Grass Roots Left

Just in time for the Executive elections (and only just, nominations begin tomorrow) the people who campaigned for Jerry Hicks  have set up a loose organisation called 'Grass Roots Left' to field candidates for the Executive.  See their candidates and policies here: www.grassrootsleft.org

So far 11 candidates for 8 sectors/regions are on the Grass Roots Left list.

Jerry Hicks, who came second in the recent General Secretary election, said:
"Our principles, policies and message was fundamentally different to any of the other general secretary candidates and we offered members a real alternative. Now we must do the same in the election for the new Unite NEC. I am asking you to support candidates standing under the banner of 'Grass Roots Left'"

38 comments:

  1. You have just got love those SWP back stabbers:
    Dear United Left,

    I can confirm the "Grassroots Left" is definately not an "SWP front". For
    the record i'm in the SWP and a member of the Cambridge & District 0009M
    ...branch and Mark Evans from Cambridge Central 1859 is standing for London &
    Eastern NEC seat as part of the "Grassroots Left", i find myself in a
    position where i'll be leading the opposition to the Chair of my local
    trades council in favour of the United Left candidates we endorsed at the
    meeting in Birmingham on Saturday. It is bound to cause a load of friction
    in Cambridge but this is the price of collective discipline.

    Could someone please email me off list to ozzy@strawberry-http://www.facebook.com/l/4787aAw6b4y_4UgEz047dW4FNIQ;fair.org.uk &
    andrew.osborne7@gmail.com some details about the UL candidates for London &
    Eastern region Mark is standing against so that i have a bit of ammo for the
    upcoming nomination meetings (my branch meets tonight).

    Cheers

    Ozzy

    ReplyDelete
  2. More UL considered debate below, note the union address. Can someone please stand for the Rural and Agricultural seat to remove this turnip?

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Monckton, Ivan - T&G. GEC. Member [mailto:Ivan.Monckton@unitetheunion.org]
    > Sent: 09 January 2011 20:47
    > To: david@dearunite.com
    > Subject: Wankers
    >
    > Dear dearunite.com
    >
    > If you had ANY principals whatsoever you would find your own contact lists and stop messaging
    > UL supporters who, practicaly unanimously, think you are a load of egotistical wankers.
    >
    > Ivan Monckton
    >
    > This correspondence contains information which may be privileged. It is intended for the
    > recipient(s) only. If an addressing or transmission error has misdirected this correspondence,
    > please notify the author. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use, disclose,
    > distribute, copy, print or reply. The contents, comments and views contained or expressed within
    > this correspondence do not necessarily reflect those of Unite, its subsidiaries, affiliates or
    > associates.
    > If you want to know more about Unite, visit us at http://www.unitetheunion.org/ or contact our
    > head office on 020 7611 2500.
    > This message has been scanned for viruses using NAI Groupshield and MailControl, a service from
    > BlackSpider Technologies.

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  3. It just goes to show that the UL is made up of incompetent full time officers trying to hold on to their highly paid positions.
    They are using Unite members money to send these offensive messages.

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  4. Anonymous January 11, 2011 6:55 AM get your facts right Ivan is not a full time officer but an elected lay member.

    Who is the turnip?

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  5. 8:45am is correct he is in fact a member of the Executive. It is still an abuse of the union's mail system which which we pay for. We haven't even started on the lifestyle and perks of the Exec members. Yet.

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  6. Ivan Monckton should be ashamed!!


    How Unite the Union let an officer of the NEC use its resources in such a vile way against the Unite members?

    Who do we make the complaint to?

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  7. There are two points to consider. The first being the use of union resources both in equipment and time. The second, is that the use of this type of language is not only in breach of the unions IT usage policy but it may also potentially fall under the subject of harassment against another Unite member. The Watcher.

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  8. I stand to be corrected, but how can someone like Ian Allison or Brett Davis who both supported and campaigned for Jerry last time suddenly jump ship to the UL slate?

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  9. Its an email address and not equipment or time.... bit like hotmail but slightly different.

    Some of the cynicism and hysteria on here knows no bounds and would put The Sun to shame.

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  10. david@dearunite.comJanuary 12, 2011 12:22 am

    If it was from a government, local authority or well known company's email address then it WOULD be in the Sun. And the Guardian: "Elected representative sends abuse to electors, using official email". If it was from hotmail it wouldn't.

    There is no comparison with hotmail, what are you talking about? It's like writing abuse on company letterhead paper compared to post-it notes. What arrogance the EC have.

    Union email addresses are a priviledge given to Exec members and they are expected to respect it, and the members. But then TGWU don't have to bother about their electors do they - The TGWU section election was over before it began, with most of General Secretary Woodley's supporters club taking office unopposed and without a vote (winning 25 seats unopposed and 14 out of the 15 contested ones, giving them 39 out of 40 seats!)

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  11. Ivan "the turnip" Monckton was not using hotmail he was using Unite the Union's email facility to send to post these obscene messages on public notice board!
    If you used your work email in the same way wouldn't you expect to be disciplined?
    He has made these comments in full view of the gutter press and is bringing Unite the union into disrepute!
    I hope action is taken to stop this abuse.

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  12. david@johmar.comJanuary 12, 2011 2:25 pm

    Much as I hate to defend the turnip, I do have to say his email was from a union elected official personally to me, it wasn't sent to a public notice board.

    Actually I found that more sinister and threatening than if it was public (which I am used to on the UL list), and I felt a bit better when I exposed his abuse here.

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  13. When we have the story on the lifestyle and perks of the Exec members?

    All drinking champaign at Esher and free trips to Cuba!

    Kick the Turnip out of Unite he's rotten..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Three years ago I was at Esher attending training for EWC members.
      On the Thursday night one of our class became a father for the third time.
      Champagne was asked for at the small bar in Esher College but I was informed that they do not keep it upon the premises.
      That blows your assumption out of the water.

      Graeme Murphy.
      Unite shop steward.
      Ewc UK rep for TT Electronics.

      Delete
  14. david@dearunite.comJanuary 12, 2011 9:09 pm

    I need more data especially some pics. Send it me well beforer ballot opens please- everything has to be checked and provable or I get solicitors letters.

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  15. So I see one additional candidate has been added to the Grass Roots Left slate - Lesley Mansell for the National Women's seat. Is this the same Lesley Mansell who was a delegate to the TUC Congress last September from the University & College Union?

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  16. david@dearunite.comJanuary 16, 2011 8:15 pm

    yes that'll be her she has been very active within TUC and was awarded the womens gold badge as an outstanding rep in 2005

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  17. Will grassroots find anymore candidates? Considering the vote Jerry got in the GS election it is expected enough 'giants' can be found before nominations close.
    Also, are there any draft motions for election of officers for this years rules conference? We are particularly interested in ones that explain the process to members and how it would work in the lay regional industrial structures.

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  18. So Lesley, who was within the last six months a leading member of UCU, now wants to stand for election to the EC of Unite! What has she done in the last six months? Is she now leading some industrial struggle. It reminds me of Steve Davison who's terms and conditions were negotiated by UCU but sits on the Unite EC. And we know where that got us.

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  19. I have been a member of Unite and its parent unions since the 1970's.  I have carried out numerous positions over the years and have an exemplary record.  I have supported workers at many levels often to my own detriment, I have served at local level in the branch at Region (becoming Vice President and for many years oganising all the activity on Equalities when no one else had the time, and in some cases, where some actively campaigned against it.
    I continue to be active in my Unite branch to use my knowledge for the benefit of members.  I have consistently supported members at work. Having supported a group of workers over the last few months who are being harassed, I am shocked at the lack of expertise on Equality Impact Assessments, a legal requirement and a powerful tool to support members in this position.  This is an area where the union can really make a difference yet does not seem interested..
    I am standing for the NEC Women's seat as this is where my expertise lies and my record shows how successful I have been in making a difference for working women.

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  20. The latest addition to the Grass Roots Left slate does not seem to have a solid history of left wing activity. Golam Bhuiyan is a Unite member at Heathrow. He says so on his Facebook page (which is completely open). He is asking on it for nominations for the EC election. But if you go back a few months you will find he attended "Pizza and phone banking for David!" (August 15, 2010) That's the David Miliband who was the Blairite candidate in the Labour leadership election. Would he want to promote David's right wing policies on the Unite EC?

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  21. david@dearunite.comFebruary 02, 2011 8:31 pm

    Golam wrote to me: "I did not involve myself in any sort of direct or indirect campaign activity in labour leadership election. I am not aware about the facebook activities. May be someone send me such invitation and I accepted this without watching its context. Normally I accept all the invitation and I do not see what is that, but never attended. Moreover my facebook activities is very limited.

    But I can confirm you that I never attended such kind of event or any campaign activities of David Miliband."

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  22. Evening Dave

    We are getting to the end of the nomination period. 65 seats up for grabs.
    Where are the Giants that Jerry Hicks stood on the shoulders of?
    Are the Grassroots left living in the real world?
    Couldnt you find at least half a dozen more to beat the Unite Now group?

    ReplyDelete
  23. david@dearunite.comFebruary 03, 2011 7:24 pm

    I wish we had more. There are reasons

    1) the union deliberately put the nomination period so close to Xmas and new year that eveyone had troublde getting organised inc United Left.
    2) the union made it so difficult to be a candidate - ex officers (even those illegally sacked by simpson) cannot stand, elected branch officers who work for themselves have been excluded, branch officers who are not treasurer chair or sec cannot stand etc..
    3) the union has destroyed the branch structure and lay democracy, it started with Lyons and was accelerated by Simpson. (did it ever exist in TGWU? unless you count the highly paid professionals who run them) Many branches now struiggle to get a quorum.

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  24. Comrade,

    As the nomination period for the EC elections draws to a close you still have not responded to my previous posts.

    Why are you supporting candidates in the forthcomming election against genuine left comrades.?

    John Cooper.

    ReplyDelete
  25. david@dearunite.comFebruary 09, 2011 1:42 pm

    John there's no previous post with your name in fact there is no previous post without a response. But anyway, why are the UL standing candidates against our genuine left grass roots candidates? It's because they are part of a bureaucratic machine run from the top with a tiny membership who have little say in who gets chosen anyway.

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  26. Not so comrade, following a wide ranging debate within the VBA sector which included many , many activists from all sections of the left within Unite two genuine left candidates where selected , myself being one.

    So you see the candidates are the choice of the rank and file not some fictional machine.

    John Cooper
    VBA EC Rep

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  27. really john how many is many many and where and when was this meeting or are you just the safe incumbent that len trusts and who has followed the exex line slavishly

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  28. Golam Bhuiyan is the same candidate who had been campaigning quite openly for Len McCluskey. It appears he has been rejected from their camp and decided to switch allegiances in hope of more support. His platform is not led by a left agenda and his ideology is very centre right.

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  29. the comment above is an entirely facbricated slur where is the evidence?

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  30. Golam had been campaigning at heathrow for Len McCluskey. He even did a tour of Heathrow with Len. David get rid of this impostor from within our grass roots campaign. Jon Heathrow Liaison Committee

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  31. I totally agree with Jon comments. Lets not ruin the direction of the organisation by taking on candidates who do not have the same ideology as us. Having heard Golam speak there was no emotion behind his speech. Just a free loader on the 'left' bandwagon.

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  32. Millennium Bridge London 8th March 2011 - To celebrate the 100th International Women’s Day Annie Lennox will be leading the march in London on 8th March starting at 10am at Borough Market for coffee and banner making.

    The march will leave Borough Market at 11am - walk along the south side of the river to Millennium Bridge.

    Cross the Thames to the North side then continue West along the River Walk Way past Victoria Embankment Gardens.

    Cross back along Hungerford Bridge to the South side of the river and finish at the Royal Festival Hall for speeches and more.

    Do support it if you are in London.

    Lesley Mansell. Candidate Unite NEC Elections Women’s Seat. Contact me: lesleywinningunite@yahoo.co.uk

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  33. Do check this out.

    I do not know the organisation.

    Of course there is already an organisation to support women's rights its called a trade union.

    Wonder what ours has been doing since the 1976 Sex Discrimination Act?

    Lesley Mansell

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  34. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkp4t5NYzVM&feature=player_embedded#at=23


    Apologies you need this link

    Lesley Mansell

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  35. Dirty Tricks already. I have checked out the comment Feb 26th allegedly from Jon of Heathrow Liason Committee. I checked it with Jon Purdon of Unite Heathrow Liason Committee. He has confirmed he did not make the comment and doesn't agree with it. So some UL jerk thinks they are being clever by sneaking in fake comments on this site. Dear carphone warehouse user please find something better to do with your tiny mind.

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  36. The woman standing for the south west womans seat Doreen Roberts publically stated that she intended to vote Conservative in the last election. Right wing yes, grassroots most definatly NOT

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  37. i bet ray fletcher gets a freebee holiday to cuba at xmas for all his hard work if he is still a consultant for unite then,,,,,,kick the turnip out now

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