After hearing the speeches of both candidates, I voted in favour of nominating Christina McAnea. The NEC voted overwhelming for Christina to be our nominee.
In the next few weeks UNISON branches, regional councils and service groups will be voting on who to nominate to this absolutely key position in the union. Please attend these nomination meetings and please support Christina. I will post further on why.
Around 2000 delegates and visitors will be attending the annual conference of the largest trade union in the UK.
This evening I attended the Greater London Regional briefing for all our delegates. The elected regional delegates, Yvonne and Andrew, the Regional Secretary Sara and our Standing orders Committee representative Jim, advised delegates and answered questions on what to expect and how conference is likely to be run during the next 4 days.
As a NEC delegate and London member I mentioned the National Labour Link fringe on the Employment Rights Bill and invited delegates to attend.
There was a number of great questions by delegates about various aspects of conference business and also in my view, some rather unwise suggestions. I gently reminded delegates on the personal dangers and wider risks of not following legal advice during debates at conference.
Nuf said. But Beware! Beware!
While there were a few shocks and surprises when the results were announced I am so relieved that it seems that a clear working majority of the NEC are not aliened to the tfrc ultra left faction, that has run it (fairly disastrously in my personal view) during the last 4 years. We should now have a NEC that will act on behalf of members, first and foremost.
Many thanks to all our supporters for such an excellent result. Turnout was dismal in all of these elections and I hope by 2027 the promised legal changes are made to allow electronic balloting.
I will pass on my commiserations to Anjona and Michelle who stood against the two of us.
I spoke to the meeting about the importance of voting in the forthcoming UNISON NEC elections which starts later this month on April 21st. I made it clear that while I am re-standing as a candidate for the NEC, it is as the representative of Housing Association and Charities UNISON members and no-one in the GLA can vote for me in this election. Instead I am just making a plea for members to vote, regardless of who they vote for, in these really important elections.
The UNISON NEC is made up of 67 elected lay representatives and is our "Parliament" which runs the union in-between our annual conference. It is hugely important and for many years the turnout in elections has been really poor (8% or so of our 1.3 million members). Everyone should agree that we need to improve these participation rates.
I had to leave straight afterwards in order to go back to the TUC Conference on Pensions (which I will post about another time) but I was very impressed with the the GLA branch for the efficient and effective running of their AGM.
This meant that some elected NEC members felt felt they had to leave the platform to try and support and comfort delegates who had been told in these "speeches" by a tiny number of far left extremists, that effectively they were useless at work and should be sacked.
The NEC Presidential team did nothing to protect these Members and stop such comments.
I have been going to UNISON conferences for 20 years or so and have never seen any thing so disgusting and shameful.
UNISON NDC is one of the largest independent trade union conferences in the world. There are thousands of delegates and visitors from hundreds of branches, regions and nations, service groups and self organised groups, representing 1.3 million members. It is a huge and immensely complicated event,
Jim Mansfield, who is our elected London representative on the conference Standing Orders Committee (SOC) gave us a briefing on their report. The SOC runs the conference business and timetable in line with our rule book and legal obligations.
Some delegates, no doubt genuinely, find it difficult to understand these processes. So do I at times, despite being a conference veteran. But it needs to be run in line with our rules and the law. It is not a "free for all".
At the end I gave a plug for delegates to attend the UNISON Labour Link meeting on Wednesday evening where Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Tom Gray (a well known musician and no known relative!) will talk to us then lead canvass sessions in Brighton Pavilion. Also, we passed around an information sheet on how London delegates can register to find out further information on how to campaign for Labour in London.
I am at conference as an elected member representing the Community Service Group (Housing Associations and voluntary sector) of UNISON National Executive Council and will look forward to listening to the debates, fringes and guest speakers and of course, meeting and listening to my members.
NEC pre meeting 8.30am tomorrow morning.
In the meanwhile I hope our UNISON President will take up my offer of a guest post on this blog :-)
The motion was also supported by the 3 Newham opposition Councillors.
I would add to this motion, the call last week by my trade union UNISON for an immediate ceasefire which as a NEC member I voted to support as well as a £20,000 donation for Medical Aid for Palestine and the Red Cross.
"Newham council notes:
They have to provide the resources and capacity for staff to effectively support all our residents. It is also vital that they support staff who are trying their very best to provide these essential service. Too often they are unsupported and thrown into deep end with an impossible workload and unrealistic expectations by out of touch and unsympathetic senior management. Compare and contrast the support given by many Councils to their front facing social service staff with such issues and the often non-existent support ("ring our stress line contractor") provided by most Housing Associations.
As the UNISON national NEC member who works for and supports all our 50,000 plus Housing Association members, I can say with conviction, that this is a national issue for all of us.
Labour Link is the UNISON political fund that in principle supports the Labour Party (but not on everything if they get things wrong in our view) but wants a Labour Government to be elected asap.
Only NEC Labour Party Political fund levy payers "supporters" can vote in these elections and only Labour Party members can stand for Committee positions.
I will be bringing up at this committee issues of grave concerns to my members such as fire & rehire, cuts to pay and terms of conditions (such as defined benefit pensions!!!!)
Of course, some hard left extremists who hate the Labour Party and only pretend to support them in order to vote or stand took part but but I think most of their candidates got nowhere.
Regional elections for delegates to National Labour Link Committee by all levy members will take place soon. My branch nominated the excellent candidate, Anu Prashar, for the Greater London seat.
Afterwards I went to the UNISON headquarters in Euston for induction training following my election to its National Executive Council (NEC) for Community members (representing 74,000 Housing Association and Voluntary organisations members) in the UK and Northern Ireland.
I was pleased to be back on the UNISON NEC with Denise Thomas and am looking forward to the first proper NEC meeting tomorrow to elect members and chairs of the important NEC sub committees. I am far from happy (to say the least) about current proposals by the current lay Presidential team and will be making my views well known and will report back on what happens.
I had hoped that the Presidential team will stand by their public comments that they want fairness and equality in committee appointments as well as wanting to unite the union for the battles ahead but so far, based on their current proposals it would appear not. Watch this space.
So the pictures in college above are taken from the Greater London UNISON twitter account and National UNISON webpage of the day. So I missed the awarding of honorary life membership to Dr Neville Lawrence, my fellow Regional Rep, Yvonne Green, moving the composite on the Cost of Living Crisis and our regional Black delegates (and 2 from my branch) speaking on motion 52 celebrating the "Year of Black Worker 2023".
I came back to conference just as it closed. This meant that I my 2 year term of office as a elected member of the UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) for Community (Housing Associations & Voluntary sector) had begun. I had served previously in this role 2011-2021.
We had our first meeting at 4.30pm to elect the lay Presidential 2023/24 team and although the candidates I preferred were not selected on this occasion, congratulations to Libby, Steve and Julia. It was very, very close, 35 votes to 32 (and 34 to 33 for the junior Vice President position).
I echo the very wise words of our General Secretary, Christina MAnea at the close of the meeting that the NEC must put aside its differences and move on together in the interests of the Union and to represent all those who elected us. Let us see what happens next.
The current NEC opposed the motion (despite previously supporting it) for in my view, pretty bizzare and self defeating reasons. However, the motion was defeated (notwithstanding some poor chairing of the debate).
It was however, mostly a good debate, apart from some abusive remarks by a disaffected health delegate. Many thanks to the many delegates who spoke in favour. Below is my speech but to firstly sum up my right to reply to the debate:-
I suggested that the real elephant in the room is that because of a lack of trust and confidence in the current NEC by key stakeholders across the union, we will have a barrier to wining future disputes until this changes. Obviously the NEC will change significantly on Friday due to the recent elections.
"Conference, President, John Gray, Greater London Regional rep and about to become a newly elected NEC member for Community on Friday. Moving Composite D on Industrial Action Ballots.
Respect to my tfrc opponent for my seat, Kevin Jackson, who has acted well in this contest, unlike in my view, many members of the the slate he endorsed (1677 vote for me to 1539 for him)
This photo is from the Community Service Group Conference held last year in Glasgow, when there was a series of walkouts at the conference of delegates, disgusted that the tfrc President was chairing despite the well known complaints against him by numerous unison female members of bullying.
He has now gone from the current UNISON NEC. I believe after these elections that the next NEC will be more balanced and will reflect (what we use to call all the time and still should) rank and file UNISON members.
In the meanwhile there is a serious dispute with my employer over pay claim, closing Defined Benefit pensions and trade union victimisation. Today I have been in touch with two senior elected metropolitan Council representatives about this dispute, who are horrified about what is being done. More to follow. .
We definitely need an NEC that puts members first, supports our General Secretary Christina McAnea (never again a vote of no confidence in the NEC) and makes sure that everyone has a voice in UNISON. Fight discrimination and tackle the Cost of Living Crisis.
More than happy to vote for and endorse Nesil (Long standing London UNISON member) and Tudor.
Check out their website here https://www.nesilandtudorfornec.com/
"Dear John,
The main ballot for this year's Labour Party internal
elections has now concluded. However, members of the Association of Labour
Councillors, directly elected mayors, and Police & Crime Commissioners are
eligible to elect a further two representatives to the National Executive
Committee (NEC).
Please click here to vote. Once you've logged in you will be able to read the
candidates' statements so you can see who they are, what they stand for, and
what their ideas for the future are. Voting is easy - just a few clicks.
The NEC is the governing body of the Labour Party. It sets
strategic objectives on an annual basis and meets regularly to review the work
of the party alongside Keir and Angela.
Voting
closes at noon on Thursday 22 September. You will not be able to
cast your ballot after this time.
I would like to thank every candidate who has put
themselves forward. Our Party is enriched by people stepping up, and it's
been great to see such a good-natured campaign so far so
please do have a look at the candidates who have worked so hard in this
election.
Yours sincerely
David Evans
General Secretary
UPDATE: BOTH ELECTED!
"Dear Kirklees 15 supporter,
As many of you will have heard Mr Holmes has now been told
he cannot hold office due to the recent rule
change governing unemployed members. A small win in a bigger
battle.
Mr Holmes, I am sure, will seek any way around this up to and
including trying to gain employment to dodge the rule.
For this and the reasons of trade Union good practice we need to lobby the NEC to ask for the rule I investigation to be reopened and brought to a full and fair completion, it is simply not good enough to abandon the case.
To this ends we ask you all to spare a moment to send a letter to the NEC via the General Secretary, C.McAnea@unison.co.uk, marked 'for the urgent attention of the NEC' It would be very good if this email was sent before the next meeting of the NEC on Monday the 18th.
For your ease we have written a proforma letter, which you may like to use, or certainly feel free to write your own.
Many thanks in anticipation of your support
The Kirklees 15
Letter to the NEC -
Re-Open the Kirklees Investigations /Hearings
Dear NEC,
We are writing to you ahead of the NEC meeting on 18th July
2022.
We wish to bring to your attention the events at the UNISON
NDC 2022.
Many delegates exercised their frustration with some of the Events
and actions by the NEC, particularly in relation to the former president Mr
Holmes which resulted in a motion of no confidence in the NEC being passed.
In your statement to conference, the NEC said. “we have listened and apologise’’.
We hope you are still listening to your members and
delegates, and fully accept the sovereignty of conference, as we now ask that
you Restore the UNISON rule I Investigation into the conduct of Officers
within Kirklees UNISON.
This week it became clear that within the Tory Party an
investigation was held into the behaviour of an MP, this investigation found
there was a case to answer. It was also by a decision of members of a committee
this was not taken further, and the case was closed.
We cannot be seen to act like the Tory Party. The day we draw
any parallels with UNISON and the Tory party is a sad day indeed.
Trade unionists in Unison from all ends of the political
spectrum call upon the NEC to do better.
Reopen the rule I investigation and show your values
in action. We do not tolerate this behaviour in the employers we deal with.
Nothing short of the investigation being heard and allowing
the conclusion of a Trade Union process will suffice for the whole Union. The many
stewards and staff over numerous years have a case and It Must be Heard.
(picture from massive fringe meeting at NDC supporting the Kirklees 15)
