Unison leadership elections: The issues at stake

Unison is the largest trade union in the UK, with over a million members delivering public services in the NHS and social care, councils and schools, the energy sector and beyond. Those members work for thousands of different organisations in the public, private and independent sectors.

Since its formation in 1993, as the result of an amalgamation of three existing unions, Unison was seen as one of the main bulwarks of the right wing in the Trades Union Congress (TUC), which has failed to fight austerity and seen hundreds of thousands of jobs disappear through redundancies and privatisation.

In 2021, members elected a left-wing National Executive Council (NEC), with the majority being part of the Time for Real Change (TFRC) grouping. Sadly, since then members have seen little real change and the right wing is mustering its forces to seek to retake control. The right still holds the position of general secretary.

United left challenge

Socialist Party England and Wales and Socialist Party Scotland is campaigning for a united left challenge in next year’s NEC and general secretary elections, on a programme that can really turn Unison into the fighting union our members need.

To this end, Socialist Party Scotland has produced our manifesto (see below) which demonstrates to members what we stand for and how we believe the union should respond in the face of further attacks.

‘For a fighting Unison’ covers the major issues being faced by the union and its members today, from pay and jobs, through specific problems faced by sectors such as health and social care, councils and education, to crucial concerns surrounding trade union democracy, equality and diversity, and climate change.

It is the plan of action that the Socialist Party fights for – and we appeal to others to fight together for these demands.

For a fighting Unison

Most workers join trade unions to get fairer pay, terms and conditions. If your union is unable or unwilling to get you a decent pay rise and stop employers bullying you into unacceptable conditions in the workplace, membership becomes a ‘luxury’ many cannot afford.

‘For a fighting Unison’ addresses all members, not just those still working for councils and the NHS.

Over the past decades, as services have been privatised and outsourced, Unison’s right wing has all but forgotten about fighting for those members who went with the services into the independent or private sectors.

Consequently, those members’ and their successors’ pay has been driven down, often to minimum wage levels. The programme calls for pay claims to be submitted and fought for, for all members – from those in private social care providers, to school meals workers no longer employed by councils, and others like private nursery schools.

It also demands a £15-an-hour minimum wage without exemptions, a rise in statutory sick pay and the repeal of all anti-union laws designed to prevent workers collectively fighting for better pay.

There is also a demand for Unison branches to have “a genuine right to campaign to change and develop our union policy – let the members decide,” which would put pay campaigns in the hands of those fighting for increases instead of unelected full-time officers.

The programme makes a special mention of democratising the union’s youth structures to allow young workers a proper voice, “removing unnecessary restrictions and barriers”. This includes branch-based conferences and committees, currently outlawed by the leadership.

Unison members have struggled for years against devastating cuts and privatisation – and both are set to continue under Starmer’s government. The Socialist Party has campaigned for the union to lead a national fight against council cuts, and to call on Labour councils to set needs-based budgets and demand the funding from central government. Unison’s right wing has hidden behind blaming Tory austerity, and the TFRC grouping has not stood up against that – letting Labour councils off the hook. Now there is a Labour government, what excuses are left?

Stop cuts

Unison must demand Labour councils refuse to implement cuts, and that Starmer’s government provides emergency funding as the first step in recovering the billions stolen from councils since the 2008-09 economic crash. The Socialist Party’s programme also calls for an end to privatisation, bringing services back in-house.

But while Unison is tied to the Labour Party, its demands will be frustrated by union leaders whose narrow vision is simply that ‘Labour is better than the Tories’. We call for Unison’s funding of parties and candidates that cut services and jobs to be democratically reviewed, and, where applicable, ceased. Currently, all political decisions in the union are made behind closed doors by the ‘Labour Link’ section of the union, elected only by Unison members who are members of the Labour Party. 

Our programme commits to fighting for a new political voice for the working class – a new mass workers’ party, based on the trade unions, drawing together workers, young people and activists from workplaces, and community, environmental, anti-racist and anti-cuts campaigns, to provide a fighting, socialist political alternative to the pro-big business parties.

FOR A FIGHTING UNISON: OUR MANIFESTO

Socialist Party Scotland member Jim McFarlane, Dundee City UNISON branch secretary, will be standing for the NEC elections. We will also be supporting other Socialist Party members who are standing for the NEC as well as other left candidates. Socialist Party Scotland is part of the Scottish UNISON Socialist Network (SUSN).

Protecting public services

For increased activities and the necessary resources to widen and link up campaigns to protect all public services. Branches to be encouraged to develop joint campaigns against similar attacks, including privatisation, outsourcing and closures. Any UNISON funding to parties or organisations that cut services and jobs to be reviewed and, where applicable, ceased. 

The NHS and social care provision

Kick private companies out of our NHS! No more privatisation or outsourcing. Scrap PFI/PPP/NPD contracts and cancel the associated debts.

Independent/private social care provision should be in public hands and control, through the NHS and local government. Failing, inadequate and blatantly profiteering social care providers should be nationalised. Fight and campaign for a National Care Service that is publicly owned and delivered, removes profit from the delivery of care and guarantees a £15 per hour minimum wage and trade union rights for all employees. Reject the SNP’s current NCS Bill!

Councils and other local authority provided services

UNISON must demand SNP and Labour councils refuse to implement cuts and that Starmer’s government and Swinney’s Holyrood government provide emergency funding as the first step in recovering the billions stolen from councils since the 2008/9 crash. 

UNISON must lead a national fight against further local authority cuts to include industrial and strike action where necessary. For the setting of community and trade union-based needs budgets.  Oppose all privatisation and outsourcing. UNISON to launch major campaigns to bring jobs and services back in-house to be run directly by councils. 

Education

Free, fully funded and democratically run, good-quality education, available to all from nursery through primary and secondary, Further Education and Higher Education to adult education. Abolish all university tuition fees and write off student debt, end marketisation, and introduce a living grant. For all schools to be under the genuine democratic control of local education authorities, school staff, parents and student organisations. Mass expansion of nursery provision organised under democratic public control free at the point of use with a full variety of well organised provision. 

Pay claims to be submitted annually to providers of all education services, including those in private nurseries, schools and organisations specialising in students with learning disabilities and other complex needs. 

Pay, jobs and conditions

UNISON to encourage branches and members to fight all cuts to jobs, services and conditions of service including through privatisation, outsourcing and closures. To develop a comprehensive and flexible strategy to remove low pay wherever UNISON organises. This to include submitting sector-wide or individual pay claims alongside those in the ‘traditional’ national bargaining bodies and areas, ie independent social care, privatised school meals providers. 

A £15 an hour minimum wage for all, without exemptions. UNISON to campaign for all members to have trade union rates of pay, employment protection, and sickness (including increased SSP), parental and holiday rights from day one of employment. UNISON to include in pay claims, wherever possible and supported by members, a shorter working week with no loss of pay and/or more flexible working hours. 

Trade union democracy

UNISON must demand the Labour Government immediately repeal all anti-union legislation. For genuine members’ control of UNISON, with the election of senior union officials, starting with assistant general secretaries and regional secretaries. The Socialist Party has a proud record of its members standing for senior trade union official positions declaring they would only take home a worker’s wage, not the inflated salary of the post, if elected. All our members standing for the UNISON general secretary position in the past have committed to this. 

UNISON branches must have a genuine right to campaign to change and develop our union policy – let the members decide. Change the emphasis from preventing campaigning by ‘outlawing’ organisations, to participating in them and helping mould genuine fighting policies and programmes. UNISON branches to receive necessary financial resources to fund organising and recruitment drives and increase workplace representation and participation. For streamlined processes to prevent unnecessary delays in campaigning and balloting. 

Equality, diversity and discrimination in the workplace and society

Socialist Party Scotland stands for united working-class struggle to end discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability, sexuality, age, and all other forms of prejudice and oppression. Trade unions are in a unique position to fight discriminatory attacks at work and society in general through organised, collective action. Unions must work in conjunction with organisations committed to these tasks rather than simply handing over campaigning activities to them. 

UNISON must draw up workplace action plans to end institutional racism and discrimination in all our public services, so the whole union can fight bullying and harassment. Oppose the far right with action and policies to fight for jobs, homes and services. For a mass UNISON campaign researching and tackling the extra struggles faced in the workplace by members with mental health and neurodiverse conditions. UNISON to launch an organising and recruitment drive aimed specifically at preventing the exploitation of migrant labour – financial and otherwise – by employers and others. 

A voice for younger workers

To encourage younger workers to participate in the trade union movement by removing unnecessary restrictions and barriers. This to include UNISON working with student organisations in schools, colleges and universities to unite workers and students in common campaigns. For genuine young members’ democracy in UNISON including branch-based conferences and committees. For UNISON to lead a mass campaign for the immediate introduction in the UK of voting rights in all elections at the age of 16. 

Fighting climate change

To campaign for the nationalisation of the energy companies, under democratic workers’ control and management, with compensation paid only on the basis of proven need, in order to carry out a major switch to clean, green energy, without any loss of jobs, pay or conditions. For UNISON to include in all campaigning in the industries and sectors we organise within the need for prioritising major research and investment into replacing fossil fuels and nuclear power with renewable energy. To campaign for a democratically planned, massively expanded, free to use, publicly owned transport system and a major, publicly funded, insulation and energy transition plan for existing housing stock as part of an overall plan against environmental pollution. 

Building international links

UNISON branches to be encouraged to build links with trade union branches internationally, especially in countries and regions with strong local ties – through immigration, sponsorship schemes, student populations etc – in the geographical areas covered by the branch 

For the right to self-determination

UNISON should defend the right of the people of Scotland to decide democratically whether to be independent or not. That includes the right of the Scottish parliament to decide the timing of any future referendum and for the powers to legally call any referendum. UNISON should, alongside the trade union movement in Scotland, help lead the fight for democratic rights. Socialist Party Scotland fights for an independent socialist Scotland as part of the fight for socialist change across Britain and internationally. 

For a political voice for the working class

No to cuts, job losses and austerity. UNISON members’ money should only be used to fund political candidates who support our union’s policies. For a new mass workers’ party, based on the trade unions, and drawing together workers, young people and activists from workplaces, and community, environmental, anti-racist and anti-cuts campaigns, to provide a fighting, socialist political alternative to the pro-big business parties. 

For socialist policies in UNISON 

The wealth in Scotland and across the UK could easily meet the needs of our public services. If that wealth is kept in private ownership our public services will continue to face cuts and closures. We stand for that wealth to be collectively owned and used democratically as part of a socialist planned economy for the benefit of all.