Vote for socialists in the NEC elections

April Ashley, Unison NEC member, personal capacity

The Unison National Executive Council (NEC) April meeting was the first since the Labour government announced £5 billion cuts to disability benefits. There was little time to discuss this brutal attack on disabled workers as the meeting was mainly for National Delegate Conference business. But the NEC agreed a major campaign against the cuts to be led by disabled workers, with various public activities, including a ‘sit out’ in Parliament Square.

I proposed that we write to all 127 Unison-supported MPs demanding they vote against the planned cuts. But I was frequently reminded by general secretary Christina McAnea that the union does not sponsor them, and so she asserted that we cannot make any demands on them. And although the leadership proudly claims they support Unison policies – although seemingly not in this instance – she said we can only tamely lobby them and work through the union’s ineffectual Labour Link committee.

The Employment Rights Bill was briefly discussed as it progresses through parliament. The NEC was informed that Unison fears that employers are trying to water down the bill and has put forward evidence to strengthen it.

However, I said that the delay of  the repeal of the 2016 Trade Union Act, with the 50% ballot turnout threshold, was an act of betrayal by Starmer’s Labour government. It was reported that the officers believe that the Act will be repealed by the end of the year – too late for the current public sector pay campaigns.

Although Unison had previously agreed to hold a mass demonstration against council cuts and austerity for last autumn, which was then pushed back to spring 2025, that is now kicked into the long grass. I proposed that we link a mass demonstration against the cuts with the welfare attacks as they are both part of Labour’s austerity 2.0 agenda.

Angela Rayner

The NEC agreed to send a message  of solidarity to the Unite Birmingham bin dispute as a very important dispute for the whole trade union movement. I characterised Labour deputy prime minister Angela Rayner’s role calling in army planners as strikebreaking. This was not accepted by all the NEC. But because of her role in the bin strike, following my intervention the NEC did at least agree to remove her name from a motion congratulating her on progressing the Employment Rights Bill.

The NEC met on the day the UK Supreme Court ruling came out attacking trans rights. We heard this announcement at the end of the meeting and so the NEC did not immediately issue a statement reflecting Unison’s policy on trans equality and fighting transphobia. Unison should be calling out the Supreme Court judgement as a clear attack on trans rights, reaffirming the union’s commitment to protecting trans rights and ensuring trans workers’ safety in the workplace.  

All these issues demonstrate why we need a fighting NEC and general secretary, not one that kowtows to the Labour government.

Please vote for the following socialist candidates:

• April Ashley – Black members female seat (standing for re-election)
• Balaka Fell-Holden – London reserved seat
• Jim McFarlane – Scotland general seat
• Eve Miller – West Midlands reserved seat
• Adrian O’Malley – Health general seat
• Amy Sage – Police, Probation and Cafcass female seat
• Ellie Waple – Disabled members female seat

Please also vote for other candidates standing for a fighting union:

• James Robinson – North West general seat
• Candidates on the ‘Time for real Change’ list standing in other seats