Now -read the book!

Here is a link to my memoirs which, if you are a glutton for punishment, you can purchase online at https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history.
Men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name. (William Morris - A Dream of John Ball)

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Ooops! Prentis does it again...

‎Those who think that the campaign for the re-election of UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis is being organised solely with a view to an eventual (slapstick) film version today received evidence to support their view.

The Prentis campaign today used a database of Branch Secretary email addresses (disclosed to them for the purposes of soliciting nominations) to circulate an email calling for support.

Pedants (such as your humble blogger) might consider this to breach paragraph 51 of the election procedures, but such a breach might excite little attention in a Union where it is felt appropriate to use the monthly shop stewards' magazine for the transparent promotion of the incumbent candidate.

However, Mr Prentis (or whoever writes his emails) hasn't just made use of UNISON resources to send a campaigning email to hundreds of Branch Secretaries - he has encouraged recipients to "pass this message on to members in your branch."

That is, quite plainly, a deliberate attempt to encourage Branch Secretaries themselves to breach the election procedures by using UNISON resources to pass on campaign materials for a candidate in the election.

The only question which remains is whether this conscious soliciting of a breach of UNISON Rules is motivated by arrogance or stupidity. 

What do you think?

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.

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