Report of UNISON National Executive Council 17th April 2024

1. General Secretary report

The General Secretary raised a number of issues including the ongoing attacks in Gaza, the social care reforms, the health sector strikes, local government, education sector, Windrush campaign, and the Mercer case, just won by UNISON. At Health Conference, strikers were given a very warm welcome via an online broadcast from a picket line, and we would try and replicate this at National Delegate Conference if at all possible. On the National Care Service, Labour is committed a sectoral pay agreement for care workers to boost pay within the first 100 days of a new government.

Questions and comments to the General Secretary:

Several NEC members raised the issue that ‘not rocking the boat’ before a General Election is not a tactic that we should use. This period will be key for UNISON, and we need to defend against any attacks on members in the most robust way possible, with our actions promoted and publicised. Our industrial action should not be hampered or curtailed by considerations for the Labour Party.

We discussed the attacks on Gaza, calling for a more robust approach from the union, encouraging and supporting local action by branches, and publicly supporting the national demonstrations by Palestine Solidarity Campaign, including the demo on 27 April and on International Workers Day. This will help to build confidence among members. There were calls for the General Secretary to speak at these national events.

We discussed the announcement by the Labour Party that there will not be extra funding for Local Government, posing the question what can UNISON do about this? NEC members discussed the need for the Labour Link National Committee to put pressure on the Labour Party over its position on Local Government funding and the National Care Service. There was concern about the effectiveness of Labour Link to challenge the Labour Party over these issues.

One NEC member raised Wes Streeting’s comments on boosting the use of the private sector within the NHS and any concerns about this being those of ‘middle class lefties’. This NEC member felt we needed a high profile campaign on the importance of retaining the NHS as a public provider.

One NEC member asked when the union would receive the results of its internal KC-led race enquiry (looking at legal and casework support for Black members). An Assistant General Secretary replied that the outcomes should be ready for the June or September meeting.

NEC members raised the issue of Birmingham City Council and Nottingham City Council, which are facing drastic cuts to services and attacks on members. We need a determined response from UNISON to support the members facing these attacks, as well as publicising their struggles and sending solidarity messages. Some NEC members raised these struggles as key priorities for the union in the pre-election period. We discussed the National Care Service and concern at how the Labour Party appears to be rowing back from its commitment. The union’s position is a National Care Service is needed within five years whereas Labour has said it will be for the second term of its government at least. UNISON’s media outputs are praising Labour for supporting a National Care Service but should not sow illusions within our membership, one NEC member stated.

The Cass Review was raised, as it plays a part in the Tory ‘culture wars’ and their anti-Trans rhetoric. The Cass Review is scientifically flawed, one NEC member argued. The Labour Party has also been unsupportive on this issue. NEC members demanded that the union takes a more proactive position to Transphobic rhetoric from the Labour Party. The General Secretary confirmed she would wait the position from the national LGBT+ Committee.

2. Presidential Team report

The President referred to a number of important issues, including Trans rights, Gaza, local government cuts and pay campaigns.

Questions & comments: NEC members discussed the massive cuts that Birmingham City Council is carrying out, with 600 jobs going and 400 vacancies being deleted. The Council is trying to blame trade unions for this situation, because of their successful Equal Pay Claim, but the reality is that over a decade of austerity has cut £1 billion from their budgets, combined with a costly and ill-fated outsourced IT system. There are also attacks on the facility time for the Birmingham UNISON local government branch in the city. This attack is a sign of things to come for other local government branches. NEC members argued we must have a determined response to defend these members from attacks by what is a Labour local authority. An NEC member called for mobilisation to the Birmingham May Day demonstration against the cuts.

The NEC discussed the good work the President has been doing in attending picket lines and supporting the Palestine Solidarity Campaign by speaking at their national Gaza rallies. The union’s focus at Conference could be used to develop the confidence of our branches on pay campaigns. Conference could be an opportunity to share experience and good practice in successful strikes and learn the lessons from all the recent action.

We discussed Women’s Conference, and the President was thanked for highlighting Trans rights and abortion rights in her report. The union needs to be bold in defending these rights publicly, as well as organising against attacks on these fundamental rights.

3. National Delegates Conference business

The NEC agreed to support two appeals to Standing Orders Committee for an NEC motion and rule change it had ruled out of order. The NEC’s position on motions was agreed for Conference, and some amendments were also agreed to NEC motions. This took up a substantial amount of time, as is usual for this meeting in the cycle. The union’s Annual Report for Conference was agreed, though concern expressed about the NEC only receiving this very long document with 24 hours’ notice. It was agreed to circulate earlier in future years.

4. Organising report

The NEC received its regular report on membership trends and organising. Membership grew by a fraction under 7,000 new members net in 2023, an increase of 0.56%. Steward recruitment too was on the up, increasing by a significant 56% in 2023. The union has had three consecutive years of net membership growth.

The early signs in 2024 were good. In the first quarter (January to March), membership had grown by 14,500 members net, exceeding 2023 and 2024’s 1% net growth target already. We are not complacent, but the NEC was encouraged that the union is finding ways to recruit and retain members in months of the year we have traditionally found more challenging. There had been net growth in both February and March 2024 when usually these months see decline in membership.

 

Report of UNISON National Executive Council 14th February 2024

The President opened the meeting covering the following issues.

General Secretary report

• We must and will make the Year of the LGBT+ worker a huge success
• We expect around £100 million in back pay this year for staff due to UNISON equal pay claims
• We are seeing more and more Section 114 notices in local government which will have a terrible impact on our members and the services they provide
• Consultation on the NJC pay claim is complete but now with the GMB.
• The anti-Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 march in Cheltenham had been a good and an upbeat event.
• LNER rail company backed down when they issued MSL notices after ASLEF threatened extra strike days. UNISON is working with ASLEF on this to learn from these tactics.
• Gaza remains a major issue for the union, and we are encouraging branches to donate to MAP and Red Cross and to raise the issue where appropriate.

Questions to General Secretary report

• The NEC members raised issues with the report, starting with the horrendous attacks in Gaza. The  chair of the International Committee was surprised there was no written reference to Gaza in the circulated report. She was pleased the Gen Sec has mentioned it at the end of her verbal report. NEC members discussed the ongoing genocidal attacks in Gaza.  The NEU, PCS and UCU had actively supported the day of action in workplaces. Unison did not back it or produce materials for members and reps like other unions. We need to see Unison step up a gear in time for the next day of action on March 8th. We discussed the BDS policy, and how it needs to be publicised more, but there is a recognition that sanctions will only have a limited impact when imposed by capitalist Governments. Some NEC members raised the issue of using the power of our union to organise, encourage and facilitate our 1.3 million members to get more involved in the campaign for a ceasefire. The trade union movement has the power to organise working class communities to mobilise to support the Palestinian masses. It will take a united trade union movement to build a movement that can hamper the Israeli war machine and force politicians to support a ceasefire, and these efforts will have to be international. The leadership of UNISON need to take a lead role in PSC rallies, but they also need to encourage local branches to get involved in local, regional and national demonstrations. Our efforts also have to recognise the anti-war movement in Israel and we need to look at supporting genuine working class movements challenging the Israeli war machine.
• An NEC member raised Birmingham Council and the possible loss of 600 jobs there which would likely hit Black members the hardest. There are many Councils in a very precarious financial position. We asked what we are doing nationally to coordinate a fight back against council cuts. We also asked that we pressure Labour to fund local government in full and that Labour pledge now to reverse the cuts. Many NEC members felt that equal pay issues were quite separate from the funding crisis at Birmingham Council.  These attacks on Local Government services are an intensification and extension on the austerity politics of the last decade. The very existence of democratic local government control over services is at risk, It will be UNISON members in the front line of these attacks, as well as their service users. UNISON, as the largest public sector union, has to lead the campaign to defend these services, but also to campaign for properly funded Social Care, Education and Health services, under democratic Local Government control.
• A number of NEC members representing Health seats raised that Wes Streeting was making statements to the media which attempted to stoke Transphobia and culture wars within the NHS when this was a non-issue for NHS staff and patients. They felt that Wes Streeting should not be speaking at Unison’s Health Conference when his Transphobic comments are out of step with Unison policy and echo those of the Tories. They understood the Chair of the LGBT+ National SOG had requested this too. As a union, we need to challenge the attacks on the LGBT+ community, but particularly the transphobia of many politicians, and there can be no compromise with these proponents of the “culture wars”.
• An NEC member was concerned about the roll back from the National Care Service announced by the Labour Party recently. Unison had commissioned a report on a roadmap to a NCS. They questioned what had changed since then and whether social care was no longer considered an emergency. A number of NEC members stated we should not be dropping or diluting our policies now because an election is coming and we do not wish to embarrass the Labour Party. The NHS was set up under more trying and testing conditions, so any talk of setting up a NCS being “to complex and difficult” and could not be set up in 5 years, is incorrect. Our union needs to be more confident and robust in challenging the back sliding of the Labour Party on the NCS. Our members in this sector and in Health need to be involved in pushing for this policy, with the union making proper funding in LG and Health the bedrock of their interventions in this General Election year.
• NHS Strike. Clinical support workers had been on long-term strike in the Wirral, and the dispute had been positive and vibrant, achieving 90% density of members. If the members there won their re-ballot, what could be done at a national level to support their dispute? We discussed how to strengthen these disputes and widen them to include the local communities. Good quality Health services provided by the NHS matter to everyone in the community, and our union has to look at widening these disputes to harness the support from local working class communities.

President’s report

• The President introduced her report. Including a report on Gaza, NBM Conference, Higher Education SGE Conference, TUC special meeting on MSL & Cheltenham rally.

Questions to the President’s report

• In the discussion, some of the following points were made by NEC members. Some NEC members felt there was significant disappointment at SOC ruling that Gaza could not be discussed at National Black Members’ Conference on grounds of legal jeopardy. They dispute other NEC members’ claims that the conference had been divided, far from it, the conference was united in wanting to discuss and support Palestine. It was a good Conference, but NEC members felt it was a problem when SOC ruled motions out of order as this meant issues do not get debated within the union and these issues then arise elsewhere. To win rank & file control of our union, we need to continue to challenge the bureaucratic nature of organising conferences and the union in general. Members and delegates must take every opportunity to have their voices heard, even outside the usual procedures and mechanisms.
• The President concluded by stating that NBMC had been the best Unison conference she had ever attended. It was vibrant and political, and showed unity in determination to support the people of Palestine.

Motions to Conference:

The following motions were passed by NEC to go forward to NDC:

1. Organising to Win
2. Union learning
3. Forced labour
4. Palestine (after amendments agreed from a South West delegate, to bring the motion into line with the NEC’s previous statement on Palestine)
5. NCS (after amendments agreed from a North West delegate. The amendment was in response to concern that Labour is diluting its commitment to NCS and that Unison should not lower its own demands in deference to Keir Starmer’s preferred electoral strategy. We should be bold and ambitious and proud of our policies, and not kick our demands into a second Labour term that may never come. The Gen Sec was happy with these amendments and stated that Unison has not changed its policy.)
6. Safe and healthy workplaces
7. Defending the right to strike
8. Climate change (after amendments to seek to secure the reinstatement of the £28 billion Green New Deal investment)
9. Year of LGBT+ Worker
10. Child care (after amendments from an NEC member from Northern region)
11. Bargaining
12. Investment

Organising update

• Membership had increased by 0.56% net in 2023. This was the second consecutive year we had seen net positive growth.
• 4,097 new stewards recruited in 2023. This was a 56% increase on the previous year.
• Record growth of new joiners at 209,000.
• Northern Ireland had seen the highest growth at +10%, due to significant industrial action there.

Questions of the Organising update

1. Given the obvious successes the strategy is having, one NEC member asked why the ’10 reasons to join UNISON’ video released for Heart Unions was pretty much focussed exclusively on servicing reasons. We need a union that is focused on organising our members, it is this process that will enable us to win strike ballots, to challenge local employers and to strengthen the progressive policies of the union and give them an impact in working class communities. Policies that are left on shelves from one year to the next are useless.
2. An NEC member stated that the results were positive. We could not be complacent but were heading in the right direction. Disputes and campaigning supports recruitment but retention is a big challenge. By organising our members we are building a union movement that can win disputes over pay. Pay disputes exposes employers  and enables the union to explain the nature of our class politics. A CEO on £190,000 per year, will have very little in common with a HCA striking to reach a Band 3 in the NHS. These are the opportunities to build the union, but also expose those who condemn us to low pay and poverty.
3. An NEC member representing young members stated that 15% of new joiners were Young Members, an increase which was welcome. They felt it was the Organising to Win strategy that was engaging young members, not the servicing strategy. Young people have been at the sharpest end of the austerity attacks over the last decade, and are a layer of trade unionists that see the strength of organising in the work place to challenge the employer.

Service Group updates

• An NEC member from local government reported on the Scotland FE dispute where our members had won their re-ballot for strike action. It was confirmed that industrial action had recently been approved by the Industrial Action Committee. The whole force of the union has to be focused on winning these disputes, as this will help to build confidence and militancy for the forthcoming battles in Education.
• An NEC member was concerned that the NJC claim did not mirror UNISON policy and only includes the claim for £15 per hour over 2 years. Their local dispute had won £15 per hour precisely because it hooked into UNISON policy and the employer knew this. As a trade union, we need to use the progressive policies we have and make them a reality, rather than aspirational material left on office book shelves.
• The Asst Gen Sec for bargaining responded that the NJC claim results from a series of regional discussions and a process of compromise, sometimes with the other two unions. We don’t always get to keep everything we want. On the current consultation on a Nursing Pay Spine for England, the government had thrown the RCN a sop and all other unions, including Unison, were against it. This is a divide and rule policy by the Tory Government, and we need to highlight this to the rank & file RCN colleagues we work with. It could be a challenge to AfC.

Industrial Action report

• The chair of the Industrial Action Committee reported that there were huge numbers of disputes taking place, more than at any other time in Unison’s history. This has to be a starting point for the direction UNISON takes in the years ahead. Capitalism offers nothing but more austerity, poverty and misery. Union members will have to learn the lessons of the recent disputes and build their forces for the upcoming battles. The main lesson is that withdrawing our labour wins disputes. Organising with our union colleagues, offers a way forward out of the misery being doled out by successive Governments.
• The Vice-Chair of the Industrial Action Committee wanted successful strikers to be invited to Conference this year. An NEC member representing the East Midlands asked that the Ash Field Academy strikers who had run a long and ultimately very successful dispute, be invited to Conference. This would make for inspiring Conference. The theme of the NDC should be “celebrating” those members that have taken strike action, they are at the vanguard of our movement. An NEC member who had had a successful branch dispute asked that the NEC send a message of support to Barnet branch where social workers were out in dispute and currently re-balloting. This dispute would have implications for many branches.
• The Industrial Action Committee was meeting in March and would receive a report on funding. We were looking at how we could automate the payment of strike pay, though this would be complex and a cost would be attached if we proceed. We were also doing more analysis of the costs of disputes. The sheer number of disputes was inevitably placing a strain on the fund. Every part of our union needs to be focused on facilitating the successful conclusion to all industrial action by our members. This is paramount to building the union and making it a rank & file organisation that is fit to lead workers. At the moment our union is learning the lessons on how to be a fighting & militant trade union, but we need to learn these lessons quickly and to learn them well.

Staffing issues

• A report was given by the Chair of Staffing. This included an update on the 2024 pay award process for Unison staff.

 

 

Report of UNISON National Executive Council 6th December 2023

General Secretary Report

The General Secretary raised the situation in Israel-Palestine. There has been an escalation in the violence in Gaza. UNISON policy remains the same, with a call for a ceasefire in our statements and a two-state solution in our policy. She said it was good to see our President speaking at the Palestine solidarity demos.

Regarding the King’s Speech, the General Secretary said tax is ever-increasing, with the tax burden now the highest on record, but there is less and less spending on public services. In N.Ireland there is still no sign of a pay award for our members.

In Scotland, local government have accepted an improved pay offer from the employers. There is a crisis in local government elsewhere, such as Birmingham and Nottingham, where years of Tory austerity is destroying public services.

Health and social care workers: Immigrants applying for visas are under more attacks with the new rules from the Tory government. Many of these workers are getting super exploited and tied to poor private employers.

Minimum Service Levels – the TUC is involved and held a special conference on 8 December to discuss the issue.

Questions and points re Israel/Palestine

We discussed the attacks on Gaza. Over 22,000 people killed in Gaza and over 80% of the population displaced, with attacks on health services, all tell of the massacre in Gaza. We are witnessing some of the “heaviest conventional bombing campaigns in history.”

We need to look at a stronger statement on Gaza, with the Labour Party criticised for not even calling for a ceasefire. We discussed how we can work more closely with other organisations that support the call for a ceasefire. UN investigation of sexual violence is getting no support from the Israeli Government. We should include a call to support anti-war activists in Israeli. Trade unions need to play a more significant role in developing a mass movement to challenge the slaughter in Gaza.

Statement on Palestine strengthened following intervention from NEC members. Read it here: https://www.unison.org.uk/news/2023/12/unison-condemns-the-resumption-of-violence-in-gaza-and-calls-for-an-immediate-ceasefire/

We raised the issue of the Labour Link affiliation to the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM). Some NEC members argued that the JLM supports the policies of the Israeli state, and the affiliation cuts across other policies and statements by UNISON. JLM have been posting on social media, giving the impression that the whole union has affiliated. This needs to be challenged and clarification sought.

Others felt that there should be sanctions available if parts of the union affiliate with organisations that do not support UNISON policy. Another NEC member stated that as the NEC sends 12 elected representatives to the National Labour Link Committee, they should be accountable to the NEC for their decisions there or at least report back on them.

There should be a call to branches to give donations to MAP and PSC, and encourage members to get more involved in the demos, taking their branch banners, etc. It is important that the leadership of the union increases their profile at the solidarity demonstrations. More pressure needs to be created by Labour Link members to force the Labour Party to change its position on a ceasefire.

The chair of the International Committee reported a £5,000 donation to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign had been made.

Questions on part two of general secretary report

We discussed how school staff’s ability to strike will be attacked by the minimum service levels bill. The Ash Field Academy strike has shown how effective strikes can be, and this ability to take strike action is under threat. Matt Wrack from the FBU is calling for opposition and defiance of the bill. Will UNISON do the same? There was a call for a more robust position of defiance against the attacks.

We also discussed the high number of motions at conferences that are ruled out of order, given the experience recently at Young Members conference at which much frustration was reported. Over 70% of motions were ruled out of order at the Young Member and LGBT+ Member conferences. There is something wrong to produce these results and we need to have a clearer rationale for these decisions from Standing Orders Committee.

We had a good discussion on the need to be bolder in our support for Trans rights, with the Labour Party less vocal on the issue, especially with the Tories likely to increase their rhetoric during a general election campaign.

Presidential Team report

The President, Libby Nolan, discussed the conferences that she had attended. At the LGBT+ conference there was a lot of discussion on supporting the Trans community that is under attack. She has received a lot of anti-Trans social media posts. UNISON’s Trans Ally Training has been a real success and needs building upon. She also mentioned that the President`s charity, Swansea Asylum Seekers Service, continues to need our support.

Questions and points: In the discussion we agreed that the union needs to be stronger in its opposition to transphobia, especially in our relationship with the Labour Party. We discussed the ongoing industrial action of the HCAs in Wirral and Warrington, with a need to increase our focus on the Tory anti-trade union laws.

Organising Update

Andrea Egan as chair of the Development & Organisation Committee reported on membership, with a net increase so far this year of 9,346 from 1st January 2023 to 26th November 2023. The health sector has been losing members, even though branches taking industrial action over re-banding have increased membership. There has been a 40% increase in activists recruited since last year. The numbers of members leaving also remains high, and joiners exceeded 200,000 in one year for the first time in UNISON’s history.

Every service group has reported 5 consecutive months of growth. A detailed cost/benefit analysis of the union’s organising activity would be reported at a future meeting.

Questions and points: In the discussion, we heard that Scotland has recruited over 10,000 new members this year, on the back of industrial action, and membership in Wales has also increased. All these figures are offset by the number of members leaving the union, but we have a small net increase overall.

Service Group Pay Campaigns

The report highlighted the ongoing issues with the Northern Ireland Health pay campaign. In the NHS, the Put Our Pay Right Campaign, is getting organised, and the NJC claim for next year will be 10% or £3,000. In Scotland FE action continues on pay. The discussions with the Government on DOCAS have been unhelpful.

Questions and points: We discussed that industrial action remains a key tool in campaigns, and really helps with recruitment. It is important to learn lessons from these campaigns, and increase work on getting better results in ballots, with a focus on how to get higher turnouts and results. The union has the resources and ability to win ballots, but there has to be a determined and serious effort to focus on this issue.  This work needs to be overviewed by the NEC.

Industrial Action Committee

Mark Fisher reported as chair. It has been a busy year, with more members demanding to take industrial action and fight for a better wage. The increase in strike pay to £50 and on occasion in request up to £70 has helped.

Questions and points: We discussed the victory at Ash Field Academy, where some of the low paid workers won a 25% pay increase. We discussed how this campaign has a lot of the key lessons for a successful campaign on pay, and we should consider inviting a striker from the campaign to speak at National Delegate Conference.

Finance Update

Dan Sartin as chair of the Finance Committee introduced the Management Accounts for the first 10 months to October 2023 and presented the UNISON Budget for 2024. Some of the ‘invest to save’ initiatives of the union which had been developed in the last two years were discussed in response to an NEC member’s question. Both the management accounts and the budget were approved by the NEC. The Budget for 2024 was approved by 55 votes for, 0 against, and 1 abstention.

 

Report of UNISON National Executive Council 25th October 2023

NEC minutes from May, June and July 2023 were all agreed.

General Secretary’s Report - The report from General Secretary Christina McAnea covered several key areas:

1. Health members in Northern Ireland are still in dispute since December 2022 to secure pay parity.
2. Local Government in Scotland, schools and early years members are leading the fight for better pay. GMB and Unite want to settle with employers in Scotland, this is a complicating issue. Strike dates through November & December in education.
3. Local Government. UNISON accepted the pay offer, with Unite taking action in pockets, and the GMB ballot results not released yet. This is delaying the process. Pay negotiations will be as difficult next year, as the Tory Government is not giving ground.
4. Labour Party Conference. We got a commitment to fund a National Care Service, but no details to be published. Also, a commitment to school support staff negotiating rights.
5. Conferences attended: Police & Justice, Retired Members, TUC, Public Service International and Labour Party.
6. 2023 Year of Black Workers. Black History Month, this October, produced some fantastic events, some based on personal contributions by individual workers, highlighting their multi-faceted lives.
7. Covid 19 Inquiry. Work continues, but UNISON focused on 2 of the 5 modules, i.e., Health and “Every Story Matters”.

NEC members asked questions and raised the following points:

• Request for a photo opportunity at the end of the meeting in support of the Ashfield Academy strikers.
• The Tory “war on woke” against the Trans community and refugees needs to be challenged more effectively by our union.
• The Equal Pay Claim struggle in Birmingham. Some workers are winning £200,000 pay outs, with others accepting the initial £45,000 offer. The second generation of claims have been settled out of court, typically for £45,000. The council do not seem to be learning lessons, so a third generation of claims may develop. The Council declaring itself bankrupt has caused a lot of worry to members. The Gen Sec confirmed that UNISON will be lodging claims for members. The Council has really mishandled this issue for years.
• The issue of the LGBT+ SOG not having a stall at NDC. All SOGs should have the right to have a stall at NDC. There is an increase in the oppression of the Trans community, particularly in schools, and the Labour Party should be pushed much further on their position.
• Request for clarity on the legal case in Northern Ireland on members pay dispute. Thanks given to the NEC for the support shown over the recent industrial action including via increased strike pay. All out action by education workers needs to be supported by the NEC in Northern Ireland.
• The FE strikes in Scotland need more media coverage by UNISON communications nationally. What further support can the union offer these workers?
• We need to push the Labour Party on their commitment on the National Care Service, and we have to avoid any watering down of our policy.

Presidential report - Vice President Steve North reported that:

• The Presidential Team had attended several conferences, including Police & Justice, Retired Members and the TUC Congress.
• The President and a wider UNISON delegation attended the 5 yearly Public Services International (PSI) conference in Geneva. The event included a fringe meeting on Tacking Climate Change in the Workplace which was chaired by Tony Wright, Chair of the UNISON Policy Committee and was attended by over 500 delegates from around the world.
• They also attended a Stand Up to Racism event where the issue of attacks on refugees by the far right had been debated.
• It was announced that the Presidential Charity nominated by this year’s President Libby Nolan this year will be Swansea Asylum Seekers Support, and everyone was asked to share details wherever possible. You can find details here and it would be great if all branches would consider donating. About SASS | Swansea Asylum Seekers Support.
• The Presidential team reported that they have visited numerous picket lines supporting members with their struggles, stating that it was an honour and a privilege to attend the disputes. This included the now successful Camden traffic warden strike, and the Ashfield academy strike in East Midlands region where over 40 days of strike action on pay have now taken place.
• There has also been a visit to Cymru/Wales for Black History Month.

Statement on Palestine and Israel - Following a detailed discussion, it was agreed that a new statement should be issued on behalf of the union calling unequivocally for an immediate ceasefire. You can read this statement here.

The union agreed a donation of £10,000 split between Medical Aid for Palestinians and the Red Cross.

Liz Wheatley, chair of the NEC’s International Committee, reminded us that before the recent horrific and unjustifiable attacks by Hamas, the death toll for Palestinians was at its highest level in Gaza and the West Bank for a number of years. She called for 5 points to be considered. (i) We need a leading member from the union speaking on the PSC platform on Saturday 28th October in London. It could be our President. (ii) We need the new statement to include a call for a ceasefire. (iii) The UNISON banner should be on all marches and protests. (iv) The DBS Campaign should be highlighted to branches and the links to the campaign sent out, underlining the complicity of the Government. (v) There should be a large donation made by the union.

NEC members reported variously,

• that members are very keen to get involved in demonstrations
• UNISON policy describes Israel as an “apartheid” state, and  our public statements need to be clearer on this
• a need for the union to put out a national call for all branches to bring their banners to demos.
• disappointment in the position of the Labour Party, banning shadow cabinet members, MPs and Councillors from attending demos.
• That the actions of Israel equate to genocide and need to be condemned more strongly by UNISON.
• UNISON need to learn the lessons of this recent development in the conflict, and aim to organise and respond more quickly when international events develop.
• The recent developments are the result of 70 years of simmering injustice. We need to call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the occupation.

 

Report of UNISON National Executive Council 14th July 2023

President Libby Nolan welcomed everyone to the NEC meeting, including new members and introduced the rest of presidential team and staff members.

1. Christina McAnea introduced her written report. Key points were:

• UNISON victory in High Court, against the government’s strike-breaking legislation. See more here High Court rules 'strike-breaking' agency worker regulations unlawful | Article, News | News | UNISON National
• Reports on the NJC ballot results. Perhaps approaching £1 million was spent on the pay campaign with investment in Movement as well as the ballot itself and campaigning and resources.
• 2 large and 5 smaller councils and approximately 800 smaller employers (mainly schools) reached the 50% threshold. 12 larger councils got over 40% but did not reach 50%.
• Two ballots are taking place in Scotland, one finishing now and another starting soon.
• Pay Review Body decision by government to honour recommendations, for instance teachers (6.5%), doctors (6% + lump sum), prison officers, police (7%). For schools, the recommendation is reported to be fully-funded, but UNISON is concerned this is not true as the government claim some money has already been provided to schools and the rest has to be found from the Education Department’s budget, so means others cuts within education. It’s not clear if other recommendations are funded, meaning for instance the doctors’ offer might mean more NHS cuts. UNISON’s NHS members are not covered by this recommendation, but by the 5% offer and lump sum agreed earlier in the year.
• Covid enquiry, of which UNISON is contributing as part of the TUC’s submissions on behalf of all trade unions. The TUC is exceeding its budget on this and unions are recommending changes to the approach the TUC has taken to contain costs.

Discussion and questions: 

The backdrop of the recent local government pay ballot results in England and Wales and the pay review body announcements naturally dominated the discussions:

1. Local Government members of the NEC stated that a 75% reject result should not be written off or downplayed; that if it were not for the anti-union laws (requiring 50% thresholds, no online voting, etc.), we would have now been planning for action as a 31% turn out had for many years been seen as an acceptable mandate for action. 31% was more than double the turnout from the postal ballot for NJC pay 18 months ago.  Lessons need to be learned: Movement (UNISON’s phone banking system) is working better but is not perfect. Why did some branches do better, with strong votes in schools (and perhaps disappointment for the hundreds of schools that reached 50%). Should  we have done targeted ballots like in Scotland, for instance.
2. If there is no money to fund the Pay review recommendations is UNISON going to fight this?
3. UNISON’s bulk email system for branches within WARMS is down, so have the NJC LG pay results gone to branch members?
4. What is happening in health with UNISON’s decision to withdraw from the pay review body. What is UNISON proposing to replace it?
5. What are we doing to support anti-union law campaigning as UNISON’s position is to oppose all anti-unions laws not just the 2016 Trade Union Act and Minimum Service Levels Bill.
6. In light of the government’s proposals relating to pay review body recommendations, the government is whipping up anti-migrant sentiment, stating that migrants will be made to pay more for visas and services like the NHS. UNISON need to challenge this.
7. Scottish NEC members raised the issue that they hadn’t been able to use Movement in their recent ballot.
8. The Camden traffic wardens ballot got a 100% YES vote on an 80% turnout. Action will be notified soon to the employer.

2. Allocation and election to NEC committees

There was thorough discussion on this. The chair pointed out that since many committees have limited numbers, with a large number having just 3 NEC members, and there are 67 NEC members, then unfortunately not every NEC member will receive their first choices for committee/s. UNISON rules on fair representation and proportionality have to ensure a majority of women and other equality groups must be represented. Add to that 12 regions and 7 service groups, the task is complex.

A small number of NEC members stated unhappiness at their allocation or that some service groups were under-represented. Others were happy that regardless of who they had stood with in the NEC elections, they had been listened to. The General Secretary reported that this is how it works every year and that this year seemed more successful than recent years. 

Those unhappy were reminded to submit emails to the President raising questions or requests to see if any changes can be considered.

3. TUC nominations

The NEC voted to send:

• Libby Nolan
• Julia Mwaluke
• Steve North
• Chair of PDCC (once elected)

4. Labour Party conference delegation

It was agreed that since this had to be Labour Link and Party members, this would be voted on separately online to allow for checks of membership.

5. 2023-2025 meeting dates

Dates were circulated 

6. Break for committees to all briefly meet to elect chairs and vice-chairs. The following were then elected by individual committees:

Development & Organisation – Andrea Egan and John Jones

Policy Development & Campaigns Committee – Tony Wright and Kath Owen

Service to Members – Mark Wareham and Nathalie Birkett

International – Liz Wheatley and Tony Wilson

Finance – Dan Sartin and Ant Solera

Staffing – Steve North and Jane Doolan

Industrial Action – Mark Fisher and Julia Mwaluke

Report ends.

Report of UNISON National Executive Council 16th June 2023

The newly-elected NEC met for the first time on Friday 16 June straight after national conference ended.

Keen followers of the elections will be aware the results were mixed with several surprise wins and defeats, and several long-standing NEC members had stood down. So almost half of the NEC are now brand-new representatives.  Time for Real Change remain the largest group on the NEC.  The Time for Real Change group now has 32 seats, the Socialist Party with 1 seat, the Unison Unity group* with 29 seats, and 5 independents.

The first NEC meeting is solely to elect the 3 members of the Presidential Team who in Unison’s constitution are the honorary (unpaid) principal officers of the NEC, who work alongside the General Secretary (the employed principal officer)

So, this meeting was to decide who the NEC supports for the presidential team for the next year. For the third year in a row Time for Real Change supporters were elected by the NEC as the presidential team.  

The votes cast were as follows:

President – Libby Nolan (existing Vice President and Cymru/Wales Region female seat) – 35 votes to 32

Senior VP – Steve North (North West region male seat) 35 to 32

Junior VP – Julia Mwaluke (Black Members’ reserved female seat) 34 to 33

The next full meeting of the NEC on Friday 14 July will be to agree membership of the all the NEC committees which lead much of the work and carry out policy and crucially the Chairs and Vice chairs of these committees. 

*Some of those which have been reported to be part of the Unison Unity slate, state they are not a formal group or slate. But there was publicity circulated clearly promoting them as a group of candidates. We welcome support and cooperation from all NEC members in the two years ahead.

 

Report of UNISON National Executive Council 12th April 2023

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