1) Best wishes were sent to Mark Fisher, Kevin Jackson, John Jones – all of whom were unwell or recovering from hospital treatment. Obituaries: a minute’s silence was observed for Tommy Williams, Scotland; Paul Fisher, LGBT+ rep; Phil Harland, H+S Central Lancs.
2) Matters arising
The chair of the Staffing Committee raised an inaccuracy in
the previous edition of U-magazine that had announced it was the last issue of
U-magazine ever to be produced due to a decision by the NEC. The Finance
Committee (FRMC) which had ratified the 2023 budget had made reduced provision
for one issue of U-magazine in 2023 due to budget constraints, but no decisions
had been made for 2024 and beyond. The minutes of FRMC reflect this, as do the
minutes of the NEC in December, neither of which were challenged as inaccurate.
The Director of Finance confirmed that we have not closed the door on producing
further editions.
Due to his view of the published inaccuracy in U-magazine,
the chair of Staffing Committee asked for a suitable correction to go out to
members. Unison officers reported they had terminated our contract with
printer, paper suppler and post office, as no further editions were planned in
their view. The chair of the Finance Committee affirmed that no decision had
been taken to cease U-magazine, and the FRMC had approved the business case for
the £4 million digital project at its November meeting on the basis of
U-magazine reducing in frequency from 4 to 2 issues; this was a written
business case. A member of the FRMC disputed this and asserted her recollection
that U-magazine had been stopped.
The President asked that the matter to go back to the
Finance Committee and Policy & Campaigns Committees and be reported back to
next NEC.
3) General Secretary report
a) Praise was given to the nine health branches who took
strike action: we had brilliant publicity and got an offer out to consultation.
b) Unison as an affiliate to the Labour Party: we are now
laying the ground for the next general election. Last date possible for it is
January 2025. Lots of work is underway to influence the manifesto, and ensure
members are registered to vote. Last election: one case of voter fraud has led
to legislation which could make up to 2 million voters disqualified from voting
in future elections (e.g. older people can use travel cards, young people
cannot, as they are unlikely to vote Tory!)
c) Year of Black Worker, arrangements will be made to
contact all committees
d) Turkey – trade unionist released from prison to house
arrest. Christina was in USA at time visiting other public sector unions. How
they work and campaign with Biden administration and fight for social care.
Questions asked:
a) Problems with resources when we are balloting more than
one section of the union were raised, as we do need to be able to fight more
than one fight at a time.
b) Concerns raised about Christina giving an interview to GB
News given their stand on racism in particular. Response – Gloria De Piero is
an ex-Labour MP, sympathetic to unions, so agreed to an interview with her.
c) Need to look at changes in Labour Party policies which
depart from Unison’s policy. Response – not what we see. We have reps on Labour
Party NEC and do submit policy responses. We are fighting for our policies.
Labour is talking of the biggest insourcing in a generation. If Jeremy Corbyn
stands for MP then anyone who supports him will be expelled from Labour. We do
not interfere in any disciplinary process, our rep present abstained on key
decision.
d) Thanks given to Unison for International Women’s Day
event in Scotland.
e) TUC decision re NEU – Response from Christina – it has
not gone to TUC general council yet but Unison won on 3 counts and we have been
awarded £85,000. NEU will have to put out material to say they do not have a
place on NJC for school support staff.
f) NHS dispute won an improved offer not just by the 9
striking Unison branches to whom we all extend our absolute thanks, but by 176
RCN branches and the many Unite, GMB, CSP, SOR and now BMA junior doctors.
Given both years of the offer are below inflation, it is unlikely to help with
any of the problems of recruitment and retention which make NHS work so
exhausting and is driving people away. Asked to send messages of support to
both North of Ireland health workers still in dispute, and to BMA which were
both agreed. Response – we tried to work closely with other unions.
Despite problems where RCN criticised us for offering solidarity with them. We
will oppose the RCN plan for nurses’ breakaway pay spine. No-one ever gets what
you want, members will decide on offer.
g) There is a plan for Stephen Lawrence 30th anniversary.
4) National Delegate Conference decisions
a) Motions. All motions supported except:
- M85,
Support if amended; the NEC agreed an amendment following a debate about
whether we should mandate advertising legal support in all marketing of
the union as it builds a false picture when so many members’ cases are not
supported. There is a review of Thompsons’ contract currently being
undertaken)
- defer
motion 45 (awaiting amendments)
- oppose
Motion 7 (it is trying to remove the ability to speak outside of
Unison capacity in a personal capacity, members do have the right to
campaign in the union; any racist, fascist views would be dealt with by
other rules)
- support
only if amended (oppose if not) motion 35
- seek
withdrawal Motions 86 and 87; both seek a review of out of pocket
expenses which has been completed (and overnight subsistence expenses have
been raised by last NEC meeting). One seeks lobbying of HMRC which has
also already been done.
- leave
to conference Motion 43 on unionised worker coops.
b) NEC Amendments agreed on:
- Motion
11 death repatriation clarifies extent of research
- Motion
31 crisis in social care
- Motion
35 campaigning for better procurement
- Motion
39 housing policy
- Motion
45 integrated care systems
- Motion
53 ethnicity pay gap
- Motion
63 constitution of UK
- Motion
68 time limits for employment
- Motion
74 migrant workers
- Motion
85 legal services
- Motion
88 amended to add third action point to work with There for You.
c) Rule amendments:
- supported
1, 2, 5, 7, 8
- opposed
6
- defer
3 (to discuss with Police & Justice SGE), 4 (to ask branch as NEC have
similar motion)
d) Annual report was agreed.
e) Motion and Rule amendment priorities; the NEC agreed
these, proposing 11 of the 12 NEC motions and one equality motion from a SOG.
f) Agreed to award Unison honorary membership to Doreen and
Neville Lawrence and invite them to speak at conference. Other speakers will be
Rosa Pavinelli Gen Sec PSI, a speaker from Covid Families campaign, and Rosena
Allin-Khan, shadow mental health minister and frontline GP.
5) Organising update
Members joining in the year to date were 60,000 (up by 57%).
Leavers though in the year to date were 67,000 (up by 28%)
so retention still priority issue. Biggest net loss has been in Health.
Overall, we have a 0.5% decline in membership in the year so far.
Members joining the union have been overtaken by members
leaving for 12 out of the previous 16 years (2007-2022). In 2021, UNISON’s
membership declined by approximately 30,000 members. There has also been a
decline in members being active across all our activist roles; an 18.9%
decrease in ERA accredited activists from 2016-2021. The scale of the task
facing the union was clear and urgent.
6) Pay campaigns
- NJC
strike ballot starts on 23rd May; 720 employers only have 1 member. 4,600
employers in total in a disaggregated ballot.
- Orchard
day nursery strike had won recognition with 100% membership, then all
staff dismissed, and company wound up even though profitable. The NEC
agreed a wider appeal for financial support.
- Northern
Ireland health strikers did request increased strike pay which was agreed
for their recent strike due to their exceptional circumstances. Chair of
Industrial Action Committee reported this was set at £70 a day.
- Industrial
action handbook and toolkit needs to be updated but little progression due
to pressures on balloting team. But this does need to be done.
7) Disciplinary report
Accepted.
There was a question about how good the training to be on
panels is.
8) Staffing report
Noted.
Discussion included reference by the Chair of Staffing that
Unison does race equality monitoring and we are looking to improve this; and
discussions also taking place on how to better support branches who employ
staff where Unison nationally is not the employer.
9) Next meeting
Thursday 18th May
