NEC Equality and Democracy Myth Buster

Much Better than Before – Much to do.

There has been a lot of concern expressed about the allocation of NEC committee seats and this is set to be discussed at National Delegate Conference 2022 in Brighton. Below we take a look at some of the facts.

1.       YOUNG MEMBERS – Young members’ NEC reps have seen their committees increased from 4 to 6. They now span a total of 5 committees, rather than only 3 as was the case in 2019 and have a Vice Chair position. So, Young Members in the 2021-2023 NEC have MORE committees and MORE Vice Chair positions than they did in 2019-2021.

2.       BLACK MEMBERS – Black members’ NEC reps have received the same number of committees in the 2021-2023 NEC term as in 2019-2021 (13 seats). The number of committees Black member representatives span is exactly the same this year in 2021 as it was in 2019 (representation across 5 committees). The majority of Black National NEC seat holders voted for these allocations at the NEC meeting to confirm committees in July 2021.

3.       DISABLED MEMBERS – Disabled members’ NEC reps have seen their committees increased from 4 to 6. Disabled members’ representation has increased for 2021-2023 and is now on 4 of the 5 main strategic committees (up from only 1 committee in the 2019-2021 term, a quadrupling of representation). So Disabled members were allocated MORE committees and 4 times MORE strategic committees.

4.       WOMEN – The new NEC now has either the same or, in many cases, more women on committees and in positions as Chairs/Vice Chairs than the previous NEC in 2019-2021. So to be clear, the new NEC elected MORE women than the previous NEC (up from 112 to 125 Committee seats) and women’s share of committee seats has increased to 68% - again MORE than the previous NEC.

5.       NEXT STEPS – the new NEC and Presidential Team want to improve representation of Women, Black, LGBT+, Young and Disabled Members at all layers of our union, from Stewards, Officers and Branch Secretaries through to regional and national positions. Work will continue to address these longstanding (not new) issues of representation and democracy within our union.

No-one is resting on their laurels. But it is simply not true to say that equality has taken a backward turn under the new NEC. The facts speak for themselves. There has actually been considerable advances of representation for UNISON’s equality groups under the new NEC.

Time For Real Change is wholly behind the equalities agenda both in the structures of the union but more importantly in delivering on real fights for equality at work and in society more broadly.

Committee allocations were democratically passed at a meeting of the full NEC on July 14 2021, by the following vote: 34 For, 23 Against, 1 Abstention.