I have ignored this poor blog for a fortnight whilst I have rested and recovered from a trying year.
Now for 2009 and economic depression...
As you might imagine I am focused on what is coming up in UNISON.
In a little over four weeks the Annual General Meeting of the Greater London Regional Council will have the opportunity to elect a leadership committed to democracy and lay control by supporting the slate headed by candidate for Convenor, Malcolm Campbell.
Over the next month or so candidates will also be seeking nominations for the forthcoming elections to UNISON's National Executive Council. I'll be seeking nomination again - and hoping that enough real socialists are elected to make a positive difference to the direction of the Union.
One of these days I'll compose the blog post which needs to be written to pose the obvious question to supporters of the Morning Star about what their approach to UNISON is. It's good to be in a Union which takes the right line about Palestine and Cuba, but a radicalism that comes to life thousands of miles away (or hundreds of years in the past) doesn't deliver the goods on pay or pensions.
While there will be democratic choices for members to take at Regional and national (and branch) level, in the mean time work will carry on on the review of Service Groups (which needs careful attention from the rank and file) and on the reviews of UNISON's democracy guidelines and political funds. I'll blog here about these soon.
So, for those who like to read about the internal goings on of the Union look back here from time to time. And for those who don't, you may be reading the wrong blog...
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The democratic choices in UNISON seem to be driven entirely by a small few.
In terms of the service group review, I can see (or maybe I hope!) this backfiring. I've been personally involved in a previous attempt to steer my service group into a merger and our general sec left the session in no doubt as to the views of the elected lay members. Yet the same proposal appears again in the structures review.....
Its time to stand up and say "no" when we need to. I joined Nalgo and remain in UNISON, as I believe in the aims of my union. But not when actions of the few are to ignore the wishes of the many........
I seem to recall a conference debate about UNISON campaigning for the re-nationalisation of the energy companies. The motion was (the NEC speaker lost it!) but what has been happening to this motion since? Cos I've heard nothing - have you?!
There are other unions around, and maybe we all ought to remember this.
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