Banned on eve of branch elections

Evan Pritchard - centre  - with cloth cap

Was it fair to issue complaints just before election?

  ON Wednesday the 28th, March,  the Unite Greater Manchester Community Branch convened for its tri-annual AGM amid some consternation about the banning of two of its members.  I had just bought some hot cross buns from Booths near Media City and I thought I'd pop in to give my comradely greetings at the Community Branch meeting at the Unite Salford Quay's office. 

To my surprise, as I entered the canteen just as pandemonium erupted I was to learn during the various loud verbal altercations and banter about the suspension of two Community Branch members from the AGM.  In the commotion it became clear that on the eve of the AGM meeting that Mr. John Pearson and Mr. Chris McBride, had both been served with letters informing them that they were subject to a complaint of such magnitude that they were now under investigation, and consequently according to the union's disciplinary process under Rule 27  'should be suspended from holding any office or representing the Union in any capacity, pending the outcome of that investigation'.

Curiously they were served  with these orders, the very day before the two men were running for office at last night's AGM.  John Pearson was standing for election as chair against the present incumbent Evan Pritchard.  Last night, this ruling was interpreted as meaning that both Mr. Pearson and Mr. McBride were not allowed to attend the meeting, and thus their nominations for officer positions were not put to the branch meeting and Evan Pritchard was elected unopposed.

Why is such a heavy hand being employed to proceed with a complaint under Rule 27:4.?

Why were written notices only delivered on the very eve of the AGM?  When Rule 27:4 clearly states that
'A member shall be given written notice ...... of any such suspension as soon as is reasonably practicable.'

After all the North West Region Finance and General Purposes Committee that ruled on this complaint, met on Tuesday, 20 March 2018, and the notices to the suspending Pearson and McBride from holding office were only delivered on Tuesday, 27 March.  Oddly this was the day before the branch elections.

This is troubling coming as it does on the heels of another recent ruling by the Assistant Trade Union Certification Officer that in the case of McFadden v Unite: 'Breach of union rule decision'; where it was found that the union had acted beyond its powers in trying to legislate on the activities of individuals at a private event.  In the Pearson and McBride case under Rule 27:4 .1 'A member under disciplinary investigation may not attend: meetings of his/her own branch'.  This has been the case since the Unite Rule Book was been updated in 2015.

People of fair minds may wonder here if this additional sub-rule 27:4.1, might not be mis-applied, perhaps by people of vindictive or vexatious intent to invent complaints to ban others whom they might not take a shine to for whatever reason; political or personal?   

In the Pearson and McBride case under consideration here, one must wonder about the timing of the issuing of these notices on the brink of the elections for AGM positions for which they had been nominated for office. 

Unite's Rule 27 does not state that a member will be suspended from participating in branch elections, it merely says the 'Regional Committee may suspend a member under this rule from holding any office or representing the Union ...'.  This does not seem to prevent a member standing for office, because any complaint against the member may fail and the suspension could well be lifted.  Hence, one may ask why were Pearson and McBride prevented from standing for office at  last week's AGM of the Unite Greater Manchester Community Branch ? 

******

On Bro. Pritchard's Penchant for Mr. Carillion

Editor:  

The post below was sent to Northern Voices by 
Mr. Pearson, a member of  Unite Greater Manchester 
Community branch.
We understand that this branch has been under investigation
by the North West Region of Unite owing to a series of 
complants by members.  Until the regional authorities of
Unite have determined what problems exist in this branch,
if any, the editors of NV have no views on this matter, except 
to say that we support the freedom to publish.
******
 by John Pearson

I THINK it is deplorable that Bro. Pritchard, the Chair of the Unite Greater Manchester Community branch should post such abusive material on the public internet.

He might have disliked the reference to the late Councillor Quinn in your article on the deep embedment that Carillion had in Tameside Council and the consequent repercussions in that borough of the firm's collapse.  A reasonable commentator would have complained at what you published but to call the publishers "lowlifes" is ad hominem excess at its extreme.

Not only is Bro. Pritchard's action deplorable but it is highly hypocritical since he and his supporters in the Unite Greater Manchester Community Branch officer's group have insisted upon, not only banning Bro. Chris McBride, for over a year now, from the branch's official Facebook group but they have also - unconstitutionally (per the decision of the Unite North West Regional Deputy Secretary, dated 18 January 2016) - removed Bro. McBride from his elected position as the branch's press and media Officer (Communications Liaison Officer) role.  Their primary charge against Bro. McBride was that he allegedly made ad hominem attacks on branch officers on social media.

******

Manchester 'Day of Action'

NO SANCTIONS DAY OF ACTION ACROSS GREATER MANCHESTER: March 2016

This Wednesday 9th March sees a National Day of Action, with peaceful
direct action taking place all over Greater Manchester to protest at
unfair benefit sanctions and the devastating impact they have on
people.

"It's in opposition to the Department of Work and Pensions continued
onslaught against benefits claimants through sanctions" says Chris
McBride of Unite Community which is organising the Day

"Thousands of benefits claimants have had their benefits stopped for
months at a time and the reasons given include 'late signing on', in
many cases just one or two minutes, and late signing due to claimants
proven attendance at job interviews and funerals" he adds .

"Around eighty per cent of appeals against sanctioning have, in these
circumstances, proven successful, though much research has exposed
many claimants reluctance to appeal for fear of rejection, and even
victimisation.

"Suicides and sickness have been the result of benefits sanctions
according to many" he explains "Deaths commonly seen as directly
related to benefits sanctions include David Clapson, Stephanie
Bottrill, Victor Cuff, Jacqueline Harris, and many more."
A report by Sheffield Hallam University and Crisis states that, "the
sanctions rate has increased dramatically", leading to food poverty,
survival crime, family/relationship tensions, mental and physical
health problems, fuel poverty, debt and possible homelessness.

The latest availaible DWP statistics lists Rochdale Job Centre, Fleece
Street as having the third highest rate for sanctioning benefit
claimants in the whole of Greater Manchester.

Of the 4,078 people then being sanctioned at Rochdale Job Centre 40%
were sanctioned without being told why these sanctioned were imposed
by Claimant Advisers.

Locally the figures break down at:

•Rochdale Job Centre Plus, Fleece Street - 4,078
•Middleton Jobcentre Plus - 1,484
•Heywood Job Centre Plus, Taylor Street – 972

A total of 6534 in all.

Across the Greater Manchester, the Manchester East & West area had
24,072 “adverse” sanctions. Of these the majority by far were in the
18-24 year age group totalling 246, 592 individuals. With 91,603 in
the 25-29 year old age group.

Most worryingly across the whole of the United Kingdom there were
49,827 disabled people who were sanctioned by the DWP.

Mental health charities have campaigned against the scandal of one
hundred people a day with mental health issues being sanctioned by the
DWP under the DWP sanctions regime.

As well as Unite Community, the Day of Action is backed by Disabled
People Against Cuts, Unite the Union, Boycott Workfare and the TUC.

There's also a rally at Piccadilly Gardens Manchester between 2pm and 4pm.

For further details see Unite Against Sanctions Facebook page and the
Unite the Community Union online petition against sanctions at :

http://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigning/stop-benefit-sanctions/cut-out-cuts-petition/

Community Union imposes restrictions on freedom of speech!

Northern Voices Editor - Brian Bamford

JUDGING from recent reports that we have received from sources within Unite the Union, it appears that union bureaucrats are cracking down on dissenting and awkward voices within the union in order to exert discipline and control over their members.

At a meeting of the Greater Manchester Community Union Branch, on Tuesday, which was attended by ten members, there was a recommendation from branch officer’s that branch policy in relation to postings on the branch’s Facebook page, should be changed with immediate effect to allow only content that reflected UNITE policy at either branch, regional, or national level, to be posted on Facebook. It was also recommended that only UNITE members should be allowed to comment, even though the function of the branch, is to carry out community campaigning work.

We understand that this motion to restrict free speech within the branch was opposed by Chris McBride, the branch communications and media officer, who hitherto had been posting articles of general community interest. He told the meeting that other UNITE branch’s Facebook pages were 'open, inclusive, and vibrant' and that this was what was needed, to build a branch of the union that was rooted in the community. Another member pointed out during the discussion, that even without these restrictions, some items being posted on the branch’s Facebook page, were being censored and blocked.

When put to the vote, the officers’ recommendations were defeated with three in favour, four against and three abstentions. The Branch Secretary, John Clegg, then immediately questioned the accuracy of the vote and Branch Chair, Communist Party member, Evan Pritchard, called for a fresh vote to be taken. The decision was then reversed and the officers’ recommendations were adopted.

Among those who attended Tuesday’s meeting, was the septuagenarian, veteran Manchester anarcho-syndicalist, Ronny (gall and wormwood) Marsden. This self-proclaimed libertarian evidently voted against the motion on the first vote but did a volte-face on the second vote - after being seen to exchange glances with the Branch Secretary – and voted for tighter controls over branch freedom of expression. 
The branch also unanimously agreed that officer's of the branch produce a newsletter.

Over the Pennines in Rochdale, another septuagenarian veteran anarchist is facing possible expulsion from Unite the Union, for allegedly bringing the union into disrepute after publishing a report on Northern Voices about a union meeting in Liverpool and blacklisting. Brian Bamford, Editor of Northern Voices magazine and Branch Secretary of Bury UNITE branch, has been summoned before a union inquiry to investigate whether he has broken union rules.