UK
We need a fairer UNISON, one that puts members first – Andrea Egan
Andrea Egan, Candidate for UNISON General Secretary
With over 1.3 million members and an income of £200m, I am proud to be a part of Britain’s largest trade union. However, I have been left disappointed in UNISON’s current General Secretary and her allies’ failure to exert the union’s influence to improve the lives and conditions for our members. 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. This has to change.
In 2022 I was proud to be elected President of the union. During my year-long tenure, I supported the implementation of UNISON’s first Race Discrimination Panel, gave support to the launch of trans ally training and championed the UNISON’s disabled workers passport. I led on the Organising to Win programme which has done so much to support members to secure substantial improvements to pay and conditions. However I was prevented from doing more by a minority in our union who didn’t want change.
That’s why I’m standing to be UNISON’s General Secretary to bring about a transformation of our union, ensuring branches and members have the power to secure crucial wins within the workplace. If elected, I will 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. To make sure that I remain true to my principles and close to our members, I will only take the salary of a social worker and channel the rest of the £166,000 pay packet into industrial action and welfare funds. I believe actions speak louder than words.
Furthermore, there should be zero tolerance for any forms of discrimination in UNISON. A commitment to anti-racism, trans allyship and celebrating diversity is essential to a thriving organisation. So within my first 100 days of being elected, I will convene a meeting with all self-identifying groups within the union to listen and adhere to their demands for a truly inclusive environment
What’s more, I will continue to be fearless in speaking up for oppressed people around the globe, including calling for an arms embargo on Israel whilst working with our international trade union allies to share advice and best practise.
I started working life as a low-paid children’s care worker and later became a social worker. It’s with this first-hand experience that I take pride in vociferously campaigning on the issues affecting our members. This includes attending demonstrations, lobbies and picket lines, defending our public services from austerity, coordinating anti-racist events and leading the union’s first industrial action against the academisation of secondary schools in 2008. I have fought for social justice my entire life and now I want to use my experience to transform the entire way our union works.
I believe that everyone has a right to a wage they can live on, a house they can live in, a health service that can look after them, education for their children and the ability to retire with dignity. I will fight for these objectives. If you are a UNISON member and want to fight for them too, it would be fantastic to have your support.
- You can support Andrea Egan’s campaign for UNISON General Secretary here. Her campaign is supported by Time for Real Change, rank and file UNISON activists determined to make UNISON democratic, transparent and successful.
- You can follow Andrea’s campaign for UNISON General Secretary on Twitter/X.
UNISON former President Andrea Egan launches her campaign to be the union’s next General Secretary
Andrea Egan, President of UNISON in 2022/23, has announced her candidacy as General Secretary in forthcoming elections to the union. UNISON is Britain’s largest trade union with 1.3 million members and an income of almost £200 million. Andrea’s campaign is being supported by Time for Real Change, rank and file UNISON activists organising for a more democratic, transparent and successful union.
Andrea started work in the 1980s as a children’s care worker before later qualifying as a social worker. She was instrumental in leading UNISON’s first strike action against the academisation of schools back in 2008. During her time as President, she supported members to commence implementation of the Race Discrimination Panel. Andrea has played a leading role in the Organising to Win strategy to improve pay and conditions for the union’s members.
If elected, Andrea has pledged to take the wage of a social worker and channel the rest of the £166,000 General Secretary pay package into funding welfare and industrial action funds. She has committed to conducting a review into the union machinery, championing its diverse membership and standing up for oppressed people around the globe.
Andrea Egan says: “I’m standing to be General Secretary to give power to ordinary members, implement the decisions they’ve voted for, end bureaucratic waste and start winning the real improvements to pay and conditions all members deserve. I’ll take the wage of a social worker and conduct a comprehensive review of how the union operates. It’s time for UNISON to change – it’s time to win.”
David Jones, UNISON NEC member, adds: “We at Time For Real Change are delighted to support Andrea’s campaign for General Secretary. For far too long, UNISON’s bureaucracy has been slow to act on democratic decisions made by members. This has got to change, and it can under new leadership.”
If you support Andrea’s vision for UNISON, show your support by visiting Andrea’s website today. https://andrea4gs.org.uk/ and spread the word on social media: FB: https://www.facebook.com/Andrea4GS/. Insta:. https://www.instagram.com/andrea4gs/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet. Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/andrea4gs.bsky.social. X: https://x.com/Andrea4GS
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