Trade Union

By Left Horizons supporters in UNISON

The left grouping Time for Real Change is supporting Andrea Egan, currently a member of the NEC, for general secretary in the forthcoming election. The following is taken from Andrea’s campaign website:

Winning for our members

We are the UK’s biggest union, with 1.3 million members and an income of almost £200 million. Sadly, our current General Secretary and her allies in the bureaucracy have not developed the profile, presence, or power needed to convert our size into the improvements to pay and conditions our members deserve. 

• I will be a campaigning General Secretary, fighting to ensure branches and members get the support they need to enable effective action when they want it. I will act consistently to build the confidence and campaigning skills of our members to use their power in the workplace to secure wins.
• I will make sure our Organising to Win agenda, which has started to put money in the pockets of members where it has been implemented, is fully embedded in all Regions and Service Groups and is fully resourced.

A members’ union

For too long, UNISON’s bureaucracy has been too slow and resistant to implementing the democratic decisions, including policies decided by Conference. This has resulted in a disempowered membership, top-down decision-making, bureaucratic inefficiency and waste. 

• I will conduct a comprehensive review of our union machinery, to ensure that we effectively implement the decisions and policies decided by members, in partnership with elected lay officials.
• I am campaigning to be the first branch activist to be elected as General Secretary. Instead of taking the £166,000 pay package the current General Secretary receives, I will take the wage of a social worker, and make sure the rest of the money goes to the Industrial Action Fund and There For You (UNISON Welfare) to support members. 
• I will review and improve the support branches receive from their Regional offices and from Legal Services.
• Too many of our democratically agreed policies remain words on paper. I will ensure they are turned into action.

UNISON members first, Labour Party second

Having been a Labour Party member for many years, I understand the potential value of the link with Labour to deliver for our members. Sadly, our leadership has adopted a subservient approach to the Labour Government, allowing the factional priorities of the Labour leadership to take precedence over the interests of UNISON members. 

• I will launch a comprehensive review of our relationship with the Labour Party to ensure we get value for money and use our influence to advance our union’s democratically-agreed policies.
• It makes no difference if our members’ living standards are attacked by a Tory Government or a Labour one. I will oppose government policies that harm our members or conflict with UNISON policies, and I will campaign tirelessly for proper funding for our councils, schools, NHS and all our public services, regardless of which party is in power.
• I will defend the values of democracy in the Labour Party and speak out against authoritarian measures that reduce the power of trade unionists. 

A truly inclusive union

There is no place for any form of discrimination in our union. I have consistently opposed all forms of discrimination including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, ableism and ageism and I always will.

• I am committed to supporting the work of the self-organised groups to combat discrimination, build awareness, and to ensure the voices of groups who suffer discrimination are fully represented. Within 100 days of being elected, I will convene a joint meeting of self-organised groups to identify their core demands and ensure they are put into practice.  
• Our union needs to organise migrant workers, oppose the racism they face and the attempts of those who scapegoat them for inadequate housing and public services.
• The value and challenges of the devolved administrations have not always been recognised by our union and their power never fully harnessed – I will work with our lay activists to change this.
• I will open a Young Members’ leadership school to build the political education, confidence, and organising skills of our young members.

An internationalist UNISON

I will continue to be fearless in speaking out in solidarity with oppressed people across the world including by opposing all military support for Israel as it conducts a genocide against the people of Gaza, and oppose weapons spending that takes money away from public services.

• I will work with the international public sector trade union organisations that make a real difference to workers’ lives, to ensure we share best practice and ideas on how to win for members.
• I will stand in solidarity with persecuted trade unionists in all countries. 
• I will ensure UNISON plays a leading role nationally and internationally in combatting climate change and challenges our members face.

The top picture is from the campaign website which can be found here.