Unison gen sec election

[Puddy_Tat]

This is a slightly edited version of the advice we were given by one of the candidates we nominated, and which I threw up on our site.

Thanks

It probably says that somewhere in the stuff I haven't read in detail yet

 

[Lord Camomile]

Fuck me, this is exactly what I'm talking about...

Nowhere in UNISON's own webpage about the election or the FAQs does it tell you in plain English who you are allowed to vote for.

UNISON staff complain about members not engaging with union processes, but then don't do some pretty basic stuff to enable members to engage Activists really shouldn't be having to spend our time on this stuff.

Fucking hell... I've not gone through it line by line yet, but I'm not sure it even explains it in the full-on election procedures document.

I'm totally ready to be hoist by my own confirmation-biased petard, but if I haven't missed something obvious this really is just so dispiriting.

 

[Lord Camomile]

am i right in thinking i can vote in all of them despite not being (for example) female?

<edit: just realised it doesn't address the one seat you explicitly mentioned >

Ah, wait, I think there aren't any seats specifically for female members, but simply some seats within the different categories are reserved for female (as well as low paid) candidates.

e.g in Greater London there are 4 seats - 2 of those are reserved for female candidates, 1 is reserved for low-paid candidates, and the final 1 can be any candidate is reserved for male candidates.

So we'd simply be voting for who represents Greater London, the female/low-paid/male thing simply determines who the potential candidates eligible to stand are for each seat, if that makes sense?

'General' means anyone can stand, but not every category has one of those seats.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Lord Camomile - thanks. I've had a closer look at the ballot paper, and it does say a few times 'you are entitled to vote in ALL elections on this ballot paper regardless of seat type'

I get to vote in -

region - female, reserved and male seats

service group - female, general and male seats

black members' seats - female, male and reserved seats

disabled members' seats - female and general seat

they don't mention young members so i must have told them how old i am.

dunno really - i am not black or disabled, i'm not sure that i have a (moral) right to vote in these categories (on the basis of 'self organisation' which was a thing last time I was in unison.)

and what's the 'reserved' seat? is that the same as the 'low paid' you refer to?

 

[Lord Camomile]

Lord Camomile - thanks. I've had a closer look at the ballot paper, and it does say a few times 'you are entitled to vote in ALL elections on this ballot paper regardless of seat type'

I get to vote in -

region - female, reserved and male seats

service group - female, general and male seats

black members' seats - female, male and reserved seats

disabled members' seats - female and general seat

they don't mention young members so i must have told them how old i am.

dunno really - i am not black or disabled, i'm not sure that i have a (moral) right to vote in these categories (on the basis of 'self organisation' which was a thing last time I was in unison.)

Ahhhh, ok, yeah, sounds like each ballot is personalised (which, thinking about it, probably makes sense ). So essentially if it's on yer ballot, you can vote!

and what's the 'reserved' seat? is that the same as the 'low paid' you refer to?

Looks like it - in the procedures doc those seats are referred to as "low pay reserved".

 

[Puddy_Tat]

it all seems to be bloody complicated.

i'm starting to contemplate whether i can face being a bit more active again. (i was a nalgo / unison rep for a while and even ended up on branch committee for a year or two)

although with current employer, a lot of 'back office' staff (including me) are on hybrid contracts, with expectation to work from home most of the time, and go to an office minimum 1 day a month, and i live a fair distance away, so not sure how much use i'd be.

i can see engaging with colleagues getting more difficult with wfh-ing.

 

[Lord Camomile]

i can see engaging with colleagues getting more difficult with wfh-ing.

Different bits are and aren't.

Online meetings are generally more well-attended, as location isn't as much of a limiting factor. We run hybrid ones and more often than not I'm the only one attending in person

But... traditional boots-on-the-ground organising is often harder, yeah. Activists, members, non-members... we're all not circulating in the same spaces anywhere near as much as we used to.

Depends what you want from 'active', I guess. Active, engaged members are always helpful, though. Plenty of little bits here and there that can go a long way.

 

[Lord Camomile]

it all seems to be bloody complicated.

On this bit, I'm a little ambivalent.

It feels like some of the complexity is simply inherent, trying to organise and represent 1.4m members across multiple sectors and an entire nation.

At the same time, also feels like there's also a good deal of unnecessary bureaucracy, alongside systems and procedures that aren't fit for purpose because they're either out of date or simply poorly thought out.

(I am sorry for how much of a moan I can be on these threads )

 

[hitmouse]

Strange. I've always found the tepid leadership of the union detracted from the efforts of activists in workplaces when trying to organise on the ground

Tbf, it hasn't really been accurate to talk about the leadership of the union as a singular entity since 2021, when we got a left-led NEC and the NEC and Gen Sec have been at war with each other ever since. I think the NEC has done some useful stuff in that time, like increasing strike pay from £25 payable from the fourth day to £50 payable from the first day, and it'd be bad news if the old guard manage to recapture it. I think the president of the union being expelled from Labour is a sign of things a-changing too - of course that's partly just down to the increasing authoritarianism and general shitness of Starmer's Labour, but I also reckon that without having this NEC our leaders would probably be so dull that even Starmer wouldn't bother to expel them.

Lord Camomile - thanks. I've had a closer look at the ballot paper, and it does say a few times 'you are entitled to vote in ALL elections on this ballot paper regardless of seat type'

I get to vote in -

region - female, reserved and male seats

service group - female, general and male seats

black members' seats - female, male and reserved seats

disabled members' seats - female and general seat

they don't mention young members so i must have told them how old i am.

dunno really - i am not black or disabled, i'm not sure that i have a (moral) right to vote in these categories (on the basis of 'self organisation' which was a thing last time I was in unison.)

I think part of the difference might be that young members are easier to measure, cos the joining form asks for your age but it doesn't ask for your ethnicity or disability status. You can refrain from voting in those seats if you like, but plenty of other white/non-disabled members will be voting in them, so you might as well use your vote for the less shit candidates imo.

Having said all that, it turns out that if you did get a vote for the young members' seats, you still wouldn't be able to vote for anyone in them, because it turns out that of the two left young members' candidates, apparently one of them is due to stop being young a few days before the term finishes, and the other is taking up a job with the union that means they're becoming an employee not a member and so are ineligible. So now the right-wing candidates for those seats are being elected unopposed, because apparently no-one bothered to ask "are you going to remain a young member throughout the entire term, and do you have any plans to do anything that would make you ineligible to stand?" before choosing the left candidates.

 

[Lord Camomile]

I think the NEC has done some useful stuff in that time, like increasing strike pay from £25 payable from the fourth day to £50 payable from the first day

Yeah, I'm sure I've said before, but I honestly think this was one of the single biggest factors in the success of last year's actions. Simply don't think a lot of members would have taken part without it.

It's also a very handy, real world example we can use to explain what the NEC do and why it's important to participate, which I'm hoping will sway at least a few members who usually wouldn't give a tuppeny-cack about union infrastructure.

Having said all that, it turns out that if you did get a vote for the young members' seats, you still wouldn't be able to vote for anyone in them, because it turns out that of the two left young members' candidates, apparently one of them is due to stop being young a few days before the term finishes, and the other is taking up a job with the union that means they're becoming an employee not a member and so are ineligible. So now the right-wing candidates for those seats are being elected unopposed, because apparently no-one bothered to ask "are you going to remain a young member throughout the entire term, and do you have any plans to do anything that would make you ineligible to stand?" before choosing the left candidates.

I retract a certain portion of the encouragement and praise I have previously given the organisation of the left.

FFS...!

 

[hitmouse]

My ballot papers turned up today. Interesting (for a very limited and specific definition of interesting) to check the relative weight of nominations - from what I can see, looks like a slight advantage for the left in the HE seats, a notable advantage for the right in the national self-organised group seats, and then the nominations in the Northwest seats are skewed very heavily to the left. Dunno how other regions and sectors compare?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

results due 8 june, apparently (i was wondering what was happening)

also got the (local government) pay ballot. on principle, feel i should vote to reject what's below inflation, but not sure there's going to be a better offer anywhere down the line

meh

 

[hitmouse]

results due 8 june, apparently (i was wondering what was happening)

also got the (local government) pay ballot. on principle, feel i should vote to reject what's below inflation, but not sure there's going to be a better offer anywhere down the line

meh

Yeah, I'm genuinely baffled by why it takes them that many weeks to announce the results. Makes US presidential elections look simple and straightforward by comparison.

 

[hitmouse]

Results are now finally out, looks like some gains for the right, the left maintain a majority by the tiniest margin possible according to this:

Although that person has got their Socialist Party mixed up with their Socialist Appeal.

 

[hitmouse]

If anyone wants to know what the trot groups are saying about the outcomes of the latest NEC elections, here's a selection:

Unison conference 2023: Wake the sleeping giant! | The Communist

Delegates are meeting this week for the Unison national conference. With struggles ongoing in local government, the NHS, and schools, it is vital that Britain’s biggest public sector union rises to the challenge. This requires fighting leadership.

socialist.net

Unison left holds on in poll

It has been a difficult two years in the Unison public service union

workersliberty.org

After UNISON NEC election results: Continue the fight to change our union! - Socialist Alternative

By Socialist Alternative supporters in UNISON The results for the NEC elections have been released, and there were steps forward for Time for Real Change left grouping, but also losses. It underlines that we need to build TFRC at all levels of our union in order to expand and develop the very...

socialistalternative.info

https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/112317/14-06-2023/unison-elections-left-lose-majority-control-of-the-nec/

Don't think any non-trot sources have bothered writing an article about it. Sadly Jon Rogers, whose blog used to be a really good source for analysis of Unison stuff, passed away earlier this year.

 

[The39thStep]

If anyone wants to know what the trot groups are saying about the outcomes of the latest NEC elections, here's a selection:

Unison conference 2023: Wake the sleeping giant! | The Communist

Delegates are meeting this week for the Unison national conference. With struggles ongoing in local government, the NHS, and schools, it is vital that Britain’s biggest public sector union rises to the challenge. This requires fighting leadership.

socialist.net

Unison left holds on in poll

It has been a difficult two years in the Unison public service union

workersliberty.org

After UNISON NEC election results: Continue the fight to change our union! - Socialist Alternative

By Socialist Alternative supporters in UNISON The results for the NEC elections have been released, and there were steps forward for Time for Real Change left grouping, but also losses. It underlines that we need to build TFRC at all levels of our union in order to expand and develop the very...

socialistalternative.info

https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/112317/14-06-2023/unison-elections-left-lose-majority-control-of-the-nec/

Don't think any non-trot sources have bothered writing an article about it. Sadly Jon Rogers, whose blog used to be a really good source for analysis of Unison stuff, passed away earlier this year.

Wasn't aware Jon had passed away, that's a real shame.

 

[hitmouse]

From LabourHub, first article I've seen that talks about the Presidential result:

UNISON NEC and Presidential Team election – the left narrowly hold the balance of power

By our UNISON correspondent UNISON’s 2023 National Executive Committee results were published earlier in June. Anticipation had been high, with many in UNISON and the labour movement wondering wher…

labourhub.org.uk

Dunno if the report from conference is slightly too upbeat cos the defeat of the big organising motion does seem like a shame, but then again I wasn't there.

 

[hitmouse]

Sure everyone will be thrilled to know that nominations are now open for the Unison Service Group elections. TFRC have a statement saying why you should support their candidates, but don't seem to have actually decided who their candidates will be yet, so it doesn't actually say who to support:

Time for Real Change in the 2024 UNISON SGE Elections — Time For Real Change

For Real Change in every UNISON Service Group! Whether you work for the NHS, a School, a Council, a Care Home, a Charity, a University or College or in another service, chances are your work is harder than it was last year, and harder than the year before that. Staff cuts, higher workloads and th

timeforrealchange.uk

 

[hitmouse]

About a week and a bit left to vote in the SGE elections, if you're somewhere where there's an actual contested seat - official UNISON page on them is here:

SGE elections | UNISON National

Elections will be held for seats on UNISON’s Service Group Executives (SGE). The nomination period opens on 8 January 2024 and closes at 5pm on 9 February

www.unison.org.uk

The list of contested seats is about two pages, the list of uncontested seats is about three. And contested seats take more space to display because they need more than one line.
TFRC candidates can be found here:

Elections — Time For Real Change

timeforrealchange.uk

 

[Puddy_Tat]

e-mail this morning to say UNISON local government strike ballot didn't get high enough turnout to be valid, so looks like the offer (flat rate pay rise of £ 1,290 / year for full time) will be accepted - GMB have already accepted.

At least the back pay element will be a xmas bonus again.

And rumblings in the background from council I work for about dire financial situation from April so not sure I'll have an interest in the 2025/6 pay claim.

Meh.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Got the first e-mail from TFRC about andrea egan standing for election as general secretary.

she appears to have been slung out of the labour party for being too left wing.

her website appears to have been taken down, and TFRC website still has recommendations for the 2024 service group elections and 'coming events' in 2023.

hmm

 

[hitmouse]

Oh yeah, here's the campaign website:

Andrea Egan for General Secretary

Social worker. Straight-talking working class trade unionist. Campaigning to be the next General Secretary of UNISON.

andrea4gs.org.uk

Hopefully she'll be a less controversial choice than Holmes was. Still not sure when the election will actually start, though.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Oh yeah, here's the campaign website:

Andrea Egan for General Secretary

Social worker. Straight-talking working class trade unionist. Campaigning to be the next General Secretary of UNISON.

andrea4gs.org.uk

Hopefully she'll be a less controversial choice than Holmes was. Still not sure when the election will actually start, though.

thanks - it got an error message this morning something to do with cloudflare had taken it down.

 

[hitmouse]

If anyone's curious, her platform is:

Winning for our members:

We are the UK’s biggest union, with 1.3 million members and an income of almost £200 million. Sadly, our current General Secretary and her allies in the bureaucracy have not developed the profile, presence, or power needed to convert our size into the improvements to pay and conditions our members deserve.

• I will be a campaigning General Secretary, fighting to ensure branches and members get the support they need to enable effective action when they want it. I will act consistently to build the confidence and campaigning skills of our members to use their power in the workplace to secure wins.
• I will make sure our Organising to Win agenda, which has started to put money in the pockets of members where it has been implemented, is fully embedded in all Regions and Service Groups and is fully resourced.

A members' union:

For too long, UNISON’s bureaucracy has been too slow and resistant to implementing the democratic decisions, including policies decided by Conference. This has resulted in a disempowered membership, top-down decision-making, bureaucratic inefficiency and waste.

• I will conduct a comprehensive review of our union machinery, to ensure that we effectively implement the decisions and policies decided by members, in partnership with elected lay officials.
• I am campaigning to be the first branch activist to be elected as General Secretary. Instead of taking the £166,000 pay package the current General Secretary receives, I will take the wage of a social worker, and make sure the rest of the money goes to the Industrial Action Fund and There For You (UNISON Welfare) to support members.
• I will review and improve the support branches receive from their Regional offices and from Legal Services.
• Too many of our democratically agreed policies remain words on paper. I will ensure they are turned into action.

UNISON members first, Labour Party second

Having been a Labour Party member for many years, I understand the potential value of the link with Labour to deliver for our members. Sadly, our leadership has adopted a subservient approach to the Labour Government, allowing the factional priorities of the Labour leadership to take precedence over the interests of UNISON members.

• I will launch a comprehensive review of our relationship with the Labour Party to ensure we get value for money and use our influence to advance our union’s democratically-agreed policies.
• It makes no difference if our members’ living standards are attacked by a Tory Government or a Labour one. I will oppose government policies that harm our members or conflict with UNISON policies, and I will campaign tirelessly for proper funding for our councils, schools, NHS and all our public services, regardless of which party is in power.
• I will defend the values of democracy in the Labour Party and speak out against authoritarian measures that reduce the power of trade unionists.

A truly inclusive union

• There is no place for any form of discrimination in our union. I have consistently opposed all forms of discrimination including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism and ageism and I always will.
• I am committed to supporting the work of the self-organised groups to combat discrimination, build awareness, and to ensure the voices of groups who suffer discrimination are fully represented. Within 100 days of being elected, I will convene a joint meeting of self-organised groups to identify their core demands and ensure they are put into practice.
• Our union needs to organise migrant workers, oppose the racism they face and the attempts of those who scapegoat them for inadequate housing and public services.
• The value and challenges of the devolved administrations have not always been recognised by our union and their power never fully harnessed - I will work with our lay activists to change this.
• I will open a Young Members’ leadership school to build the political education, confidence, and organising skills of our young members.

An Internationalist UNISON

• I will continue to be fearless in speaking out in solidarity with oppressed people across the world including by opposing all military support for Israel as it conducts a genocide against the people of Gaza, and oppose weapons spending that takes money away from public services.
• I will work with the international public sector trade union organisations that make a real difference to workers’ lives, to ensure we share best practice and ideas on how to win for members.
• I will stand in solidarity with persecuted trade unionists in all countries.
• I will ensure UNISON plays a leading role nationally and internationally in combatting climate change and challenges our members face.