Sometimes it's nice to be reminded

Now my belief in the the NHS model of free at the point of delivery and delivered by the public sector is fairly unwavering, as is my absolute desired never to work in private healthcare. However it's always nice to have your beliefs re-enforced.


I was out for the leaving meal for one of my colleagues and another had come back for it, having left a few months ago to move to Manchester. She's moved up there to be close to her partner and got a job in a private hospital.

Her stories from just a few months make your toes curl, as a member of staff or a patient:

• The time taken working out how much nursing time you could justify for each patient, sat for hours with a calculator instead of caring for patients.
• The lack of any sick pay, leading to staff coming in when unwell, not just threatening their own health but putting patients at risk.
• The patient who came in the night before surgery only to be told that due to an error he'd been under charged, and would have to make up the difference for his surgery to go ahead. That was £3000 underpayment, having to be paid there and then otherwise surgery cancelled.
• The elderly man who because of complications had a long stay in ITU after his surgery, leading to a call from the insurance company saying that from midnight they'd stop paying.

Well as I told my friend, 'that'll make it into a speech' and they probably will.

NEC's first day - New Presidential Team elected

I'm sure it will reassure members that we once again have a Presidential Team holding the rudder at the centre of the union.

Gerry Gallagher who represents Police and Justice staff on the NEC and has been Vice President for two years has been elected President.

Angela Lynes who represents members in Scotland was re-elected as Vice President and now becomes the senior Vice President.

Eleanor Smith who represent the West Midlands along with myself was elected as Vice President and becomes the first black Vice President of UNISON. I'm very proud of Eleanor as one of our own from the West Midlands and a health member who's Branch Secretary of Birmingham Women's Hospital which is across the road from my hospital.

I'm glad that I will continue on the Policy Development and Campaigns Committee which I have really enjoyed over the last two years.

The meeting continues tomorrow and then the TUC delegation meeting

UNISON's Million Voices for Change

At National Delegate Conference, UNISON launched our Million Voices Campaign, our campaign for a fairer society.





It's a wide ranging campaign, covering supporting people through the recession and building a fairer economy rather than back to 'business as usual'



This is going to be a long term campaign, and the first this we need is for members to add their voices.



Go to www.unison.org.uk/million

Challenge accepted and what looks like an early win from Labour Link Forum

Just on the way back from Labour Link Forum in Manchester.

After Dave Prentis' speech at National Delegate Conference it was clear that Labour Link had a strong challenge ahead to shape Government policy.

The Forum looked in detailed workshops about how to take that agenda forward, particularly at a local level and the our future relationship with local Labour constituency parties.

And it would seem that we may be on to a winner, both Ministers present (Harriet Harman and Ed Milliband) got a grilling on about Transforming Community Services and in particular the 75% figure set for private sector provision. Both Ministers said that they were committed to public provision and it would seem that Andy Burnham wasn't aware of the guidance. Fingers crossed this can get sorted. Real evidence of the effectiveness our our Labour Link, which is only going to get better.

Change of name

So this blog is now 'James's NEC update' and the address is james-unison.blogspot.com

As of 5pm yesterday I stopped being the Young Members rep and took up my new seat representing the West Midlands, which meant I felt it needed an update.

But the blog will continue to keep members up to date on what I do for them in the West Midlands

What a week! Conference done for another year

National Delegate Conference will never be quite what you expect as you head in, and this year was completely different.

On the first day the General Secretary called for a major change of tack in our political work, which the Labour Link structures will be addressing over the coming weeks, particularly at the Labour Link Forum (the conference within the affiliated structures) in two weeks time.

Some real progress has been made on the unions structures, with the creation of the Police and Justice Service Group, the Community Service Group and the merger of Water and Environment and Transport Service Groups, now WET. Conference also redefined Sectors to be our bargaining units, and create Occupational Groups which will cover specific staff groups such as Nursing & Midwifery. It was disappointing that the rule changes that would have given members in sectors proper autonomy over their own pay and conditions fell but I’m sure this will be addressed in future years.

Another big disappointment was loosing the rule amendment which would have allowed the union to expel BNP members within the context of the new employment legislation. This was strangely mobilised against by the left with who seemed paranoid that it was about them and that their own parties could fall foul of UNISON’s most basic objectives of equality. A damming indictment of their own organisations!

After the conclusion of the Conference the old NEC change to the new (so I no longer represent Young Members specifically and now represent the West Midlands), and with all up for grabs the NEC meet briefly at the end of conference to elect the Presidential Team. Unfortunately this meeting could not go ahead because someone who is not a member of the NEC was present, with the support of our far left colleagues. I hope it was a coincidence that in all likelihood we would have been celebrating our first black Vice President tonight and that this had nothing to do with their wrecking actions!

Looking ahead to Brighton - National Delegate Conference 2009

I know from the many Facebook status updates I've seen today that a lot of people are getting ready to head to Brighton, especially those heading to Local Government Conference and going down tomorrow. I thought I'd set out some of the highlights and the things to look out for.

Young Members meeting and social

Young Members get the opportunity to meet other young members at the Conference, hear from the delegates of the National Young Members Forum about things the forum are interested in on the agenda, and get raise any issues.

Young Members meeting 8pm Tuesday in the Buckingham Room at the Hilton Metropole

Followed by the 'Secret Gig' Young Members Social at 9pm with The Perils (but you have to come to the meeting to find out where)

Having decided to shelve our newsheet last year we instead have a social, and this year promises to be amazing! A 'secret gig' with the band The Perils as well as a DJ. But to find out about the venue you have to come to the meeting!

Structures review

Young Members business

The NYMF have submitted 2 motions and 2 amendments all of which will hopefully get heard. First up will be 'Developing our commitment to apprentices' which highlights the work that has been done and what needs to be done in the future. The other motions (which is quite high up what's known as the 'snake' or remaining order of business) is 'Young and Active: in our workplaces, in our union, in our society' which looks at the importance of involving young people in those different aspects including Votes at 16.

The two amendments have been brought within composites (where similar motions and amendments are mixed together into a new 'composite motion') on the Economy and Housing, which takes the specific needs of young members forward on those issues.

Key debates

As I see it here are some of the key issues for debate:

• The Economy - How should UNISON respond and what does it mean for us and our members?
• Tackling the far right - particularly in the light of the recent Euro elections, there is also a rule change to ensure we have the provisions to lawfully exclude and expel members of far right political parties from UNISON
  
• UNISON's Structures - with important changes to make sure our union is relevant to all our members, especially in relation to bargaining.
  

So there's my two penny's worth, back to the speech writing (both on the NHS) and hope to see you in Brighton!