Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Curse of the McNoHoper: UNISON GS Election

hat-tip thingy icepicker100.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't help thinking of the BoSelecta Mel B caricature when I see Paul Holmes. No offence, Paul, it's my brain's fault.

fred ( london region) said...

hi, that was really funny ! I did have to laugh its quite right that our GS earns around £140,000 per year, and gets a union credit card, a free car, expenses and a very comfortable life style that my members would love to have. well done to the union for making sure that he can live so well, all the best with your great work john

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
Missed this reference?
Hi Fred (“Permanent and very cross ex-public school for Revolution”? Or the other one?)

Many thanks for your kind words of support for what we do in London. I think you have got your maths wrong but I am hardly in a position to crow about my mathematic abilities.

BTW - what are you lot doing supporting sell out reformists?

Anonymous said...

See here for the vague resemblance

http://media.photobucket.com/image/bo%20selecta%20mel%20b/Rah_BabySpice/emma516_57856a-1.jpg

Anonymous said...

I see that the Rogers chap is making great play of Paul Holmes' eloquence in defence of national pay bargaining. But wasn't it the verys same Mr.Holmes who only last week was making a case for local bargaining on the NJC? How very odd.

Anonymous said...

How much is (no workers wage) John Mc Donnell on ????

How much was he on at the ALA ???

certainly more than the GS of a million plus union

in fact our GS is on below the average rate for the job as GS (compared to most unions)

just see unite, etc

The unions negiosiate the pay which is liked to civil service pay

most chief execs of councils and GPs earn more

as for union credit card doesnt JR have one as well ???

Anonymous said...

How do you support National pay bargaining AND stand on a platform of not taking the rate for the job? And what is a workers wage if not the nationally bargained rate? What next, pay cuts for all so we can all be real workers?! Hmmm

Anonymous said...

John McDonnell is certainly not on more than 127k a year + expenses Prentis!

Perhaps UNISON NEC and senior officials should publish expenses like MPS now have do

John Gray said...

Hi Anon
McNoHoper is on a basic of £64k so I think Dave on £89k is pretty good value when you think of it.

1.4 million members, 1300 staff and £200 million turnover.

Mind you I didn’t realise that £64k was a workers wage?

Rena Wood said...

John Gray I think you are a real committed grass roots trade unionist. I will support Dave Prentis for many reasons, but the main one is in a previous sister union, Dave Prentis supported our second Black member after Mohammed Idrish from Birmingham under threat of deportation, she was Marion Gaima from Hackney when it wasn't "sexy" politics, the next member under threat of deportation was from my branch when I ended up the campaign's co-ordinator, Dave's support was invaluable, he understood that the issue was one of a worker under threat. I believe he is a very honest trade unionist and he has a good understanding of what it means to work in the public sector, I also believe he is principled, having had a few discussion on our key areas of work where we have had a different point of view. Rena Wood Mcr Branch

John Gray said...

Hi Rena
Thank you for your kind comments. It is also good to for people to let others know that Dave has been a consistent and principled trade unionist, campaigner for equality and defender of public service from the very beginning.

Anonymous said...

Hello John

there are a few key points that have not been raised as far as I can see in either your posts or others that I have read and the subsequent comments made.

The first is that the UNISON GS election has obviously been called to coincide with the imminent general and local government elections in May. Given the national circumstances of both the main political parties and national and local media the debate will largely be over whether the Tories should replace Labour in government.

This unfortunately undermines a seriously needed debate on how UNISON has been performing since vesting day and a real need for changes in how the union orients itself. On one level who is GS is not the key issue though I would have to question the record of an incumbant who has seen over failures in every significant issue, pay, jobs, cuts, pensions, despite having an allegedly sympathetic government in office.

The main issue I see is the seeming agreement between both Labour and the Tories with little or no dispute from the big unions such as UNISON or even the main daily newspapers, TV and radio that the most serious issue facing the country is the current budget deficit. This has left an acceptance that there will have to be stringent cuts in public spending to avert an unspecified looming disaster. This will have serious and direct consequences for all UNISON members as well as broader society.

That no one with access to main stream media can be heard challenging this is very worrying. If you add in the context of the current view of the majority of economists that such action would create an effect not dissimilar to US president Hoovers actions makes the relative silence of Mr Prentis really worrying. All I can surmise is that he has an agenda that puts the key benefit he can help deliver for UNISON members is a Labour victory. Unfortunately Labour are as fixed on the issue of the budget deficit as the Tories are.

I lack a crystal ball (at least one that shows anything but how much I need to wipe down the walls in my flat) so I have no idea who will win which of the up coming elections. The problem I have tried to highlight is that we are going to get hit very hard no matter who wins at moment. That in itself cannot be an expression of real democracy.

I'm guessing that Roger Bannister will stand again and he will become the focus of a protest vote. How Paul Holmes will do I do not know but I do know him an an honourable and committed trade unionist so it would be nice if people gave a degree of respect to all candidates.

What would help would be if everyone could step back an honestly look at what we need and then challenge all those who not only fail to deliver but also not even give the lip service of defending our jobs, services, pensions,pay and most of all the society we live in.

I do not believe that I am better informed or smarter than those I am critising so the question has to go out to our politicians but as well our GS Me Prentis, are you knave or fool?

John Gray said...

Hi anon
I don’t agree that the GS election is to do with the general election. I think that the most obvious reason is simply Dave’s age and his time spent in office. The world does not revolve around unison as much as I would like to think so as well.

FACT: While Dave has been my GS the vast majority of UNISON members have seen significant increases in their pay, terms and conditions. Especially the low paid. It’s not perfect but in some weird and wonderful way you seem to think that unions can do whatever they like in our society?

You have to be a complete and utter political dipstick not to understand that if the tories get in it will be far, far worse than under Labour. The Tories don’t believe in a public sector.

Frankly I think you need to look to yourself before asking the question are you “knave or fool”.

I think I know the answer.