Unison NEC elections, vote for socialist candidates and reclaim your union!

Big elections are coming up for Unison. One of the most frustrating unions to organise within but as Marxist’s we do not shy away from working within reactionary unions and Unison is one of the worst. But we don’t just sit there and moan about how bad it is we are actively fighting within the union within its limited democratic structures to change the union. Unison holds the key to many workers and to ultimately saving the NHS. Unisons role in this so far has been pathetic we know this. But by shouting from the sidelines gets us nowhere. The unison 4 who were 4 socialist party members witch hunted for organising within Unison and due to their politics and opposing Unison’s links to the labour party and wishing to change this found themselves victimised and hounded. But things do not have to be this way we can change this union to win it back for its members to become a fighting union along with other left unions like the PCS, RMT, FBU and so on. Elections for Unison's national executive (NEC) start on 22 April and run until 24 May. Members of the Socialist Party are standing, alongside candidates organised in United Left, as part of the Reclaim the Union election slate, in the seats listed. The Con-Dem government is determined to destroy the NHS and the welfare state. This must be resisted by the full strength of Unison, other unions and local communities. We need an NEC leadership that is determined to win. The NEC has a responsibility to organise and plan a coordinated fightback instead of leaving branches to fight alone. The employers are saying take cuts in pay and conditions or face more job losses or we will pull out of the national pay agreements. However, the union is wrong to believe that the way to protect our national agreements is to give away some of our rights, as they have recently done in the health service. ________________________________________ The Socialist Party believes that:- • Unison should organise a national demonstration to save our NHS with the support of other unions. • Unison should stop funding Labour if it refuses to fight the cuts and to stop the destruction of our NHS. ________________________________________ The Reclaim the Union candidates are: (Socialist Party members are asterisked). • National black members seats: Female: Monique Hirst*, April Ashley*; male: Hugo Pierre* • National young members seat: Greta Holmes • Eastern region: Female: Claire Wormald • East Midlands region: Female: Jean Thorpe*; male: Adrian Picton* • Greater London region: Female: Helen Davies, Marshajane Thompson; male: Jon Rogers; reserved seat: Gundula Seidel • North West region: General seat: Tony Wilson; female: Bernadette Gallagher, Karen Reissmann; male: Roger Bannister* • Scotland region: General seat: Jim McFarlane*; male: Duncan Smith, • South East region: Female: Jacqui Berry*, Diana Leach; male: Paul Couchman* • South West region: Male: Bernie Parkes • Cymru/Wales region: Male: Jamie Davis* • West Midlands region: Male: Dave Auger* • Yorkshire and Humberside region: Female: Helen Jenner; male: Mike Forster*; reserved: Vicky Perrin* • Health Care service group: Female: Helen Ridett*, Suzy Franklin; male: Mark Boothroyd; general: Gary Freeman* • Higher Education service group: Female: Tomasa Bullen; general: Max Watson • Local Government service group: Female: Phoebe Watkins, Sonya Howard; male: Glenn Kelly*; general: Paul Holmes • Transport service group, water and environment: John Jones • Community: Female: Janet Bryan