Mainstream centre left candidates romped home in London UNISON regional elections for the fifth year running. Gloria Hanson Regional Convenor, her running mate Conroy Lawrence and four colleague convenor team members trounced their ultra left challengers by a two to one majority as they out organised and outstripped a UNISON 'United Left' slate determined to regain control of the Greater London Region.
The centre left first recaptured control in 2006 after a determined push to unseat the ultra left who had sadly run the region unchallenged for over a decade. Since then a determined and ever growing group of mainstream leaders steadily increased their majority year on year until their resounding victory yesterday.
Their success was made even more sweet by the publication of the Employment Tribunal finding last Friday which ruled that Socialist Party attempts to claim that legitimate steps take by UNISON to discipline four branch officers for objectionable behaviour amounted to discrimination on the grounds of philosophical belief had no standing in law and were unequivocally thrown out.
Support for Gloria, Conroy and their team has consistently grown among health and utility branches in the region, now spreading to more mature local government and higher education branches. They do not underestimate their task. Tory Mayor Boris Johnson and a majority Tory regime across the region drive cuts and privatisation relentessly forward. But UNISON organisation at local level is strengthening daily and the union is now well equipped to cope with the attacks the membership will face in coming months.
