Nominate John Gray for UNISON Community General seat on NEC

Dear Branch Secretary

I am writing to ask your branch to consider nominating me for the Community general seat on the National Executive Council.

I am a lifelong trade unionist and have been a member of UNISON for 17 years. 

I am Branch Secretary of the UNISON Housing Associations Branch and also Health & Safety and Labour Link Officer.

For the first time Community members will be represented on the National Executive Council. I want to represent Community members in all branches across the organisation, those in other service group branches, in geographical branches and those that are in the dedicated Community branches.

I want to ensure that all members are aware of what UNISON is doing for them and encourage them to become active themselves. I also want to support branches that have Community membership by ensuring that we have adequate and fair resources to enable us to support our members in these volatile and uncertain times. 

I have attached a copy of my election address (double click to bring up details) and I would be grateful if you could discuss this with your branch committee. If you would like to talk about this statement please ring or email me.

Yours faithfully

John Gray

ps - Most large Local Government and Health branches will also be eligible to nominate.  Nominations need to be made at a quorate meeting of your branch or branch committee during the nomination period. The nomination period will open on 11 January 2011 and close at 5pm on Friday 18 February 2011. Copies of the nomination forms will be available on UNISON's website here.  My UNISON number is 3083288

25 Years On: News International Dispute 1986-87

Hat-tip SERTUC

UNISON Health workers reject divisive 2 year pay freeze

This is the official UNISON press release "Members of UNISON’s Health Service Group Executive have today rejected a two-year freeze on pay increments, on top of the pay freeze imposed by the Government.

NHS Employers had offered a no compulsory redundancy agreement in return for the freeze. Members rejected the deal because there was no guarantee that all employers would abide by it. It would not be binding, but left to individual Trusts to decide whether or not to offer the guarantee.

Mike Jackson, Senior National Officer for Health said: “The Service Group Executive said today that they could not support a further pay freeze for nurses, paramedics and other low paid, mainly women workers. “The funding gap in the NHS is so great that members were sceptical that Trusts would abide by a no compulsory redundancy agreement for two years.  “Additionally they felt that the offer was divisive because it excluded high level clinicians, such as matrons, senior occupational therapists and midwife supervisors.”

While these pearls of wisdom to his members are from London Ambulance UNISON branch secretary Eric Roberts (left in picture with broad smile next to UNISON London regional conveyor Gloria Hanson on G20 March 2009)

"Dear all,

Just to keep you in the picture concerning the proposal from NHS Employers and to inform you of my contribution on behalf of the Branch and the Union next week.

On Monday I am attending an extraordinary National Ambulance Sector meeting and straight after that I am attending an extraordinary Health Service Group Executive meeting 

There is one agenda item. That is to agree or not to agree that the Union should enter into negotiations (tentative or otherwise) with the NHS Employers to accept an AfC incremental freeze (on top of the planned pay freeze) in return for an agreement concerning compulsory redundancies within the NHS.

That is the core of the agreement although there is also mention of a freeze in employee pension contributions and other fringe add on’s. This part has yet to be finalised. 

Although most people were not happy, most accepted the simple understanding that the pay freeze may well save jobs, and on that basis bit their tongues.  What is being asked this time is totally different.

These are important meetings that will decide how the Union deals with the Coalition regarding Health. This is a big decision on a lot of levels.  I intend to vote no. I will speak against the Union entering this type of agreement. I will vote no and speak against at both meetings.

I believe that it is obscene that health workers are being blackmailed and held to ransom by this Government and that we are being asked to take the responsibility for the NHS finances, while at the same time being to blame if any jobs go.

I realize of course that any way I vote has consequences. If I vote for it then our members will not only have a pay freeze but will also not have their contractual right of an incremental pay spine rise.

If I vote against then the spectre of compulsory redundancies will be laid at our door with the accusation of being selfish and not caring. I believe in Partnership but this is not partnership. This is a gun held cynically to the Union’s head.

My guess is that the Ambulance Sector as a body will vote no. It is a fact of course that ambulance services will not be as cut as many other health organisations and that may well influence a lot of the vote.  The SGE is another matter. Many members there will be facing huge job losses back at their trusts and will have a huge struggle with their conscience.

I do not know how the vote will go at that meeting.  Dave Prentis has said that ‘Our time has come’!

Unison is big enough to stand on it’s own two feet (or it’s 1.5 million x 2 feet!). The financial crisis is not the fault of health workers. Of course there is always a chance that more information will be made available and the deal being sought is not what we think.

I do not also know what the other health unions will decide.  I know that you trust me to make the right decision.  I will update you all at the Branch Committee meeting.

Best wishes  

Eric

People's Front of Judea - request for nomination to UNISON NEC

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to ask your UNISON branch to consider nominating me in the forthcoming election to UNISON's National Executive Council (NEC). I am seeking re-election in the Male seat to represent the Greater Judea Region.

I am the Secretary of the People's Front of Judea local government branch and have represented Judea on our NEC since 03AD. I believe that the experience which I have gained and the enthusiasm which I have not lost together mean that I could play a valuable role as an NEC member in what will be our most challenging times.

I am asking you to nominate me to continue to represent you on the NEC because of what I will do if elected.

Most importantly, I will continue to report regularly and transparently to Judea UNISON branches about what happens at meetings of our NEC. I regularly circulate full reports by email, which supplement the brief official reports made available on the website. I also publish my reports online on a blog.....

To be valid, nominations need to be made at a quorate meeting of your branch or branch committee during the nomination period. The nomination period will open on 11 January 2011 and close at 5pm on Friday 18 February 2011. Copies of the nomination forms will be available on UNISON's website from 4 January.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this message and, I hope, to pass it on to your Branch Committee.

Yours in solidarity,

Not a raving Trot

(honest, cross my heart, I'm not xxx but I am, really, honest, a proper working class warrior against the ruling class and all their stooges in the workers movement - and born and bred in Brighton)

Netroots UK 2011

This was supposed to be a "live post" from today's Netroots conference at Congress House.  However, my netbook battery ran out at the crucial time.  Which is typical.

Netroots UK was a hugely impressive and well attended event.

I had my Council surgery first thing so I only arrived at the end of the morning session.  I went straight into the "Engaging with politicians online" workshop.

Picture is of Tom Watson MP, Rachel Gibson (Manchester University), Matthew McGreggor (Blue State Digital) and Mark Pack (Liberal Democratic Voice).  I'll post further details on conference tomorrow.

UPDATE:
Some stuff I found interesting during this panel discussion but was too tired and emotional to blog on my return last night (it had had been a good night).

Mark talked about “drive by democracy”. Problem with e-petitions. He would like to see a Council site were instead of just submitting your view about a planning application it actually links to those who support or who are against the application.

Tom praised the unions for taking the on-line lead and mentioned Unison for having “on-line branches”. Online petitions do not work. Standard campaign email gets standards response. Bespoke gets bespoke response.

Rachel pointed out 16% of voters used political website in the 2010 election compared to 3% in 2005. Small but growing. Rachel also described twitter as possibly being an elite conversation but with Facebook there is a broader appeal (which I agree).

Someone from 38 degrees website defended “Cloned emails” by saying 2/3 of those who send standard emails to MPs have never contacted their MP before. So this is a good thing.

BTW I was surprised bearing in mind this type of conference how many people present were taking notes on the discussion with pen and paper. Next was a brown bag lunch and fringes. I went to the “beyond Obama” fringe and will hopefully blog soon but a teeny-weeny bit busy at the mo.

ragged trousered and angry? celebrate and commemorate

double click to bring up details. hat-tip SERTUC

Labour Activists Bashing "Unfare" Boris outside Mile End station

On the way home from work yesterday evening I came across West Ham activist Tahmina and Tower Hamlets Labour Party James busy giving out "Unfare" leaflets to commuters about recent massive Tory fare rises. 

Other activists were covering stations elsewhere in Tower Hamlets and Newham.

On Tuesday evening I understand that Tahmina and Newham Young Labour gave out 2000 leaflets at Stratford (then went off for a meal at Nandos).

Good stuff!

London Labour Housing Group Launch: 26 January 2011

This should be a really good event to anyone interested in winning "the battle of ideas" in housing policy.  Demand has been really high.  Please RSVP to ensure there is space (this is essential - Labour Party members only for this launch event). 

The thoughts of Chairman John...on Blogging

Mary Honeyball MEP has posted the video of her fringe at Labour Party conference 2010.  You can see my contribution on some of the perils of blogging and a possible potential political benefit here.

The other speakers were Mark Ferguson (Labourlist), Jessica Asato and Kerry McCarthy MP (her video not yet posted).

The fringe I thought was an excellent conference event.  Well done to Mary and her team for putting it on.

(The Guilty Newham 4 - they know who they are will now have an opportunity to understand just what they have missed out on - LOL :)

UNISON Nurses say "Stop the Cuts and defend our NHS"!

This is a great picture of UNISON Nurses from St Georges Hospital in Tooting, South London. Who have taken today "time out...to protest at the Governments planned NHS reforms and decision to cut £10bn a year from the NHS through so called efficiency savings.

UNISON Nursing staff at St George's have signalled that they will not hesitate to speak out against Government plans for swingeing cuts and privatisation of the NHS.

Michael Walker UNISON Regional Officer states

"UNISON will not sit ideally by and watch our NHS services slashed and privatised. Britain did not vote for the introduction of an American health care system, a system which is not comprehensive, bureaucratic, expensive and where increased competition not collaboration costs patients lives".

Jane Pilgrim UNISON Nursing Convenor at St George's Hospital, Tooting states

"Over one hundred nurses at St Georges Hospital have already signalled they will be joining the TUC rally to defend public services on Saturday 26th March in central London and we are receiving incredible support from the local community". 

Hat-tip UNISON press release.