hopenothate.org.uk/page/contribute/one-pound-for-hope

The new law has forced us to ask you to pay for the right to be a ‘supporter’, which I know is ridiculous because you are already the life blood of the organisation, so in return I want to give you the opportunity to get more involved in the organisation and have a bigger say in our future direction.

We have achieved so much together in the last 10 years now I hope you will stand with me as a HOPE not hate supporter so we can do even more in the next 10.

Thanks

Nick

Ps, I’ve written an essay reflecting on 10 years of HOPE not hate. I’d love you to read it

"Bloody Poles, coming over here, protecting our women and children"

Least we forget the many Polish fighters who were killed, burnt, disfigured and injured defending our country in our hour of need. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._303_Polish_Fighter_Squadron.

Remembering as always, a good friend of mine and UNISON comrade, the son of Polish fighter who fought in the British Army for our freedom against fascism and who was one of many who later settled in East London. RIP George (Jerzy).

Hat tip Mark Rayner and Hope Not Hate.

Keeping our Voice! Winning the Political Fund Ballot fringe #uNDC14

"...don't be confused. The ballot is a vote about having a political voice and not on affiliation"

This fringe took place yesterday lunchtime (Wednesday). Chaired by Vice President Lucia McKeever. Assistant General Secretary Liz Snape was also present.

Eleanor Smith, the Chair of UNISON National Link political fund spoke first. She made it clear that our political funds are our union's voice. That is why the Tories hate them. 

Every 10 years we now have to ballot all members about whether or not to keep our political funds. Eleanor listed the successful campaigns that the funds had run in recent years and this is why we need that voice.

The Labour Link fund is a key voice for union. It means we can take up the big issues of pay and resources and other specific issues such as social care and privatisation. The recent Labour victory in the West Midlands saw the collapse of biggest ever Police staff privatisation programme. Never forget that gay marriage was delivered by Labour MP's. The ballot is not about the relationship with the Labour Party, it is about being able to campaign and speak out.

James Anthony, the General Political Fund (GPF) Chair spoke next. UNISON has a unique political fund structure but other unions may adopt our model soon.

The recent Government "Lobbying Bill" was intended to target UNISON. The law is in place but we are waiting for guidance from the election commission. We can communicate with our members outside the Bill. It is important to have the GPF since many of our members members do not support Labour and vote for the Tories or don't vote at all. 

Nearly all conferences motions need to have a political voice. It would be pointless to try and campaign without this . It works best when the GPF campaigns in tandem with Labour Link. Without a political fund we would not be able to promote causes such as equality, self organised groups, Pride, Durham Miners Gala. The fund also help us make the best arguments by funding research.

Without the political fund we would not be able to ask voters not to vote for racist parties. Remember how we helped defeat the BNP fascist. Pay is a huge issue. We need to take forward a political message. We will only win strike action if we win the support of the public as well as our members.

If the political funds were not so successful, the Tories would have not tried so hard to get rid of them.

Jean Geldart from "Hope Not Hate" spoke last. Jean is of course a retired UNISON activist and former NEC member.  She reminded us that in 1993 the first ever BNP Councillor was elected in Tower Hamlets in a by election. The GPF gave £30k and bank rolled the campaign to get rid him.  Which 9 months later we did at the full Council election. You can only campaign against a political party if you have a political fund.

There used to be 2 BNP European Members of Parliament and 57 Councillors with 12 in Stoke and 12 in Barking and Dagenham where they formed the opposition. We didn't listen to those who said "ignore them they will go away". HNH paid for organisers to work in Barking & Dagenham.  The BNP is now finished. They have only 2 Cllrs left. This was due substantially due to funded campaigning.

We now have UKIP. Again, some people are saying "ignore them and they will go away". The UNISON campaign in North West region against the BNP & UKIP involved over a million bits of paper. Only 6 UKIP Cllrs were elected in that region. Which is far less than other similar parts of the country.

This country would be going in a different direction if not for the GPF which embodies Union values.

In Q&A I asked Jean (I use to be the assistant branch secretary of Tower Hamlets Local Government branch when she was branch secretary) What impact the lobbying bill will have on Hope Not Hate?
She said not as much as on the GPF since their total income is relatively small but the biggest problem is the 10k limit per Parliamentary Constituency. That means for example that UKIP will out spend us in their target seats since you just don't just pay for the paper in leaflets but also the pay of staff who design it.

Liz Snape concluded that this ballot is not about a particular party but about the funds. We want a big yes vote."... don't be confused. The ballot is a vote about having a political voice and not on affiliation"

There was a good question from a delegate that Labour Link should be doing more to point out its successes since he was fed up with the extreme left whinging about the Labour Party during every opportunity at conference.

Lucia reminded us about the threat that UKIP poses.  In her home in the north of Ireland she had lived through 40 years of racism and sectarianism. This has got to stop. There are now 3 UKIP Councillors in Northern Ireland who had all left unionist parties due to their extremist views.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

This is the first ever year that I have sent no Christmas Cards to anyone. I will be making a donation to lieu to Shelter, Hope not Hate and the Royal Airforce Association.  

Hope you all have a lovely holiday. 

Yesterday was the shortest day of the year (winter solstice) so cheer up since it will now get lighter by about 4 minutes every day!

I am now drinking a nightcap and listening to Radio 2 "Sounds of the 80s".

What could be more perfect?

(Hat tip Wanstead Flats Feb 2012).

Tower Hamlets Labour Councillors Iftar with the Community.

I had been invited on Tuesday evening by Labour Group leader (and long standing Unison member) Cllr Sirajul Islam to their Iftar at the
Waterlily function rooms at Mile End.

Ifter is the evening meal that Muslims break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. I have worked in Tower Hamlets for 20 years but this was the first formal Ifter I have ever attended.

It was a marvelous event with hundreds of guests and overflowing tables. I was somewhat surprised to see my old comrade, the Branch secretary of Unison Tower Hamlets Local Government branch present at this Labour Party event.  I wondered after all the trails and tribulations of his current Party if he is considering coming home to Labour?

Even more surprising was to see controversial Tower Hamlets blogger, a Sunday Express Editor and fellow North Wales Gog, Ted Jeory, with his lovely wife Alberta, who was brought up locally in Whitechapel. I just had to sit next to him and ask if he had felt any sharp pains in his back since he had been in the hall?

There were a number of speeches including by local Poplar & Limehouse MP Jim Fitzpatrick, who gave a rousing endorsement of Labour Tower Hamlets Mayor candidate, John Biggs, partly in Sylheti (apparently with a slight Scottish accent). While Bethnal Green and Bow MP, Rushanara Ali, claimed that Jim's Sylheti was better than hers! She introduced the star attraction, East London Labour Assembly Member and Mayor Candidate, John Biggs.
 
Also multi-faith contributions and prayers from Christian and Muslim preachers. Cllr Abdal Ullah was the main compere who kept things running smoothly and to time.

I think that you must have tremendous respect for British Muslims, for fasting from drawn to dusk in high summer. It cannot be easy at any time of the year but non Muslims I come across simply cannot believe that they are not able to drink water as well as eat no food during the current super hot and humid conditions. Many also pray early and late into the night which means they have to endure a lack of sleep as well.

Iftar is obviously a religious event but I most impressed with the courtesy and respect shown to guests such as myself. The fast finished that night at 9.10pm. I am not at all sure that I will have been so polite and well mannered if I had no food or drink for the previous 18 hours.

Hat tip pictures in collage to Sami Photography.

Update: Check out Hope Not Hate "The Big Iftar"  and "Dine at Mine" if you have never been to a Iftar.

We Are The Many - Hope Not Hate

Please click here and sign this Hope Not Hate letter for tomorrow's Daily Mirror :-

To: The Editor, Daily Mirror
From:

We Are The Many

Today, the violent English Defence League will hold demonstrations in towns and cities across our country, trying to spread their message of hate. By blaming all Muslims for the terrible murder of Drummer Lee Rigby, the EDL will attempt to whip up a climate of fear and violence towards the Muslim community in Britain.

But the EDL will fail. They will fail because we, the British people, reject their ignorance.

The EDL and Islamic extremists are more similar to each other than to us. They share a violent, hate-fuelled desire for conflict and war, and we will not let either group tear our country apart.

We condemn the shameful rise in anti-Muslim violence since Drummer Rigby's killing. The fair-minded majority of Britons understand that a community cannot be blamed for the actions of just two. We know that the EDL does not speak for all Britain, just as we know that Muslim extremists do not speak for all Muslims.

We, the British people, shun the EDL's message of hate today because they do not speak for us. We are confident that HOPE will prevail. It will prevail because they are the few, and we are -- and always will be -- the many.

Yours,

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).

Searchlight and Hope Not Hate

I've been a subscriber to the monthly anti-fascist magazine "Searchlight" for many years and supporter of its campaigning arm "Hope Not Hate". So I was concerned to hear that they had some sort of a dispute and have gone their separate ways. Taking on racists and Nazi's is difficult, stressful and even dangerous, so it is obvious that there will be tensions and problems from time to time. These things happen. Maybe it is a good idea to separate the research from the campaigning? I don't know.

Yet I was really concerned to read in this month's "Searchlight" a two page article criticising "Hope Not Hate". Now I do not know the ins and outs of the issues or personalities involved. But I cannot see how in any way this article helps anyone but our real enemies. 

Can these differences be sorted out in another way?

(as usual this is a strictly personal view)

The best part of the London Olympics 2012 Opening Ceremony: Homage to our NHS

I really enjoyed the opening ceremony last night. I thought it was just simply brilliant. The bit about the birth and importance of the National Health Service (NHS) was a particular favourite.

It seems that not everyone shares this view. Nick Lowes from "Hope Not Hate" reports that

"...Conservative MP Aiden Burley (Cannock) described the opening ceremony as "the most leftie opening ceremony I have ever seen". He went on: "Thank God the athletes have arrived! Now we can move on from leftie multicultural crap."

This from the man who enjoyed a stag do in France with friends dressed up in Nazi uniforms".

Nuf said?

Hat tip photo to UK Uncut (which of course did not appear during the acual ceremony)