UNISON’s
Special Local Government Conference is now just two days away. It’s only the
second time in UNISON’s history that a Special Conference has arisen from a
branch requisition.
This
occurred because the gross mismanagement
of the 2014 NJC pay dispute led us into the most catastrophic defeat in
the history of national industrial relations in local government.
You might
think that the UNISON leadership would approach this Conference with some
common sense and humility.
But it would appear that
would be to overestimate both the intellect and character of those concerned.
The cynical
manipulation which led to the sham consultation exercise which achieved the
predetermined outcome of “reluctant acceptance” of a further decline in living
standards now provides the cover for those with an interest in trying to ensure
that there is no proper accounting for the inadequacy of our national
leadership.
The
incompetent author of Motion 44 has been rescued by the compositing of that motion
into what is now Composite A, which remains a wordy and poorly drafted failure to
account for the inadequacy of the leadership of our last pay disaster, and an
unconvincing shopping list of hopes and wishes for the future.
The authors
of the fiasco which led us to this Special Conference have the cheek to say
that the Conference should create a “unified and positive climate” for the next
pay campaign. Under our current leadership we can have a “unified climate” or
we can have a “positive climate” for winning higher pay. To have both is simply
impossible.
The Salford
and Manchester branches deserve credit for trying to enforce a little honesty
upon the disingenuous Composite A, making the simple point that the conduct of
the consultation exercise breached existing Conference policy (and correcting the
falsehood that sectors have autonomy from Service Group Conference).
Even with
the sensible amendment though, Composite A remains a pitiable attempt at
distraction and self-justification from a leadership which, lacking
self-respect deserves no respect from any other quarter.
We will
never raise the density of our membership, nor increase the likelihood that we
can take effective action until we are led by those who deserve and inspire
confidence and respect – and we shall not have such leadership until we, at a
rank and file level, can build the organisation necessary to achieve this.
Regular
readers of this blog (Sid and Doris Blogger) will realise that I am not full of
admiration for the majority of the National Joint Council (NJC) Committee, nor
for the majority on the Service Group Executive (SGE) who have supported their
approach. I am not. Indeed, I think that these Committees are acting in breach
of UNISON Rules by their failure to promote our members’ interests.
However – as
a long standing member of our National Executive Council (NEC) I recognise a
truth often concealed within our Union – which is that all the supposedly
autonomous parts of our Union are mutually interdependent, and that the
failures of one sector or service group depend upon the conduct of the wider
union.
It is the
NEC – and those who guide it from the Great White Elephant of the Euston Road –
who have set the tone within our trade union over recent years. Since the last
General Election we have led only occasional, cautious and tentative opposition
to the incessant attacks upon our members, retreating on each occasion as soon
as we could claim some concessions (regardless of whether such claims were
convincing).
UNISON’s
conduct has been the conduct of an organisation led by people who know that
they must make a show of opposition but are fearful to provoke an adversary
they perceive as more powerful. It has also been the conduct of an organisation
led by people for whom the continuity and financial stability of the
organisation itself is the most important consideration.
Composite A on Tuesday’s agenda is a shameful piece of work,
but the shame is not only that of the sector Committee, Region and branch
prepared to put their names to it. If we want a different outcome from future
pay disputes we need a change of approach – and a change of leadership which
goes beyond the Local Government Service Group.
No comments:
Post a Comment