Gray Allan – UNISON Falkirk Council Branch
Voting CLOSES at 5pm on Tuesday 25th November in the election of the next General Secretary of UNISON. UNISON members are urged to vote for Andrea Egan. If your vote has not yet been cast ballot papers should be posted first class on Saturday to have a chance of being counted.
Andrea’s campaign has been covered before on Left Horizon’s web site here.
The ballot opened on 28th October and will close at 5pm on the 25th November with voting papers to be sent out in stages to UNISON’s 1.3 million members.
Over one hundred members joined Andrea’s online rally on Monday 27th October to hear Nadia Whittome MP, John McDonnell MP, Glen Williams, UNISON NEC, Kemba Hadaway-Morgan Vice chair of UNISON National Black Members Committee and Sarah Woodhall, striking UNISON member, speak in support of Andrea Egan. And of course, from Andrea herself.
John MacDonnell launched an excoriating attack on Starmer and the Labour cabinet. “The key to turning the political situation around lies with the trade unions” he said “This election could be transformative, with Andrea linking with other unions to lay it on the line for Starmer that continuing trade union support depends on the Labour Government delivering for the working class”.
John said he was depressed with the state of the Government. The latest blow was to hear that the much-vaunted new GP Hubs in England and Wales will be funded by private finance initiatives (PFI): a conveyor belt moving public funds into the pockets of venture capitalists.
Turn-out at 10% will not be enough!
Nadia Kemba and Sarah emphasised Andrea Egan’s record as a campaigning lay branch secretary and NEC member and her personal qualities. Glen Williams stressed the need for more effort from all in Andrea’s campaign. “We have to improve on the usual turn-out for an internal UNISON election” said Glen, “10%, which was the turn-out last time just will not do.”
Andrea vowed to examine the relationship between UNISON and the UNISON Labour Link. “It is not acceptable that the Labour Link with 400,000 members portrays itself as being the voice in the Labour Party for all 1.3 million UNISON members. The Labour Link can only speak for those UNISON members who pay the political levy to the Labour Party and no one else”
Andrea also turned her sights on UNISON Legal Services and the relationship with Thompsons Solicitors. Far too many members claims were being rejected because they were assessed as having less than fifty percent chance of success. “Our legal services must become much less risk-averse” claimed Andrea.
Failure to represent UNISON members’ views
Turning to the incumbent General Secretary Christina McAnea, Andrea said she had uttered not one word against Starmer when UNISON members were enraged by the actions or inactions of the Labour Government. It is the job of the General Secretary to represent the views of UNISON members loudly and forcefully with the Government irrespective of which Party leads that Government. Christina McAnea has signally failed to do so.
UNISON proudly claims to be a member-led trade union. Yet, ever since its founding in 1993 every single one of its four general secretaries has been from the Union’s full-time staff; Alan Jinkinson, Rodney Bickerstaffe, Dave Prentis and now Christina McAnea. Under their leadership they failed to turn the Union outwards and direct its massive weight against cuts to public services, pay and conditions. Instead, the focus was internal, defending the apparatus against the “Trot” menace. Working to stop the “Trots” winning seats on the NEC or on national committees.
During my period on the National Labour Link Committee, I was thoroughly depressed about the constant chatter in the UNISON Centre, Euston Road about the “Trots” about how they (the bureaucracy) had managed to get one over the “Trots”. By “Trot” they mean of course anyone on the Left who spoke out against the leadership.
Cronyism and allegations of corruption
But it’s not only about faction fights. Cronyism is rife with breaches of rule or inappropriate use of funds overlooked if the suspects are on the right side, the side of the bureaucracy. The latest example made the national press.
As reported in the Daily Record on 2nd November here officers of NHS Greater Glasgow Clyde & CVS Branch initially spent more than £7,500 sending sixteen people to the Durham Miners Gala, including their partners and two senior officials from UNISON Scotland. All without authorisation. As Margaret McCarthy, former assistant branch secretary of Greater Glasgow Clyde & CVS Branch said, “the current leadership of UNISON at all levels tried to bury this. They would have been aware that the same people on this jolly would nominate and support the current leadership”
An internal investigation reported that “no evidence of deception, fraud or personal gain was found. General Secretary Christina McAnea, a former lead officer for members in the NHS is reported to be a good friend of the branch.
Had this branch been led by so-called “Trots” you can be certain that there would have been suspensions and disciplinary action under the Rule I catch-all of acting in a manner prejudicial or detrimental to the Union
Now McAnea faces the real prospect of losing the General Secretary election. Rules covering the election procedure around what campaigning branches can do are being broken. A blind eye is turned when this favours Chistina McAnea. One branch in Scotland told members in FaceBook comments that when a branch had nominated McAnea all members had to vote for her!
Time is long overdue for change in UNISON. The bureaucracy has been in a cosy relationship with the right-wing leadership of the Labour Party for far too long. In the words of John MacDonnell MP, electing Andrea Egan could be transformative. UNISON members have started receiving their ballot papers – Vote for Andrea Egan – Time for Real Change
