The sun shone on us at UNISON's Health Conference in Harrogate

The Sun has been out in force at every Health Conference I've been to. Harrogate was no different. It was my first visit to Harrogate and it's always good to be back in Yorkshire.

The weather was the same as last year, but the climate of the conference couldn't have been more different. Last years conference came days after the three year deal came forward, a deal with some real benefits, having smashed the 2% pay cap and was one of the highest in the public sector, but all the same a deal that was well behind what our members deserved. Conference took the difficult decision to ballot our members on the deal, and our members accepted.

A year later world economies have collapsed and unemployment is ravaging lives, and it was clear that our pay this year is protected thanks to the deal, and as RPI goes negative and the Tories are calling for the deal to be unpicked, it was good to hear Alan Johnson tell the conference that the Government wouldn't bow to those demands and they would honour the deal.

The key debate of Conference was on whether UNISON looks to leave the PRB (NHS Pay Review Body) process. There are worthy principles in the debate, but my intervention focused on asking delegates to look past the passionate speakers and the rhetoric and to look to what is best for our members back in our branches, and that with what has happened in the economy any Government will be looking to hold back public spending, and then the prospect of a Tory Government bring about the prospect of dramatic cuts.

I was glad that the conference clearly voted to stick with the PRB process.

A key announcement was from Dave Prentis, announcing UNISON's new partnership with the nursing times, allowing significant discounts for our members as well as supporting each other with dedicated online space. This will really benefit UNISON's nursing membership (students, auxiliary and registered) and will really help us recruit even more within those groups.

On a personal note I was really proud of my own Branch Secretary who in moving our Branch's motion on the nursing workforce made her first conference speech and did a brilliant job.

I've Voted in UNISON's NEC Elections - Now it's your turn

After nervously checking the post all week I got my hands on my Ballot Papers this evening when I got home after a 15 hour day on the ward.

We all know how important elections are, they are an opportunity to choose our representatives and have our voice heard.

But UNISON's NEC elections are crucial as they decides who spends our money that we give the union every month (we know that money is becoming more and more difficult for many of our members as our families are hit by the recession). And it decides who speaks for you and builds your union, and whether that's about what's in the interests of us as members or in the interests of small political cliches and their revolutionary ambitions.

I've used my vote for candidates who will look after our subs, speak for us all and build a union with members at its heart.

If you're interested (because this is an instance where copying is encouraged) here's how I've voted

West Midlands
Annette Mansell-Green (Female Seat)
Eleanor Smith (Female Seat)
James Anthony (Male Seat) - yes that's me
Mary Locke (Low Paid Seat)

Health Seat
Clare Williams (General Seat)
Ann Moses (Female Seat)
Chris Sullivan (Female Seat)
Eric Roberts (Male Seat)

Black Members
June Nelson (Female Seat)
Mark Clifford (Male Seat)

Young Members (the best one!)
Lisa Waldock

Make sure you use your vote!

If you haven't yet received your ballot paper it might still be in the post - but if you haven't received it by the 21st April you should contact UNISONDirect on 0845 355 0845.

Why I'm supporting Lisa Waldock for the NEC Young Members Seat

Nominations are open for the NEC, and as I am not eligible for the Young Members Seat I am supporting Lisa Waldock in her election bid.

Lisa is currently Vice Chair of the National Young Members Forum, giving her an important experience of UNISON at a national level. I am always impressed by her absolute dedication and energy.

I believe Lisa is the candidate who will not only work hard, but will keep the young members she seeks to represent at the heart of what she does (not only during the election but throughout).

Now it's up to Branches to nominate, and I hope your Branch will nominate her her. For more information then get in touch with her at lisa4nec@googlemail.com

Demonstration to support the people of Gaza

Today I was in London for the TUC Young Members Forum, we agreed the issues which will go on to the Young Members Conference - Low Pay (to include issues around the Minimum Wage, Apprentices and Public Sector Pay), Political Participation (to include the the European Elections and combating the Far Right) and Trade Unions in Schools.

After the meeting I was able to go with a colleague from Equity to the Palestine demonstration. Getting there just as the last people were setting off I was eventually able to find the National Banner and march with fellow NEC members (including President Sue Highton and Chair of the International Committee Alison Shepherd) and National Officers. I also saw a fair few Branch banners there too.

The situation in Gaza is incredibly disturbing and worrying for the safety of the whole region. UNISON has consistently condemned the Israeli action called for an immediate ceasefire along with condemning Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.

Outside the Israeli Embassy it was a real crush and we had to take the banner down to get through (with the help of some very nice police officers). I've just been reading some disappointing news reports about trouble there (thankfully after we'd got through). There had been some trouble earlier outside the back of the Embassy with burning placards and people climbing the gates. I also get disappointed by the treatment of Police Officers (who after all are just doing there job) and am saddened that officers were attacked and knocked unconscious.

NEC Elections

Today I have written a letter to branches in the West Midlands seeking nomination for the West Midlands Male Seat in the UNISON NEC Elections. I have had a brilliant experience on the NEC in the young members seat but alas age catches up with us all. I really want to use what I've learned on the NEC so far on behalf of members in the West Midlands.

(clearly no union resources were used for any on this)

Holiday reading

Well I’ve just come back from a bit of winter sun, which with our current shortages on the wards and an always busy load of union work, was greatly needed.

I read a few books while I was away, the new JK Rowling book of fairy tales (adapted for muggles like me), A spot of bother (a great piece of fiction which weaves through different lives in the run up to a wedding and is really funny and very insightful), and Obama’s ‘The Audacity of Hope’ (though I must admit that I’m only a 3rd of the way through).

Obama’s book is a fascinating look at American politics, though with the blinkers that brings (his pride that the American constitution was ‘a rejection of absolute truth, the infallibility of any idea or ideology or theology or ism’ seems to neglect that the constitution has absolutely enshrined capitalism).

With the context of increased scrutiny that trade union funding and support for political parties are under in the UK, Obama’s discussion of how American unions supported him was particularly interesting. Discussing the support that some unions gave him during the Democrat primaries when he was in the Senate race Obama says,

“So I owe those unions. When their leaders call, I do my best to call them back
right away. I don’t consider this corrupting in any way; I don’t mind feeling
obligated towards home-care workers who clean bedpans every day for little more
than the minimum wage, or the teachers in some of the toughest schools in the
country, many of whom have to dip into their own pockets at the beginning of
every school year to buy crayons and books for their students. I got into
politics to fight for these folks, and I’m glad a union is around to remind me
of their struggles.”

This seems to sum up fairly well the difference between corporate donors and trade unions in our effect on politics.

As I said, I'm only a 3rd of the way through. But I hope to finish soon thanks to the number of train journeys this months necessitated by the Christmas period.

Interestingly while I was away we got chatting to a couple (one being a nurse at the local Birmingham mental health trust and proud UNISON member and COHSE before that, the other a Social Worker in Birmingham who left the union [I think it was NALGO] because they expected him to go on strike [and abide by the decisions of him colleagues – shocking]). The Social Worker told me he had no time for Obama and didn’t trust him because he was called Hussain, worrying in anyone, even more so in a Social Worker in a place like Birmingham.

A great day to kick off our celebrations – 10 Years of the NMW

I’ve blogged before about the National Young Members Forum’s plans for campaigning around the 10th Anniversary of the National Minimum Wage. Monday saw the first part of that campaign as it was launched with a seminar in London.

The day was a great gathering of people interested in the minimum wage from different perspectives. From the labour movement and the student movement to young people’s organisations and poverty groups.

The day was kicked off by our own Dave Prentis, highlighting the minimum wages importance. But not only that, he set out UNISON’s commitment to fighting for the minimum wage and a living wage.

It was followed by the legend that is Rodney Bickerstaff, former UNISON and NUPE General Secretary who was a driving force in the fight for the minimum wage. Rodney was able to give us a flavour of the history of struggle for the minimum wage, stretching back over a hundred years. But as is his style it was full of colour and entertainment.

Our own Heather Wakefield, speaking as a Low Pay Commissioner, tried her best not to dampen our spirits as she discussed the difficulties ahead in even getting a rise in the minimum wage for the next round. She also usefully set out the working of the commission and how we need to be getting involved.

A highlight for me was the speaker from ASDA. Now ASDA (particularly with their now parent company Walmart) didn’t strike me as the obvious ally. But it was fascinating to here from an employer why they (and the Employers Forum on Age representing a number of large employers) want to see the removal of age rates in the minimum wage.

On apprenticeships we heard about the scheme at North Yorkshire County Council, from both their Assistant Chief Executive (HR & Development) and UNISON Branch Secretary Wendy Nicholls. This is a scheme that UNISON is promoting heavily and included in the submission on apprentices to the Low Pay Commission. After a detailed presentation it was great to here the excitement amongst people such as poverty campaigners about the benefits schemes like that can have. It was also great to hear for NYCC that thanks to the promoting of the scheme we’ve done they have started getting approaches from other authorities interested in the scheme.

The morning was ended with the President of a Student Union in an FE college who gave a really passionate presentation on the minimum wage, highlighting the unfairness of both the age rates and the apprentice exemption. It was a great way to be sent off for lunch, and the end of the morning session ably chaired by President Sue Highton.

The afternoon was a chance to go into smaller groups and really look at the issues involved. I went into the group looking at the apprentice exemption ably led by the YWCA England and Wales. As part of the campaigning work that the young women they work with set, they have done some great work already around apprenticeships. Throughout this work the YWCA have absolutely smashed my preconceptions of them, especially as they aren’t a faith based organisation and they don’t do housing!

We then finished up with a panel session to wrap the day off with, which I chaired. This gave us all the chance to come together and have any final questions asked and round the day off.

I really enjoyed the day, after starting with some nerves that nobody was going to turn up to the party.

We’re currently working on a briefing to go out to Regional Young Members Forums to help them get involved with the campaign.
We will be organising another meeting of our partner organisations.
And setting the planning in motion for the 1st April event in Parliament.