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Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Welcome back Caroline!

Having spent my evening at a meeting of fellow members of UNISON's National Executive Council (NEC) ahead of tomorrow's NEC meeting, I shall blog little about what transpired in deference to the nerves of some comrades.

It is good blogging etiquette to refrain from reporting the details of discussions which participants wish to keep to themselves (and I have long observed the edict of a former President of UNISON who forbade live blogging from NEC meetings‎).

I have agreed to abide by a similar request from comrades with whom I met this evening.

I am, however, pleased to be able to report that the NEC Left Caucus agreed to send our greetings and best wishes to our comrade Caroline Bedale, whose wholly unjust and unjustifiable suspension from holding office in our trade union expires this month.

Caroline Bedale is an example of the best of lay activism in our trade union, showing commitment to the ideals of our movement without personal ambition - and the disciplinary sanction imposed in her case showed UNISON at its very worst.

Comrades in the North West Region who now see the need for a change of direction need to reflect (as we all do) on past errors. ‎The need for (and outcome of) the recent Special Conference in Local Government arose precisely from the inadequacy of a leadership which, some years ago, was content to impose a draconian penalty upon a good activist.

I am only sorry that work commitments mean that I cannot be at the fringe meeting at Health Conference at which delegates will be able to hear Caroline speak - ‎at 5.15pm on Monday 13 April at the Holiday Inn Express.

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.


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