belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Graham must have done well in terms of big branches. 400 noms is 10% if branches but she says it represents over a quarter of a mill members (ie about 20%). No doubt that is part of her campaign to stay in the race
Unite General Secretary Election
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Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
Agreed. She did better here in the public sector than I expected. We also ran the CPB old guard in our branch close and suspect if both are on the ballot will turn more members out for her
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
Take it you are referring to this? Those first few paragraphs reveal why Beckett should be nowhere near the top of the union. Delusional, venal and pompous….’Activism like this has never been seen before’ Fucking seriously???
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Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
Graham has confirmed she’s standing as well.
I hope she wins. But she very probly wont
You hit the nail on the head earlier. Coyne's time has come.
Part of me understands that this entire process reveals why the 'left' deserves to be defeated: because as currently constituted it's simply not fit for purpose - top down, remote from the shop floor and increasingly more interested in twitter/Labour politics than the interests of what's left of the organised working class. But the other part of me is raging that Coyne is being allowed an unbelievable opportunity to push the union back into his brand of dead end managerialism.
hitmouse
so defeated, thinks it's funny
Do you reckon Coyne'll actually get in? I was thinking that, even with a gap between activists and the general membership, it'd have to be an impressive leap to go from like 5% of branches to getting the 25% or so he'd need to win in a four-way race. But then I looked up the results from the 2017 election and remembered he got 41% of the actual vote last time round, so fuck knows.
The other mad thing about having three "left" candidates running against each other is that I can completely understand the logic of running Allison/Hicks against McCluskey or Holmes against McKenzie, like I can see how it's good to have the left officialdom challenged by someone actually coming from the membership even if that means splitting the left vote. But here you somehow have three left candidates, all from the existing officialdom, and none who could really claim to be a rank and file candidate.
The other mad thing about having three "left" candidates running against each other is that I can completely understand the logic of running Allison/Hicks against McCluskey or Holmes against McKenzie, like I can see how it's good to have the left officialdom challenged by someone actually coming from the membership even if that means splitting the left vote. But here you somehow have three left candidates, all from the existing officialdom, and none who could really claim to be a rank and file candidate.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
I suspect the 3 candidates have all convinced themselves that things will be different this time around and that they will each be able to get their vote turned out in enough numbers to ensure Coyne is kept out.
The two obvious problems with that are that we heard this during the last GS election and we heard it once they decided to back RLB and Burgon and in both cases the promised vote never materialised. It suggests that either there is a ceiling to the support available to the 'left' for a variety of reasons or that there isn't but that the current organised left structures are incapable of reaching it/tapping in to it. Secondly, Coyne's vote has got nowhere else to go - if you don't like the current leadership, politics or even just think the union is shit and needs to change then he's likely to get your vote. What's more Coyne has proven he can deliver. We were told LM would crush him, then we were told he wouldn't get the nominations, now we are told that a left vote splintering 3 ways (and as you say there isn't fundamentally much of a difference between them due to their insider status and position in officialdom to differentiate them in the eyes of the average member) isn't enough of a concern to sit down and agree one candidate. It's delusion rather than serious industrial politics and reflects a complacency and distance from the shopfloor by FTO's and a very narrow cadre of activists.
Put bluntly, in a 4 way fight between 4 senior officials I make Coyne favourite to win.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
I don’t think you can really compare it to the Labour leadership election, completely different ball game.
But it is definitely true that branches are more left wing then the general membership. And the majority of his (Coyne’s)votes will stick with him. Not all because some were purely anyone but McLuskey votes and even tho the other three say they proudly stood behind him, they’ll peel a few away. More importantly, Coyne hasn’t been an activist in any way or a senior figure, so his clout is a little diminished.
then there’s the fact that he ran Lm so close last time partly because everyone assumed big Len was a shoe-in, so didn’t get off their arse.
My guess is he’ll just about maintain his number of votes, but if we can get the turnout up to 15%+ we can still bear the fucker.
And by ‘we’, I mean Graham. And I hope Beckett comes last now.
But it is definitely true that branches are more left wing then the general membership. And the majority of his (Coyne’s)votes will stick with him. Not all because some were purely anyone but McLuskey votes and even tho the other three say they proudly stood behind him, they’ll peel a few away. More importantly, Coyne hasn’t been an activist in any way or a senior figure, so his clout is a little diminished.
then there’s the fact that he ran Lm so close last time partly because everyone assumed big Len was a shoe-in, so didn’t get off their arse.
My guess is he’ll just about maintain his number of votes, but if we can get the turnout up to 15%+ we can still bear the fucker.
And by ‘we’, I mean Graham. And I hope Beckett comes last now.
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Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
Post tonight from one of the leading militants from the blacklistng campaign who has been working with stewards in the construction section re Sharon Graham. This is important stuff and indicates that where we have rank and file organisation we can push things forward under her approach:
I have worked with Sharon on 2 separate leverage campaigns (BESNA & Crossrail). On both occasions the disputes were led by the R&F but after a time there were meetings with UNITE plus the entire R&F & BSG committee to iron out what we wanted to achieve. It was made perfectly clear by both sides that mass involvement of workers taking direct action was what was expected - not just publicity stunts by ‘organisers’. The UNITE organisers & the R&F spoke to each other constantly throughout. The leverage department had their strategy, the R&F always pushed it further & made it more militant - we also had our own actions that the organising department were invited along to. When the final agreements were being negotiated, they were not signed off until there was a meeting of the R&F to agree it. I was massively impressed by the organisational muscle that UNITE’s leverage added to the R&F militancy.
The construction R&F have got nothing but praise for Sharon Graham.
Irrespective on who anyone votes for in the UNITE GS election - if you’re interested in union organising, it’s blindingly obvious why you’d be impressed by Sharon Graham.
I have worked with Sharon on 2 separate leverage campaigns (BESNA & Crossrail). On both occasions the disputes were led by the R&F but after a time there were meetings with UNITE plus the entire R&F & BSG committee to iron out what we wanted to achieve. It was made perfectly clear by both sides that mass involvement of workers taking direct action was what was expected - not just publicity stunts by ‘organisers’. The UNITE organisers & the R&F spoke to each other constantly throughout. The leverage department had their strategy, the R&F always pushed it further & made it more militant - we also had our own actions that the organising department were invited along to. When the final agreements were being negotiated, they were not signed off until there was a meeting of the R&F to agree it. I was massively impressed by the organisational muscle that UNITE’s leverage added to the R&F militancy.
The construction R&F have got nothing but praise for Sharon Graham.
Irrespective on who anyone votes for in the UNITE GS election - if you’re interested in union organising, it’s blindingly obvious why you’d be impressed by Sharon Graham.
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oryx
Sitting on the bok of the day
So people don't see women's' rights, trans rights, NHS privatisation, Corona deaths and Islamophobia as important workplace issues*?
OK if you're a straight white non-Muslim male with an office job and don't work in the NHS, I suppose.
*I've not included Black lives mattering as they've all mentioned this to some extent apart from Coyne, who (hopefully) no-one on here is supporting.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
Are you a Unite member? If so what are, say, the top 3 issues for members where you work? The issues members want their union to take action on?
I don’t work in an office or in the NHS. About 30% of our membership is Asian and around 35% are women. The top 3 issues raised with me as a steward are: pay/allowances, attendance management and pace of work. A few years ago there was one issue: job security when big lay offs were threatened.
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andysays
Love and solidarity
And it's maybe worth pointing out that these are issues which directly affect everyone, including women, transpeople, Muslims etc, which is why these are the best issues to organise and build around within the workplace.
The equality issues which oryx mentions are obviously important, and should be addressed in every workplace, but they can only be effectively addressed if there is proper active and inclusive workplace organisation.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
it’s also worth pointing out that any ‘checklist’ that bizarrely omits central issues for any would be trade union leader: support for stewards, their industrial track record, union democracy, attitude to the R&F, education, branch funding etc is likely to be of little interest to many activists or members. The only section referenced are the relatively tiny community branches. Why don’t many members issues in workplace branches even get mentioned?
andysays
Love and solidarity
I wonder where/who that original list came from.
I'm willing to bet it wasn't from anyone involved in grassroots trade unionism.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
My thoughts entirely
hitmouse
so defeated, thinks it's funny
If Unite’s left allows its leadership vote to split, history’s judgment will be severe | Ronan Burtenshaw
A joint candidate for general secretary is essential, says Tribune editor Ronan Burtenshaw
If people want, there's an open letter you can sign here: An open letter to the Unite general secretary candidates
oryx
Sitting on the bok of the day
But the tweet is saying 'Of the 15 issues not a single one has anything to do with organising workers.'
That's what I'm disagreeing with. E.g. needless deaths from Corona was a massive issue for workers earlier this year - Belly Mujinga and all the other workers who died from it, the lack of PPE for NHS staff, etc. etc. NHS privatisation is a massive issue if it means you'll have your pay and conditions worsened.
I would take fighting for pay/allowances, attendance management and pace of work as an absolute given for any union to be fighting for.
(I am a Unite community member now, have previously been a shop steward but not for years).
hitmouse
so defeated, thinks it's funny
I mean, it's snappily phrased to fit in a tweet and I certainly wouldn't have put it that way myself. But I still think that tweet is less wrong, or less misleading, than the graphic it's replying to. As for the things you mention as an absolute given, there's a big difference between like...paying lipservice to those things while doing things like wearing down enthusiasm with endless consultative ballots, and actually fighting for them effectively.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
It’s increasingly irritating to see Beckett supporters on Twitter continue (see the thread with the open letter that hitmouse posted up) to push the narrative that he’s the candidate of the ‘real left’ and use this construction to justify his refusal to back either Turner or Graham or even to countenance a deal among the ‘left candidates’ to stop Coyne. Under this construction Beckett apparently is the only left option. The graphic was presumably produced to emphasise that claim.
There isn’t, in concrete terms, that much to choose between the 3 based on their role and position in the union. Industrially and in terms of union organisation Beckett’s campaign glosses over very important questions about lay democracy, support for Branches and stewards, how we build powerful R&F industrial networks and so on. It’s also very light in respect of his own track record on these matters which could be characterised as ‘talking left and acting right’ with the occasional top down led dispute as evidence of his bonafides.
Increasingly his campaign, and much of its vocal support, seems more obviously focused on issues that mark out the ground of the battle within Labour (which the graphic also speaks to) rather than the significantly more important discussion in the context of the GS election about how Unite can be democratised and power (some degree anyway) passed back to the R&F. Turner and Graham have been far from perfect on this too, but at least in Graham’s case there is an attempt to engage on these issues.
There isn’t, in concrete terms, that much to choose between the 3 based on their role and position in the union. Industrially and in terms of union organisation Beckett’s campaign glosses over very important questions about lay democracy, support for Branches and stewards, how we build powerful R&F industrial networks and so on. It’s also very light in respect of his own track record on these matters which could be characterised as ‘talking left and acting right’ with the occasional top down led dispute as evidence of his bonafides.
Increasingly his campaign, and much of its vocal support, seems more obviously focused on issues that mark out the ground of the battle within Labour (which the graphic also speaks to) rather than the significantly more important discussion in the context of the GS election about how Unite can be democratised and power (some degree anyway) passed back to the R&F. Turner and Graham have been far from perfect on this too, but at least in Graham’s case there is an attempt to engage on these issues.
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hitmouse
so defeated, thinks it's funny
I've seen people discussing this in the response to the Unison NEC elections as well - they're a good result and should be celebrated, but some people seem to think that the important thing about the elections is that it might change a few people on the Labour NEC, rather than the fact that Unison members might actually be able to go on strike sometimes instead of getting endlessly pissed about by our union. For instance, from Skwawkbox, which now seems to be acting as a mouthpiece (skwawkpiece?) of the Beckett campaign: Breaking: left takes control of Unison executive – and the ramifications in Labour are immediate
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
I guess the focus on Twitter was always going to discuss these elections through the prism of the Labour Party. But I do think it speaks to something profound about the decomposition of British trade unions, and how they are increasingly seen as little more than players in the LP (something Beckett’s campaign, in my view, seems to view as a good thing) rather than mass organisations of the working class whose central role is to pursue pay, job security, better terms and conditions and much else regardless of who is in power or who leads the LP.
The real tragedy of this election is the absence of a R&F candidate of the left who is squarely focussed on the industrial challenges and tasks facing us and how the union can be changed to support, promote and strategise action to deliver for member and their communities.
andysays
Love and solidarity
And this is why I'm sceptical about the idea that the victory of a left candidate, any left candidate, should be seen as the most important thing.
Graham and Beckett may both be "of the left", but they appear to have very different views on what is important and what Unite as a Trade Union should be concentrating on.
If the process of arriving at a single "left" candidate meant Beckett wins out over Graham, then IMO that would be a huge step backwards. I'm less aware of Turner's position, so not commenting on him.
But whoever it was, it would be deeply disappointing if a single "left" candidate emerged as the result of some backroom stitch-up, rather than members being able to choose for themselves.
hitmouse
so defeated, thinks it's funny
As far as Turner goes, I think maybe the most worrying thing I've seen was in this interview:
Unite's Steve Turner Warns Split Left Vote Could See Len McCluskey Replaced By Centrist
Favourite to replace Len McCluskey on Millwall, Militant and knowing your turf.
The context there being that during the Manchester bus drivers' fire and rehire dispute, Unite was campaigning to try and get Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham to commit to using their power as mayors to stop public transport contracts going to Go Ahead (and I think any other company using fire and rehire against its workers). To me, that feels like him choosing solidarity with Khan and Burnham over solidarity with Unite members trying to defend their conditions. Apart from anything else, it doesn't seem like a great sign for any Unite members employed by Labour councils who might have to fight their employers under a Turner leadership.
...And I imagine he'd still be much better than Coyne.
Dom Traynor
Tino Pai
I don't think there should be a united left campaign in Unite - if I was a member I wouldn't see Turner or Beckett being much more effective than Coyne in practice though I'd still vote for them obviously.
Coyne won X% of 15% last time - well Sharons campaign needs to turnout among the 85% of the membership.
And if anyone can her campaign could do that although I wouldn't underestimate the challenge.
Coyne won X% of 15% last time - well Sharons campaign needs to turnout among the 85% of the membership.
And if anyone can her campaign could do that although I wouldn't underestimate the challenge.
hitmouse
so defeated, thinks it's funny
Interview with Ian Allinson (former GS candidate, prominent in organising solidarity with the Manchester bus dispute among other things) about the election:
www.voice.wales
Ian Allinson Interview: The Unite Election, The Left & The Importance Of The Rank & File -
Reading Time: 15 minutes Photo: Ian Allinson ©Steve Eason” Ian Allinson is a trade unionist and socialist activist in Unite, which is among the two biggest unions in Britain, with some 1.4 Million members. In 2017, he stood as the rank and file candidate for union General Secretary, coming third...
www.voice.wales
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
What a surprise. A trio of senior union bureaucrats seem to find their own personal ambition more important than the interests of the wider union and its members.
Smokeandsteam
Working Class First
Beckett is out - excellent news. But he’s backing Turner which is odd given his desperate ‘trying too hard’ programme. I suspect Sharon Graham is about to be thrown under the bus here by the old (male) left bureaucracy;
labourlist.org
Beckett pulls out of Unite general secretary race and endorses Turner - LabourList
Howard Beckett has pulled out of the Unite the Union general secretary race and endorsed Steve Turner, leaving…
labourlist.org
Fedayn
Well-Known Member
Good old Mystic Meg...
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