Dave Prentis re-elected as UNISON General Secretary with huge majority (Miserablists come bottom)

Great news. UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, has been re-elected by members for another 5 years. He received just short of an absolute majority of votes 49.4%.

• Roger Bannister 16,853 (12.6 per cent)

• John Burgess 15,573 (11.6 per cent)

• Dave Prentis 66,155 (49.4 per cent)

• Heather Wakefield 35,433 (26.4 per cent)

   

  Commiserations to Heather Wakefield and Roger Bannister for coming 2nd and 3rd. While I was glad that the disgraceful campaign by the miserablists resulted in them coming bottom yet again. 

   

  I will blog further on them later and what can only be described as the conspiracy by sections of the ultra left to discredit the union #forgerygate

Lily Allen - F**k You (It's Not Me, It's You)

I so love this song. It reminds me....

How incredible that any trade unionist believes anything in "The Sun"?

It is amazing that a small number of trade union activists have chosen to "believe" and publicise  a report from the "Sun on Sunday" that UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, had given it an "exclusive interview" attacking the Labour Leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

This is of course a complete untruth. "The Sun" simply made up the "exclusive" tag and about Dave Prentis attacking Labour Leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

We all know that "The Sun" tells lies all the time and should not be trusted.

What had actually happened was that Dave Prentis had given an interview to the Press Association (PA) news agency, calling on Labour MPs at the eve of the Tory Government announcement of its comprehensive spending review (this Wednesday 25 November)  to stop squabbling amongst themselves and attack the Tories. He did not attack Jeremy.

To make matters worse "The Sun" lies have been deliberately repeated by supporters of other candidates standing against Dave Prentis to be the next General Secretary of UNISON.

At least two supporters has since had the grace to admit they were wrong and retract a comment. Others have not and are now deliberately repeating what they know to be lies and are supporting "The Sun" even though they now know the truth.  

UNISON NEC Elections 2015: London Calling

If you have not received your ballot papers by (14 April) you should ring 0800 0857 857. Lines open 6am to midnight, Monday to Friday and 9am to 4pm on Saturday. Ballot closes 15 May.

Check out other national, regional and Black Members recommendations at UNISON NEC 2015 andFacebook 

Nominate Jason Anderson as London rep on UNISON National Labour Link Committee

Can all UNISON Branches in London who support the forces of light and reason against the evil ones (aka miserablists) please consider nominating Jason.

You can download a nomination form from here. It needs to be signed by 2 branch officers who are Labour Link members (including the Link officer if you have one in post). Don't worry about the election statement or candidate form, Jason will send that direct to UNISON HQ.   His RMS number is 4565268. The form needs to be returned by Friday 14 June by email (elections@unison.co.uk) or post or fax.

"Dear Colleague,

I am writing to ask your branch to consider nominating me for the London seat on the National Labour Link Committee.

About me

My name is Jason Anderson and I work as a Frontline Ambulance Technician and have been a member of the London Ambulance Service’s ‘Hazardous Area Response Team’ for the last two years. This involves attending to casualties in many different environments’ i.e. Fire Incidents, Water, and Decontamination, Biological, Chemical, Nuclear and mass casualty.

I am now in my 13th year in the London Ambulance Service and have seen many changes to staff working conditions like the introduction of ‘Agenda For Change NHS’, and now the prospect of restructuring across the Service (mainly due to the financial cuts being forced on the NHS by the Conservative/Lib Dem Government). I am acutely aware of the role we as a union have in demonstrating the effects Con/Dem policies are having on our members and the services we deliver.

We have a key role to play in building opposition to the Government and enabling Labour to win the next election in 2015.

I am a committed trade unionist, first joining after leaving school and starting work on a ‘Maggie Thatcher’ YTS Course (which not surprisingly didn’t last!) and have held numerous UNISON roles including Station Representative, H&S Representative and Branch Labour Link Officer for the past two years.

I am a life long supporter of the Labour party and have been a party member for the past few years. I have recently moved home and my CLP has changed from Mitcham and Morden (where I have supported Siobhain Mc Dough MP with the ongoing campaign to keep the A/E and Maternity departments open at St Helier Hospital) to Epsom and Ewell where I am already getting involved in campaigning around the local Elections.

Labour in Government delivered real improvements for our members, but, Labour needs to change and do more to win the General Election in 2015. We need an alternative economic policy. I believe in supporting the Party, but also in campaigning for or against change where it impacts on our members.

If elected I will :-

• Represent the views of APF payers in the London Region. 
• I will work towards ensuring the voice of UNISON members is heard within the Labour party. We need to champion trade union issues and move our members concerns up the agenda, promoting a manifesto that includes; 
• Defend our NHS 
• Reinvestment & defending our public services 
• Defending pay and public sector pensions 
• Access to housing for public sector employees 
• Economic policies that promote growth and jobs 
• A Labour victory in 2015 must be a priority for us all. We must get rid of this Tory led Coalition Government determined to destroy our public services and welfare state before they do any more damage. 

I hope your branch will consider nominating me. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Regards
Jason Anderson"

UNISON NEC elections 2013

I was away last week and was pleased to come home and find a letter from UNISON elections office telling me that I had been reelected unopposed again for the General seat on the National Executive Member (NEC) for the General seat of the Community & Voluntary Service Group. 

The results will not be confirmed until the end of the elections on 10 June 2013. Many, many thanks to all the branches that had nominated me.

Now I will need to do my bit to help the other NEC candidates representing the forces of light and reason in UNISON who are being opposed by ultra left (aka the miserablists).

Ballot papers are being sent out on April 22. I am creating a blog site detailing which candidates I recommend (personal capacity only). Which should be up and running this weekend.

Branches who have nominated candidates can remind their members who they have nominated by the usual way they communicate with them e.g. newsletter, email or mailshot.

Don't Lose Sleep over your Job Security: Join UNISON

For once at the UNISON London Regional Committee meeting today, the miserablists agreed with me! The current union TV and media recruitment campaign is reaching out to non members who are just not aware of all the benefits of joining a union.

Times are very tough. This evening I went to my school governors meeting, where I heard that they an advert out recently for one administration job at the school, which was only open for one week, but they had 150 applicants.

If you are in work, the best way to try and save your job is to join a union. If you work providing any form of public services then join UNISON.

Miserablist's moaning that no one listerns to them

Do young people really, really like this music? Or have I turned into my Dad?

Apologies to those who haven't a clue what this post is really on about :)

Chuka Umunna MP at Joint London & Eastern Region UNISON Labour Link Forum

Picture of the joint meeting with UNISON Labour Link Greater London and Eastern Regions.

At first each region had held their separate annual meetings then we met up to hear the first guest speaker Richard Howitt MEP. Next was Chuka Umunna MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Chuka gave his usual very polished and competent speech ripping into this Tory led government.

As a former employment law solicitor he pointed out how the Tories are rolling back basic protection for all of us at work. They have already raised the limit for claiming unfair dismissal from one year to two years; introduced fees to take out an employment tribunal claim; got rid of independent lay judges; capped compensation awards and attacked TUPE as well as 3rd party harassment claims.

In the Q&A he dismissed a question from the miserablist who was rabbiting on about some silly nonsense that Chuka was supposed to have said (and had clearly not).

I asked Chuka about a recent interview with Ed Miliband during a visit to Denmark when he was reported to have been asked does he support the high public spending and taxes they have in Denmark being replicated in the UK? (obviously a trap question). Ed was quoted as saying that no he doesn't, but he is interested in copying their high skill base and training. My question was how can you have a high skill base and training without high public spending paid for by higher progressive taxation?

Chuka replied by saying he wants people to have more skills and training and a more equal society but he thinks that people in his constituency simply don't have the money to pay more taxes at the this moment. They are struggling to survive.

Richard Howitt MEP speaks to Joint London & Eastern Regions UNISON Labour Link

Immediately after our London UNISON Labour Link forum last week there was a special joint meeting with London and Eastern region. The first speaker was Richard Howitt, Labour Member of European Parliament.The meeting was chaired by Link National officer, Keith Birch.

Richard began by pointing out that the long running UNISON campaign against the reduction in Meat hygiene inspectors had been proved right over the recent horse meat scandal.

He then spoke about Europe and contrasted the "left" in who want to inflate their economies in order to create growth and jobs with the "Right", who want cuts and austerity. While in the UK the only reason why the Tories are talking about leaving the EU is not really because of sovereignty but is all about rolling back Social Europe and reducing employment and health & safety protection for workers. He also reported on the recent victory in a recent EU judicial decision (Viking) in favour of labour rights above that of Capital.

I asked Richard in Q&A that the parts of Europe that seemed to being doing better in this recession were countries who have greater income equality and have greater public spending and progressive taxation. He replied that he tended to agree and said that countries such as Finland which have high taxes are amongst the most efficient and most productive economies in the world.

When he and other Labour MEPs were criticised by a London miserablist for apparently not standing up to the last Labour Government, Richard reminded him that they all refused to toe the line over the agency rights regulations and they were even sent letters threatening deselection.  While he had to say "No Prime Minister" over the issue in a very difficult telephone conversion with Gordon Brown.

He finished by reminding us all that 1 in 3 British jobs depend upon trade with EU and that the UK is a member of a number of international bodies such as the UN, ILO, IMF, World Bank etc. but no one says we should have a referendum on this. Next speaker was Chuka Umunna MP which I will post upon soon. 

Ultra Left Claim UNISON 2011 Pension Strike Victory!

There was an excellent UNISON NEC meeting today. In a special meeting of the Policy  Development and Campaign sub-committee, I was pleased to hear some members cite the UNISON Pension Strike Victory of 2011.

I couldn't agree more. 

It seems mind that the Ministry of Truth has been a bit busy.

I did make this prediction (last paragraph) at the time.  :)

Do You Hear the People Sing? London UNISON Regional Council AGM results 2013

REGIONAL COUNCIL AGM 2013

ELECTION RESULTS

The results of the elections held at the Council AGM on 6 February 2013 are given below.  The elections were conducted, in accordance with the Regional Rules, under the single transferable voting system (STV) and were carried out by the Electoral Reform Services.

REGIONAL CONVENOR (1 to elect)

HANSON Gloria	121	Elected
THOMPSON Marsha Jane	65

DEPUTY REGIONAL CONVENOR (1 to elect)

LAWRENCE Conroy	117	Elected
WATKINS Phoebe	70

REGIONAL FINANCE CONVENOR (1 to elect)

GRAY John	124	Elected
SANGARAPILLAI Vinothan	62

                       

REGIONAL PUBLICITY OFFICER (1 to elect)

BENTLEY Lynn	116	Elected
CASHMAN Ruth	69

REGIONAL EQUALITIES CONVENOR (1 to elect)

GREEN Yvonne	125	Elected
LAWLER Gabrielle	58

REGIONAL YOUNG PERSONS CONVENOR – 1 Vacancy

SMIKLE Michaela

Automatically elected  Clean sweep. Hat tip Youtube link to CS

VICTORY: For London UNISON Centre Left

The Greater London UNISON Regional Council AGM took place today and I am pleased to report that the forces of light and reason yet again soundly defeated the Evil Ones (aka "the miserablists") and re-elected the Convenor Dream team headed by Gloria Hanson and Conroy Lawrence.  Lynn Bentley as Publicity Officer; Yvonne Green as Equalities Convenor and myself as Finance Convenor.

Many thanks for all your support London comrades!

In the meanwhile enjoy this great video and music.

Lambeth UNISON Local Government AGM 2013

Picture of the Ritzy Cinema, which is opposite Lambeth Town Hall and was today the Annual General Meeting venue for my 2nd favourite UNISON Local Government branch ever, Lambeth!

Sincere congratulations, of course, to my fellow Labour Party comrades, JR and Ruth, who were elected joint branch secretaries!

My invitation to speak to the meeting must somehow have been "lost in the post".

:)

Sectarianism, Miserablists and opposing Austerity

I’ve been meaning to comment on this post made by my esteemed UNISON colleague, the NEC member for Skidrow-on-Sea, attacking an unnamed UNISON branch secretary (and as usual interfering in the internal democracy of other branches and Service Groups).

He selectively criticises the branch secretary for sending out an email to all staff warning them of attempts by the SWP and the SP to hijack their campaign to defend public services. However, he fails to mention or quote that part of the email that states the reason why it was sent out. 

Which was due to the violence, abuse and thuggery shown by various outsiders in a “hate fuelled frenzy”. This and threats to patients safety is actively undermining the campaign and putting off potential supporters .

It's the old story of "rule or ruin" by "wreaking and splitting". Ordered by the so called democratic centralist leadership of the various ultra left sects (not by all their rank and file members) if they cannot get their own way.

This is not the way to oppose Austerity nor win anything.

Considering that my esteemed colleague publicly derides anyone who disagrees with him as a "poodle of the ruling classes" it is just hypocritical of him to criticise anyone else as being in any way sectarian.

I also note that the hard working and respected branch secretary he is having a go at started life as a porter in a hospital, who then put himself through night school to eventually become a fully qualified nurse.  Who still works shifts as a nurse on the wards. Unlike the full time middle class bureaucrat who snipes at him from afar.

(ps I am also of course furious that anyone else apart from me should have been awarded “Sectarian of the Year” especially after my 2012 masterpiece Moanie fibbing miserabalists and the LGPS 2014)

Hat tip picture Rustbeltradical (and some interesting comments!)

UPDATE: I have been reminded how the Ultra left got up to similar tricks and destroyed any chance of forming a broad anti-austerity coalition in Local Government in 2011.

Something wrong with this blog, blogger or Internet Explorer?

Now I know the miserablists (et al) will claim that there is indeed lots wrong with my blog but many apologies to those who have had "difficulty" opening John's Labour blog in recent weeks and months (it kept crashing or you lost the will to live while waiting for it to open).

I have tried various things and changed the template a little while ago but this clearly didn't work. It goes well with Chrome, but that is perhaps hardly surprising since blogger is run by the same firm (Google). Blogger "help" wasn't that helpful I am afraid.

I have now rolled back the template and removed all the individual changes to the layout. It seems to be running much better? Let me know if you are still having problems. 

"UCATT Members Vote to Accept Local Government Pension Offer"

Ucatt members (Union of Construction, Allied Trades & Technicians) have also voted overwhelmingly to accept the new local government pensions scheme by 79%.

They join GMB members who voted 95% in favour, UNISON 90% in favour and Unite 84% in favour.

Seems pretty clear result. Now we need to be encouraging people to join the new scheme and using it as a model for schemes in the private sector.  Hat tip Unionreps e-newsletter.

UNISON members Vote by 90% to accept new LGPS!

Great news. UNISON has announced that members voted in a secret ballot by 90% to accept the new Local Government Pension Scheme 2014. Ignoring the moanie, fibbing misrabalist rejectionists who for selfish sectarian reasons wanted them to turn down a good offer to indulge in pointless strike action and the inevitable "glorious defeat". On Monday the GMB voted by 95% to accept.

While there were some who had genuine doubts about the new scheme, I would hope that everyone (apart from the miserablists who will be crying betrayal) will rally around the new scheme and encourage the shocking 25% of those eligible who haven't yet joined to join. There is still further work to be done especially around member representation and governance. The new LGPS will be a fair, affordable and sustainable model for a rebirth of private sector defined benefit pensions scheme.  In the meanwhile we should be also looking at encouraging other employers to consider joining.

This result will also encourage the union's in forthcoming campaigns since we can demonstrate that by a combination of rational argument, mobilisation and targeted collective action we can win for our members.

Update: Unite members have also voted to accept LGPS 2014 by 84%. Hat tip UNISONactive

GMB vote 95% in favour of LGPS: Further Misery for Miserablists

GMB member's of the Local Government Pension Scheme have voted by 95% in a secret postal ballot to support the new look scheme.

"Brian Strutton, GMB Public Services National Secretary, said “GMB members have spoken loud and clear.  The new LGPS 2014 proposals represent a fair and balanced outcome which means the pension scheme will remain affordable and sustainable; GMB members have recognised this as shown by the overwhelming vote in favour".

The UNISON ballot is ongoing. The ballot helpline close's tomorrow and the vote ends on 24th August.  Of course the UNISON miserablists are being even more miserable than usual at the GMB result. Does the GMB have miserablists or is it just an affliction that UNISON suffers from?

Vote ACCEPT to protect your LGPS pension