April Ashley - Request for nomination to UNISON NEC

UNISON National Executive Council (NEC) Elections 2011   Nominate April Ashley for National Black Members Seat (female)   UNISON membership number: 3167703   All branches can nominate for the black members seats and all members can vote in the election for this seat.   I am writing to seek the nomination of your branch for the National Black member's (female) seat.   I am currently the National Black Members (female) representative on the NEC and I have worked hard over the past year campaigning for racial equality in the workplace. This year is vital for UNISON as we need to organise national action to defend our members against the 'Con-Dem' Government cuts.   I continue to work as the Assistant Branch Secretary of Southwark Local Government Branch. As a union activist for over 15 years I have organised and led numerous campaigns to defend members from the attacks of employers of constant reorganisations, job cuts and downgrading of jobs, as well as the normal day to day work of grievances and disciplinaries. I have experience in organising branch action around national campaigns on pay and pensions.   Through my experiences I have seen that whilst members are quite determined to fight against these relentless attacks our leadership fails to match the determination of ordinary members. We need the leadership to change in order to become a fighting and democratic union.   Public Sector Cuts The 'Con-Dem' public sector cuts threaten the jobs of hundreds of thousands of UNISON members. What they can't cut they'll try to privatise leading to worse conditions and service. However, it is clear that black workers will be hit hardest by the cuts. I believe UNISON must co-ordinate a national fight back against these attacks. Branch by branch will leave members in weaker branches in trouble – we must fight together. We also must use the Equality duties of the Equality Act 2010, even with its limitations, to ensure that black workers and black community groups are not unfairly targeted in the cuts.   Pay Unfortunately the local government employers have introduced a pay freeze. They have even refused to pay the Government agreed £250 for workers earning under £21,000. And of course as black workers are the lowest paid workers with many employed in privatised care homes as domestic assistants, cooks and cleaners, this decision disproportionally affects black workers. But unfortunately our members have not been asked their opinion, not been asked what action they wish to take or asked how can we defeat a pay freeze?   Pensions The government are using the media to claim we have 'gold-plated' pensions that costs the tax-payer. However members know the average public sector pension is only £4,000 so we need to protect our pension to ensure it is not reduced to a pittance. The interim pension report published by Lord Hutton is a ruthless attack on our modest pensions. We need a national campaign now linking with other public sector unions, such as the teachers and civil servants, to save our pensions.   Health Workers in the NHS are facing an unprecedented attack. The 'big bang' of privatisation where all GP services are set to be privatised under the name of 'local accountability' is the proposal of the Government health White Paper. We all know privatisation leads to the 'race to the bottom' for public sector workers in terms of wages, terms and conditions. Who are at the bottom of the pile?- black workers! We need to campaign against this wholesale privatisation of the NHS.   Schools The Con-Dem government has abolished the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSNB) which was seeking to negotiate national terms and conditions for all staff school. However any national negotiations will only be successful if terms and conditions are legally binding on all schools so each school is not left to fight on its own. The current Schools Workforce Remodelling has already failed to deliver our members out of poverty pay or provide them with a career structure. It has actually delivered more exploitation by Head teachers who want teachers on the cheap! Although the SSSNB has come to the end we still need to organise members to fight for the best pay, terms and conditions.     Economic Crisis This recession will devastate many working families, including UNISON members, as an estimated 1.3 million face unemployment, and many could lose their homes. Public Sector workers will be asked to pay for a crisis they did not create. Our union's strategy must put our members' interests first! We need a leadership that will fight to defend every public sector job and ends privatisation so that we do not have to pay for this neo-liberal capitalist crisis.     Stop Funding New Labour! The Con-Dem attacks are coming thick and fast. But Labour prepared the ground. Across the country how many Labour Councillors will genuinely stand on our side to oppose the cuts? Which Labour Councils will refuse to pass on the cuts and fight for the budgets needed for our services? Incredibly UNISON is still handing over our funds to New Labour when most members see little difference between them, the Tories and the Lib Dems. Members look at our struggles over pay, pensions and privatisation and draw the conclusions that our link with New Labour has stopped us from fighting these battles successfully. I would campaign for us to change our rules so that UNISON members could decide to fund candidates in elections who were prepared to support UNISON policy – not sponsor New Labour candidates who pass on cuts and privatisation.   I urge you to nominate me along with and Hugo Pierre who is standing for the Black Members Male seat.   I also urge you to nominate all the 'Reclaim the Union' candidates.   Fraternally,     April Ashley     Regards Marsha-Jane xx