HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE UNISON NEC ELECTIONS 2023-2025! London Nominations by London Housing Associations branch

The UNISON NEC is the “Parliament” that helps run the union in between our annual National Delegate Conference. Ballot papers will have be sent to your home address. Your Branch Committee nominated the following candidates. 

"The UNISON Housing Associations Branch Committee nominated Sonya Howard, Eddie Brand, Abiola Kusoro and Anu Prashar, for the Greater London Region NEC Seats. 

The NEC is the most important National Committee in UNISON, we nominated these candidates as we believe they are the right people for the job. They are all experienced reps, from introducing the first menopause policy in London, to fighting for LGBT+ rights, to getting over the industrial action threshold, to leading the London Ambulance Service strike and winning for members. 

We nominated Sonya, Eddie, Anu and Abiola because they have committed to: 

• Fight discrimination and put equality at the heart of every decision • Tackle the Cost of Living Crisis – winning fair pay for all • Put London 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 

See below for our other National seat nominations: 

Black Members MANJULA KUMARI, ASH SILVERSTONE, MITSY HARMONRUSSELL 

Community Members JOHN GRAY, DENISE THOMAS

Disabled Members KATRINA MURRAY ANGELA HAMILTON"

UNISON NEC National Seats recommendations

 

Nominations for UNISON NEC candidates close at 5pm on Friday 5 March. Denise and I have enough  already be on the ballot paper for Community members but the more nominations the better!

Above are flyers from UNISON candidates I have had personal recommendations from by members of these sector or self organised groups :-

Community - General seat John Gray & Female Seat Denise Thomas (obviously)

Energy - General Tracey Wainwright

Health - General seat James Anthony: Female seats Pat Heron & Michelle England; Male Gordon McKay

Higher Education - General seat Amelia Rout & Female Josie Mangan-Murphy

Local Government - General seat James Minto; Female Maggie Griffin & Janet Green; Male Sean Fox

Police and Justice - General seat Chris Hanrahan & Female Maureen Le Marinel

WET - Pam Sian

Black Members - Femae seat Manjula Kumari, Male Conroy Lawrence, Reserved Abiola Kursoro

Disabled Members - General seat Graham Ellis & Female Katrina Murray

Young Members - General seat Jamie Dickinson

There are many other excellent candidates who I do not know of or are standing against each other so I will give these contests a miss for now. 

NEC Elections 2019: Community General Seat & Female Seat Nomination Request (2)

John Gray & Denise Thomas
RMS 3083288 RMS 8688788

further to https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2019/01/unison-nec-elections-2019-nominate-john_8.html

If you are a Community UNISON member please ask your branch to nominate us. They have all been sent our nomination requests. 

We deserve a Pay Rise!

Care and support staff wages in particular are under threat as unscrupulous employers deliberately underbid to win contracts then try and do their upmost to destroy TUPE protections.

Many Housing management organisations are cash rich after years of rent rises yet still refuse to give their staff decent pay rises. In the voluntary sector employers are funding the National Living wage by attacking terms and conditions and increasing workloads.

Both of us as NEC and SGE members have been working and campaigning with branches and regions to oppose these measures. We believe that Community members must play our part in opposing Austerity and arguing for an alternative economic policy. We need to pull together and get rid of the current UK government

We also support the Community specific campaigns below such as:-

 Better funding & resources for branches that support Community members. Community workers often work for small employers and in isolated workplaces.

 Campaign for Inclusive Workplace policies by employers

 No public money for “union busters”. Any employer that does not have a trade union recognition agreement should be barred from grants or contracts from local or national governments.

 Sector Wage Councils. Set up to decide the pay and conditions of all staff by collective bargaining including a living wage minimum for all Community workers and agency/sub-contractors.

 UNISON Ethical Care Charter. All employers must be called upon to support and sign up.

 Better governance and democracy. Increasingly many of our employer management boards are run by highly paid unelected and unrepresentative “elites”. There should be union employee representation on all Community Trust or management boards, especially remuneration committees (if applicable)

 Defend Pensions. Protect the Social Housing Pension fund and the Pension Trust from further cuts. Access to a decent defined benefit pension scheme for all.

 Better health & safety at work in particular protecting members by supporting the “End Violence at Work” charter.

 Recruit & train more activists to support members

We believe that we would both work together well as your Community NEC team. While Denise’s employer is a charity, John’s is a housing association, so we represent and complement both of the major sectors in the Community Service Group.

If you would like either of us to come and attend a branch meeting or hustings (under UNISON election rules) then please let us know and if we can, we will be delighted to come and speak.

You can contact Denise by denise_thomas2@msn.com or John on john.gray2012@icloud.com

Part 1 was https://www.johnslabourblog.org/2019/01/nec-elections-2019-community-general.html

Election Time

It’s that time of year again in the trade union and Labour movement. Never mind the GLA, London Mayor and local Council elections in May. We now have the season of AGM’s and internal Elections upon us.

Below is my request for nominations sent to UNISON Local Government (LG) branches in Greater London region for the LG Service Group Executive.

Time for a Change?

I want to be a London representative on the SGE because I think that it’s time for a change. I would be someone who has ordinary members’ interests at heart and puts their concerns first.

A National Union that listens to London?

While I want the SGE to be part of a campaigning, progressive union that fights injustice, privatisation and inequality, I also want the union to be one that speaks out for ordinary members and a region that is listened to throughout the union. As a member of the SGE I would support measures to promote a democratic union that not only pays attention to its branches and SOGs but is able to take their views forward.

Skills and Knowledge Necessary?

I believe that I have these skills and knowledge to represent London. I am currently the London Regional Finance Convenor and Regional Council officer. In this role I also attend Regional Finance meetings, Regional Committee and other meetings and functions on behalf of the region. I have attended national UNISON lay committees, working groups and forums. I have also been a branch and Regional delegate to Local Government conferences and National Delegate Conferences.

Real Practical Experience

I have practical day-to-day experience of the problems facing our members in London. Both in local government and the voluntary/private sector. I work in a front line post as an estate management housing officer. For many years I was an active Branch officer in Tower Hamlets LG branch. Last year I was TUPE transferred and I am now a member of the Housing Association branch and the acting UNISON convenor of Circle Anglia Group HA. Obviously I have first hand experiences of negotiating over outsourcing and protecting member’s terms and conditions! I have represented and supported members at all levels including employment tribunals. I have also participated in and organised effective industrial action to defend members.

Protect our Pensions

We want to ensure that we now continue to keep a firm eye on the Local Government Pension scheme and make sure that we head off any problems in the future. Also we need to campaign for decent pensions for the voluntary sector, housing associations and privatised services. For the last 12 years I have been a pension activist in London. I have also been the convenor of UNISON London and National Capital Stewardship forum.

Core Trade Union Issues

Finally, I believe that nationally and locally, UNISON has a responsibility to push what I believe to be real key trade union issues such as: Pay, health and safety, pensions, equality, anti-privatisation and employment rights further up the trade union agenda.

I want to be a modern, progressive representative for London who wants to work with other regions and to get things done and make sure that we truly reflect what members actually want and need. Please consider nominating me.

John Gray

P.S If anyone wants to discuss any issues with me or would like me to come if possible and visit your branch then please contact me.