Carpe Diem - vote Paul Holmes for UNISON General Secretary

 Having decided to cast my vote in the UNISON General Secretary election for Paul Holmes, I was pleased to speak alongside friends and comrades today at Paul’s election rally for retired UNISON members.

With four candidates on the ballot paper, at least three of whom are seriously trying - and hoping - to win - and with more branches nominating than five years ago (perhaps presaging an increase from the historically low turnout  in the last General Secretary election) there really is everything to play for.

I think that Paul Holmes offers the sort of radical change which UNISON requires if it is to achieve the potential that was recognised by those of us who voted the (then) new union into existence back in 1992. Alan Jinkinson (who was to become our first General Secretary) said at that time that UNISON would be a “member-led union” but - in spite of the amendment to Rule B.2.2 which wrote those words into our Rule Book at the first National Delegate Conference - that is something which has become less and less true over almost three decades.

I hope that - if you are a UNISON member reading this - you will vote for Paul and that you will do what you can (without misusing any UNISON resources of course) to encourage other members to do likewise.