Election for the new LGBT seat on the UNITE Executive Council

Voting is due to take place from 30 January to 22 February 2012 in an election for the new Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) seat on the UNITE Executive Council.  All members (other than retired members) are entitled to vote in the election.

I haven't seen a list of all the candidates who were successful in securing enough nominations to stand, but the candidate backed by the United Left, Harry McAnulty did and his leaflet is here.

The UNITE web site has some very sparse information about the election here.

Alongside the new LGBT seat there is also a new seat for Disability, but I understand only one candidate secured the necessary nominations and therefore no election will take place.

These two seats are important to end the anomaly where two major areas of UNITE's Equalities structures, which have their own regional and national committees, had no EC member accountable to them.

It is OK to distribute leaflets at work or put posters on union noticeboards, but you mustn't use any union resources (including membership information) to support a particular candidate, or directly contact members at home unless they have themselves signed up to receive such communications.

We should all try to encourage members to participate in the election - the composition of the Executive Council (EC) makes a real difference to the direction and effectiveness of the union.

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UNITE and Fujitsu settle dispute

Yesterday UNITE members at my workplace, Fujitsu Manchester, voted to accept an offer from the company and end the long-running dispute.  Details are on our branch web site and there's a UNITE press release.  The settlement will benefit staff right across the country, not just Manchester.

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Latest on the public sector pensions dispute

There's a huge amount of confusion.  The government sought to reach separate "heads of agreements" for each part of the public services - Local Government, Health, Civil Service, Education.  These aren't full detailed agreements, but set out a framework and principles within which detailed negotiation would take place.  The understanding was that unions which signed up would suspend industrial action.  Some unions have signed up to some of these agreements, others haven't.

The agreements on offer don't change the position significantly from that which led to the tremendously well-supported strike on 30th November.

UNITE seems to be gradually publishing statements on this page of its web site:

• Civil service - UNITE did not sign up
• NHS - the link is missing, but UNITE did not sign up
• Local Authorities UNITE signed up, then "suspended" its signature

UNISON, whose leaders have signed up to the government's deals, has published rather more information, including the NHS "heads of agreement", the statement signed by UNISON, UNITE and GMB on Local Authority Pensions, and a newsletter which includes the text of the Local Government "Heads of Agreement".

Debate is raging in all the unions.  Many members in unions that signed up are furious that their leaders are squandering the potential of November 30th.  In unions that have not signed up, members are asking when the next action will be and how broad it can be.  This is not the time to give up or sit quiet - there is still the opportunity to recreate and build on the unity that we saw on N30.

The relevant UNITE National Industrial Sector Committees (NISCs) are meeting shortly to discuss the situation and decide on their next steps.

A majority of the UNITE Executive Council (including me) have requested a special EC meeting to:

1) Help ensure the consistent implementation of the EC statement agreed on 7th December 2011 about the way forward following the November 30th day of action

2) Receive reports on, and discuss the major developments in, the public sector pensions dispute since our last meeting

We have also called for copies of the agreements offered by the government in each sector (whether signed by UNITE or not) to be circulated to all EC members as a matter of urgency.

Under rule 14.3, a majority of EC members can call a special meeting.  I hope this will take place after the discussions at the NISCs but before the crucial meeting at the TUC on Thursday 12 January.

These are matters that should concern everyone.  If the government gets away with dividing and defeating union members in the public sector, where membership is highest, it will encourage every employer to speed up their attempts to further boost profits by squeezing the proportion of wealth going to working people.  The pensions fight was also a unifying issue for the wider anti-cuts campaigning which is crucial for the defence of our public services.  PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka set out the dangers of defeatism in his recent article in the Morning Star.

What you can do:

1. If you haven't already done so, sign the statement saying "Don't give up the pensions fight!"
2. If you're in one of the sectors directly affected, speak to the reps on your NISC and make sure they know your views before they meet
3. Get along to the open national meeting called by PCS Left Unity for Saturday 7th January which will be an important chance to coordinate pressure against rotten deals
4. Lobby the TUC meeting on Thursday 12th January
5. Get along to the emergency Unite the Resistance meeting on Saturday 14th January which will be an important chance to get organised following the outcome of the TUC meeting

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Public sector pensions fight

Predictably, the government is seeking to divide the resistance to cuts and austerity by trying to bully union leaders into accepting a very poor deal on public sector pensions.

News (e.g. RTW) is coming out in dribs and drabs from yesterday's TUC Public Sector Liaison Group meeting about the union response to this, which doesn't appear to be entirely good news from all the unions.

UNITE's Executive Council agreed an excellent statement on the campaign last week which specifically "calls on all unions to stand together in opposition to government attempts to divide unions and offer terms of settlement to some while continuing the attack on others".

A number of activists in various public sector unions have launched a statement opposing any sell-out which you can sign here and view signatories here.  There's also going to be a lobby of the TUC Public Sector Liaison Group at 2pm outside Congress House.

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Strike over pay at IT Services company Steria

UNITE members at Steria are striking tomorrow over pay.  There's a copy of the UNITE press release below, which includes details of the picket lines in Bristol, Coventry and High Wycombe.

Click here for an email address to which you can send messages of support.



Press Release: Unite members at Steria strike over pay dispute
 
Members of Unite, employed by IT services company Steria UK Ltd working on a Capita account, will take industrial action tomorrow (Friday, 16 December) in protest against the company's refusal to offer a pay rise for 2010 (payable from April 2011).

Unite members, who are system developers and analysts, voted an overwhelming 82 per cent in favour of strike action. Industrial action will take place at various Steria sites in Bristol, Coventry and High Wycombe (see notes) and staff will take part in the 24 hour strike from midnight tonight.

Unite regional officer, Jerry Pickford, said: “This is the first time that this group of workers have ever taken these steps as they feel that they have no option other than to withdraw their labour in protest at the refusal of Steria to make any kind off pay offer whatsoever.

“Over the last few years, our members have seen their workload increase tremendously and for nearly a decade they have received below inflation pay rises, which in real terms is seen as a pay cut. They have now reached the point where they are saying ‘enough is enough’.

“Management claim the current financial condition is the reason that a zero pay award has been given to staff, however, Steria continues to post excellent results for both last year and the first three quarters of this year. It also seems that its executives are immune to these financial conditions as they award themselves very healthy pay rises and bonuses.

“Further action will be planned for the near future. However, we hope that Steria will see sense and show proper respect for a group of workers that continually over perform for the company.”

ENDS
 
For further information contact Jerry Pickford on 07764 655759 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite press office on 020 3371 2061 or 07980 224761.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

24 hour strike action will take place from 12.00am, Friday 16 December at the following sites:

• Friends Life Centre, Brierly Furlong, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8SW.
• 75 Corporation Street, Coventry, CV1 1GD.
• Ashton Court, Kingsmead Business Park, Frederick Place, High Wycombe, HP11 1LA.

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UNITE branches - big changes

After years of stalling and deadlock, progress is finally being made to move towards a single new branch structure for UNITE.  This week's Executive Council (EC) meeting took decisions on branch functions and finances, and on moves towards a branch structure more based on workplaces.

The EC agreed a paper which included some points on what branches will do, going beyond the role set out in rule 17:

1. Keep up to date the membership records of all members in the branch, especially employer, workplace, address, home phone number, mobile number and email address.
2. Generally provide advice, guidance and representation up to stage 1 disciplinary and grievance hearings.  An "accredited support rep" concept needs to be developed to fulfil this task.  Branches may pay expenses and a modest payment for time to members doing this.  Full-time officials would normally undertake final appeals.
3. Have the option of deciding at a branch meeting that all branch members pay an amount above their basic union subscriptions to create an additional "Branch Fund".
4. Be active and have a commitment to branch growth through organising.

How branch finances will work:

1. There will be no "claw back" of branch money to the centre, including at the end of 2011.
2. The funds currently held by old branches to be split proportionately amongst the new branches their members go to.
3. Once a branch has been confirmed as an ongoing UNITE branch, it will (from 1 January 2012) receive 10% of its members subs, less half of any employer fee for administering check-off (deduction from salary).  If confirmation is after 1 January 2012, payments will be backdated to then.  Branches will receive their money monthly into their bank accounts.
4. A new Unite Dispute Fund is being set up with an initial contribution of £25m.  2.5% of subs will be deducted from each branch's finances as a contribution to the fund.  The Dispute Fund will be responsible for all costs necessary to fight a dispute, apart from payroll costs for UNITE employees.  It will be controlled by the EC through a subcommittee.
5. Branches to pay all expenses for running the branch, including meeting rooms, newsletters, postage, conferences etc.  The intention is for branches to meet in union facilities where practicable.  Where facilities are not available, Regional Secretaries can agree to reimburse meeting room costs from the regional fund.  [IA comment: many workplace branches are likely to want to meet on the employer's premises, to maximise attendance]  On request, the union can help branches arrange cost-effective printing and website services to help minimise these costs.
6. Branches to pay lay member expenses other than for constitutional meetings or meetings called by a Regional Secretary or National Officer.  This includes branches paying expenses for attending the open Area Activist Meetings (but not the Committees).  Normally this would include combines and national shop stewards meetings, but where branches would have difficulty covering this, the Assistant General Secretary covering the sector can authorise payment.
7. Funds to be held with Unity Bank (or Allied Irish Bank in the Republic or Ireland) in the branch name, and belong to the union.  Branches must notify Central Office of all bank accounts.
8. Payments to individuals (including branch officers) for running the branch must be minuted decisions of a branch meeting.  They cannot in total exceed 2.5% of subs, excluding legitimate expenses and in relation to member servicing (see the point about "accredited support rep"s above).
9. No payments to any UNITE employee or their immediate family.  Any exceptions must be justified and approved by the General Secretary or their designate.
10. Branches to submit quarterly "returns" of their spending, and annual audited accounts (on a calendar year basis).  Payments to branches will cease if a satisfactory return/accounts have not been supplied by the end of the quarter following the end of the relevant period.  Central office will supply a template for return/accounts.  Audited branch annual accounts must be submitted to a branch meeting for approval, and must be made available to branch members on request.
11. UNITE will provide training to branch officers.

Branch structure
The intention is to give branches a greater role in the union, to make them more relevant to the members and to bring resources closer to the members.

Where possible, branches will be "workplace" based.  Note that the definition of a workplace can be flexible - it might be one employer in a particular area in some cases.

Where workplace branches can't be sustained, the next option would be industry branches, for example taking in all members in IT & Communications in a particular area or region.

There are a few cases where national branches are being approved for particular employers, but this clearly has major disadvantages in terms of members' ability to participate.

Where members can't be placed in workplace or sector branches, more general branches are being set up, possibly including all remaining members in a particular geographic area, or maybe grouping together a number of industrial sectors.

The new branch structure should simplify linking members and reps into the UNITE structure, for example allowing regions to allocate officers or union solicitors on a branch-by-branch basis.

Proposals from a number of regions were put before the EC, which gave the go-ahead for new branches to be created.  A minority of the proposals did raise concerns, which people should take up with the relevant Regional Secretary.  If you're unaware of the proposals for your own workplace, I'd encourage you to ask via your region as soon as possible.  Some regions hadn't yet produced proposals, and were told to do so by 1 January 2012.

From an IT & Comms point of view, I am concerned that because not all the Regional Industrial Sector Committees (RISCs) are working well, reps in the sector may not have had much input into the proposals from the regions.  This could mean the regions being unaware of the issues on the ground, such as takeovers and mergers of employers, or a lack of enough activists in particular workplaces to make a branch viable.

The changes will mean new branches being created, with many old branches being merged or split up.

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Updated UNITE rulebook

A version of the UNITE rulebook incorporating the changes made at the 2011 Rules Conference has finally been published on the union web site.

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