Unite

Unite union election: who won?

Turnout for the Unite the Union Executive Council elections closing 24 April was abysmally low. Voting for the regional territorial seats varied between 6.4% and 5.1%. The average was around 6%. For the industrial sector seats average turnout was also around 6%, but more erratic. It ranged from 4.6% to 9% or 10% in two seats. In the equalities seats the voting ranged from 2.7% for the youth seat to 31.2% for the retired members' seat. In theory, some members could have cast votes for up to six different seats. But for whatever reason, this seems to have been a cause for confusion. It is not...

St Mungo’s strike to start mid-May

Workers at homelessness charity St Mungo’s in London, Bristol, Brighton, Oxford, Bournemouth and Reading have voted to strike from 24 April to 21 May over pay. A last minute management offer of an additional 1.25% is being voted on by members, because Unite reps had promised to bring back any consolidated offer. Members look highly likely to vote down the offer. Over 300 members attended a union Zoom meeting with the vast majority for a strike. If the digital vote rejects the offer Unite will give notice of a strike starting in mid-May. The dispute goes back to 2021, when bosses imposed a rise...

NHS "reject" campaign discusses plans

The NHS pay consultation ballots of the biggest health unions, RCN and Unison, are due to close on Friday 14 April. The Vote Reject campaign has delivered tens of thousands of leaflets across the country, and is bringing together workers from all the health unions to organise against the offer. Places where the campaign has a good levels of activism expect a strong No vote. However, in some areas many members will be untouched by the debate, and, without a convincing argument about how to win a better deal, may well be tempted by the unconsolidated “bribe” payment for 2022-23. RCN members, who...

Campaign for "no" vote in health

Consultation ballots on the derisory offer to NHS workers opened on 28 March 2023. The Vote Reject campaign has delivered tens of thousands of leaflets ( click here ) across the country, and is bringing together workers from all the health unions to organise against the offer. The campaign is starting to articulate ideas for an escalation of action alongside the BMA junior doctors if the offer is rejected. The petition for an Emergency General meeting of the RCN has been restarted, and emergency motions for Unison health conference (17-19 April) are circulating. It will be difficult to win a...

Solid strike wins 16.2%

Drivers working for the National Express bus company have won a 16.2% pay rise, better accident pay, and higher rates for Christmas holiday working, in a one year deal. The 3,100 drivers from nine bus garages across the West Midlands struck for six days and had stayed on strike while the company offer was voted on by members. The campaign had been coordinated by the reps working closely with the Unite Bus Combine. The reps were critical of the role of union full-time officers in previous disputes, and had failed to get over the threshold in a ballot of members in the last pay round. The strike...

Motions to Unite policy conference

Unite the Union’s policy conference takes place in Brighton, 11-14 July 2023. It’s immediately preceded by its rules revision conference (9-10 July), motions at which may include proposals for disaffiliation from the Labour Party – but they haven’t been published yet. However the motions to policy conference have been. Here are some highlights. The deadline for amendments (each branch, etc, can amend one motion) is 21 April. The full motions document from which the page references below are taken is here . Strike strategy There’s not a lot of motions about strike or broader industrial strategy...

Unite: endorse neither slate

Members of Unite the Union are receiving ballot papers from 30 March to vote (by 25 April) for the union’s national Executive Council (apart from the 14 seats which are not contested). There are two slates in the elections: The United Left (UL) slate and the Sharon Graham (SG) slate. The UL has been the "traditional" left in Unite since the union’s creation. According to its website, “we are socialists … we campaign for socialist candidates in Unite elections to ensure our union is led by socialists.” But the UL’s socialism has always been mostly of the Morning Star variety. Despite a sizeable...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.