New social media - guidance needed for UNISON activists

Trade unionists and 'social media' - 'new' or otherwise - do not always sit comfortably.

Trade unions trend to veer towards detailed, legally approved guidance, 'correct' procedures, protocols, committees and subcommittees. Social media on the other hand is fast changing, unruly, and without much guidance.

There is a lot written on the internet about how to use the internet. Part of the problem of getting the message on how to use the internet more constructively to those who don't use the world wide web is breaking down the mystique surrounding it.

So when a blogger talks about hashtags or 'hits', for most trade unionists, the mind boggles. So how to talk about this blog post with an NEC member who doesn't even use their own email address, let alone their own twitter account?

Another issue is being a bit smarter with your smartphone in the workplace. We need good guidance for members to avoid getting themselves into trouble (and for activists to avoid unnecessary casework). The LRD recently published guidance following reps coming across increasing amounts of disciplinary cases as a result of ill advised Facebook comments. It needs to be boiled down into bite sized chunks. For starters, how about:

* Don't call your boss a 'F*%king W%£*er!' online.
* Don't boast on Facebook about going to the pub all day when you are 'off sick'...

There is lots of promotion of the internet for a communication tool for activists but not a great deal of guidance for members on being smarter when they use their smart phones.

I've written this all up after looking at some notes I took at conference. I had these noted down (with a pencil on paper, btw) as I was sitting on the top table at UNISON's National Delegates Conference because I'd been asked to speak on behalf of the NEC on Motion 6 which talked about increasing our social media usage. The motion didn't get prioritised, so my speech never got heard. (Ah well - always next year, I suppose).

Facebook 'Groups' vs 'Pages'
When I was suspended from work, one of the first things that the campaign group set up was a Facebook 'Group' to Defend Jawad and Max', and we invited all our 'Friends' to join - they could then get daily, or even hourly updates on the campaign. It quickly - very quickly - gained over 1,000 members.

The good thing about a FB Groups is anyone can post into them (you can choose moderators to avoid spam) if they're a member and anyone can invite their friends to join - so it can snowball without much admin or effort and is participatory. Members of the group can feel part of something they're able to influence.

London Met branch has a FB Group but not a page or a profile, and activists are given admin rights so they can deny or approve member requests - only members can join our branch but often students or other activists want to join. They have to be a full member to get access to our group. Other branches, I've noticed go for public, open pages or groups and I'm an honorary 'branch member' of a few 'groups'. I'm 'honoured', but I do think it's better for a members only forum so you can see who is a member and discuss workplace issues only with those effected by that issue.

By the way, if you have more than 250 members of a group it is too late to change your group name. So when Steve was suspended we couldn't add his name to that group... Choose your name wisely, and remember this is one of the many limits of letting someone else control the management. Lots of Facebook profiles can disappear over night on Facebook, so don't rely on it too much (more on that later).

Blogs and branch websites
We also set up a campaign blog for the defend Jawad Max and Steve campaign. This meant the campaign committee (set up by the branch but not exclusive to the branch committee) could elect our own comms team that updated that blog which was only about that campaign.

A blog is very easy to set up and if you are going to run a serious campaign with any length of time it's good to have a separate site. Wordpress and Blogger are as easy to learn how to use as email and I'm always amazed at how many branch don't have functioning websites or ones that haven't been updated for years. Our branch website, of course, is very cutting edge.

I propose an annual competition with awards at NDC for the best UNISON branch website which neatly uses social media and actively engages members. Branches could submit their own and a voting system (online of course) could decide the winners from a shortlist. If the NEC doesn't agree to this, then the twitterers can set up their own...

'Clicktivism'
I appreciate the limits of it, but for many people - especially support staff sat behind a desk all day with a strong sense of social injustice combined with a feeling of helplessness of their alienating day job - so called 'clicktivism' can be a real outlet. And it can have a tangible impact too.

For example: our campaign for reinstatement had a 'take action' page. This included sending a model email to the powers that be in our Uni. The link took you to a page with a very simple form. You enter you email, your name and then click 'send' to fire off an email that went to the VC, the director of HR, and a blind copy went to unison - so we could count them coming in and also we then added the email to our email list of supporters. Over 600 of these were sent. If you are doing a day job and in two weeks you get over 600 emails having a go at you, it tends to get noticed.

The Labourstart website does this regularly with good effect (as was mentioned in Motion 6), but you can set these up yourself on a blog yourselves, so don't feel you have to ask Eric Lee personally to do it for you. Eric Lee by the way preaches caution about outsourcing your online campaign to Facebook. He tried to set up a rival called Union book but I've not been back for a while, tbh.

Lobbies, and 'virtual lobbies'
At London Met we have had too may lobbies of our Board of Governors meetings to remember them all in the last few years, so when we ran a campaign against privatisation last year we decided to try something new: a 'virtual lobby'. It worked really well. Instead of encouraging members to come to stand outside a building and hold a placard, listen to some speeches - with the risk not many would turn up at the end of their working day when they are heading home - we organised a photo shoot in the workplace.

Activists went round with a placard on the day of the 'lobby' and asked members to have their photo taken holding a 'No to Shark Services' message, and over 50 people took part. The photos were all sent in by email (via some activists using their 'smart phones' of course). Then a slide show was set up on our website and these slides were sent as an email to all of the Governors.

We won that campaign. We don't know whether it was over 100 members saying in email to the VC they would not sign a new contract and refused to be TUPEd over, or whether our ballot for industrial action had been approved by the region, or was it the impact of this virtual lobby that helped tip the balance in our favour. Probably all combined but what is certain is more members participated in the virtual lobby more than the numbers who turned out for our actual lobby a month or two later.

Youtube - reaching way beyond your activist base
That lobby went well, and then we had a seminar about a paper by an academic called Steve Jefferys - and about 25 people attended. Not bad - an audience of activists now fully up to date with strong arguments against privatisation informed by with evidence-based research. Even better though; over 150 people then watch the film of that meeting online on our own Youtube channel. Easy to do, easy to set up, and all done in-house with the volunteered skills of our own members.

In the blogosphere, the words 'Youtube helps you get a bigger audience' might not exactly sound like a sophisticated analysis or a new idea, but trade union activists really do need to have guidance provided on just how simple it is to do this. It doesn't have to be a glossy, million-dollar advert to join your union that looks like an insurance sales advert.

To tweet or not to Tweet?
Some people love it and are clearly obsessed (dare I say addicted), and others just ignore it and wait for the phase to pass: the dreaded Twitter. I have an account and I do dip in and out.

Some branches have a branch account and others spend more time tweeting that meeting members, frankly.

The #undc13 hastag was a good example for me of how Twitter can be great and awful at the same time. Almost as if there were two very different conferences in June. Maybe that is to do with the frustration of people not getting past Standing Orders to get their views heard? Maybe some people prefer shouting from the side lines than actual debate.

The way people talk to each other on twitter is not generally the way you would talk to somebody face to face (or from a top table). So I'm not a huge fan, but I did enjoy getting some feedback from other tweeters about what UNISON could do to improve. Here are some:

1. Max Watson ‏@salaam_max20 Jun

   Been asked to speak at #undc13 on behalf of the NEC about using new media as trade unionists. Any comments on how we could improve?

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   Southampton District ‏@SotonUnison20 Jun

   @salaam_max hi Max! need more guidelines from Unison! Unison needs to get better at promoting hashtags and twitter and the power it has

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3. Max Watson ‏@salaam_max20 Jun

   @SotonUnison we should publish a 'How to use twitter effectively, a guide for trade unionists' (in 140 char)? ...

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   3:58 PM - 20 Jun 13 · Details
4. Southampton District ‏@SotonUnison20 Jun

   @salaam_max This! Possibly legal advice about what we tweet and about personal capacity/ accountability :)

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5. Max Watson ‏@salaam_max20 Jun

   @SotonUnison steady on! Accountability? As an NEC member I'm VERY cautious about that concept ...;-)

(You just wouldn't say this from the top table...)

1. 1. Max Watson ‏@salaam_max20 Jun

      Been asked to speak at #undc13 on behalf of the NEC about using new media as trade unionists. Any comments on how we could improve?

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      Staffs Uni Unison ‏@StaffsUniUnison20 Jun

      @salaam_max use of new media needs to be more natural. It all seems a bit structured.

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   3. Max Watson ‏@salaam_max20 Jun

      @StaffsUniUnison Agree: we need to find a balance between guidance and control-freakary.Or the SOC will start (dis)approving all our tweets

 

Staffs Uni Unison‏@StaffsUniUnison

@salaam_max totally agree. We are tweeting in the name of UNISON but we need to appear more human!

(Bold added for this post: I think this is a really good point about being human. Sometimes a bureaucracy just cannot and never will be able to sound human! Especially when every communication has to be checked by a boss and their bosses' boss to sign it all off... Unions have to let their activists be trusted to build up relationships.

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      Red Pepper magazine ‏@RedPeppermag19 Jun

      "The left has a problem with Twitter" says @holly_rigby http://bit.ly/19i11qK  - on how we must compete with capitalist media

       Retweeted by Max Watson

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   2. Max Watson ‏@salaam_max20 Jun

      @RedPeppermag @holly_rigby thanks for this. Timely, as UNISON delegates conf have motion on social media, may be discussed tomorrow #undc13

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   3. Holly Rigby ‏@holly_rigby21 Jun

      @salaam_max @redpeppermag Brilliant - I'd be interested to hear a report of that discussion.

       from South Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire

A shame that we never got to discuss it... maybe next year.

1. 1. Max Watson ‏@salaam_max20 Jun

      Been asked to speak at #undc13 on behalf of the NEC about using new media as trade unionists. Any comments on how we could improve?

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      Emma Hoddinott ‏@Emma_Hoddinott20 Jun

      @salaam_max we could be better at Facebook. I would like good shares and infographics for our branch page.

For those thinking 'WTF is an infographic?' Here is one I 'Liked' on FB recently (at top).

Personally, I'm less mad about Twitter but some clearly love it. Some of the rubbish said about amendment 8.1 is better not read at all as you might come away thinking the #UNDC13 was full of bigoted fools who do not want to resist against violence against women when that is clearly nonsense.

During our campaign for reinstatement this year a rep told me how impressed they were with how quickly her tweets about the petition we had was being retweeted around the world, going viral. It is clearly something people need to think about if they want to get people's attention with a big campaign. I am skeptical about your average members using it in their day to day lives to get their UNISON updates though so don't go dropping your printed newsletter just yet.

'Union island' - a warning
Remember 'second life'? Remember how were were all going to be living virtual lives and those news stories about  people getting rich on their 'second' currencies? Some union activists got all excited about it and set up a 'union island' and it flopped. The lesson? Wait to find out if it is a phase before jumping on EVERY bandwagon. Don't go setting up an account for the branch for each and every new fangled 'exciting' social media which turns out to just make you look like you are trying to be young and edgy (and face it, you're probably not really are you?!)

Don't wait too long though - Facebook is not exactly a phase but its star is fading and many trade unionists only just got used to the idea of it.

There is loads out there about the limits of using electronic media and some great stuff go sent to me about this topic when I tweeted about it which I am grateful for but cannot link to all of it here as this blog post is way too long already.

Face to face - better than a Facebook chat
You cannot substitute talking face to face with members and it always beats Facebook messaging them but that's not always possible. That should never be forgotten though and if you're substituting your corridor walks and talking with members for a browse online then you need to be honest about what you are really doing (wasting time).

I hope there is enough here to spark a little debate and keep the ideas shared at #undc13 going and who knows, maybe at #undc14 we will see an improved social media presence among our own. Maybe even a motion that gets discussed?

Right, now 'get off the internet, I'll see you in the streets,' as they used to say somewhere online... Oh, one more thing before you go, have you filled in this survey yet?

The life of SOAS cleaners

I received this letter last week and I then went to speak at their rally to show my unconditional support. I thought it was an inspired letter and is a humbling experience when you speak on such a platform, so I thought I would share it with you all as a model template for what we should be striving towards. 

Hast la Victoria siempre!

--

Sent: Wednesday, 3 July 2013, 9:44
Subject: The life of SOAS cleaners

Dear all
 
We would like to share with you all the letter below.
 
                                    The life of SOAS cleaners       
 

Most of the SOAS cleaners come from South American, countries where their rulers exploit their people, even allows European countries and USA do the same with our people and our wealth natural land resources, leaving us without economic recourses and no job opportunities because of this, we are forced to migrate in search of respect and job opportunities in other countries... in the world like the United Kingdom.

Many of us decided to come to the UK, which is a well known country around the world characterized as a country that respects human rights and gives equal opportunities to their people.

Latin Immigrants in the UK perform cleaning work, because we cannot work in another field, because of the barrier of the language, as we do not speak English.

Many of us  had the opportunity to get jobs in this prestigious University called SOAS, where we are working, and where we are leaving part of our lifes.

Our first days at work were very hard because we did not understand the language, culture, customs etc, but, despite those barriers we coped with the work, and our work has been of high quality.

We are leaving part of our life, due to the daily working we are performing to keep clean this University for its students and employees, to feel comfortable to study and do their jobs without any risk, but despite making an important job for this University, our work has never been recognized or respected, on the contrary we have been victim of victimization, exploitation and abuse from the cleaning companies that SOAS has contracted.

The cleaning companies at SOAS they only do is exploit, discriminate, victimize the cleaners and create unrest and discontent among the cleaners, but what most bothers and worries us is that SOAS is indirectly involved in the exploitation, discrimination and victimization and abuse that we suffer under the hands of the cleaning companies.

We wonder why SOAS treats us as second-class workers, and why we do not have the same benefits, which are enjoyed by the rest of the workers at this university, and knowing that we perform a very important and risky job that involved direct contact with chemicals that we are using daily to keep this university clean, and we also have risks of getting infected with diseases and bacteria from daily contact we have with the bathrooms, kitchens, classrooms, offices and communal areas that are used by many people daily leaving them dirty and contaminated.

During our time as cleaners, we have done our work with pleasure and pride and with great professionalism, we even have much affection and respect for workers of this University, even despite not having the same benefits or treated as a human being, we feel part of SOAS.

We wonder why the SOAS cleaners do not have equal rights, perhaps are we not human beings? Or do we not get sick? Or do we not have family (Fair holiday)? Or do we not think of the future of tomorrow (Pension)?.

We also wonder why a university where human rights and equality law is taught as theory, but in reality the opposite is practice, which is discriminate, exploit, and victimize their cleaners, by denying us the benefits that the rest of the workers at SOAS have.

We also wonder how this can happen in the UK, where is a country that fights for human rights and who walks around the world, trying to free people from their rulers or dictators where they do not respect human rights.

We do not understand how we can demand respect for human rights if, even in the UK itself is not practiced, even Universities as SOAS where students learn to be good professionals for the future, is not put into practice equal rights to all SOAS workers, what example can we give to the world and futures generations, if there is still discrimination, exploitation and victimization for denying equal rights to their cleaners and to let us in the hand of the cleaning companies who only aim is to get profit through the exploitation of their cleaners.

We think it is unfair that we had to work on many occasions being sick because we could not afford it to lose a day's work, because we have families to feed, and we have not the benefit enjoyed by other SOAs workers.

We think it is unfair that when any of our family dies, we don't have compassion leave paid, we have to take part of our vacation leave to be with our familiars at this time of sorrow.

We think it is unfair that we cannot share more time with our families, when the others SOAS workers rest and share with their families at the time of Easter and Christmas when the University is closed for all workers except for the cleaners, who have to come to work and clean walls, bathrooms, floors etc, We don't think that is fair we also have families and we would like to share more time with our families as well.

SOAS GB do not realize that because of this unequal rights, are destroying our lives as individuals and as workers, because of the daily exploitation of labour and without any benefit in times needed as sick or vacation or pension, this is also affecting our families, because we cannot share much time with them, because we have to work long hours to live in this expensive city.

Our children are growing up without the love that could give them, given the short time that we share with them.

We would not like to see our children judge for having a parent as a cleaner, if they have to be judge it has to be by their character or attitudes, we would like to see our children feel proud of the work we perform.

We would like to see our children become great men and good professionals who can contribute to the field of development and improvement of the society we live which is in danger.

We would like to see our children fulfil their dreams, but with the bad treatment and activity that we have and the daily effort that we put in our work, where we are not offered the same rights and benefits and also we are not treated with justice and respect and dignity as other workers of this University and where our work is not recognized, because of all this, our strength is being depleted.

SOAS GB , we are calling your awareness, let us enjoy the rights and benefits we deserve, no more discrimination, no more exploitation, no more victimization, recognize that you have failed, because only for saving money you have put at risk your cleaners.

Your attitude not only is affecting our life, it is also affecting the life of our families.

SOAS is time to change, the cleaners demand and rise in protest for our rights and justice and we will continue up until our demands and rights are taken into account.

Not only the bread and water human beings needs to live, in order to live also human beings need respect, justice , rights, equality and the more important is dignity something that soas cleaners don't have it at the moment.

SOAS bring us back in house now.

VIVA SOAS cleaners, VIVA equal rights, VIVA SOAS live a long life, and fair to all employees.

RESPECT, JUSTICE, RIGHTS, EQUALITY, AND DIGNITY

JOIN OUR PROTEST 4TH OF JULY AT 13PM

SOAS – cleaners

Tomasa Bullen elected! A Higher Turn out for Higher Ed!

I am very pleased about two things about the NEC election results: Firstly, Tomasa won the election for the Female Seat for Higher Ed on the NEC by a large margin, giving a strong mandate for a solid trade unionist (you might have notice I was campaigning for her). Also, having checked the turn outs, it is worth noting that in Higher Ed the turn out was higher than nearly all other Service Groups. 

The actual percentages are: Black members (and overall turn out): 5.6%; Young members: 2.09%.

Service Group seats: Local Gov: 6.01%; Health, 4.77%; Higher Ed: 8.34%; Energy 4.13%; Water Environment and Transport (WET) 8.82%; Police:

6.52%; Community 5.57%.

So there you have it - a Higher turn out for Higher Ed! 

Our members are more engaged in these elections than other service groups and have voted solidly for left candidates in HE when we campaign in our stronger areas. 

Is it also worth noting that two other Higher Ed members were elected onto the NEC to represent regions: Davena Rankin from Scotland and Mike Hines from SW - bringing the HE members up from one to four on the NEC (more than making up for being minus an HE seat since Alison Shepherd left in January 2012). Congratulations to them.

Why is this? I think we won the HE seat partly due to a well organised campaign for the elections, but maybe also it is due to more lively leadership in Higher Ed? Maybe due to a decrease in membership and the consequent fear over job cuts leading to votes for a stronger leadership? Or is it more generally a well embedded culture of healthy debate and constructive criticism in our Service Group, developed over the last few years? Maybe due to our more solid stance taken during the pensions dispute than all other service groups? Maybe less encouragingly, it was simply the very low turn outs overall means it does not take much to increase (after all 8.34% is still very low). 

Tomasa Bullen, committing to greater accountability on the NEC, says:

"I would like to thank you for supporting my nomination and election to the NEC's HE female seat. 

Please convey my thanks to your members who voted/canvassed on my behalf. I am extremely grateful. Please keep in touch as I really do want to be able to represent your views on the NEC. I can be contacted on the above e-mail or on 02380 319972.  I know that I have met some of you at various UNISON events, be they HE or other and if you are at National Delegate Conference next week, we might bump into each other. 

Again, many thanks, Tomasa

Whatever the reason for a good turn out and winning a good left voice for the NEC, we need to follow this up with a good return to reject the 1% pay offer. More on that to follow... 

Right - see you in Liverpool? Come and say hi if you are at NDC. 

Cheers,

Max Watson - (re-elected unopposed to NEC) - cheers!

 

Vote for Tomasa Bullen, Higher Education Female seat, to Reclaim our union

[X] Tomasa Bullen, Higher Education Female seat

I'm really glad Tomasa, from Southampton, is standing on the 'Reclaim our union' ticket, as she is an excellent candidate (see here for a full list of candidates of the left). 

I am backing Tomasa all the way and in the next few weeks I'll be campaigning for her election to join me on the NEC to represent Higher Ed - this is an important seat to win for us, there is no incumbent and it's a very winnable seat. 

We need more people like Tomasa on the NEC who have the experience of standing up for members with a strong voice - she has plenty of experience and in the last couple of years has been in the middle of the Southampton District dispute (unusually, Solent Branch is still part of the local Government district branch - don't ask ... !).

Activists in HE will recognise Tomasa as having a quiet nature but commanding respect and always speaking up for a strong, fighting stance on behalf of our members. 

We fought valiantly within UNISON to keep the fight over the pensions alive last year and in HE we were able to harness some of the anger and frustration people felt over the way that dispute fizzled out into significant electoral gains. Lets now win this important seat to help secure a strong, left voice for HE within UNISON. 

There are stacks of 'Reclaim the Union' leaflet in the regions. So get in touch if you can help.

The full text of Tomasa's letter to branches:

Tomasa Bullen Membership number: 1574876

Southampton District Branch: 08256

Dear Colleague,

Re: Nomination for UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) Higher Education Women's seat.

I am writing to ask for the nomination of your Branch for the Higher Education Women's seat on the NEC for the period 2013/2015.

I have worked in Higher education for 30 years and I am currently a part-time Admin Officer responsible for data management at Southampton Solent University. I am also Chair of Southampton District Branch which covers Southampton City Council, Southampton Solent University, FE and 6^th Form Colleges, schools, Community and Voluntary services. I have seen the devastating effects of cuts to public services on both the service providers and those who rely on the services provided and I am determined to fight closures, privatisations, out-sourcing, shared services, or whatever else they may be called, with whatever tools available. Over the past three years, I have been involved in several disputes within Southampton, starting with Medirest workers at Southampton general Hospital successfully campaigning for improved wages and conditions; the initial strikes to defend Libraries and leisure services and then the protests to protect and ultimately restore the pay of local government workers. I have campaigned against out-sourcing in my own University and have been successful in maintaining and in some instances improving terms and conditions for those staff whilst continuing to campaign for a Living wage and a return to direct employment. I shall continue to campaign vigorously for all workers threatened by unnecessary cuts and privatisations. I am very pleased that Southampton has now set up a "Defend the NHS" group and we managed to get 40 members to demonstrate outside of the NHS offices on a cold Wednesday afternoon at 4pm and hand in proposed revisions to the constitution.

As a part-time worker, I have experienced the difficulties of being asked to do a full week's work in part-time hours and living on part-time pay. The gender pay gap remains a serious issue as does gender segregation in job roles and these need to be addressed if we are to eliminate all forms of discrimination and work in a sector which genuinely is based on "equal pay for work of equal value" and where support staff are not seen as being of less value to academic staff. My latest campaign is harmonisation of holiday and sickness schemes and an independent review will be carried out in 2013.

Higher education, based on a system of free education and maintenance grants is perfectly affordable through the taxation system. As a Union, through the NEC, we should be reminding the public of the value of higher education, its benefits to both the national and local economies compared with the real cost of the current expensive and ever expanding system of loans administered through the Student Loan Company. We should also be campaigning on the threat posed by the increasing fragmentation of the education sector leading to a divided and increasingly selective primary and secondary education system. This will have far reaching consequences for staff terms and conditions and the quality of education available for those without the means to pay for what I believe to be a basic human right: education.

Outside of Higher Education, UNISON should support all members engaged in

a.       the fight against privatisation and/or cuts to pay and conditions;

b.       defending themselves against all forms of discrimination;

c.       protecting and enhancing Trade Union rights; and

d.       using our funds to support only those politicians who support UNISON's policies.

I have been a Trade Union member for 31 years, first joining whilst working in the Health Service and then joining NALGO when I first started working in higher education, just over 30 years ago. I do not belong to any political party and strongly believe in a fighting, democratic union, led by its members taking part in the democratic process with politicians only receiving support from UNISON if they openly and actively support our policies. I have no qualms in speaking up and no worries about being "unpopular". If elected, I would like to keep in contact with Branches so that I can represent your views and report back on the outcomes.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I know how busy you are. I hope that your Branch will support my nomination and election. I would also ask that you support Max Watson, current NEC member for HE and Chair of London Metropolitan University. If you haven't received his letter seeking your nomination, please let me know.

If you have any questions, or wish to discuss anything further please contact me atTomasa.bullen@solent.ac.uk or 01380319972. I would be happy to attend your Branch Committee to give a fuller account of the views outlined in this letter.

Yours sincerely

Tomasa Bullen

'The Margaret/ Maggot Thatcher Legacy'

A member of London Met UNISON Branch sent me this moving piece the other day, and I agreed to publish here anonymously, on her families' behalf, in full and without any apology, in order to show some respect for the living:

In the eighties our union
invited four mining families
to visit and stay in some of our London homes
By that time - these families had nothing.

Living on hand-outs and charity
Under threats of eviction
Having already sold every asset scrap
We paid their fares to London.

Never was a meeting more poignant
A tough strong strident resolute man
His wife and daughter nervous by his side
He rose to speak - in the Council Chamber.

"I'm not a clever man, like these London Politicians...
I've worked down the pit since I were fourteen
that's thirteen years now and...
Although it's dangerous and hard physical work, I did it for my family.

We, in the mining community - have seen terrible things
The police brutality, we've come to expect...
But the Tory Judas SCABS are collecting their silver pieces"...
A clearly big man's shoulders began to sob - silently as he sat down.

A Durham miner's wife picked up the Welshman's theme...
"In the north tis the same my bairn's go to school hungry,
Are there any words in this world to explain why...
A child in the eighties, in the forth richest country of the world
Should be starving"? The answer is Mrs Margret Thatcher's hatred of the working
class.

A Derbyshire Miner - walked slowly to the front, and said with so much dignity...
"We miners are facing genocide - yes genocide, not from Gulags or gas chambers
But from the obliteration of our industry.
I see Arthur Scargill as the only person strong enough, to help us through these times"

Much to the surprise of the first Welsh speaker, his little girl asked to speak...
"I'm not very good with English, but I know how children feel,
I want all this to go away and my Mum and Dad to not row anymore...
About money and things, I've told Daddy he can sell my dolls house."

Can any one mourn the loss of such a monster who caused so much hurt?

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Relected to #UNISON NEC, 2013-2015

I'm delighted to report I've been re-elected to UNISON's National Executive Council (NEC) for a third time.

I received a letter confirming I am the only candidate in the NEC election for the Higher Education General Seat, so there is no need for a ballot: I've been elected unopposed.

In 2010 I fought a successful election campaign in a by-election and shortly afterwards in 2011 I was elected unopposed. I received nine branch nominations in 2010, then 19 in 2011. This year I received 15 branch nominations and no other candidate was able to muster the two branch nominations required to stand against me.

It would be nice to have a fresh mandate from the members, but obviously I'm glad not to have to campaign. And the endorsements I received from a wide range of branches - and the support from branch activists which this represents - I feel is also a strong mandate.

Last month I fought for my own job and won reinstatement. I'm extremely grateful for all the support I received then and glad not to have to fight an election now as a lot of work needs to be done fighting the Tories and their friends (such as the management of London Met) who are dismantling the welfare state and attacking the poor; they are privatising the public sector or cutting it down to the bone; and they are victimizing union reps when they fight back.

So thanks to all those who supported my election campaign again this year, and to those who fought to stop London Met from sacking me and two of my colleagues. There is still a disciplinary against me, so maybe see you on the 17th?

 

UNISON members in Higher Ed would have received my 500-word manifesto which I'm now publishing below so you can keep me to account and make sure I continue to argue for a fighting, democratic union.

If you backed me for the NEC, please now put all your efforts into getting Tomasa Bullen elected onto the HE Female seat and for all the left candidates standing for the NEC.

Cheers,

Max
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Our union needs a fighting leadership to stand up to this vicious government of cuts and privatisation, which is why I think you should vote for me: 

 

Pensions dispute

The key issue last year was the pensions dispute, which gave us a taste of what we can do when we come together and resist the Government the way we did in November 2011. Public opinion was on our side, and our members felt confident. We discussed bringing members in other pensions schemes (like SAUL) and private sector unions into a 'second wave' of strike action in 2012 but instead the dispute fizzled out, which has demoralised members and activists who feel let down. 

 

Pay Freeze

We must be determined if we are to break the pay freeze: our members are increasingly feeling the pinch of rocketing food, fuel and travel costs. We must begin to rebuild the unity the union movement showed in the pensions dispute. We need to demonstrate we are serious and will take the action necessary to win, not just another one day strike. 

 

Job cuts

As a militant trade unionist, I've taken leading roles in the London Met branch since 2008, and our branch is now strong and well organised. We fought against job cuts in 2009 and 2011 with successful strike action. We doubled our redundancy pay and had significantly reduced compulsory redundancies. I believe the NEC needs activists with such experience in order to resist the tide of redundancies across the country and support those fighting at  branch level.

 

Privatisation 

In 2012 our branch fought a huge battle against 'Shared Services' which was an unprecedented attempt to privatise the back offices of our University – the entire non-academic staff were at risk of transfer to a new company managed by a private company. We refused to accept 'the inevitable' and we fought their proposals with a vibrant campaign, which mobilised our members and we won.

 

Overseas Students & UKBA

Our branch fought against the UK Border Agency who revoked our license to recruit international students this year. Once again we mobilised our members, working with the UCU and the local student union, and this campaign was also successful: a high court injunction allowed students at London Met to continue their studies this year.

 

Living Wage

I'm fully committed to the Living Wage campaign. During national pay talks I have persistently pushed this issue back onto the agenda. I've seen the positive effect winning the Living Wage had on our low paid members lives, so I know how important it is and can support branches who want to win it locally too. 

 

When elected in 2010, I committed to being accountable to members and be open about my positions. You can check my record on my blog: 

 

www.maxwatsonunison.blogspot.co.uk

 

I'm an independent socialist, not a member of any party, and part of the UNISON United Left. 

Please also vote for Tomasa Bullen for the HE Female Seat, who is also standing for a 'fighting, democratic union'.