UNISON Active debate - How do we roll the union on?‏

The ideological heirs to Thatcher have now condemned us to five years of hell. This will be a war for the very survival of public services in this country, along with hundreds of thousands of job losses and attacks on terms and conditions. This will test the capacity and will of every UNISON member, like never before. http://bit.ly/96sklb

As Councils, NHS trusts, Universities and Colleges and Police Authorities all face pressure to make savage cuts UNISON itself will be forced to be more accountable, member focused and demonstrably responsive to members needs.

UNISON has been developing internal strategies for making sure we are doing that and intervening to deliver on our agreed aims and objectives. Partnership working with lay members is seen as crucial to the process – “Whilst the regional secretary, on behalf of the general secretary, has responsibility for the day to day management of the region, regional lay leadership has a legitimate role in monitoring deployment of resources to region” (Partnership Working at a regional level – A Best Practice Guide)

But do our lay activists actually get involved? Key performance indicators are now routinely used by Regional managers but who on the lay side knows about them and are they measuring the right things?

And what scrutiny process exists within the lay leadership structures at a regional level to ensure they are right and are being met?

How do we know if managers are ensuring that in the workplace, where it really matters to our members, genuine progress is being made.

We are now an ‘organising union’ but in reality what does that mean?

How do we know if we are being more successful, having deployed over 100 Area and Local organisers in all regions?

Simply put, how as a union do we currently or in the future, measure if we are 'Developing an Efficient and Effective Union '. How do we know what our ‘productivity’ levels are in terms of organising

How is the regional committee’s role in respect of scrutiny of union resources actually fulfilled in practice?

According to our own best practice guide “regions need to set work plans that show how the union's objectives are being met and there is a need for regular reviews to ensure these are being met".

Does the National Executive with its monolithic stultifying committees really know what is going on in Regions?

How quick is the ‘partnership’ model discarded if the lay members are seen not to be ‘on message’? If we are going to be effective and efficient we all must now rise to the biggest challenge in the movement's post war history .

Trade unions exist to defend the interests of their members and to promote social justice in wider society. UNISON members, as public service workers, are facing the biggest attacks on them and the services they provide. It is critical that UNISON is able to respond to these challenges.

To do this we must be able to demonstrate that this is the priority for all parts of the union. There is no room for complacency or opt-out from any part of the union. It is essential for the union to be able to actively show it is campaigning, organising and negotiating with and on behalf of the members. The moment is ours - we must make sure we are up to the fight ahead.

Yes we are in a war now, but as someone once said “ however beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results”.

UNISON Active would welcome responses to this article at http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/p/contact-unisonactive.html