What do the results of
UNISON’s National Executive Council (NEC) election tell us?
First, that
we had 1.24 million full members at the point that the extract for the ballot
was taken from the membership system. This corresponds pretty closely to the
1.25 million members in our last submission to
the Certification Officer. Our membership is holding up in spite of a
tsunami of public sector job losses.
Secondly,
that our members are not heavily engaged in our democracy. The turnout in the
election for the Black Members’ seats (for which the constituency is the whole
union) was a paltry 5.5%. In the Regions the turnout varied between 4.8% in
Wales and 6.6% in the South West (where incumbent Mike Hines defeated his opponent
Berny Parkes by just three votes after a recount). In the Service Group
constituencies turnout varied from 4.7% in Health to 8.5% in Higher Education.
Thirdly,
incumbency is an asset in trade union elections. 45 of the members of the
previous NEC were on the ballot paper to return to office and faced a contest –
of these 38 were re-elected (myself included). However, incumbents are not
invulnerable to a campaigning challenge – and two of the defeated incumbents
were Chairs of Strategic Committees of the NEC.
Fourthly,
there are more
left-wingers on the newly elected NEC. This offers an opportunity for a
more inclusive approach to leadership at a national level if the Presidential
team and the General Secretary (whom we shall elect (or re-elect?) later this
year) wish to reach out. If you want to know whether this opportunity will be
taken, well, check back here soon I suppose.
In the mean
time, congratulations to all those who were elected and commiserations to those
who tried and failed. The trade union movement in general – and UNISON in
particular – face an unprecedented challenge from the most rightwing Government
since the universal franchise. The 65 members of the UNISON NEC which will take
office on 19 June are, for good or ill, the leadership we now have.
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