You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows

In October 1969, the American radical group, the Weathermen deliberately caused chaos in Chicago. In this country we generally prefer different conduct from our forecasters, although we do enjoy (particularly in London and the South) complaining about both the weather and the presumed inability of our authorities to respond adequately to it.

In the past, however, weather related difficulties have caused the postponement of the Greater London Regional Council Annual General Meeting.

This can happen because the role of those individuals elected as delegates to Regional Council is so critical, at the margins, to the delivery of London’s public services in snowy weather, that we cannot reasonably expect the employers to release them for a three hour meeting.

Happily, there are currently no severe weather warnings for London & South East England from Monday 6 to Wednesday 8 February, although those leafleting outside the venue for Regional Council are expecting severe frost, with a possible area of high pressure developing later around some delegates as they complete ballot papers.

Since Transport for London say that the city is “open for business”, I’ll prepare the huskies for the sled ride in to Central London on Wednesday morning.

Remembering other election results...

I remember the reports received within UNISON when our candidate was pipped at the post some eighteen months ago in the election for General Secretary of the Public Services International.

In spite of the best efforts of our candidate he was defeated and I remember the report back from our General Secretary to the NEC in October 2007. He complained that, amongst other things, the paid officials did not appear to have been neutral in the election and that this had disadvantaged our candidate - who was plainly the more leftwing of the two.

For some reason I was put in mind of this as I listened to the election results at today's Annual General Meeting of UNISON's Greater London Regional Council. The incumbent officers were re-elected and their opponents, for whom I would have voted if I had a vote as an NEC member, were defeated.

I will blog a fuller account of our Regional AGM shortly, but for the moment I congratulate Gloria, Conroy and their team and observe that the coming year will pose challenges the like of which we have not seen in some time. The test which we will face as a trade union in Greater London is whether we can mobilise and organise our members to face the onslaught of job losses in Greater London.

Those of us who believe in regular Regional Council meetings need to book in our diary the date of 4 June when we will be attending the next Regional Council meeting and the date of 22 April which is the deadline for motions to the Regional Council. If any Greater London UNISON branch has difficulties securing the attendance of delegates at the 4 June Regional Council they should ask their Regional Organiser for assistance - let me know if you have a problem.