UNISON, the largest union in Britain, has elected the left-wing candidate Andrea Egan to be its next General Secretary.
In what was a momentous outcome, Andrea beat the previous incumbent decisively by a 20-point margin, to become the first rank and file member elected to the most senior post in the union. It is always difficult to beat an incumbent from the establishment, which has all the tools of the bureaucracy available to it, so the size of the victory spoke of the desire of members for a change of approach.
Historic victory
The election of Andrea has significance beyond UNISON. It is indicative of union members generally, but also people more widely in society, looking towards a political alternative that not only rejects the siren calls of the right-wing populists but challenges the establishment politicians and their failing capitalist policies. It is notable that the defeated UNISON incumbent was widely recognised as a Keir Starmer loyalist.
Two of the promises that Andrea Egan made in her election campaign resonated particularly loudly with members. The first was her pledge to take only a social worker’s wage (Andrea is a registered social worker) rather than the £180k package on offer. The second was to review the relationship with the Labour Party, and end the union’s subservience to Starmer.
Reviewing relationship with Labour
This will be a key challenge for the new General Secretary. UNISON’s relationship with Labour is managed through labyrinth-like procedures that often entrench support for those on the right. There is a clear question to be posed as to whether affiliation to Labour should continue. But an immediate step would be democratising the relationship with the party.
Currently, the relationship is governed by those who are members of the Labour Party. No figures exist, but it is likely that is well below 5% of UNISON members. What is known is that no more than 16% pay into the Labour-affiliated Political Fund. The relationship with Labour must ultimately be decided by all members.
Of course, some activists might see the murmurings around Andy Burnham as a potential panacea for the problems with Labour – though the fact that he has been blocked from returning to parliament may lessen this. In any case, we recognise that Burnham will offer no real solutions to the working class. His approach may be more competent than Starmer’s and clothed in left wing phrases, but the same policies in broad terms would be followed were he Prime Minister. When Starmer goes and who takes over is not the main issue at stake. UNISON members must decide our relationship.
Bureaucratic obstacles
Starmer may not be popular with UNISON activists, but he is far from friendless in the bureaucracy – particularly among some in senior positions in the union. There will undoubtedly be attempts to resist and frustrate Andrea Egan’s programme of change. The position is also complicated by the National Executive Council being controlled by those on the right, which does temper to some degree the power to act. However, members have decisively rejected the previous regime. That mandate must be respected.
For much of its life, UNISON has been wedded to an individualistic ‘servicing’ approach towards unionism, with industrial action frowned upon. This has started to change, with the Organising to Win strategy that Andrea Egan previously played a key role in piloting. This strategy must now be stepped up. We must take a proactive approach to collective campaigning and find ways to facilitate success in industrial action ballots. For too long the union has not delivered sufficient improvement for members in pay and conditions. That must change.
Other challenges
There are other challenges that will be faced. UNISON has many good equalities policies – including on trans rights. But too often, under the former General Secretary, our flag was furled to avoid causing upset or embarrassment to the Labour Party.
Branches and activists must be resourced to ensure we can embed the organising and campaigning principles throughout the union. But that support must go further than resources. When activists are attacked by the employer, UNISON must have their back. NEC member Tom Barker is currently suspended following him successfully organising a strike ballot in his workplace, in a move that has all the hallmarks of trade union victimisation. Members in his workplace have voted for strike action, but the previous General Secretary offered little support. UNISON must stand by victimised activists.
Of course, Andrea Egan cannot change UNISON alone. We need activists to stand and challenge for national, regional and local positions, and we need to energise the next generation of activists and leaders. Only then can UNISON change into a genuinely fighting union.
Nonetheless, Andrea Egan’s change of tactic, her bold approach, and her determination has already been signalled in the new combative, members-first stance she outlines in articles with The Guardian and The Mirror. That will inspire members and activists. And members of Socialist Alternative are completely committed to embedding her manifesto. Andrea Egan as our General Secretary gives our union a new direction, and offers hard-pressed UNISON members real hope.
