I remember the reports received within UNISON when our candidate was pipped at the post some eighteen months ago in the election for General Secretary of the Public Services International.
In spite of the best efforts of our candidate he was defeated and I remember the report back from our General Secretary to the NEC in October 2007. He complained that, amongst other things, the paid officials did not appear to have been neutral in the election and that this had disadvantaged our candidate - who was plainly the more leftwing of the two.
For some reason I was put in mind of this as I listened to the election results at today's Annual General Meeting of UNISON's Greater London Regional Council. The incumbent officers were re-elected and their opponents, for whom I would have voted if I had a vote as an NEC member, were defeated.
I will blog a fuller account of our Regional AGM shortly, but for the moment I congratulate Gloria, Conroy and their team and observe that the coming year will pose challenges the like of which we have not seen in some time. The test which we will face as a trade union in Greater London is whether we can mobilise and organise our members to face the onslaught of job losses in Greater London.
Those of us who believe in regular Regional Council meetings need to book in our diary the date of 4 June when we will be attending the next Regional Council meeting and the date of 22 April which is the deadline for motions to the Regional Council. If any Greater London UNISON branch has difficulties securing the attendance of delegates at the 4 June Regional Council they should ask their Regional Organiser for assistance - let me know if you have a problem.
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5 comments:
Bit worrying today when the ex young members' convenor announced the results of the Officer elections in her speech to a rule change before anyone ( at least on the shop floor) knew them.Has to make me wonder how that can happen! Kat
Think as Jon can expalin the Electorial Reform Society carried out the ballot, with lay tellers.
Anon 2 yes you are correct - with lay scrutineers watching them - I was one of the scrutineersn- however there has been more than one complaint to me that one of the speakers did seem to announce the election results during a speech before we had offically notified anyone of the results.
“We have the democratic mandate, let’s smash them.” Sounds like a comment from the Israel government or even the apartied regime in South Africa, Could easily have been uttered by Thatcher when trying to destroy trade unions! No it was said by someone who wants to remain anonymous on another blog in regard to the elections that took place at region. It sounds like the same anonymous that comments about how the left are, bullies no contradiction there then!! Maybe these people want to treat all “minorities” with such contempt. I certainly question the judgment of the blogger who puts this stuff up without comment.
Thanks to all for the comments with all of which I concur (except as MJ pointed out these are lay scrutineers rather than lay tellers).
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