UNISON NDC 2026 - Reflections (Day Four and home)

 

NDC Day – Reflections on a Full and Moving Friday

I was up early and went for a run — well, a slow jog — east along the prom for fifteen minutes before turning back to the hotel. Warm, dry, and misty: the kind of morning that feels suspended in time. And what a way to wake up — to the news that Labour’s candidate, Andy Burnham, had won the by‑election decisively. It was a powerful reminder that you can defeat the far‑right Reform and the increasingly fascistic Restore Party with a confident, progressive left candidate who is both charismatic and competent. A real lift to start the day.

After getting back, showered, and changed, it was straight into the 8.30am NEC pre‑conference meeting. The main item was, of course, the election of the 2026/27 UNISON NEC Presidential Team. I was genuinely delighted that James, Debbie, and Micaela were elected President, Senior Vice President, and Junior Vice President respectively — and by a clear majority. A strong team for the year ahead.

Conference opened at 9.30am. The morning brought several important debates — some ill‑tempered, but most constructive, thoughtful, and focused on building rather than tearing down. With no fringes running (everyone was packing up), I used the lunch break to deal with some branch and work issues. While waiting for a sandwich in Subway, I ended up in conversation with activists in the queue about good practice in internal disciplinary procedures and a local pensions dispute. As ever, you can’t switch off from the work — and nor would I want to.

After 2pm, I spoke on Motion 65: “Men’s Mental Health Matters”, moving a friendly NEC amendment. I mentioned that I had lost male family members to suicide, and the response afterwards was deeply moving. So many people came to speak to me about their own losses — friends, brothers, fathers — and to check on my wellbeing after the speech. That, to me, is UNISON at its very best: compassion, solidarity, and the willingness to share painful truths so that we can change things together. This issue matters enormously, and I am proud that UNISON is committing to take real action. I’ll post the full motion and my amendment speech later.

Conference closed at 3.45pm with a heartfelt tribute to our outgoing President, Catherine McKenna, whose term has now ended. Catherine has been an outstanding leader — strong, no‑nonsense, principled, and deeply respected. A fitting send‑off.

Afterwards, I picked up my suitcase from the hotel and walked up to the station to head home. NDC 2027 will be in Liverpool, and I sincerely hope to be there again.

UNISON Service Group Elections 2026 - Regional Heath (& Greater London)

 

Trusted colleagues from UNISON Health Service Group have asked me to share recommendations for the biannual Service Group Executive (SGE) elections, which should have been sent out on Wednesday 1 April by email or to members’ home addresses. 

These elections are important, so please take time to read the election statements and consider the endorsements from UNISON rank-and-file health activists who are committed to working hard, fighting for members in the NHS, and putting their interests first. 

Greater London health members should also keep in mind Chris, Julie, and Paula (apologies for leaving Paula off the earlier list). I will share more recommendations from activists on other service groups soon.

UNISON NEC members meet up before meeting Wednesday 11.2.26

 

A few of us from the UNISON NEC managed to meet up on Tuesday evening at our national headquarters on Euston Road. It was a relaxed chance to catch up before the formal business began.

Our elected lay President, Catherine, is right at the centre of the photo in red. To her right is James, our senior Vice President, and to her left at the front is Debbie, our junior Vice President.

Some NEC members from the far‑left faction left the building when we arrived — their absence was noted — while many other Council members were still travelling down or due to join us the following morning.

On Wednesday we moved to the full hybrid NEC meeting in the Dave Prentis Chamber on the 9th floor. It turned out to be a very interesting session, and I’ll share more reflections on that soon.

UNISON NEC Presidential Team elections 2025-2026

UNISON National Conference finished at 4pm on Friday 20 June 2025. I will post on the last 2 days of conference when I can. But after the close of conference, the newly elected UNISON National Executive Council (2025-2027 NEC) met for the first time to vote for our New President, Senior Vice President and Junior Vice President. 

I had been re-elected as a NEC Community member with my colleague Denise Thomas and we voted  in this important election. 

These are not just honorary or ceremonial positions, the new Presidential team are the most senior lay activists in the largest union in the UK, providing leadership for over 1.3 million members. 

I was more than pleased that the following were elected with clear majorities.

Catherine McKenna – UNISON President

James Anthony – Senior Vice President

Debbie Rowden – Junior Vice President

"This marks a fresh start and a powerful step forward for our union. With a strong NEC and a leadership team committed to putting members first, the future of UNISON looks brighter than ever".

Agreed. 

UNISON NEC Elections - Vote for your Health Candidates Michelle, Pat, Gordon & James

Put UNISON members first, not factional politics. 

·         Work with our first woman General Secretary, Christina McAnea, to make UNISON the strongest union. 

·         Make sure every member gets high quality legal advice and representation when you need it most 

·         Fight discrimination and put equality at the heart of every decision

·         Tackle the Cost of Living Crisis- winning fair pay for all

Mitsy Harmon-Russell London Hospital worker

 

Greater London UNISON Regional Council Meeting - Key Note speaker David Lammy MP

Last week I had to "last minute" chair the virtual Regional Council meeting of UNISON Greater London Region. Our Regional convenor, Yvonne Green, was on holiday in the Caribbean and had tried to join the meeting to chair (despite being silly O'Clock over there) but had internet problems. Our deputy Convenor, Conroy Lawrence was our delegate at  the physical TUC conference. 

The meeting was held virtually due to requests from our NHS/health branches, since they are in the midst of the industrial action ballot on pay and are working their socks off to get a good turnout and hopefully, a positive result in favour of industrial action. 

So, as Regional Finance Convenor (one of the 5 elected regional Council Officers), I stepped in to Chair. Our keynote speaker was Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy MP, who gave a passionate Parliamentary report on the utter shambles that was the Truss Premiership (this was just before her very welcome resignation). 

Next speaker was NHS nurse, James Anthony, Vice Chair UNISON Campaigns Committee (formerly the General Political Fund/GPF) on the new "campaign fund", the programme of work to raise the profile of the fund, in particular increasing opt-in and using the fund more strategically and efficiently.

Final speaker was our Regional Secretary, Jo Galloway, on the new "branch organising and support fund" which is also a really important financial tool to support branches in campaigning. 

As a member of a regional wide branch that has multi employers with a fragmented membership this fund is exactly what we and many other similar branches need. It will also benefit all other branches that have good ideas and strategies to grow our membership. 

Since the meeting was as expected inquorate (due to NHS/health branches concentrating on the pay ballot) we had a useful and wide ranging Q&A on the new fund. I closed the meeting afterwards. 

I felt it was a useful meeting but I look forward to the next physical meeting of Regional Council (but in this current climate there may well be further massive disputes - so watch this space)

"Health members energised on the first day of Health Conference and inspired by Christina McAnea"

Hat tip James Anthony at https://www.in-unison.org/post/health-members-energised-on-the-first-day-of-health-conference-and-inspired-by-christina-mcanea Photo Katrina Murray

"The first day of health conference started with a real buzz, health workers together in the real world for the first time in 3 years. Whatever else happens in this conference this week, I’m sure activists will go back to the branches with a bit more energy for the work ahead.

Conference chairing

The morning session was ably chaired by Wilma Brown, Vice Chair of the service group executive, with this afternoon chaired by Roz Normal, Chair of the SGE. This is the first time our conference hasn’t been chaired by the president or vice president. With the current president embroiled in controversy, with feelings running high, it was fear that their chairing of the conference risked being divisive at a time that it’s vital that we come together.

Health, safety and wellbeing

The first motion of the conference from the Health Executive was on protecting health workers from the staffing and workload crisis. In moving the motion, Eddie Woolley, one of the West Midlands reps on the SGE, made it clear that the crisis started before the pandemic which has in many ways exposed long established issues. Instead, he put the blame firmly on the Government.

The debates following focused on the health and wellbeing of health staff. Pat Heron spoke with her usual passion both about mental health, and the importance of health and safety reps in making departments safe from a mental wellbeing perspective.

The ambulance sector’s motion highlighted the particular struggle they are facing, both from understaffing and underfunding of the service and ambulances backing up outside accident and emergency departments.

‘Long COVID’ is going to be with us for years to come. The motion from the disabled promotes the current range of resources for branches to bargain for the right reasonable adjustments and support is given to those with post COVID19 syndrome.

A speaker from the private sector highlighted the importance of health and wellbeing in the private sector, where lack of trade union recognition leaves staff more vulnerable. Vital that we have a focus on organising in these workplaces.

Organising

Finishing the morning was a vital debate about organising young workers, particularly how we get more young members active in our health branches and the wider SGE. An excellent speech from Elliot from the National Young Members Forum highlighting what young members identified they need, such as training and buddying/mentoring systems.

General Secretaries address

This afternoon was somewhat of a homecoming for Christina McAnea, as she addressed conference and had a standing ovation before she even spoke. Christina is well known and liked here, having spent many years as Head of Health.

Her speech covered a wide range of issues starting off with our opposition to Putin’s war in Ukraine, and how we stand in solidarity with Ukraine and particularly Ukrainian health workers and their unions. She paid tribute to the health workers struggle during COVID, but also our branches and activists who have gone above and beyond to support members in these difficult times. She took aim at the Prime Minister and Chancellor for taking NHS workers for granted, when the NI increase, not doing anything about soring utility bills, and failing to increase our pay is their political choice. Pointing out that the cost of delivering a decent pay rise for all of the public sector is the same as the billions wasted on unusable PPE and fraudulently claimed by often fake companies for COVID grants. It was a fantastic speech and really inspiring for delegates.

Equality

Next, we went on to key equality motions. The first motion from the women’s committee was strong motion on domestic violence as a workplace issue. UNISON’s promoted amendment in the domestic abuse bill following work we did with Jess Phillips MP. Need for cultural shift to tackle misogyny, patriarchy and violence against women and girls.

Shockingly a survey done by the UNISON Nursing committee and the Nursing Times found that 60% of nurses had experienced sexual harassment at work. The debate included some terrible examples on this but also practical ways we can work with employers to tackle this.

Motions were than debated on racism in the NHS and specifically on the disproportionate impact of COVID on Black NHS staff. COVID certainly highlighted that racism is a life and death issue and shows why our anti-racism work is so important. There are a lot of tools available to branches and employers, but we all need to do more to use these to rid our employers of racism.

Shockingly 40% of NHS Trusts don’t have a reasonable adjustment policy, so the motion on the workplace disability equality standard is really important. 2 years after the WDES has been introduce, too little has been changed and more progress is needed.

Wrapping up the equality section was a motion from LGBT+ on equality training. This is so important to take forward the equality agenda. During COVID this training has all moved online and become a tick box exercise, the motion called for the return of interactive training whether that’s in person or online.

Greener NHS

We heard that the NHS is a major contributor to climate change (5% of UK emissions), and we have a key responsibility to make sure as the NHS de-carbonises that we play our part. Delegates talked about the importance of tackling climate change, but also making sure we are actively involved to ensure that changes don’t hit our members the hardest.

The delegate from the Science, Therapies and Technical staff group talked about the key report UNISON published at COP26 last year which highlighted the investment that public services need in order to decarbonise. Sandra from the Northern Region highlighted the size of the NHS work force and the emissions caused by getting to work alone (20million tonnes of carbon emissions in the English NHS alone). Their motion on green travel plans covered not only commuting but driving for work and look at lower emissions options and pool cars".

InUNISON - Solidarity with Ukraine, opposing Russian aggression and supporting public service workers

 

"We’ve all watched the news with horror over the last few days, as Russian tanks, soldiers and airforce surged over the Ukrainian border. Many of us had hoped and expected that the horrors of war that plagued Europe for centuries were in thing of the past, and these events evoke our collective European memories and shatter the peace we have been building together.

But amongst the widespread outrage, our general secretary Christina McAnea rightly directed our thoughts to public service workers in Ukraine to give them our support and solidarity. In the same way in this country, we saw that during the pandemic peaks it was public service workers holding society together, often at their own personal risk, so to will it be on the ground in Ukraine. Health workers tending the sick and injured, local government workers keeping the most basic services going, energy workers keeping the lights on for as long as possible.

Our thoughts must now turn to how we can offer practical solidarity to Ukrainians, and particularly to Ukrainian public service workers. UNISON has well established relationships with Ukrainian unions through our work with EPSU and PSI. We must work with them to provide whatever assistance we can to our sisters in Ukraine.

Our thoughts must also turn to those Ukrainians who have left Ukraine, many of them fleeing over the borders to neighbouring countries. We should look at what else can do as a union to support these refugees, and ensuring the UK also offers a warm welcome to them. We must also offer what practical help and solidarity we can to our own Ukrainian members who must be going through unimaginable heartache.

Solidarity with Ukrainians and their right to self determination must be sacrosanct, but also supporting peace movements in Russia. The last thing we should be doing is trying to apportion blame anywhere other than Putin and his cabal.

Russia out of Ukraine. Solidarity!"

By UNISON NEC member (& NHS Nurse) James Anthony

UNISON National Delegate Conference 2020 (Not)

This is great picture of our UNISON Presidential team. From left is Senior Vice President, Sian Stockham (Support Care worker Wales); President, Josie Bird, (Local Government Newcastle) and James Anthony (Nurse in Birmingham).

James tweeted the photograph this morning and reminded us that today would have been the first day of the UNISON National Delegate Conference 2020. It was not to be due to Covid-19.

Next year....

UNISON newly elected Presidential team 2019/2020

Congratulations to Josie Bird from @NorthernUNISON elected @unisontweets President. Sian Stockham @sian_aber elected Senior Vice President and @JamesAnthonyRN elected Junior Vice President. Great team! #UNISON #NEC #UNDC19.

The team were all elected with overwhelming majorities by the newly elected UNISON NEC. Josie was 37 to 23 which is a decisive result.

I am so, so pleased we have such a strong team elected to represent our union which is clearly supported by our lay member NEC.

It was sad to say goodbye to my NEC colleagues (from all sides of the political spectrum) who were not re-elected or were retiring. 

Exiting the EU – Defending our rights and securing our public services

Hat tip http://classonline.org.uk/blog/item/exiting-the-eu-defending-our-rights-and-securing-our-public-services. "For workers in public services, Brexit is a hot topic. Colleagues in the hospital where I work often ask me, ‘what on earth is going on?’ with conversations rarely going beyond what a shambles it all is. In a country that is hugely divided over Europe, there is one issue that appears to unify many remain and leave supporters. That Brexit is a complete and utter mess.

And there’s little wonder public service workers are feeling like this. Nearly two and a half years after the referendum, and only a matter of months before the UK is set to leave the EU, the government is in crisis. It’s unlikely to muster the majority needed to pass its draft Withdrawal Agreement, and May has allowed the meaningful vote in parliament to be delayed until January.

As the largest trade union in the country with 1.3 million members, UNISON cannot accept May’s deal nor a no deal, as both pose a great threat to the workers we represent and the public services they provide.

Although critical of the EU’s agenda, UNISON backed staying in the EU and most trade union members supported us in that call, according to TUC research. We have accepted the result even though we don’t accept some of the claims made by the Leave campaign.

What we cannot accept though is the direction outlined in the political declaration. The Conservative vision is of a free trade deal that would promote a new race to the bottom for workers’ rights, consumer standards and environmental regulation, and open up public services to global liberalisation.

Our members campaigned vigorously against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and other global free trade agreements for the very same reasons. That they would undermine rights and protections along with our key public services, and enable multinationals to challenge those rights and services in opaque courts of arbitration. We cannot allow exiting the EU to take us further down that path.

Protecting workers rights
Many of the rights workers enjoy today resulted from the EU. The transition period in the withdrawal agreement would see current rights safeguarded. However, UK workers would start to fall behind the protections offered to other workers in the EU because only rights implemented before the end of the transition period would apply.

Peace and prosperity in Northern IrelandWith UNISON members crossing our only land border on a daily basis, Northern Ireland and preventing a hard border is key for UNISON. An advocate for peace we are proud of our role in the Good Friday Agreement, and the one we continue to play in promoting peace.

The reckless way that some discounted the impact of peace in Northern Ireland is a disgrace. A hard border would be a disaster and appear to be an unwelcome return to the times of army and police checkpoints.

The backstop position has become the focus of much attention because, as weak as it is, it does make provision for rights not to fall below common EU-UK standards. This border agreement also includes some limited protection for human rights and equality, issues so important to both sides of the community who are dealing with the legacy of conflict.

We fully support the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), representing workers on both sides of the border, whose position is that a no deal scenario is unacceptable.

The future relationship UNISON wants to see
UNISON has created six tests that a future EU-UK deal would have to pass. Based on our annual conference decision, these are aimed at protecting our members’ rights, and public services:
Protect existing health and safety and workers rights through a level playing field of regulations, with a non-regression clause, an enforcement mechanism and accessible dispute mechanism that enforces the adherence and future upgrade on these rights.

Protect public services from a bad economic deal that will prevent growth of the UK economy, continue public service austerity instead of increased funding, lower living standards and offer less training and skills opportunities for workers. 

Keep UK public services out of global trade deals, maintain only the existing beneficial social provisions in public procurement regulations, expand the right to public ownership and the positive use of State Aid. 

Safeguard rights, standards and regulations (e.g. employment, health and safety, consumer and environment) and any new EU measures in the future so that they cannot be weakened in the UK through any future trade deals with non-EU countries like the USA. 

Maintain existing equality and human rights, EU citizen rights, EU freedom of movement.
Prevent a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, uphold the Good Friday Agreement and respect the devolution legislation of the Governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

UNISON does not believe that these tests are met by the proposed deal outlined by the Prime Minister. Labour’s plans though for a comprehensive EU-UK customs arrangement and access to a new single market deal have the best chance of meeting them.

We are therefore calling for a general election and for the election of a Labour government.

But, as the withdrawal date draws nearer, we’re clear that no deal is no option, that an election will take time to hold, and a new deal time to negotiate.

The message from all this is that Parliament needs to take control, seek to extend or withdraw article 50, and work together. This is the only way to prevent the UK crashing out without a deal.

And it’s the only way to resolve the turmoil that currently is Brexit".

James Anthony is a member of UNISON's National Executive Council

"UNISON launches campaign to divest pensions from carbon"

I chaired a packed 10th UNISON annual Local Government Pension Fund seminar yesterday.

The "Divest Campaign" is potentially one of the most significant things we can do as a union, not only to save our planet but also to save our pensions future.

Will blog further on the seminar later.

Guide will help members of local government pension schemes push for changes in the investment of their funds

A campaign to encourage local government pension funds to divest from carbon will be launched today (Wednesday) by UNISON.

UNISON’s step-by-step guide is designed to help members of local government pension schemes push for changes in the investment of their funds. The aim is to explore alternative investment opportunities, allowing schemes to sell their shares and bonds in fossil fuels and to go carbon-free.

Chair of UNISON’s policy committee James Anthony said: “Pensions are meant to safeguard our future, but that future is threatened by the burning of carbon in fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.

“This campaign empowers people to hold their pension funds to account. If you contribute to a pension then it’s your money that’s being invested, and so it’s only right that you should have a say in where it’s invested.”

Figures published last year revealed that £16 billion was invested in the fossil fuel industry by local government pension funds*. At its annual conference last year, UNISON made the decision to campaign for divestment from these companies because of the devastating consequences that a changing climate will have on people, societies and ecosystems.

In addition to the threat of climate change, the UNISON campaign highlights other reasons why continued investment in carbon threatens the value of pension funds. For example, new government regulations for fossil fuels have raised the costs of high-polluting industries and reduced their investment appeal. Equally, emerging clean and green technology has created new and lucrative business opportunities for funds.

With five million members of local government pension schemes, and over 13,000 different employers paying into them, UNISON believes its campaign will resonate with a wide audience and is in a strong position to influence the pensions agenda".

Hat tip https://www.unison.org.uk/news/press-release/2018/01/unison-launches-campaign-divest-pensions-carbon/