UNISON NEC Elections: Tony endorses John & Denise for Community seats

Many thanks to former UNISON Housing Associations branch chair & L&Q Housing Association convenor, Tony Power, for this endorsement.

For those of you who do not work for Housing associations, Charities or other 3rd sector employers (Called "Community" in UNISON) you can vote for below

For all UNISON members voting in the NEC elections, here are our personal recommendations for contested seats. We have not sought the agreement of anyone to be in these recommendations.

Please vote in these elections, the future of the union is at stake. We need a NEC that will be a voice for all members, reject division, defeat this Government and stand together to make our union stronger.

You can vote for your regional reps (based on where you live), your Service Group (based on your job) and for National Black members and Disabled members seats (even if you do not consider yourself to be Black or Disabled).

If individual members have not received a paper by 25 April 2023 (or lost the originals and need a replacement), then they should contact the ballot helpline operated by UNISONdirect, on the following telephone number: 0800 0 857 857.

Lines are open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Members with hearing difficulties can use textphone 0800 0 967 968.

John Gray & Denise Thomas (Community candidates)

Hertfordshire Walker: Much Hadam North Loop 16.4.23

I have been a little busy lately with various things but still been on some lovely walks with Gill but not had time to post on them. We did this 6.1 mile circular walk only 40 minutes drive from East London (1 hr 23 by public transport)  last month, courtesy of the free walking  website https://www.hertfordshirewalker.uk/. This is a fantastic resource for all local and London walkers. 

The walk is not that demanding but lots of gentle rolling countryside. As well as lots of historic buildings and ancient green lanes (a particular favourite of mine). The weather had been a little wet, so I wore my new gaiters but didn't really need them.  I uploaded the walk onto the https://explore.osmaps.com/ app (subscription) so I could follow the route via my phone. 

Got a little lost going through a golf course, but by doing so saw a tiny munic deer standing super still in the belief we will not see it. We passed a barn with an old horse drawn caravan in it and whose roof is reputed to have been "made from the upturned hull of a wooden ship. There is a date 1830 on a beam" (see bottom left of collage).

Finished off walk with a pint of Doombar in "The Bull" beer garden. 

UNISON Elections 2023: Ballot closes Friday 19 May

For all UNISON members voting in the NEC elections, here are our personal recommendations for contested seats. We have not sought the agreement of anyone to be in these recommendations.

Please vote in these elections, the future of the union is at stake. We need a NEC that will be a voice for all members, reject division, defeat this Government and stand together to make our union stronger.

You can vote for your regional reps (based on where you live), your Service Group (based on your job) and for National Black members and Disabled members seats (even if you do not consider yourself to be Black or Disabled).

If individual members have not received a paper by 25 April 2023 (or lost the originals and need a replacement), then they should contact the ballot helpline operated by UNISONdirect, on the following telephone number: 0800 0 857 857.

Lines are open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Members with hearing difficulties can use textphone 0800 0 967 968.

John Gray & Denise Thomas (Community candidates)

Coronation of King Charles III - A view

I watched most of it at home on television. I am interested in history and I like a bit of "pomp and ceremony" but found the coronation service fascinating yet extremely strange, even rather weird in parts.  When Charles was to be "anointed" and the soldiers puts screens around him, you thought what on earth was going on?  

Some good music and singing, some not so good. I was christened a Protestant but I am not all religious yet I respect all people of faith. 

The cavalry, the marching bands and soldiers was as always, very impressive. The behaviour of the  young Royals was amusing and an antidote to what was going on around them. 

Charles appears to me to be a thoughtful, intelligent man who genuinely believes in public service and at an age that most of us would be thinking that it was time to step back, his commitment to the nation is commendable. 

No doubt, he is not perfect nor his family, he lives a life of exceptional privilege and at a time that people have to queue for foodbanks, the coronation has cost a lot of public money. 

However, that is not really the point. My objection to the monarchy is based on the fundamental principle that the head of state of my country should not be decided upon by an accident of birth. Pure and simple. 

I also think it is rather unkind of the British public to inflict kingship on him and his family. It is in my view a pretty dreadful job - awful intrusion, pressure, scrutiny and personal abuse by the media and others also physical risk of attack or even assassination.  Just because he clearly thinks it is his duty to be King does not mean we should allow it because either we enjoy the "pomp and ceremony" or the "celebrity scandal and gossip".

Charles is our head of state and I accept this. I hope for change in the future, for our sake and theirs, but in the meantime... 

Congratulations to UNISON Paramedic - Councillor Pete Hannell

London Paramedic and UNISON activist Pete Hannell was elected yesterday as a Labour Councillor for Dacorum Borough Council in Hertfordshire. Pete topped the poll for his ward in Bennetts End. Labour now has 3 Councillors when beforehand there was none. He is a member of the London UNISON Labour Link committee and we did have a telecanvass session for him on Tuesday but is clear that he and his local party members delivered for Labour and residents and we look forward to further gains in the future.

Condolences to Lola Oyewusi, another UNISON activist and London Labour Link committee members who was returned as a Parish Councillor but came second in a single member ward in Tunbridge, Kent.

I had on Monday and yesterday been supporting Labour in Southend-on-sea, Essex with other UNISON Activists, where they won back 2 seats but because the Tories defeated 2 independents, we might have lost overall control in this minority Labour administration.

 Nationally (England only), Labour did really well, gaining control of 22 new councils and electing 527 new Councillors. Labour is now the largest Party in Local Government, surpassing the Tories for the first time since 2002!

Roll on the next General Election.

UPDATE: at Pete Hannell's count an opposition supporter fainted and of course Pete sprung into action. 

Good morning its polling day - Change only happens when working people vote

 Get up

Get ready

Get your ID

Get out and #VoteLabour

Vote Labour & Vote Labour Movement Family

Yesterday evening I joined a UNISON Labour Link telecanvassing session (via dialogue software) for Peter Hannell, who is a para medic and a elected UNISON committee member of Greater London Labour Link. He is standing to be a Labour Councillor in Bennetts End ward in Dacorum Borough Council (Herts).

This evening I did another session for Lola Oyewusi, who is a housing worker and another UNISON Labour Link Committee member, who is standing in Walderslade ward, Tonbridge & Malling (Kent).

Both sessions went well and we got a majority of Labour contacts and also positive feedback from voters who had met the candidates while they were out door knocking. I also talked to former life long Tory voters who pledged to never vote Conservative ever again, after the "shambles" of the last few years.

Telecanvassing can be very difficult and frustrating, since there are so many people who screen calls (for understandable reasons) but by being persistent tonight I was able to make 64 calls and get 33 survey results in one hour. Probably far more than if I had been door knocking. I also had many decent political conversations (and a couple of "difficult" ones) with residents. While I much prefer face to face contact, dialogue can clearly work. 

Good luck to all Labour candidates tomorrow and let us send a message that this Tory Government needs to go - and go very soon. 

UNISON NEC Elections: I've just voted for Angela & Katrina for Disabled members seats

 

I have known both Angela and Katrina as capable and hard working UNISON activists for many years and yes, I have also voted for them, because I trust them to put the true interests of UNISON members first (and foremost). 

Labour Doorstep in Sunny Southend (followed by fish n chips on seafront)

 A really good #Labourdoorstep on Saturday for Labour candidates in Southend-on-sea, Essex. I went with fellow UNISON member & Newham, Cllr Lewis Godfrey. We went on the doorstep in St Luke's Ward for existing Labour Councillor, Martin Berry. There was a really positive response for Martin and Labour. There was a few residents who declared they were "non voters" and  I think some of them were traditional tory voters who are so fed up with the present tory government that they will just not vote. 

Afterwards, some of us went off for fish n chips (and mushy peas for me) on waterfront. 
 

My personal recommendations for all contested seats - UNISON NEC elections 2023

 

1.3 million ballot papers have been sent to the homes of UNISON members. Please vote in these elections, the future of the union is at stake. We need a NEC that will be a voice for all members, reject division, defeat this Government and stand together to make our union stronger.

Above are my personal recommendations for all the contested seats (some seats were elected unopposed). I have not sought the agreement of anyone to be in these recommendations. 

Everyone who has contested elections will have up to 3 ballot papers. You can vote for your regional reps (based on where you live), your Service Group (based on your job) and for National Black members and Disabled members seats (even if you do not consider yourself to be Black or Disabled). Please feel free to pass on this information. 

If individual members have not received a paper by 25 April 2023, then they should contact the ballot helpline operated by UNISONdirect, on the following telephone number: 0800 0 857 857.

Lines are open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Members with hearing difficulties can use textphone 0800 0 967 968.