Glenn Kelly at Socialist Party congress 2013, photo Senan

Glenn Kelly at Socialist Party congress 2013, photo Senan   (Click to enlarge: opens in new window)

Another victory in the battle against Unison witch-hunt

Glenn Kelly re-elected as branch secretary

Unison’s leadership was defeated in the courts over illegally banning four Socialist Party members from holding office.

Recently the union was forced to call an AGM and elections in the Bromley local government branch where Glenn Kelly had been removed as branch secretary.

This was the first time in four years that the members of the branch had the chance to decide who they wanted as their branch secretary, as opposed to an unelected full-time official running the branch.

Most of the branch’s stewards have defected from the union in disgust at the ban and imposition of regional administration, along with hundreds of union members.

So the union bureaucracy obviously thought now was a safe time to hold elections and keep Glenn Kelly out of office.

However on 13 March it was announced that in the only contested election in the branch Glenn has been re-elected as branch secretary.

It was reported to the AGM that the branch is to be lifted out of regional administration on 2 April.

The union bureaucracy was clearly hoping that, having tried to isolate Glenn in the last few years, denying him a right to play any union role and even threatening him when he carried out his role as staff side secretary in representing workers, that this was their moment to get rid of him.

But it shows that at the first opportunity to show who they support – Glenn or the witch-hunt – workers have voted for a fighting democratic leadership that they know will stand up for them, not only against their employer but also against the union bureaucracy.