In UNISON’s first national executive council (NEC) meeting since the general election, general secretary Christina McAnea yesterday welcomed the Labour government’s new deal – via the Employment Rights Bill – as “the start of the process” that will have a huge impact on the union and activists, and therefore on members.
She also told the meeting that the union has seen a net growth of over 36,000 members this year – including over 4,000 new activists – which is double the aimed for 1% growth.
Ms McAnea noted how well the union’s Year of LGBT+ Workers has been going, with every region being involved, plus the success of the union’s campaign to win the ballot to keep the political fund, with 96.7% of those who voted backing retention.
She also stressed the importance of trade unions in combatting the far right – particularly in the wake of the riots in the summer and in advance of the Stand Up to Racism national demo to Stop Tommy Robinson, Stop the far right in London on 26 October, which UNISON is supporting.
Speaking of the union’s international work, the general secretary spoke of her visit to Palestine in May, and also how UNISON co-ordinated a meeting of the Trade Union and Labour Party Liaison Organisation (TULO) general secretaries with the Palestinian ambassador at the TUC conference. Ms McAnea also highlighted the under-reported catastrophe of the civil war in Sudan, where sexual violence and rape are being used as weapons, and more than half the country is facing famine.
Assistant general secretary Liz Snape reflected on “the highly successful [general] election campaign” that the union ran, with evidence showing that, in constituencies that the union specifically targeted, that work had increased the Labour vote.
The meeting also received a briefing on the Labour government’s Employment Rights Bill from UNISON’s director of political strategy Maggi Ferncombe.
Stressing the role of UNISON in getting this bill, she explained that it is “a mix of individual rights and collective rights” and includes some of the “big ticket items” that the union has been campaigning on, with many elements directly affecting women at work, including the repeal and replacement of trade union laws on industrial action, an end to exploitative zero-hours contracts and the introduction of day-one sick pay, maternity pay and flexible working.
While UNISON is concerned at gaps in the bill, it does also provide many things to celebrate, also including improvements around facility time and access to workplaces for organisers and reps, while digital balloting is on the table.
The presidential team’s report emphasised the union’s fight against fascism and the far right – and the meeting had a dedicated period in which to discuss mobilising for the Stand Up to Racism demo and for wider work into combating racism and fascism.
The NEC received an organising report, which noted that recruitment was doing particularly well in the care sector, and that the new Organising Framework has been launched. Members of the committee lauded the success of the organising to win strategy, which has provided major dividends for the union – not least among health support workers.
The meeting also:
- heard a report on pay across the service groups
- received the latest financial report
- heard a report on a year of green activism
- discussed future NEC elections and by-elections.
The article NEC hears Christina McAnea welcome Employment Rights Bill first appeared on the UNISON National site.