UNISON General Secretary election - the day of reckoning approaches

As regular readers of this blog (Sid and Doris Internationalist) will be aware, I am in the process of stepping down from my UNISON responsibilities – but that does not mean that I care nothing for the future of UNISON, a trade union which continues to have tremendous potential, mostly unfortunately yet to be realised.

That’s why I will be one of the complainants at the final day of the Certification Officer hearing into complaints arising from the last General Secretary election, on Wednesday week (22 February) from 10am at the Holiday Inn in Carburton St, London, W1W 5EE.

At this hearing we will hear the closing submissions on behalf of the complainants and the Union. After the hearing concludes I will publish further commentary upon the evidence put before the hearing by all parties, much of which it is important that UNISON members can access before they decide how to vote in the forthcoming elections to the National Executive Council (NEC).

Candidates in support of the failing status quo within UNISON will want to sweep the overwhelming evidence of serious wrongdoing under the carpet – but I am pleased to know that the largest ever number of candidates who really believe in trade unionism and democracy are standing to transform UNISON.

The UNISON Centre (a.k.a. the Great White Elephant of the Euston Road) is a deeply unhappy place where committed employees and intelligent activists alike despair at our lack of vigour and direction. Perhaps this need not always be so.