Executive Elections



Lesley Mansell - robbed last time just like the members are being now?
Ballot papers will be with you this week.  The Grass Roots Left candidates are Lesley Mansell (LGBT) and Ian Bradley (London Eastern) .

Apparently it will cost members over £1,000,000 to run this ballot.  The cost is outrageous.   It's a shame this has to be done so soon. 

Members are querying why the runner up (Lesley Mansell)  was not allowed to take up  the seat to save this enormous expense. Perhaps because she is truly on the left and opposes McCluskey's entrenched bureaucracy.


Lesley stood for the seat in the first place and was challenged by Harry McAnulty with seemingly little experience either at work or in the LGBT field.  McAnulty then decided to take off for Australia after a short time in the post. In our view he has let down the LGBT members and the Unite left. There seems little evidence of any impact he has made on the LGBT agenda. He failed to turn up at National Unite LGBT meetings and the TUC LGBT conference.  So LGBT members were not being represented.

Lesley was the "runner" up after the last election.  Four of her nominations were suspiciously given to the winner and Unite failed to do much to correct their error. 

Vote Lesley Mansell the candidate with the experience, commitment and track record of securing rights for LGBT and other members.

"I have represented members for over 30 years, founded Lesbians and Gays in MSF (1989)  and had a very positive impact which resulted in the TUC awarding me their prestigious Gold badge.

Homophobia and transphobia have not gone away. I continue to challenge the discrimination members still receive. We can be the first to go during any cut backs.

My record is outstanding in giving expert advice and support to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans members to improve their lives.

I've led campaigns for:
·       Equal rights at work
·       Repealing Section 28
·       Inclusion of bisexual and trans people
·       Civil partnerships
·       Dignity and respect for HIV+ members.

I started my union activity in engineering and became convenor and held various elected union positions including:
·       TUC LGBT Committee
·       National LGBT Committee
·       Equality Representative
·       Regional Council Deputy President
·       Standing Orders Committee

I am standing as a Grass Roots Left member and will fight for:

·       Unite to be a model for genuine involvement of LGBT members and all equality groups.
·       Officers elected by the members
·       Confronting anti-union and other unjust laws in the UK and EU.
·       A fighting union for jobs, terms and conditions, not just campaigning.
·       Public ownership and keeping public services.
·       Re-building manufacturing.
·       Employees/officers to be reinstated whenever a Tribunal
finds employers guilty of unfair dismissal.
·       A union fully accountable to members.

I am an NHS Equality manager and held similar roles in councils, education and voluntary organisations. I am a Labour party member and Chair the local Town Council.   Please contact me on mobile: 07980 695117
Email: lesleywinningunite@yahoo.co.uk"


Ian Bradley: 

"I am from a new generation of Unite activists. I am a socialist and was elected to the Electricians’ Rank and File London Committee during the BESNA dispute and play an active role nationally. I hope to bring the independence, experience and the spirit of the successful fightback in construction onto the Executive.

It’s great to see the union is finally taking on the blacklist in Construction and supporting the campaign launched by ordinary members. Professor Keith Ewing described the blacklist as, “the worst human rights abuse in relation to workers in Britain for 50 years.”


Many members want to see a more determined united fight to save jobs, services and pensions and stop years of pay freeze and pay cuts. Len McCluskey has spoken out against Tory austerity and called for civil disobedience and mass strike action against the government and employers.


But there is a gap between what Len is saying and what’s being delivered. The example in construction of rank and file activists working with the union leadership to deliver official and unofficial action was the key to our success. I believe we need to try and develop a similar approach across other sectors in Unite―in finance, passenger transport, manufacturing and the public sector.


I consider our union’s Equalities agenda as one of the most important aspects of our work, and one that must be developed alongside our industrial strategy. This is especially true after the terrible events in Woolwich. The EDL and BNP are trying to use the horrifc murder to make us blame migrants instead of bankers and politicians for the economic mess we face.


That’s why I’ve been active on all the recent protests against the BNP and EDL in the region. We must continue to take a lead in opposing discrimination in all its forms in the trade union movement and wider society.


We’ve just successfully delivered a big vote to keep our union’s political fund. It’s great that Unite has the ability to campaign for the NHS, against austerity and the Nazis. However, many members don’t see why we should be donating millions to Labour when Ed Miliband attacks our union if we strike or when Len McCluskey says Labour shouldn’t make the Tories cuts for them. We need to spend more of our political fund on political campaigning and we need visibility of how much money goes to Labour.


That’s why in the recent general secretary election, alongside almost 80,000 Unite members I voted for Jerry Hicks for a democratic union and the election of officers on an average workers wage. I support the unions Organising drive and am in favour of branch restructuring and the emphasis on workplace branches. However, I am opposed to the closure of branches without any consultation in our region.
I ask you to vote for me as part of building a genuine network of solidarity across Unite. I am happy to address branch meetings and reps committees. 


Please contact me for further information about our campaign at:
ianbradley.unite@gmail.com


Ian addressing the crowds in Trafalgar Square at the May Day Rally 2012.
I played a leading role in this region in initiating a fight by ordinary members against 35% wage cuts and employers’ attempts to tear up national agreements in Construction. A combination of official protests and unofficial action delivered a huge victory for our members and our union.” 


Get in touch with Ian:Email: ianbradley.unite@gmail.com  Phone: 07513 333 845"

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