I am reproducing here a message which I have received as a supporter of the UNISONaction Broad Left, the diverse group of trade union democrats and socialists who are committed to the idea that UNISON could live up to its potential;
As you will be awar…Read more…
The Even Stronger UNISON Pledge to be launched!
Sources close to the author of the “Stronger UNISON” pledge have revealed exclusively to your blogger the next stage of their campaign – the “Even Stronger UNISON” pledge. This pledge reportedly reflects the importance of honesty and transparency to the signatories of the original pledge.
The Even…Read more…
The final Regional Local Government Executive…
If the title of this blog post does not signal to you that this is a “niche” blog then you really are not paying attention.
As I slowly disentangle myself from my various UNISON responsibilities I find myself more and more at final meetings. This week …Read more…
Labour campaigning for socialism in Brighton
Following the regrettable suspension of local Labour Party organisation in Brighton and Hove between July and February, it was good today to Chair the first meeting of the General Committee of Brighton Pavilion Constituency Labour Party since we electe…Read more…
Our chance to comment on the boundary review that spells oblivion for Pavilion
Having only just been elected as Chair of Brighton Pavilion Constituency Labour Party, I have to face the possibility that I may be the last person to hold that exalted office – since the first proposals from the Boundary Commission redraw the boundaries of Parliamentary constituencies across the…Read more…
With friends like these…
As someone who is standing aside from UNISON positions with the intention of becoming more active in the Labour Party (of which I have been a member since 1980) I suppose I should be particularly interested in the advice which the General Secretary of …Read more…
Proud to stand up for UNISON members today at the Certification Officer hearing
Regular readers of this blog (Sid and Doris Blogger) will probably be aware that today saw the final session of the hearing of the various complaints made to the Certification Officer arising from the last UNISON General Secretary election.
Today we ha…Read more…
Do the Democracy in UNISON guidelines apply to paid staff? (Yes)
As you may imagine, the hearing before the Assistant Certification Officer (ACO) heard a fair bit about some matters not of direct relevance to the specific issues to be decided by the ACO – the extent to which these may (or may not) be relevant to the judgements which the ACO has to make about…Read more…
Small businesses plead for tax dodge while workers are denied justice
Today’s news features the objections from businesses in some areas to the revaluation of business rates. In particular, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) are calling on the Chancellor to increase small business rate relief (i.e. letting them get away without paying tax). The FSB whine about…Read more…
UNISON General Secretary election – the day of reckoning approaches
As regular readers of this blog (Sid and Doris Internationalist) will be aware, I am in the process of stepping down from my UNISON responsibilities – but that does not mean that I care nothing for the future of UNISON, a trade union which continues to have tremendous potential, mostly…Read more…
Danegeld in Surrey?
http://labourlist.org/2017/02/tell-us-the-truth-over-surrey-council-sweetheart-deal-62-council-leaders-demand-of-may/In the 80s, before they were quite ready to attack the municipal left, the Thatcher Government did a deal with Liverpool’s Militant led Council which the Times famously denounced…Read more…
Stand for Socialism first of all
Today I attended a meeting of the UNISON National Executive Council (aside from meetings at the June Conference I expect that this will have been my antepenultimate meeting). At that meeting we discussed NEC motions to our Conference in June, and – crucially – we had to consider the implications of…Read more…
Brexit is inevitably anti-working class
Members of Parliament have voted to support Theresa May’s Brexit Bill on its second reading.
This was (and is) an anti-working class measure which threatens, in particular, the rights of those workers who are citizens of other EU nations – but it also threatens all of us who depend upon legal…Read more…
Corbyn is wrong about Article 50
I voted twice for Jeremy Corbyn to be Leader of our Party and support his leadership, but I was disappointed to receive his email seeking to justify the decision to vote in favour of the Bill triggering Article 50 on the spurious grounds that we should…Read more…
So long and thanks for all the fish…
This is what I said to the Lambeth Branch Annual General Meeting on Thursday. If those who were good enough to come to the meeting had to suffer it I don’t see why you shouldn’t;Comrades,I was first elected to a senior branch officer position in our pr…Read more…
“Stronger UNISON” demonstrate their weakness
You might think that a group of members of our largest public service trade union, organised around supportfor the well-established leadership of the union, would have a robust self-confidence in their own position.
You might think that when a maverick…Read more…
Looking back in Lambeth
Next week I shall cease, for the first time in more than twenty six years, to hold a position as an officer of my trade union branch. Since I became Branch Chair of Lambeth NALGO in the autumn of 1990 I have always been part of the leadership of the branch and – since I first took up a position…Read more…
The Stronger UNISON pledge and what it really means
A small clique of supporters of UNISON’s current leadership are organising to try to keep UNISON in its current state of lethargy and its downward path under the somewhat implausible slogan “Stronger UNISON” – for the moment this relates simply to a Facebook page which appears largely to be a…Read more…
UNISON NEC elections – nominate the candidates seeking positive change!
This is one of those blog posts prepared without using UNISON resources, because it addresses the important question of internal UNISON elections – to our National Executive Council (NEC) – and so UNISON resources cannot be used to campaign in the election (that can get people into…Read more…
UNISON and the New Education Union?
Looking ahead, as one presumably should at the beginning of January, it is clear that one of the most significant developments in public service trade unionism over the coming year or two will be the emergence of the New Education Union (NEU) should me…Read more…