Elections will the take place this spring for all of the 60 or so seats seats on UNISON’s National Executive Council (NEC).
The NEC is UNISON’s most senior lay body, consisting of members from all 12 of its geographical regions and seven service groups of which local government is the largest. It is subject to election every two years. In line with the union’s rules, at least two thirds of the seats are held by women and 13 seats are specifically reserved for low-paid women workers.
Among other things, the NEC has the power to decide on the union’s campaigning priorities between conferences and also has the authority to green light official industrial action. NEC members also represent UNISON and its 1.3 million strong membership in the wider trade union movement across Britain and internationally.
Our branch committee will consider nominating candidates for numerous NEC seats at its 14 January meeting. Among those seeking nomination are Camden’s own co-chair Phoebe Watkins and schools convenor Hugo Pierre.
The nomination period for the 2013 NEC election opens on Wednesday 9 January and closes at 5pm on Friday 22 February. Voting across the membership as a whole starts in April and the results will be published on 10 June.