Paul Couchman request for unison NEC Local Government seat

Appeal for nomination to the

National Local Government Male Seat on the UNISON NEC

 

Dear comrades

 

I am writing to ask your branch to nominate me as a candidate for the above NEC position.

 

I am currently Branch Secretary for Surrey County. I am also the South East Region Representative on the National Social Care Forum.

 

I have been an active socialist and trade unionist for all of my adult life. I joined the National Union of Railwaymen (now the RMT) when I left school and started on the railways. I spent two years working in Glasgow for the Anti-Poll Tax Federation and have been active in Surrey County UNISON for over ten years now.

 

I am proud to be part of a strong, democratic and growing branch which is never afraid to lead our members in struggle. Over the last few years we have seen strikes over pay and conditions (we are on a local pay agreement) and I led a high-profile and successful strike of mental health social workers for overtime payments. We are currently fighting a barrage of cuts and our Unison branch took the initiative in launching a County-wide anti-cuts group called Save Our Services in Surrey which has gone from strength to strength.

 

I have also led campaigns to increase mileage allowances, increase the Surrey minimum wage and against introducing car park charging for staff. All these campaigns involved mass meetings, campaigning activity, hard negotiating and industrial action ballots. All these campaigns were successful.

 

I am also active in local community politics and last year I was active in two major local battles in my constituency of Spelthorne – the fight to save a local infant school and the local FE college from complete closure – both were huge local campaigns involving hundreds of parents, students and trade unionists. Both the school and the college were saved. I believe strongly in building the widest solidarity and campaigning networks possible to defend not only our members but the services we both provide and need.

 

I am standing for the NEC as part of the national 'Reclaim our Union' group of candidates. I believe we need a more democratic, fighting union and I will do everything I can if elected to make this happen. I would also ask you to consider supporting other candidates who are part of the 'Reclaim the Union' group.

 

We are facing the most important time ever for our union. Our members are looking for a lead – to defend their jobs, pay and conditions. I do not believe we are currently doing enough at a national level. We should be coordinating with other trade unions and planning national action now! UNISON in Scotland are building for this – so should the rest of us be. I moved motions at both our Regional Council and Local Government Regional Conference calling for the NEC to work with other unions and call a date for a national demonstration earlier than the TUC demo at the end of March – both events carried the motion but we are still waiting.

 

I am also opposed to UNISON maintaining our affiliation to the Labour Party. Under 13 years of New Labour we saw a massive increase in privatisation and outsourcing and the launch of the academies programme. The Labour Party would have made cuts if they had won the election. Labour councils are making cuts. UNISON should only support politicians who stand firm against ALL cuts.

 

• Build for the TUC demo on 26^th march (our branch has already booked and paid for 4 coaches)
• Build UNISON
• Build the Anti-Cuts movement
• For national coordinated public sector strike action now!
• Oppose ALL cuts – in jobs, services, pay, conditions and pensions
• Challenge the politicians – fight the cuts or get out of the way!

 

Please consider nominating me as a candidate for the UNISON NEC

 

Yours in solidarity

 

 

 

Paul Couchman

UNISON Membership No: 6022529

Surrey County Branch (Local Government)