NEC Report, meeting held on 21 May 2025

Matters arising

The need to mount an effective campaign against the Starmer Government’s welfare cuts was highlighted immediately. The representative of Disabled Members reported that there had been no communication of any plans with her or National Disabled Members Committee. Officers responded that they will get on top of the lack of communications immediately. The chair of the Campaign Committee reported that a 25K bid had been approved from the National Disabled Members Committee. The need to lobby the UNISON group of Labour MPs was highlighted, as was the need to support the People’s Assembly demonstration on 7 June.

General Secretary’s report

The General Secretary touched on a number of subjects in her report. The success of Reform UK in the recent elections, winning 10 councils, will be a challenge for UNISON. She talked about the plan to fight Reform in these councils via our local branches, using our Organising to Win strategy. Already 1,300 new members have joined UNISON in the 10 councils. A task force will meet with these 10 branches, but the whole power of the union will be needed to effectively counter Reform.

The General Secretary talked about the Employment Rights Bill and the good work the union is doing.

The recent decision by the Supreme Court and its effect on our Trans members was mentioned. UNISON took legal advice and has now reopened the Trans Ally training and updated the website. She said that this is a complex issue.

UNISON will oppose the government’s awful Immigration Bill and this has been raised through TULO.

Regarding pay campaigns, NHS workers can expect an offer in a few days from the Government. The People’s Assembly Anti-Austerity demo on 7 June is being supported by UNISON.

The General Secretary has spent a week touring the South West region, which had been long promised. This commitment meant she had turned down an invite to appear on BBC TV Question Time due to being in the South West.

Discussion & Questions of General Secretary’s report

Members of the NEC highlighted that Reform’s success is rooted in the Labour Government’s inability to engage and convince working class communities and its promotion of multiple policies that attack working class people. Starmer’s racist rhetoric has been disgusting. The General Secretary disagreed with this analysis, stating that more Tory votes moved to Reform that Labour voters. One NEC member from the East Midlands low-paid seat asked for more information on the timeline to support branches with Reform UK councils.

NEC members raised concerns about the weak response by UNISON to the attacks on our Trans members. They needed a stronger statement of support and solidarity, and this came too late for many. Our initial communications were ambiguous in support for trans members and restating our union’s policy, which was a mistake. One NEC member from Health asked if our initial communications had even suggested a conflict in rights between women and trans members. We needed to do something to show we had the backs of our trans members.

We need to make the Trans ally training more prominent and encourage our activists to get involved at this critical time. It is not the time to show weakness to the resurgent Right. A trans member has been attacked in the media while they have been standing in the NEC elections, and we need a strong response to protect these targeted individuals. One NEC member from Local Government highlighted UNISON had been an oasis for trans members so they could be who they are: the General Secretary should not underestimate the detrimental impact of the legalese in its initial statement. An emergency motion on this issue had been passed by the South East Regional Council the previous week. The General Secretary reported that she is subject to attacks from anti-trans trolls whatever she says on social media.

We discussed the Government’s Immigration White Paper and the attacks on Migrant Workers. This will fuel Reform and attack these public sector workers. We need a joined-up trade union response to these attacks. Ending Social Care visas will undermine our public services. The government appear toi be saying that its Fair Pay Agreements will resolve the recruitment crisis, but it would take a pay rise of huge significance to have this impact. One NEC member asked for more detail on the progress of the social care Fair Pay Agreement.

We need to be bolder in supporting the People’s Assembly demo, and encourage our members and branches to get involved. It is an opportunity to raise our voices against the ongoing austerity and cost of living crisis. UNISON was not prominently supporting it.

The ongoing genocidal attacks in Gaza need a much stronger response from the trade union movement. The Labour Government has been complicit in selling arms to this Israeli Government. We need to use any influence in the Labour Party to push our policy of a free state of Palestine.

An NEC member asked for more visibility on what the National Labour Link Committee is doing on behalf of UNISON and explicitly asked that the National Labour Link Committee would take all the concerns raised today into the Labour Party. Can we get Labour Link to report on their activity to the NEC, so we can understand their work in promoting our values and policies in the Labour Party. The Vice-Chair of the National Labour Link Committee said he would take this back and make the request for some form of report to be made so its activity is not opaque, when it met on 22 May.

The huge frustration of the NEC with the Labour government and those who have enabled its reactionary agenda was made clear in the morning session.

Vice-Presidents Report

Our Vice President Julia Mwaluke thanked Steve North (President) for his work in the role and also his work as Chair of the Staffing Committee. He has been a very popular President, receiving standing ovations at various UNISON conferences, and a very effective Chair of the Staffing Committee.

In the discussion these sentiments were echoed, with his hard work, diligence and commitment highlighted.

National Delegate Conference (NDC) 2025

Appeals

The Acting Director of the Executive Office highlighted a number of Motions, Amendments and Rule Changes ruled out of order by the Standing Orders Committee (SOC). The Chair of the Finance Committee raised that all parts of the Union deserve greater clarity on the decisions of the SOC going forward, and there was an urgent need for clear guidance and pathways to resolve SOC blockages. It has been the case that SOC rejects simple rule changes for repeated years, even when drafted by our experts, senior officers of the Union, without saying why. This is not only frustrating but dangerous for the Union and should be added to its Risk Register. If the governing body cannot change the rules of the Union due to SOC, this is a risk to the stability of Union and holds us back. The next NEC must address this.

NEC voted to reference back to SOC the Rule Change on Retired Members acting as Treasurers, and the Motion on consulting on the role of Retired Members within the Union. The Chair of the Finance Committee would take a lead on liaising with SOC at NDC on the Retired Members motion.

Deferred Items

The Vice Chair of the Policy Committee reported on the motions agreed. M62 to M85 were supported by the NEC.

Amendments

The Development & Organising Committee chair reported. The NEC voted to oppose the rule amendment to extend the suspension period in investigations to an unlimited period because ‘harassment’ is too widely defined and often subjective. The Development & Organising Committee had asked officers to establish a working party to look at the whole disciplinary process but this had not yet happened. It was an NEC priority for the next NEC term.

Final Agenda

Now published. Guest speakers from USA trade union movement and a leading Palestinian trade unionist would be in attendance.

Organising Update

The Chair of the Development & Organising Committee reported on a net increase of 16,000 members since January, with a membership now over 1.3 million again. There are challenges, particularly in Schools, but in Social Care the membership is growing well. Over 80% of branches responded to the organising survey.

Service Groups – Pay Campaigns

There should be an announcement this week on NHS pay from the Government, and we are expecting a busy summer of action on pay in Local Government and Health. Inflation is on the rise and this will hit our members. The union needs to be clear that inadequate pay offers will be challenged.

National Industrial Action Update

The Chair of the Industrial Action committee reported that it has been a very busy time, with the NEC’s increased strike pay being well used in supporting our members to take industrial action. This action has helped to boost the union’s membership numbers. The £50 strike pay remains, but there can be flexibility to help members when needed.

Other Issues

Disciplinary issues. The report was noted.

Staffing issues. Steve North was thanked for his work on the Staffing Committee, where the Vice Chair highlighted the respect he is held in. The work on the Staffing Review will continue.

NDC Complaints. The Acting Director of the Executive Office reported that a confidential and thorough investigation into complaints at NDC 2023 had been concluded.

Finance Update

The Chair of the Finance Committee took the NEC through the Financial Statements for 2024.  UNISON reported a net surplus of £11.7 million for the year. The strength of membership has played a very significant role here in this outturn, but it has also been helped significantly by a positive movement in the value of our share investments in Unity Bank and improved bank interest rates. The NEC voted to approve the Statements.

The NEC was also taken through the management accounts for January-March 2025, which were also approved.

Committee Minutes

These were received. In the Services to Members Committee report, it was noted that Thompsons solicitors have had a number of negative comments made about their service, and a motion was passed at a branch to raise issues about their service to members, which was ruled out of order by SOC. This motion was taken to the Regional team after being ruled out.

The chair of Services to Members reported that the committee has tried to review Legal Services provision but made very little progress in the 2023-25 term for a variety of reasons. This followed the NEC trying but failing to make similar inroads and improvements in its 2021-23 term. This would continue to be a high priority for the NEC in its 2025-27 term.