Executive Council elections: Let’s Reunite our union!

This Executive Council election will be the most important since Unite was formed. The timetable has now been released and members in every industrial sector, region, nation and equalities strand, will at last have their first chance to end the toxic division, end the dysfunction and reunite our union.

For the sake of our union this opportunity must be taken.

To everybody considering standing to join the Executive Council (EC) and take on the important responsibility of overseeing our union on behalf of members, we say our shared watchword must be unity.

The days of old divisions and historical differences are long over. Everybody can agree that the current situation cannot continue. For years the Executive Council has been mired in toxic divisions, due entirely to a General Secretary who believes her position is one of an elected dictatorship.

Reunite has always supported the 31 EC members who have consistently stood up for members and demanded answers, even when faced with intransigence, smears and attempts at intimidation.

There are very serious issues facing our Executive, which left unresolved place the future of our union in danger.

• Allegations of “corruption” and “vote rigging,” with the employment of a “ghost
  worker.” Sharon Graham has refused the EC’s demand for an independent
  investigation and instead instructed the union’s staff to undertake online anti-bribery training.
• Public attacks by a union spokesperson on the whistleblower who came forward to expose the “ghost worker” scandal.
• The Chair of the Executive remains in post only at the behest of a High Court judge and against the wishes of the majority of the Executive itself.
• A ruling from the union regulator – the Certification Officer (CO) – has confirmed EC members have faced obstruction from the union’s senior management to prevent them from inspecting the union’s finances.
• The CO is now investigating our union for a failure to “keep proper accounting
  records.”
• Major concerns about the financial health of our union continue to mount thanks to a complete lack of transparency:

o The union’s wage bill is now equal to 69% of income, up from 40%, an increase that includes the promotion of family members of senior management.
o The union’s strike fund has been seriously depleted, threatening our ability to
support members in dispute.
o The union’s general fund is allegedly being sustained by the emergency sale of assets.
o Branch money will now be transferred into the general fund if a branch is considered dormant for three years, raising questions about the need to use
old branches to sustain the general fund.
o Sharon Graham has increased members’ subs twice and abolished the lower
‘basic rate.’ Members deserve to know where their money is being spent.

This situation cannot continue. The 31 must now be supported by new, incoming EC members who are prepared to fight for members.

Reunite will support all candidates who are committed to change, to ending the divisions, and to securing the future of our union.

The need for our union to be strong has never been greater and we are at our strongest only when we unite.

It’s time to Reunite our union.