A decision has been made by the Unite London and Eastern Regional Council at its meeting
in April to close 100’s of branches throughout the region with
immediate effect from May 15th. All branch accounts were blocked with
immediate effect and all branch assets are required to be returned to
the Regional Office at Woodberry (which itself has now just been sold
for £7.5 million!). There has been NO consultation in advance of this
sudden move. No one has even been informed which branch they will become
a member of. The letter from Peter Kavanagh, the Regional Secretary,
states that as new branches are established members will be written to,
inviting them to inaugural branch meetings. So until such time there
will be no branch for members to even attend! The democratic structures
of the union have been removed with a single stroke. This heavy handed
and undemocratic move flies in the face of the promise made by Len
McCluskey to be “a democratic union with members in charge and authority
pushed out to the industrial sectors, branches, workplaces and
regions”.
A meeting has therefore been called by supporters of
Jerry Hicks, who opposed Len McCluskey in the General Secretary
election, to discuss this latest turn of events. Jerry Hicks will be
speaking at the meeting. ALL UNITE MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND.
7-30pm to 9-30pm -Thursday 16th May
Friends Meeting House
Rainsford Road
CHELMSFORD
CM1 2QL
Located on junction of Parkway and Rainsford Road. Five minute walk from Chelmsford Rail & Bus Station. (see map)