Labour Hub interviewed Andrea Egan who is running to be Unison General Secretary.

Labour Hub: For people not familiar with Unison structures, what were you able to achieve as President and what, if elected, would you be able to do as General Secretary that you couldn’t do as President?

Andrea Egan: UNISON is a union of 1.3 million members divided across twelve regions and seven ‘service groups’ such as Local Government, Health, Higher Education, Police, Probation and CAFCASS [Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service], for example. The regions are further divided into branches of all different sizes – this is an enormous organisation, the biggest trade union in the UK.

The union employs over 1,000 staff and is built on a ‘lay’ (not employed by the union) membership – branch activists and Stewards are the absolute bedrock of the union, but we have never had a General Secretary in a member-led union who is a branch activist, a lay-member. This has to change, and I hope to be that first non-officer employee of the union to be elected.

For far too long, UNISON’s bureaucracy has been sluggish in implementing democratic decisions chosen by our members, which has resulted in a membership left disillusioned by top-down decision-making, bureaucratic inefficiency and waste.

So as the General Secretary, I am pledging to take the salary of a social worker and channel the rest of the over £181,000 pay packet into supporting workers in struggle.

Not only that, I aim to conduct a review into the union’s machinery to ensure our policies are not just words on a piece of paper but are fully implemented. I could not do this as President but will do it if elected General Secretary.

I would also want to see greater transparency on where members’ money is spent on such things as the Labour Party, international trips, expenses and donations – Members have a right to know the full detail of our accounts – another example of what I could do if elected.

As President, I was never able to control the messages of our union. Comms remains within the control of Officers and, if elected General Secretary, this will change as I will have control of the union’s key messages to our members. I would change this from messages about such things as a dental plan to an industrial, organising plan; from comms about pet insurance to messages of winning for our members by collective action – I would change fundamentally how UNISON presents itself from the individual to the collective.

Labour Hub: What are your plans to increase recruitment of new members and engagement of inactive members in Unison?

Andrea Egan: I believe UNISON is at a crossroads in its ‘servicing’ versus ‘organising’ agenda. I have been part of a group of NEC members and activists across our union who wish to transform our union and our movement. We have used our majority on UNISON’s National Executive Committee to improve strike pay, review our staffing and structure, and improve support for branches. However, we have been prevented from doing more by those who don’t want change in our union. That’s why I’m fighting to be General Secretary to achieve our goal of transforming UNISON into a democratic force.

Key activists will be invited to come and share their actions to achieve successful industrial action – no more focus groups: I will ask members and activists directly. I will bring together key leaders of our self-organised groups and identify the central priorities – they will determine the actions and priorities of our union. I will ensure decisions made at our conferences are enacted an not ignored.

Members will want to join as they will see an enormous and powerful organisation winning for members.

Labour Hub: What difference would your election as General Secretary make to the relationship of Unison to the Labour Party?  

Andrea Egan: I have given a commitment to undertake a comprehensive review of the relationship between UNISON and the Labour Party. My view is that for far too long our union and the General Secretary has been too subservient to the Labour Party and more recently, the Labour Government, supporting policies that directly impact and damage our members.

I will do everything possible to stop the blank cheques to the Labour Government. The relationship with Labour is far too dependent on a Labour link minority of our union and I want that to change.

UNISON will hold the Government’s feet to the fire, I will do that and if the review supports withdrawal of financial support for some MPs that is what will happen.

I will not support financial donations to Labour MPs who do not support UNISON policy.

Our Members do not want to see £2m going to a Government who attack our services and jobs.

Labour Hub: What have been the highlights of your campaign so far?

Andrea Egan: Bringing activists together to produce a manifesto has been a refreshing experience, knowing that so many have contributed to this collective effort.

Another highlight is hearing how excited members up and down the country feel that we have a real chance to change our union into the powerful body it should be. We’ve had regular meetings with an ever-increasing number of activists wanting to get involved and change our union for the better.

Likewise, getting support from across my union from teaching assistants to cleaners, social workers, health care assistants, police staff, to name but a few, as well as support from across the labour movement. At the time of writing, I am heading towards 100 branches having nominated me and so am on track to get more nominations than any lay member has ever achieved before.

Website: andrea4gs.org.uk/   Facebook: facebook.com/Andrea4GS/ 

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