UNISON NEC elections - request for nominations

Well, now I've written to the UNISON branches in Greater London to request nominations in the forthcoming elections for the NEC, as follows;

UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) Elections

I am writing to ask if you will ask your branch to nominate me for election to UNISON’s National Executive Council (NEC) in the Male Seat to represent the Greater London Region.

I have been proud to represent our Region on the NEC since 2003 and believe that I can continue to play a useful role as we face the challenges of the next couple of years.

As a member of our NEC I report back regularly from meetings to branches in the Region, and have drafted the NEC reports to the Regional Council and Regional Committee.

I have also set up a “blog” (a personal website) where you can read my reports from the NEC at http://www.jonrogers1963.blogspot.com.

I am seeking the nomination of your branch in the forthcoming elections in order to continue to carry out this work on your behalf.

I believe that UNISON faces some serious challenges at the present time and that our members need and deserve a leadership which is prepared to face up to these challenges;

· Privatisation continues to threaten all our services – we need more joint union activity against this, such as the Public Services Not Private Profit campaign and the TUC lobby of Parliament on 23 January;
· Our Health Service is threatened by cuts and financial crises as well as privatisation – UNISON should be leading the defence of the Health Service against New Labour;
· We need a fair deal for members of the Local Government Pension Scheme. The tactics used in the dispute so far have not been delivering for our members – I hope that the Special Local Government Conference will enable lay members to take back control of this important dispute;
· UNISON must fight for fair and equal pay – but not at the expense of pay cuts for other low paid workers. The Government and the employers must find the money for equal pay – not steal it from our members;
· UNISON must develop as a democratic trade union – with control really in the hands of ordinary lay members;
· UNISON must support an effective challenge to the failing and unpopular New Labour policies which Gordon Brown will continue – I believe that UNISON should be supporting our member, John McDonnell MP in his bid to challenge for the Labour leadership on the basis of the policies supported by our Union.

As you will know, nominations need to be agreed at a meeting of your branch or Branch Committee, attended by a quorum of members.

Nomination forms have to be returned to the Member Liaison Unit, UNISON, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9AJ, by 5pm on 16 February 2007. The forms are available on the UNISON website (at http://www.unison.org.uk/elections/pages_view.asp?did=4507.)

The election procedures for these elections have now changed, and you do not need to include the personal details of candidates on the nomination forms any longer. The form does you to identify candidates by name and the seat for which they are seeking nomination. I am asking if you will consider nominating me for the Male seat in the Greater London Region.

I am a socialist, a lifelong Labour Party member and a member of UNISON United Left. If I am re-elected to our NEC I will continue to work hard to represent all our members in Greater London. I therefore hope that your branch will consider giving me your nomination.

If anyone reading this is a member of UNISON in Greater London I hope that you will ask your branch to nominate me.

I'll post further stories about candidates in the forthcoming elections (whenever I am posting from a computer which is not UNISON property...)