General Secretary's report to UNISON NEC

The General Secretary began his report to the UNISON NEC this morning with reference to the Union having achieved Investors in People status and by praising the role of UNISON Welfare in supporting members who have been affected by flooding.

He then moved on to discuss Equal Pay, and I think that now we have had a briefing on the subject in an open session at Conference I can safely report some of this discussion, which prompted numerous contributions from the floor.

We have been told again that there will be a “roadshow” of meetings around the Union to consult all parts of the Union on how to resource mass Equal Pay litigation. This won’t be like the ACAS sanctioned events at which employers try to cajole employees into accepting settlements!

The General Secretary expressed disappointment at the turn out for Tuesday’s lobby of Parliament – whilst rightly congratulating those who attended for their efforts. I suggested that more could have been done – for example at Conference – to get members to the lobby, but this prompted a strong defence of the effectiveness of the work done to build the lobby from the Chair of the Policy Committee.

Dave Prentis said that we need to think through why we now struggle to fill the small hall at Central Hall whereas twenty years ago the Unions could fill the large hall (which is now what London Citizens do).