Personal report of UNISON National Executive Council 7th October 2020

The Presidential team was to continue for the whole of the second year of office to June next year 2021. This was agreed but no notice given to us of this proposal. 

Conferences - Looking at virtual decision making conferences for next year in case in-person conferences is not possible. Will not be exact replica, format will need to be different, but will be decision making body. We would need to engage with the relevant Service Group Executive. Health was the first conference cancelled this year and there is no desire to cancel two years in a row. No notice given to us of this proposal.  AGM (Annual General Meeting) - Need to provide clarity to branches, want them to run branch AGMs virtually if in person not possible and looking to facilitate this, Looking to reduce lead in from 12 weeks to 8 weeks. All work in progress, no absolute proposals. We do want accountability and lay democracy. 42 for 1 against. No notice was given to us of this proposal.  Wales Region NEC members had been mandated to suggest all AGMs should be postponed in 2021 and this was lost at NEC with almost everyone else against (Traditionally some Wales branches have wanted 2 yearly AGMs and seem to be using Covid to push that agenda) This type of rule amendment has appeared at several recent Conferences and been hammered every time so a nice try I suppose to introduce by the back door. There was a strong feeling that lay democracy for Service groups, Regions, National and branches must go ahead as much as possible and national must facilitate this. One branch said they have practised by having open meeting for all members every week and at first this was hard but then has got easier and makes branch accountable to members.  Obituaries. Including Raph Parkinson, Regional Organiser in the North West who was also previously an NEC member from the North West.  Dave Prentis,  General Secretary report. ‘Sad re staff member Raph who has died and will offer support to people in North West. Proud of staff and activists during pandemic – at times of uncertainty, and risk.  Members – courage and dedication. As Union we need to be with them. March closed down in 1 day and moved to home working to make sure staff were safe. All going the extra mile. “General  Secretary elections are always destabilising, but this time attacks are made on the union, by complainers, detractors, telling us what we are doing wrong, all the bad things UNISON is doing. No organisation is perfect, we are always trying to improve, to do better,  that’s what a union with a future does, Concerned in way people have trashed our union and staff and it has had an effect on staff morale. Impression given that nothing is happening in UNISON. Some challenge to this in discussion. The excellent Haringey carers victory was rightly mentioned and congratulated upon. 143k new members have joined UNISON to date this year, the most in memory giving a total overall of 32k taking into account leavers. UNISON Welfare through There For You has so far spent 1m during the pandemic assisting members and their families in need. It was reported that the Government had this very morning announced their intention to do away with the excellent Unionlearn fund from 31/03/20 which has been excellent for members who have never before had learning opportunities. Organisation. Have recruited more members but not more activists to support and organise them. Government just announced end of Union Learning Fund. Discussion – Value to fighting actively and organising protests and strikes to mobilise activists, lack of coordination across sectors, or across unions, made worse when seeing Frances O’Grady standing beside Rishi Sunak when he decimated furlough scheme.  Local government – massive attacks now on Pension, huge job losses/redundancies expected, pay.  Internal Rule I Unison disciplinaries. Question asked about the length of delays in getting these resolved. Many over 12 months, most others still at investigation 10 months after investigation started.  Chair of Development and Organisation sub committee said that hearings have been delayed due to lack of availability of NEC members during Covid . But that investigations have gone ahead by phone or online and are not delayed , and that no timelines or estimates of completion of investigation can be given as they are complex and multi-faceted.

Regarding finance, subscription income of £101m is £4.8m ahead of budget and is £3.7m higher than the corresponding 7 month period last year.

Net income for the NEC is £70.8m which is £2.2m ahead of budget.

Net operating expenditure of £67.5m is £1.2m under budget thus overall results are ahead of budget by £3.4m.

The net result is a surplus of £3.3m compared to a budgeted deficit of £0.1m.

General reserves are increased by £3.3m to £169.4m supported by fixed assets and investments of £115.6m, cash of £48.2m and other net assets of £5.6m.