Wednesday, January 20, 2010

UNISON General secretary election to be held


(20/01/10) There will be an election for the general secretary of UNISON this spring, the union's national executive council decided this morning.

The meeting voted to set the process in motion for a five-month election period, which will see nominations take place from 4 February to 1 April, with a ballot starting on 17 May and ending on 11 June, ahead of the union's national delegate conference later that month.

The result of the election will be announced on 22 June.

The NEC noted that current general secretary Dave Prentis was entitled to remain in office until May 2013, under trade union legislation, the union's rules and the contract of employment entered into at his last re-election in 2005.

However, Mr Prentis made it clear that he wished to submit himself for re-election this year, because "I have always believed that the democracy of our union is paramount" and because a new democratic mandate for the general secretary in "the difficult times we are now entering into" would help build "a strong united union capable of defending the interests of our members", which is needed now, more than ever.

In a letter to president Gerry Gallagher indicating his wish to seek re-election, Mr Prentis added that an early ballot would mean "we could then coalesce around an agenda on the issue which are so important to our members – fighting any cuts and defending our members".

The NEC agreed and adopted a timetable that will allow the election of a general secretary with a new mandate to meet the challenges of whichever new government is elected in the general election and take forward the policies decided at June's national delegate conference.

The meeting also voted to donate £10,000 to the Haiti earthquake appeal and called on branches to make donations via the TUC Aid appeal. Branches can donate online at www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-17424-f0.cfm

Hat-tip UNISON website and check out UNISONactive.  Picture of Dave and London Regional convenor Gloria Hanson at the G20 March.

Update: James NEC take

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Proud of my Union
Proud of our Gen Sec

Progressive but not WW1 leader who sends his troops over the top needlessley

Sharon

Anonymous said...

Is this not a distraction from campaigning for Labour at the general election? The timing seems daft.

John Gray said...

Hi Anon

I don’t think so – For some reason I doubt very much any of the candidates will be supporting the Conservative Party!

While the ultra left fringe candidate(s) will no doubt try and make a nuisance of themselves but they are so marginal in the wider scheme of things that no-one will pay any attention to them.

In fact, this process running alongside the national elections could energise unison members for the Labour Party and make it more likely that they will come out and vote!

Anonymous said...

It appears the nutjob left are in a right old pickle about this, with leading lights like Nick Holden (AWL) and cuddly old Mikey Bear Calvert amongst others getting all sensible and acknowledging how painfully weak they are and that maybe not standing a candidate is the way to go!

Meanwhile Marsha Jane informs us that Paul (Fred West look-a-like)Holmes has declared an interest. Others are touting names like Dan Caspell, and even Roger (Sir Laugh-a-lot)Bannister who has badly lost in every previous Gen Sec election he's stood in.

Really, you couldn't make it up.
Oh to be a fly on the wall at their special meeting on 30th January. Talk about a pantomime!

Of course there will be some last-minute lash-up candidate who will 'emerge'. At least it will be a drain on their resources. The sad thing is it will also be a drain on UNISON's resources as well if they really do find a candidate. Resources the union could sorely use to build its organising capacity and defend its members from the cuts to come.

Anonymous said...

Dont expect you will publish this but here are my thoughts anyway. I have always voted Labour and used to be a proud UNISON member.

I could not in all consience vote for this bloodsoaked, corrupt, privatising Labour Party. They have said and done things that would have made Thatcher blush. I see no difference between them and the Conservatives, none!

UNISON is now a totally undemocratic shell of a Union, whose leaders are more concerned about keeping their privatising Neo Liberal pals Labour in office than the interests of members

Interesting timing for an election
Why does someone who has two-three years left in office call an election
Not anything you do from a position of strength. more to do with fear I would suggest but fear of what?

What would they say if it was left leader doing this?
Something about the waste of members money in an exspensive needless campaign?
particularly when cuts are looming

There must be a lot of fear in UNISONS leadership. Fear that the pathetic Labour link will be repudiated.

Which other group will pay their opponents, the Labour Party, to privatise their jobs,undermine their pay and conditions, support anti union laws, lead them into illegal and costly wars and threaten the most dreadful cuts in public spending in generations
Only UNISONS current leadership could want a link with the Neo Liberals in charge of the Labour Party

There is then the fear what will happen when Labour is decimated in May 2010
The votes for the new leadership will have to be sown up by the Neo Liberal worriers in UNISON nad the other Unions
Labours own internal democracy is destroyed so no worrys there and the
Labour Party is probably below 80k real members local partys organisation has disolved in huge areas and whats left, like UNISON, are rotten machine boroughs

So many have left Labour sick of the wars,privatisations,Nuclear Re-armament, Murdoch,Digby Jones,Inequality,Mandelson relaxed about the rich, Brown praising the Bankers and promising light touch regulation just before it all went shit shaped. Unelected Corrupt Labour Lords, Foundations Trusts, attacks on public sector pay and pensions

Labour is a Neo Liberal party that bailed out the wealthy few and allowed light touch regulation to bring about the recession. Labour will make the many, particularly the public sector and the poor, pay for the recession

UNISONs leadership has supported Blair and Browns Neo Liberal policies every step of the way.

Now UNISON leaders think the only way to save themselves is to jump into an unecessary and exspensive election before the deluge arrives.

This will not stop the Labour privatisations and the Conservatives will use Labours inspiration and their legisalation to finish of a public NHS

Labour and Conservatives two cheeks of the same privatising Tory arse

UNISONS election a waste of time, money resources and a farce of democratic principles

John Gray said...

Hi Anon

I am somewhat surprised that you think I will not publish this comment? While I don’t agree with a word you have written it’s a free country (within reason) and you have the choice not to support Labour or join UNISON. I could just go through your list of rants pointing out how daft they are (for example the reason the GS has called the election is because he was is being democratic and does not want to remain in position thanks to Tory election laws).

But what interests me with people like you is what a really ‘orrible world you must live in. Everyone you don’t like is “corrupt”, “blood-soaked” or “rotten”.

Now the Labour Government can I think be legitimately be attacked over its policies and decisions. I cannot believe that there has ever been a government that has got everything 100% right. UNISON of course is perfect, apart the handful of your apparent brethren who try to spoil things for all of us. So I am glad you are no longer a member.

However surely, surely - you must realise that to ordinary people the way you express your wholly paranoid and bigoted points of views will just mean they will dismiss you as some sort of a complete and utter idiot?