There is a
clear choice at this election.
It’s the
Westminster Brigade versus the Workplace.
I’m the
Workplace Candidate and I don’t want more of the same,
I want a Union that works.
How many calls from members have to go unanswered before we choose a different direction?
How many times must increases to the cost of membership be imposed when pay rises haven’t been delivered?
How many more news stories about smears, scandals or internal Labour politics do we have to see?
We can do better than this.
My first act as General Secretary will be to
stop any plans to increase the cost of being a member.
My second act will be to
freeze membership fees for a period of at least 12 months.
My third act will be to introduce
a new, transparent system for membership rates, where:
- No member will be asked to pay more every year.
- Any increases will be limited to one raise every 2 years.
- I will undertake a comprehensive and independent review into our membership rates.
This is a
permanent not temporary solution to ensure Unite
membership is affordable for everyone.
But that won’t solve the
problems with the service our members receive.
That’s why within the first 100 days of taking office, I will announce a new fully costed
Unite Member Guarantee, which will include:
- All questions from Members’ answered within 24 hours.
- Radical improvements to our legal services to make the right support available to members when they need it.
Finally,
I will be the most accountable General Secretary in the history of Unite:
- I will publish all of my expenses online.
- I will hold weekly online surgeries open to all members.
And if our members have a complaint, I want to hear it first. Therefore;
- I will open a new General Secretary Hotline within my office.
I will take personal responsibility and not play pass the parcel.
My mantra will always be more and better support for our members where they need it most, at the workplace.
That is why I am proud to be standing to become General Secretary of a trade
UNION not an internal wing of the Labour Party.
I’m not doing this to
settle old scores or to rerun battles that will do nothing but cripple our Union again.
I stand for positive change.
For
Jobs, Pay & Conditions at the Workplace.
I am not supported by any group of MP’s. I don’t have the machine.
I have not promised anything to anyone.
No deals for votes.
I won’t sign blank cheques for any politician or political party.
That's because my campaign is about
serious change, not tinkering.
At 17 I was forced to lead my first walk-out to stop casual workers being exploited.
From that day I knew that Unions were a force for good.
And it taught me
that the role of a Union is to stop bad bosses where we need to and negotiate good deals for members - not play games.
That is why I am standing.
So that
our members can take their Union back to the workplace.
I don’t court the media and you won’t see me hanging out with politicians. I’ve been in the workplace with the members instead.
For over 20 years I have
led and won, supporting workers when they need it most.
I have a 100% track record of success, including:
- Defeating ‘Fire and Rehire’ at Go-Ahead bus
- Leading Crisis Leverage at British Airways
- Victory over the BESNA in construction
- Stopping the end of wage bargaining at Yorkshire Ambulance
Unlike some, I haven’t tried to take credit for the work of others.
Thousands of Unite Reps are supporting my programme for change in the teeth of opposition from bureaucrats.
“Without Sharon 20,000 Unite Members at British Airways would have faced ‘Fire and Rehire’. It was her campaign that got the company back round the table.”
Jeff Fernandes and Dolores Lee,
British Airways
“Sharon is the change we need. It was Leverage supporting our action that delivered an end to ‘Fire and Rehire’. If you want to protect your job, pay and conditions, vote for Sharon.”
Colin Hayden and Sam Harvey,
Go North West Buses
“When Yorkshire Ambulance de-recognised the Union it was Sharon who got wage bargaining back, delivering better pay and conditions for members. That's why we are backing Sharon.”
Kel Hurd,
Yorkshire Ambulance
If elected I will be the first female General Secretary of Unite.
I will make sure that this means
a better deal for all under-represented groups, including women.
I understand the barriers and
I won’t be afraid to tackle equality issues head on at the bargaining table, rather than just pass motions at conference.
I will end discrimination within our Union and make sure that posts are open to all,
not just the chosen few.
Our
Retired and Community Members will also have an important role to play.
I want both sections to be campaigning and I will make sure resources are available.
This will include a
£10Million State Pension Campaign Fighting Fund, which I will personally lead to raise the value of pensions across our nations.
Every Unite member deserves dignity in retirement.
I will also introduce a
Mentoring Programme so that our younger activists can draw upon the experience of our Retired Members.
And I will make
free Digital Training available to all of our Retired Members.
Unite’s Community work has
not reached its potential.
We will campaign
against cuts to Schools, Hospitals and Social Care.
Issues that matter to all Unite members’.
I’ve been trolled, threatened and smeared.
But this is not just because I am a woman.
It’s because I will transform Unite.
I am the Workers’ Candidate and I will not bow to the Westminster Brigade.
Change is made from the bottom up, not the top down.
Together, we can
take Unite back to the Workplace!
Thanks for your time.
