Left slate and left independents now hold clear majority on union’s executive committee as members vote for clear left leadership – and right-wing ‘disputes’ chair installed in Labour NEC ‘coup’ loses seat
The left has landed a major blow in the national executive elections of Unison, the UK’s largest union. Skwawkbox understands that the ‘Time for real change’ left slate and independent left candidates now hold 42 of 68 seats on the executive. The union’s general secretary is right-winger Christine McAnea, who was backed by Labour right pressure groups such as Labour First.
The ‘real change’ campaign is expected to issue a statement this evening. However, a Unison insider told Skwawkbox that the result is an ‘earthquake’, with immediate ramifications in the Labour party too:
This is an earthquake in the union which will have big implications in the Labour party. [NEC chair] Wendy Nichols has been booted off in Yorkshire and we will take all the NEC seats on the Labour Link Committee as well, so so that’ll be her off the Labour NEC.
Ms Nichols had been installed as the chair of the Labour NEC’s important ‘organisational’ committee earlier this year as part of what left NEC members considered a ‘coup’, replacing Andi Kerr.
Congratulations to all the left candidates and to Unison members, who have demonstrated their appetite for clear left leadership.
The SKWAWKBOX needs your help. The site is provided free of charge but depends on the support of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to without hardship, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal or here to set up a monthly donation via GoCardless (SKWAWKBOX will contact you to confirm the GoCardless amount). Thanks for your solidarity so SKWAWKBOX can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.
If you wish to republish this post for non-commercial use, you are welcome to do so – see here for more.