Personal report of the UNISON National Executive Council July 2020

 Via a GoTo meeting. NEC members were asked by the Chair to type in the chatbox if they wanted to speak. Josie Bird, President was Chairing. Referred to Dave Prentis, General Secretary retiring. ‘We were well placed to face future challenges’.

General Secretary election procedures – The Chair asked any member present to leave the meeting if they were considering standing. Roger McKenzie, Hugo Pierre, Christine Mcanea and Karen Reissmann left the meeting whilst the procedures were discussed.

Election procedures had been through Development and Organisation (D&O) NEC sub committee. There were some changes due to Coronavirus. Nominations could be submitted online if the branch rules allow or virtual nominations out of rule could be made if a member of staff was present. The Region should be given 7 days notice (so someone can get there). Nominations were via an online portal (CES). Donations to candidates were £150 max per member. Candidates should keep a record of all donations including in kind so the investigating officer could investigate if a complaint was received.

All hustings should be virtual not physical. If one area was in lockdown we did not want to disadvantage a candidate from that area. An NEC member asked if a Region was unable to send someone to the meeting would it invalidate the nomination even if the branch had done everything right? We were assured a member of staff would be available for the nomination meeting. An NEC member said some disabled members in a vulnerable situation should not be expected to attend a physical meeting. The General Secretary procedures were agreed with surprisingly little controversy. The nomination period was 10^th August – 25^th September 2020.

General Secretary report – Dave Prentis referred to the work done by the union during the Covid crisis. The website had 1 million interactions in terms of traffic. It was updated 2 or 3 times a week. There had been heart-breaking stories of members unable to pay for funerals of family members. £500,000 had gone to the welfare fund. Staff had started to move back to the Regional Office. UNISON Direct had reopened. 1,000 emails a day were being dealt with during the lockdown. 34,500 had joined taking into account leavers. 50,000 new members had been called in the last 6 weeks by Local organisers, Area organisers and Regional Organisers. This was appreciated by members. The health crisis was going to lead to an economic crisis. There was a grim outlook. A £10 billion shortfall in Local Government. We had to ensure there were no compulsory redundancies. In Tower Hamlets, a Labour council, 1000’s of UNISON members were striking against imposition of contracts. (Sack and re-employ staff on inferior contracts).

Covid – we were calling for a public enquiry into what happened and wanted local and national stories from members to feed into evidence for a public inquiry. There was a separate item later on on Black Lives Matter movement.

An NEC member referred to the worry of vulnerable members with a disability after shielding ended in England on 1^st August.  Another NEC member referred to the unacceptable 0% pay ‘offer’ in Higher Education. An NEC member said the Covid crisis showed we needed a publicly run national care system not the current fragmented, privatised system that had been exposed in the current crisis. An NEC member from the North West said the Government had taken NHS staff for granted and we should ask for our pay award date to be brough forward 4 months to early December. This was a discussion that was taking place amongst the Trade Unions and we had the public on our side to get the proper pay award we should have got a long time ago.

Dave Prentis came back on a number of points raised. In relation to the Tower Hamlets dispute the 2 UNISON reps on the Labour party NEC had raised this and we were assured Keir Starmer’s office would intervene.

A strong statement had been put out in support of Black Lives Matter. We had given evidence to the Doreen Lawrence inquiry. We had written to the Prime Minister about the failure of Government action. Additional work was to be done to deal with the issues affecting black workers in relation to Covid. The lack of screening, advice and risk assessments. An assistant General Secretary said we needed real change to get rid of institutional racism. The Mayor in Tower Hamlets presumably supports Black Lives Matter but black workers and also women workers were disproportionately affected by the proposed imposition of worse contracts.

The Chair at the end of the meeting said there would be a meeting in the period 10^th August to 25^th September 2020 to make a nomination for General Secretary as an NEC.

 

Personal report of the UNISON National Executive Council June 2020

 President, Josie Bird chaired the first online meeting of the NEC (lasting 90 minutes or so). It was reported the National Delegate conference in June had been postponed – a difficult decision but the right one. The names of 66 UNISON members who had sadly passed due to Covid 19 were read out and there was a minutes silence. There was also a tribute to Northern Ireland joint Regional Convenor Denis Keatings who had sadly passed.

It was agreed that the election of the Presidential team, which would normally happen at the close of the union’s National Delegate conference in June, will continue to be linked to a rearranged conference. This will be reviewed in October if a conference has not yet been held. The current Presidential team remains in place

Dave Prentis, General Secretary report.

Dave said the union condemned the brutal murder of George Floyd and also the brutality shown against Black Lives matter protesters. Every UNISON Black member should know we stand with you.

On Covid, the bargaining team had given out 60 pieces of advice on Personal Protective Equipment. The website had 1.8 M page views in a 2 week period. Dave Prentis said he had met the Presidential team 3 times a week. Dave was speaking to Chancellor Rishi Sunak later in the day. The union had evidence of failure to get equipment to the Frontline. People on the frontline were on the minimum wage putting their lives at risk. The Government had allowed untold deaths that should not have happened – the worst death toll per 100,000 people of the population. The Government failure was not just the last 10 weeks but the last 10 years with underfunding of the NHS, the Local Government funding gap, social care privatised and run for profit.

An NEC member referred to the doorstep protests organised by Stand up to Racism (SUTR) in support of Black Lives matter – could we get a message out to members. An NEC member referred to the disproportionate effect on Black members of Covid – we needed to ensure they are supported.

Dave Prentis said we had been working with Doreen Lawrence on a commission to look at the reasons for the high Covid death toll amongst Black people.

The NEC agreed through the Finance sub committee to launch a major appeal to branches to contribute to the ‘There for you’ welfare fund. There were heart-breaking cases in terms of the suffering members were going through.

Report of the UNISON NEC Development and Organisation sub committee May 2020

Report via the prolific report writing fellow NEC member John Jones as I was unable to attend this meeting. 

'This was the first NEC meeting I’ve “attended” via go to meetings video conference but to be fair it worked ok.

27 lay and staff members were on the meeting which is a decent attendance.

We held as best we could, a minute’s silence for the recently deceased Northern Ireland Convener and all members and/or their families who have sadly died as a result of Covid/other means since we last met. 

Roger McKenzie, Assistant General Secretary advised that neither zoom or skype were permitted for online UNISON meetings as they’re both insecure.

When zoom was trialled, p**n/racist images appeared and the union’s finances were put in jeopardy.

I queried if the full NEC scheduled for the 3^rd June would take place via go to and it will so should be interesting with 70 or 80 people jockeying for position to speak!

Online Branch Committees are allowed with original guidance sent out now updated to include Regional Officers having to be in attendance if expenditure is likely to be incurred but best practice is an invite anyway. 

If Retired Members return to work (usually in health at present) they revert to full subs from day 1. 

The “4 week rule” is to be ignored if members join with covid related issues. 

The £570 death benefit amount is to be paid for all who are casualties as a result of the pandemic.

Honoraria amounts over the 10% threshold not agreed by AGMs must be referred to the appropriate region. 

UNISON subs remain for those members furloughed at the current rate. 

3 NEC by-elections are cancelled as the new NEC will be elected early in 2021. 

I queried why an email had been sent out the previous day extending the SGE elections by a further 6 weeks as in my opinion this was the remit of D&O. 

The (unsatisfactory in my view) answer was that the decision was made by the President/General Secretary but nobody else seemed unduly bothered by this. I of course would have supported the action but believe it’s the role of D&O to do so. 

Candidates will be informed ASAP of the need for an election or not but this needs to be physically done not remotely. 

The Chair of D&O said the TUC was off but I’ve subsequently looked at their website and it isn’t! 

A fellow Committee member queried the timetable for the General Secretary’s election as well as Conferences but again a “non” answer was given in my view. 

This will no doubt be addressed properly at the full NEC. '

John Jones, NEC member, Water, Environment and Transport Service Group. 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal report of the UNISON National Executive Council 12th February 2020

1) 3 NEC resignations - all low paid seats in London, East Midland and South west.

2) Motions agreed to send to national conference:

A) Combating the rise in discrimination through activist training. A suggested amendment that equality courses are not mandatory to be a rep but encouraged given lack of facility time for many reps could end up excluding those unable to attend. Motion based on fear that several legal cases have involved unions being taken to court so equality training has to be mandatory to prevent legal risks.

It's been a year since any course on racism in the workplace had

been completed. It was agreed to produce an "attacking racism workbook" that people could take away. We needed to look at different modes of provision of training over equality.  Agreed equality could be included in induction courses.

B) Growing activism in the union.

C) Palestine the right to defend human and worker rights.

Defends boycott, divest and sanctions campaign in face of potential ban by Tory government.

D) solidarity with Zimbabwe

E) campaigning for public services after the 2019 general election.

Suggested we add "works with lab link to seek that labour politicians are supportive of the wider policies of unison, do not make decisions to their detriment, but act to offer solidarity, practical support including lawful no cuts budget." Lost 18/29. Leadership argued Labour councils are the first level of protection - and no evidence there is disillusion with labour because Labour councils make cuts. Policy committee will look at whether anything to learn from councils like Salford who are doing lawful no cuts budgets.

F) Green Unison and the Climate Emergency.

Says need 2030 deadline and even this may need to be brought forward.

Motion only referred to energy sector workers, proposed add water, environment and transport sectors as key workers in climate emergency who in unison are fully supportive of action needed. 

Amendment to look at lawful industrial action by workers in response to impact of climate change - was lost. Scottish delegate said there was lots of discussions across the UK, will be one big demo as well as other activities, likely to be on Saturday, he suggested we get ready to book trains to Glasgow. Agreed we need workplace bargaining guides which may lead to industrial action. Opposition to lawful industrial action but agreement we should negotiate with employers to be able to join protest over climate emergency. Young member reps said we should support young people in school strikes.

Lost amendments on climate walk outs and on exploring potential for lawful industrial action.

G) Organising for health and safety

H) Insecure work and digitisation in the workplace

I) Protecting migrant worker rights

Added our opposition to deportation for convicted migrants. And criticism of lack of Windrush payments.

J) mobilising members in defence of the NHS

K) pay up now - time to reverse a decade of damage.

L) the risks of post Brexit UK trade deals.

3) Rule amendments to go to national conference:

A) Members who are in another union and actively recruit or organise in other union cannot stand for election in unison.

Example given of one branch Branch Secretary of UNISON who is the equality officer for UNITE, with access to branch lists so put branch into regional supervision as could not discipline Branch Secretary. Despite challenge has gone through to conference.

B) Suspensions can be extended to more than 60 days, not just for financial irregularities.

Lots of criticisms of existing practice of disciplinary processes, hence criticisms of extending it. NEC not even informed of who had been suspended which allows no lay oversight.

In the debate after Karen Reisssmann, NW NEC member was subjected to personal comments. The Chair said she had asked at the beginning for avoiding unpleasant comments and they needed to stop. There was advice from the chair before lunch to avoid personal insults.

5) National conference. Planning taking place.

6) Accounts approved.

All draft so far.

2019 budget slightly lower than previously, cautious, but  income £3m up from last year. Recruitment drive good.

Allocation to branch flows from last year. Uplift £1.5m. Similar to last 2 years.  Spending within expectations, £2m less than last year. Savings £1.5m realised.

Surplus £1.5m.

7) branch resource review. Regions, NEC and staff had met three times. Fringe meetings at national conference to explain progress.

8) General secretary report

A) one of our lawyers named as one of the top 100 lawyers in uk. Congratulations.

B) Barnardo night shift workers in supreme court. Result takes four months

C) Dave attended Holocaust Memorial in Camden, with Kier Starmer,

D) Black members conference lots attended. Windrush not ended. Look at recent flight to Jamaica Some offences when boy was 11. 40 years later to be deported. What is happening is immoral, indefensible, will put out press release.

E) Women's and Health conferences will be huge this week.

F) Housing. Important issue, public sector workers cannot live in areas they serve.

G) Internationally. Palestine, terrible Trump deal, tearing up two state solution, settlements no longer illegal, Raab welcomed Trump as genuine proposal. We stand in solidarity with Palestinian people to reject proposals. Continue to call for two state solution. right of Palestinian people always important. Press statement to go out.

H) Industrial action.

"At the TUC Unite geeral Secreatry said they took more industrial action than all other unions put together." This was challenged by UNISON.

In more disputes, overwhelmingly women, we reach targets and can take lawful action. E.g.

N Ireland NHS workers took action win parity with England, reinstatement of agenda for change and Stormomt. 

Addaction Drug and alcohol workers, next strike 27/2 to 4/3 ending in a lobby of Wigan council. Message of support agreed.

Higher education - SOAS (School of African and Oriental Studies), Trinity, Dundee, Leban,  aggregated ballot. Won thresholds. Even in big ballots where we don't get threshold we do have some branches which do.

Medirest NHS strikers North west - improvements on pay 17%, more sick and annual leave.

Strikes - "UNISON has a winning formula a domino effect. Started with works for subcos. Low paid mainly women tell us they won't accept it."

J) COP26 Glasgow, demonstrations, we will play big part in organising, done before e.g. Copenhagen.  Will send out info soon. Will also put on two events - Green energy,  and Greening the city.

K) Labour Link, nominated Kier Starmer and Angela Rayner. Long discussion, lots of criticism, lots of defence of process. Explained last time that labour link - elected by region - who had responsibility to consult, conversations emails etc, meet January and would make nominations.  Some chose to vote with regional view, some not, elected not mandated, but consultation took place. Different from last time. But only for labour link to decide. This time nomination decides whether they got on ballot. Decided to do early to give our preferred candidate an advantage, and advertise unison. To ask members would have cost money.. Had meeting of labour link 100% London voted Kier and Angie.

Concerns expressed that rush to nominate and consultations not wide. Even though rules call for widest possible consultation and electronic consultation was cheap, quick and possible.

Members had expectation of being consulted. Too quick and not consulting has left a sour taste in many members mouths. Asked for agreed process for future.

Dave Prentis said there no mass resignations, complaints small, often by non lab link payers. And objected to petition criticising the way the decision was made.

Gordon Chair Lab Link said NEC members never ask members how they should vote, why should lab link.

Others spoke about the impact on Lab Link given the difficulty in getting new members to sign up after the barriers Tories have created. Not consulting adds to cynicism.

L) UCU taking 14 days strike starting next Thursday. Gender, race pay equality, against casualisation, pensions, request to look at any request for donation favourably and to circulate to branches. UCU not asked for donation or support yet. But would look at if they did.

M) question asked re progress of Kirklees council branch currently under regional supervision.

N) Internal disciplinary. To double check process in Scottish case.

O) Lots of other business deferred due to time.

M) Pensions remedies after FBU PENSION case Flowers, will be dealt with in individual pension schemes

Personal report of Development and Organisation sub committee of UNISON NEC 22nd January 2020

The strategic organising update included an update on potential resource centres which are being considered in Bedford/Luton, Chelmsford, Aberdeen and Liverpool which will if approved assist servicing and organising members in those wider locations.

Final recruitment figures for 2019 were finally out. We had ended 2019 in growth. 

John Jones, UNISON North West and Water, Environment and Transport Service Group NEC rep  was thanked for providing his employer’s jointly agreed policy on the menopause as being best practice which is now being used in UNISON training courses.

A useful film show presentation was made by the North West Region on branch structures. A comprehensive update was given on UNISON’s reasonable adjustments passport which generally has gone down well following its trial within the 4 National Self Organised Groups and we agreed to extend the trial to other national committees including the NEC with a review in 6 months-time and possibly as a next step to Conferences.

187 data protection breaches were reported in 2019, 62 re the wrong recipient, 42 as a confidentiality breach, 38 didn’t use bcc, 14 re incorrect documents or attachments, 13 in respect of lost items or documents, 2 re stolen items or documents and 6 with no consent leaving 10 as “other”.

Draft NEC motions to 2020 conference were agreed with amendments on “growing activism in the union” and “combatting the rise of discrimination through activist training”.

A lot more contentious were suggested rule amendments, the latter of which I opposed on “categories of membership” and “suspensions”.

Branches under regional supervision didn’t include any North West branches.

Personal report of UNISON National Executive Council 18th December 2019

There was some acknowledgement NEC meetings do not always have a friendly tone.

1) UNISON staff pension scheme. Proposals to be discussed next time. 

2) Service group elections procedures were agreed. Discussion about level of low paid seats level, about who nominates in branches with members in more than one service group, criticism of ongoing restrictions on canvassing and campaigning. However passed as proposed. I abstained whilst sharing these concerns I am a member of D&O (Development and Organisation) sub committee so bound by collective responsibility

3) General Secretary report

a) General election. Dave Prentis reported Tories win majority 79 seats. Reasons possible -

Brexit but lost remain voters as well, or Corbyn rallies talking to ourselves or manifesto over promised but we put good things in it 5% pay, public sector funding etc, but lacked credibility as country could not afford it, was costed then added WASPI women £54m etc, free broadband, or campaigning but slogans "for real change" "transformation" did not fit, '.

Said labour vote losing for a long time, over a decade. Way before referendum. 

Conclusions from Dave Prentis about what to do now:

Need to do in depth analysis. 

But also need to strengthen union to deal with a rampant Tory government.

Eg attacks DOCAS (Deduction of contributions at Source), economy and trade agenda which will put our members jobs on the line, USA wants access to public services not just NHS but all. How do we grow and focus union. 

Today was not the time to decide the new leader of labour party, that's for labour link. 

We also have to win in the local and mayoral elections in May. 

Gordon McKay, chair labour link. Whoever they voted for they will be anxious. Jobs, services and trade union, all at risk. The message was UNISON will defend them, need to grow and be united. Elections - in May must deliver. UNISON will use labour link to decide nominations, reasons for defeat, accept we all have something to learn. 

Liz Snape, Assistant General Secretary - UNISON did grow in November, growth in Northern Ireland was more than double that of any other region. Great when we focus on one activity. The Tories will hate to see strong growing union. Unison still the only growing union in UK. The fastest growing union in Europe. 

Comments from NEC members re changed position on Brexit from 2017 when labour said it would negotiate a deal to leave affected the vote, Scotland not being listened to re independence referendum. 

Labour councils delivered cuts poorer services and attacks on members and this with Blair had fed long term decline of working class loyalty to labour. 

UNISON may still be growing but it's members are getting poorer. 

Labour attitude to Scotland and right to decide whether to be in UK lost the labour seats in Scotland. 

We need to look at how to mobilise young people who were out for Labour.   

I made a contribution that the Brexit position in 2019 as opposed to 2017 had left people in the North and Midlands abandoned. 51 of the 54 English seats lost voted leave. 

Timetable for leader in hands of Labour NEC - likely to be quick. 

All agree we need to strengthen union now. Have to decide how, there are differences. Got to streamline to issues we face to defend members in areas that matter to members, take them with us, united front. There was a TUC meeting today, we can't be there because of being here. United action based on strength, not tiny lobbies. Will send message of support to RMT/PCS lobby. But not been asked to join. We need to get resources to the places they are needed. Political funds decimated, only 1:20 new people join with political fund. Need to change this.

Dave Prentis read out letter of thanks from Jeremy Corbyn and Jenny Formby, General Secretary of the Labour Party for UNISON's work during the General election. 

NEC sent Messages of support to 

A) Compass disputes Whiston Blackpool who have settlement, extra money, extra annual leave, 5 days sick leave (from none) 

B)South East region school - academy provider pulled out. 

C) School of Oriental and African studies ballot.

D) Northern Ireland NHS dispute, massive, fantastic - the RCN (Royal College of Nursing) had joined the strike. 

E) Gritters in Carmarthen 3 days strike, employers trying to use agency workers.

F) Sheffield college.

G) Addaction still ongoing with wider remit.

H) term time only contracts in schools win back pay court victory. Legal want new cases. 4 week rule waived to allow unison to represent them. 

I) care workers sleep in in court in the New year. 

Finances - Budget agreed. Political fund down. £1.75 million branch uplift paid.

Branch resource review. Met twice, got sub committees and work plan for Jan, meet 6/2/20. New uplift paid based on last year and possibly adjusted in May once new information is known.