UNISON: A Democratic deficit and failure to consult members in ‘Labour Leadership’ endorsement of Sir Keir Starmer

Growing anger amongst UNISON members at the lack of consultation and not been allowed their say.

The union failed to consult members arrange hustings or offer any form of consultancy in who the union would support for the Labour Leadership race. Members in an open later to the UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis suggested the union was incredibly premature in its decision to back Sir Keir Starmer.

We also note that In 2015 and 2016 UNISON carried out hustings (see video below) and a substantial consultation process, so why not in 2020?

The decision to back Sir Keir Starmer was taken by just 22 members with no consultation to the other 1.3 million members.

Here is a chance to have your say by signing this open later to Dave Prentis UNISON general secretary.

Dear Dave Prentis (CC: Labour Link Committee),

We are writing to you regarding the Labour Link Committee’s decision to make nomination’s for Leadership and Deputy Leadership positions in the Labour Party.

Unison is now the UK’s largest Trade Union representing 1.3 million members. It is disappointing that the affiliated fund members were not consulted in this decision, as we have been in the past.

This is an incredibly premature decision, as the contest has only been open for one day and (at the time of posting) there is still time for other candidates to come forward. There have been no hustings open to members or public debates. We note that the deadline for nominations is ‪14 February‬, leaving us with more than enough time to consult members ahead of the decision.

We also note that In 2015 and 2016 UNISON carried out a substantial consultation process, so why not in 2020?

As Unison members, we believe that Unison should be leading the way in the democratic engagement of members and find this missed opportunity deeply disappointing.

If you are a UNISON member and want to register your concern about the lack of democracy you can sight HERE

Copy and paste the link :

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnWyJNvogSRWMBzLU7Yyr1CMeFRu_iW3AyLfFqW3GDE0r_Sw/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2u6Lqjmoc_CCPK0X6wJ3gXgVZdf_aWLXPn3g5agI2E7-Mtjb1hHdbc5O8

in 2015 the hustings were properly conducted. Why not in 2019?

The leadership election has been prompted by Ed Miliband’s resignation as Labour leader, following the party’s defeat in the general election.

This time around, the leadership election was conducted using a one member – one vote system.

Jeremy Corbyn,  Liz Kendall, Andy Burnham and Yvette Cooper took part in the hustings.

Link to unison hustings when democracy mattered. LINK

Labour Heartlands opinion…

Commenting on the decision, UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “This is a pivotal time for Labour. We believe – if elected by the membership – Keir Starmer would be a leader to bring the party together and win back the trust of the thousands of voters who deserted Labour last month.

Labour Heartlands believe it was, in fact, front benches that pushed a second referendum onto Labour leave voting constituencies that should carry the blame. In particulate Sir Keir Starmer who ignored the thousands of voters who did not back Labour in this election and constantly pushed the Labour Party into an unwinnable position.

This trend of ignoring traditional Labour constituency’s and communities will leave Labour resigned to the metropolitan cities. The vacuum within the traditional Labour Heartlands will be taken up by a Party that as the pulse of the working class and understands their very real concerns and struggles.

Unions created the Labour Party to give working people a voice in Westminster. But it can only achieve for them, their families, their communities and the country’s public services when in government. Then to do that, it was more than evident the strategy had to be win seats
The seats Labour needed to win showed that 43 out of the 64 target seats registered a higher Leave vote than the country as a whole.

LABOUR’S U-TURN ON THE REFERENDUM WAS THE PRIMARY FACTOR IN RETURNING A TORY GOVERNMENT

Vice chair of UNISON’s Labour Link Committee Linda Hobson said: “Under Keir Starmer’s leadership Labour could move forward and learn the lessons from – and understand the reasons for – the party’s terrible defeat last month. 

Labour Heartlands suggest you did not wait or take the time to understand what lessons and reasons for such a catastrophic defeat before you acted decisively in backing Keir Starmer. the 52 Labour leave constituency were not lost because Labour offered Free Broadband but because remain MP’s like Sir Keir Starmer, Emily Thornberry and Clive Lewis

The Political class have abandoned the workers: Our strength is in the unions