NEC Report, meeting held on 12 October 2022

The meeting heard from Lesia Semeniaka, the international officer of Atomprofspilka, the Nuclear Power and Industry Workers Union in Ukraine. Lesia thanked UNISON for its moral and financial support. She talked of recent civilian victims of Russian attacks, together with attacks on infrastructure and on educational and cultural sites.

The NEC’s Chair of its International Committee thanked Lesia and stated the presentation had shown the horror of war. Putin should never have invaded and should pull out. War only benefits our rulers and the arms industry. The potential for escalation was frightening. There were people in Russia who were opposed to the war. The Tories were trying to get people to accept that the Cost of Living crisis was mainly down to the war.

General Secretary’s report – Christina McAnea. There was a new PM and Chancellor who were in favour of redistribution from the poor to the rich. There was no pretence at one nation Toryism any longer. The NHS pay ballot was a priority for the union with 400,000 members in the NHS balloted from 27th October in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Together We Rise campaign – the union wants every MP to be visited by a member at the lobby of Parliament on 2nd November organised jointly with the TUC.

An NEC member asked if UNISON was supporting the Britain is Broken demo on 5th November in London called by People’s Assembly and a number of trade unions and if so could we publicise it to members. In reply an Assistant General Secretary said we would advertise the demo but the priority was the lobby of Parliament on 2nd November.

The Presidential Team gave a report. NEC members have now been offered the Trans Ally training and this had been successfully implemented. The Development and Organisation Committee had been offered Show Racism the Red Card training and this was now being rolled out to all NEC members. The President called for volunteers to sign up to the Ambassador training. The President announced her chosen charity for the year: the Endeavour Project (a domestic abuse support service).

There was an item on proposed NEC Standing Orders on the agenda. The President stated that she has received complaints that papers are circulated sometimes up to the night before a meeting, the meeting is often dominated by points of order which are not technically points of order which holds up progress of meetings, and that some speakers are not managing the length of their contributions, all in all making it harder to get through business. The President also had concerns that access standards were not being met. It was surprising that a union like UNISON had no standing orders for its NEC meetings. In line with the proposed standing orders they had been sent out in advance of the meeting with a request for amendments.

An NEC member proposed they be tabled to another meeting as they had not read the papers. The President Andrea Egan stated that if there were any amendments they should have been circulated prior to the meeting as requested. Standing Orders would deal with timeliness of papers (being sent out a week prior to the meeting rather than tabled on the day), access issues, etc. The proposal to defer consideration of Standing Orders was lost. For – 22, Against – 27, abstentions – 3.

National Delegate Conference motions were discussed. The General Secretary had submitted a paper on this as had the Presidential Team. The General Secretary said she was in agreement with most of the Presidential Team’s document but would like a further discussion on Motion 11, around the vote of no confidence passed in the NEC. Issues referred to were rebuilding trust and confidence in the NEC from branches and regions, should there be symbolic resignations from the NEC, dealing with issues of factionalism, etc. The President said we were now coming together since Conference and dealing with the pressing issues our members face such as the cost of living crisis and pay ballots. The President reminded the NEC that Motion 11 stated that the NEC had been concentrated on internal issues at the expense of being outward facing and it was positive that work was developing on a number of fronts to deal with the challenges confronting the union and its members.

Another NEC member stated that some elements of the general secretary’s paper had been settled at the end of Conference. The NEC had voted against resigning en masse and also against symbolic resignations already. The new Presidential Team had a Black member and moves had already been made to address representation on NEC strategic committees. Progress was being made on relations with the Equality Liaison Committee. A Black members’ rep on the NEC has joined the NEC Staffing Committee. Factionalism was as old as the Labour movement itself and always existed in UNISON, said one NEC member.

An NEC member reported Rule I investigations had been controversial in previous NEC terms, with court rulings found against the union. They did not agree that because officers say something the NEC cannot disagree with it in a member-led union.

It was proposed some of the elements of the general secretary’s report be included in the Presidential Team’s report on the motions passed at NDC.

A vote was taken on the proposal for individual/symbolic resignations. Following debate on the union needing stability at this critical time and facing once in a lifetime challenges – this was lost. The NEC affirmed its position on this taken at an NEC meeting during national delegate conference.

A vote on whether to revisit a number of previous decisions taken on Rule I investigations was lost: For 23, Against 27. Debate centred around how far you could go back and for which decisions. There was a danger in opening floodgates to multiple requests to reopen processes.

A vote on rebuilding relationships with constituent parts of the union was carried: For 29, Against 2.

A vote on ‘compromise’ between factions on the NEC which would require changing the membership of strategic committees of the NEC: For 24, Against 28, Abstentions 0. An NEC member on their second term said they had served two terms on the NEC and there was always a majority faction and a minority faction. The issue was about discussing different strategies and how best we organise for members. This recognises union democracy and is necessary.

It was proposed to amend the Presidential Team paper to include that the general secretary reserved the right to advise that if NEC actions were outside the rule book based on legal advice, she would instruct staff not to implement them. For 23, Against 23. The Chair took the casting vote against. Therefore, the proposal was lost. The chair explained that the proposition was a given and did not require an amendment to the paper.

A vote was taken on the Presidential Team report on Motions 9, 10 and 11 from NDC.

Motion 9: For 42, Against 0.

Motion 10: For 29, Against 19, Abstain 1.

Motion 11: as amended (to work with Regions, etc.) For 36, Against 11, Abstain 1.

It was agreed to defer the item on Standing Orders to the next meeting after all as time was running short after previous lengthy debate and voting, with other pressing items still to come.

A Black NEC member was elected to the Staff Pensions Committee (providing governance and oversight to the staff pension scheme).

The Disciplinary Report was agreed.

NEC election procedures – these had been revised in the same way as Service Group election procedures. A pdf paper outlining differences between versions going forward had some of the words missing due to a document formatting error; the corrected version was recirculated during the meeting. Covid protocols had been removed. Branches can now hold hybrid meetings without the need for Officer attendance. Previously two signatories on nomination forms were required (the Chair and Secretary) – this was now amended to either the Chair or the Secretary. Officers explained that this would make the nomination process more efficient. The procedures had been through Development and Organisation subcommittee of the NEC.

The vote to adopt the new election procedures was carried. For 28, Against 12, Abstentions 8.

Staffing Committee – a pay offer had gone out to staff trade unions for consultation. Recruitment and Selection procedures for temporary appointments now included lay NEC members, which had been negotiated with the staff trade unions. The details of the pay negotiations are currently confidential to the Staffing Committee.

The Year of Black Workers 2023 – It was reported that £30,000 would be committed to this important campaign, should the NEC approve it. A vote for UNISON to make 2023 the Year of Black Workers was carried: For 46, Against 0.

Service Group updates – there was detailed discussion of how other parts of the union could help with the critical NHS pay ballot e.g. retired members and other activists beyond Health. The NEC encouraged members to make use of the new facilities that had been improved and provided to support ballots by the NEC, such as the new phone banking system (Movement), and peer to peer texting.

Organising update – it was noted that membership was growing slightly due to the various pay claims and campaigns. Industrial activity encourages new members to join. The work on the D&O Committee Organising Strategy continues and was reported. It was suggested this would possibly give end of year growth despite Health sector data cleansing over the summer to prepare for the strike ballot.

NDC motions booklet – this was noted. Motions will now be allocated to relevant sub committees.

There was a pro forma to complete by NEC members to review of National Delegate Conference. Feedback will be sent to the national Standing Orders Committee to aid planning for NDC 2023.

The meeting ended.