Defending Trade Union activists and our facilities time - speeches at UNISON NDC 2014

Rosalind Hanmer, London Met University's LGBT officer, delivers her speech at UNISON National Delegates Conference (NDC), on 20th June 2014 in Brighton.

The full text of Motion 53 (before a friendly amendment to include facilities time), which was being debated, is on line here. And the text for Ros Hanmer's speech is here.

Mark Chiverton, South East Regional Convenor, moved Amendment 53.1 to include the need to defend our facility time:

Sandy Nicoll, SOAS UNISON Branch Secretary, supporting the motion, as amended:

 More to follow...

Call for left unity meeting [update]: date agreed, 17th January 2015, Manchester

•  Build a campaign for a fighting, democratic union

• Agree left candidates for NEC elections in 2015

• Discuss standing one left candidate for General Secretary in 2015

In light of the pay disputes and the conspicuous absence of lay member control of our union, we, the undersigned NEC members, call on all left activists, groups and organisations in UNISON to come together to discuss and agree on the kind of campaign we need to transform our union into a fighting, democratic union. 

We need to encourage as many like-minded activists within our midst to come forward and stand in every seat possible in the forthcoming NEC elections. 

We want to launch an organising campaign which engages activists and involves the grass roots - which builds our networks and strengthens our hand on the key issues of the day. 

So we call for an assembly to agree a left slate, call on others to join our slate and stand under one banner. 

We also call for maximum left unity in the forthcoming General Secretary election, to take place during 2015. 

Max Watson

Paul Holmes

Bernadette Gallagher

Helen Jenner

Helen Davies

Diana Leach

Tomasa Bullen

Jon Rogers

Suzy Franklin

Tony Wilson

Janet Bryan

Karen Reissmann  

Polly Smith

Further to the call for left unity above, it has now been unanimously agreed by the left caucus of the NEC that we have such a meeting and it will be on Saturday 17th January, 2015 in Manchester. So please save the date and watch this space for further details to follow shortly...