Dear Camden UNISON member,
***UNISON GENERAL SECRETARY ELECTION***
***YOUR UNION, YOUR VOICE***
Every 5 years, UNISON members elect our General Secretary. This email gives a brief explanation of the role, why voting is important, and how you can vote, so please to read, and keep the email in case you need to refer to it again.
What does the General Secretary do?
The General Secretary of the union is the main public face – they are the person who is contacted by the media to get the union’s position on major issues of the day, if UNISON is invited on to programmes like Question Time or Any Questions, it’s the General Secretary who would usually go, they are the person who is most likely to speak on national demonstrations.
They also represent UNISON within the TUC, and should play an important role supporting members when we take up the fight – visiting picket lines and speaking at rallies, coming to branch and regional events.
Between the UNISON annual conference, it is at the National Executive Council, working with the General Secretary, where decisions are made and policies decided at conference are implemented. So it’s an important role within the union, and therefore spending a few minutes reading about the candidates and then voting matters!
When do I vote?
Voting opens on Tuesday 28 Oct, and closes at 5pm on Tuesday 20 Nov. The results will be announced on 17 Dec.
How do I vote?
You vote by postal ballot. This means that over the next week, you should receive a ballot paper, with a pre-paid return envelope. We recommend that you vote as soon as you receive the ballot paper – that way, the ballot paper doesn’t get lost/tidied up/left in the bottom of your bag/eaten by the dog!
There are two candidates in this election, and you get one vote – so put your X in the box by the candidate you want to win.
What if I don’t get a ballot paper in the post?
Call the UNISON helpline! The number is 0800 0857 857. The helpline opens on 11 Nov until 19 Nov.
Who do I vote for?
The two candidates are, in alphabetical order, Andrea Egan and Christine McAnea. You should vote for the candidate that you think will make the best General Secretary! Along with the ballot paper, there will be an election booklet that has a statement from each candidate and a list of all the branches that have nominated them. Take a few minutes to read both of those before deciding where to put your X.
Branch Nominations
Candidates contact every UNISON branch and ask the branch to consider nominating them. This is done in advance of the election, and the candidate and branch can both advertise the nomination and why it was made.
At a recent Camden UNISON branch committee meeting, we voted to nominate Andrea Egan.
This was because she best reflects the policies and ethos of our branch. She has pledged to:
• Take only the wage of a social worker (Andrea’s job), rather than the £181,000 salary the current general secretary takes. Andrea’s pay will go up when ours does
• Lead a fight for better pay
• Put UNISON members before Keir Starmer and the Labour Party – UNISON policies will guide campaigns, including opposing austerity, opposing genocide, standing up for trans+ rights and against racism and bigotry
• Have a national campaign to divest our pension fund from war and occupation.
If you have any other queries about the election/the election processes, please email unison@camden.gov.uk and we will try to help. Above all, use your vote.
YOUR UNION, YOUR VOICE
Liz Wheatley
Branch Secretary
Camden UNISON
Tel: 020 7974 1633
Email: unison@camden.gov.uk
Web: http://www.camdenunison.org.uk
Camden UNISON Branch Office
3rd Floor Crowndale Centre
218-220 Eversholt Street
London
NW1 1BD