Unison gen sec election

[Lord Camomile]

It may be time for me to join another union

It's something I struggle with a bit.

Would never claim to be particularly well-schooled on either historical or current events, but the little I do know about UNISON HQ, both internal and external, doesn't really inspire confidence, or inspire at all.

But, at the branch level, we're really doing pretty well at the moment, all things considered. Sit in on various operational meetings, have a couple of successful campaigns under our belt (bringing some outsourced staff in-house and improving our London Weighting) and in my dept. there's increasing membership density and activity.

And from a purely practical level, the three recognised unions at my workplace have basically divvied up the departments in aid of collective bargaining, so if I were to leave UNISON I'd be pretty much on my own in my dept. and basically be undermining the whole point of a union.

 

[Sasaferrato]

See other thread for unite stuff (or, to save yourself sometime, just assume it’s really shit and will accidentally let coyne win)

turnout in unison - a mahoosive 9.8%

'kin 'ell! 9.8%?

Why?

(Remember I'm out of the workplace and union now.)

 

[Lord Camomile]

I'll 'fess up, I just completely forgot to vote. Even after repeatedly reminding members in our department to make sure they voted

I did my usual thing of thinking "I want to properly look into the candidates, make a considered and informed choice" and then... forgot.

Another casualty of the left splitting the vote

 

[Looby]

It's something I struggle with a bit.

Would never claim to be particularly well-schooled on either historical or current events, but the little I do know about UNISON HQ, both internal and external, doesn't really inspire confidence, or inspire at all.

But, at the branch level, we're really doing pretty well at the moment, all things considered. Sit in on various operational meetings, have a couple of successful campaigns under our belt (bringing some outsourced staff in-house and improving our London Weighting) and in my dept. there's increasing membership density and activity.

And from a purely practical level, the three recognised unions at my workplace have basically divvied up the departments in aid of collective bargaining, so if I were to leave UNISON I'd be pretty much on my own in my dept. and basically be undermining the whole point of a union.

This is my feeling too. I’ve never been keen on Unison, long before I joined, but in my currently workplace we have a rep who I know and had been supportive to me. A branch that care and are trying to make things better.
Everything else is really important but in the situation me and my colleagues are in now, it’s the local team that are going to be needed.

 

[Looby]

'kin 'ell! 9.8%?

Why?

(Remember I'm out of the workplace and union now.)

I haven’t spent any time looking at previous turnouts but I’d say that some of the sectors that Unison represents have been some of the hardest hit by Covid. Services are on their knees in many areas. I didn’t vote, no excuse other than I was dragging myself through each day and didn’t have the headspace for anything else much of the time.
We’re in survival mode and I’m sure that’s replicated all over the country.

 

[Pickman's model]

'kin 'ell! 9.8%?

Why?

(Remember I'm out of the workplace and union now.)

The candidates did not inspire me

 

[Lord Camomile]

This is my feeling too. I’ve never been keen on Unison, long before I joined, but in my currently workplace we have a rep who I know and had been supportive to me. A branch that care and are trying to make things better.
Everything else is really important but in the situation me and my colleagues are in now, it’s the local team that are going to be needed.

Almost said something to this effect in my original post, but it's the same thing that's true of so many things in society: grassroots and on the ground activity keeps you invested, while all the while you despair at those at the top.

Seems sadly almost inevitable, those that are successful at gaining power are rarely the ones truly working in the interests of those without, or on the ground.

That said, other Gen Secs seem of a better sort? I know some of Jo Grady's recent efforts/comments seem to have gone down well.

 

[Dom Traynor]

That's a shockingly bad interview with Christina, she's being played a like a fiddle and so full of herself that she doesn't realise, she's really enjoying herself. She doesn't even have a super unreasonable point at the base of what she's trying to say but fuck. How embarrassing.

It's right to say she doesn't understand leverage but, threatening strike action you can't deliver on isn't really leverage - leverage is when you identify other pressure points and mobilise them (for example if the employer has brand sensitivity). Roger McK was the only candidate who understands that.

However I think we can all agree that was a shameful performance.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

That's a shockingly bad interview with Christina, she's being played a like a fiddle and so full of herself that she doesn't realise, she's really enjoying herself. She doesn't even have a super unreasonable point at the base of what she's trying to say but fuck. How embarrassing.

It's right to say she doesn't understand leverage but, threatening strike action you can't deliver on isn't really leverage - leverage is when you identify other pressure points and mobilise them (for example if the employer has brand sensitivity). Roger McK was the only candidate who understands that.

However I think we can all agree that was a shameful performance.

Striking as an end in itself - rather than a means - is an ultra left dead end. But I can’t remember one strike that really fits that category (maybe one day protests, often deliberately mischaracterised by union tops as ‘strikes’ might meet the criteria). Remember, under anti union laws, to win a ballot a union needs over half of the membership to participate in a postal ballot. A big hurdle in any case, and one that rules out any pointless posturing action that doesn’t have the mass support of the shopfloor. In my experience the shopfloor doesn’t vote to strike because some middle class lefts demand they do.

I am being generous possibly by allowing that those type of calls are what she had in mind. But there is a time end a place: and an interview with the BBC in the middle of a rash of disputes where workers are seeking to defend their contracts and prevent dismissal and re-engagement is neither.

 

[Lord Camomile]

On the off-chance it's of interest, Holmes and McDonnell hosting another NEC elections event on Thursday evening, this time focusing on Greater London candidates.

 

[hitmouse]

Had a brief attempt at understanding what's going on in the NEC elections and am now sort of regretting it. There's a slate which is being advertised as "Paul Holmes' picks", which doesn't really seem like the most open or democratic way to pick a slate:

Meanwhile, McAnea is showing her bold new approach as leader by... cohosting a Zoom call/rally with Jeremy Hunt: ‘Stand up for care workers!’ is the passionate call from UNISON rally | Article, News | News | UNISON National

 

[Shechemite]

together with NGOs and celebrities

 

[Shechemite]

I assume ‘community’ refers to social care workers? (Odd given that health care often is delivered in ‘the community’ and that social care is often provided to people under lock and key)

no disabled reps?

 

[Shechemite]

I tried to join unison as do voluntary work for an nhs Trust (got a lanyard and everything). They don’t take voluntary workers. I know what kind of people are in unite community so I’ll pass on that

 

[hitmouse]

Sure everyone's very excited about the Unison NEC elections now officially opening.
As above, the closest thing to a united left slate is the "#TimeForRealChange/Paul Holmes' picks":

As with the gen sec election, SP seem to still be standing their own candidates outside of the slate, and in competition in some places:

Socialist Party members - part of a left challenge for Unison's leadership

Unison union elections: Despite the recent election of 'Keir Starmer-friendly' Christina McAnea as the Unison General Secretary in January, the elections for the national executive council (NEC) could see the union executive swing to the left

www.socialistparty.org.uk

 

[Dom Traynor]

Helen Davies in London and Terry McPartlan in Northern are both great.

 

[hitmouse]

I've got no idea what he's like, but I enjoy that members in the Northwest have the opportunity to vote for Tony Wilson.

 

[Serge Forward]

Top red FACT: Tony Wilson used to stand in our bit on the left side of the Stretford End, back in the day.

 

[hitmouse]

Having now got my ballot paper through, does anyone have any (possibly Dom Traynor ) have any idea what #organisetogether is? Are they like the McAnea/Prenticeist slate? Also, most of the seats, or at least the ones I can vote for, seem like fairly straightforward choices, but does anyone have any views on David Maples vs Sharron Nicoll for the national disabled members' seat?

 

[Dom Traynor]

I'm out of the country and would need to see who OrganiseTogether are running against but a quick Twitter search which is the only place I could find anything suggests it's Roger McKenzie supporters... Who could be pro-McAnea given he still has to work for her or could have another agenda more towards building some sort of power and confidence. I'm just guessing though.

 

[hitmouse]

I'm out of the country and would need to see who OrganiseTogether are running against but a quick Twitter search which is the only place I could find anything suggests it's Roger McKenzie supporters... Who could be pro-McAnea given he still has to work for her or could have another agenda more towards building some sort of power and confidence. I'm just guessing though.

Ah, OK. Fwiw, in case it helps, in the northwest #OT seem to be Mooney (vs Wilson), Walsh (vs three others, including Reissman and Wilcox from #TimeForRealChange/Paul Holmes slate) and Dolan (vs Batista, as above). For national black members they're running Cameron (who for whatever reason didn't submit a candidate statement, but is running vs Ashley, Kumari and Trivedi). Any opinions on David Maples or Sharron Nicoll?

 

[Dom Traynor]

I don't know David or Sharron at all. And yeah they're definitely McKenzie supporters (the ones you named) and I would guess not hugely opposed to the status quo

 

[gawkrodger]

any recommendations for Black and Disabled members seats?

 

[hitmouse]

I voted Trivedi, Mwaluke, Pierre and Ashley for Black seats, Carlyle for disabled female, for disabled general I ended up voting Nicoll but could just as easily have gone Maples for that one.

 

[gawkrodger]

and local govt servixe group

 

[hitmouse]

and local govt servixe group

Oh, just seen this - I'm not in local govt, but it looks like Diana Leach, Jane Doolan, Paul Holmes and Andrea Egan are the left candidates there.

 

[Jeff Robinson]

Although I didn't think this guy's Patel tweet was particularly bad, he did yesterday reveal himself to be a fuckwit.

 

[Shechemite]

Speaks truth to power

 

[hitmouse]

To be fair to Beckett, whatever else you can say about him, I don't think he's guilty of being a Unison member.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Although I didn't think this guy's Patel tweet was particularly bad, he did yesterday reveal himself to be a fuckwit.

you should post this in the Unite General Secretary election thread Jeff. The more widely the penny drops about Beckett the better